Stacey David's Rat Roaster Trakability

[Bernard Kron]

Revell has finally given us a “new tool” Deuce Roadster in the form of the Stacy David Rat Roaster. Just in time, too, as the old highboy roadster kit has become quite scarce. Recently, when I was at the NNL West there were absolutely none of the old kit to be found! So the Rat Roaster is what we will have going forward.

I must admit to mixed feelings about this kit. The 1:1 is highly stylized, a very contemporary vision of a 60’s style ’32 Ford highboy roadster. Definitely one man’s taste, but not terribly or even in the spirit of a Traditional rod IMHO. Many details are just wrong, both from a Tradtional perspective, annd perhaps even more generally: it’s massive intake trumpets, the B&M blower, the polished bare metal “chrome” molding along the bodyline, and the oval ports atop the hood. The interior, too, is aggressively done and pretty much in the modern style, although it could be argued that each of its details is pre-'69.

I have begun a project based on this kit The interior is more to my taste than some of the other details. So I decided I would do a “version” of the Rat Roaster, keeping the details that I like and changing the details that I don’t like. This isn’t a necessaily a “backdating” of the car, but rather a revisiting of the basic style of the 1:1, toning down some of the details, and emphasizing some of the others.

I was surprised to see that the “holes” in the interior were missing from the kit. At first I thought Revell had wimped out by leaving the holes filled and including decals to indicate the dark areas on the original car. But more close examination of the 1:1 indicates that these “holes” are not holes at all, but indentations which are then filled with padded upholstery material. In my mind’s eye I wanted holes. So I drilled out all the “holes” so they are now holes, period.

My vision of the interior was more along the lines of a bare metal look with just a smattering of upholstery. So I decided on finishing it out in Testors Aluminum Plate Metalizer with the black diamond pattern panels of the 1:1. To emphasize this look I have replaced the kit seats with drilled out resin items from ThePartsBox.com, again finished in Aluminum Plate.

But is it , or just too contemporary, sort of post-rat rod, to pass muster?

I’ll keep as much of the rest of the car as I can, sticking with the kit Small Block Chevy, but changing the hood to a more stock appearing one. The blower is a problem for me, lacking definition and personality. Why bother with such a modern detail if it just looks lame? So I’m looking into alternate carburetion and/or blower setups (GMC 671, a brace of ‘97’s, injection? – not decided yet). The exhausts are problematic too. Do I keep them to emphasize the link with the 1:1, do I refinish them to tone down the kit chrome, do I substitute block huggers for them and go with full side panels, or do I build out a set of Limefires (which I have started on…)? Again I’m not sure.

I think the overall look will be far more conservative than the 1:1, but I’m trying to avoid backdating this car too much, partially because I’m planning a straight-up traditional highboy for later this year, complete with buggy spring rear end, juice brakes, either flathead or early OHV power, tuck and roll interior, etc. That car will almost certainly be done in black, another reason I wanted to avoid black for this one.

I'm curious as to what your impressiions of this kit are. What elements are clearly non-, either in actual fact, or in spirit. What about those wheels and tires? Are they really ?

[draggon]

I'm sure you'll do this up right B., and I love the shade of blue you have chosen, but I just think all those dang holes are too rat-roddy. Block huggers or limefire headers would work very well. My overall opinion on the kit ( and I have two ) is to change the interior, change the headers, put carbs or a 6-71 on the engine, and it becomes quite tasty.

[onedge]

I picked this kit up today at my local hobby shop. I was shocked to see that it looks like s whole new tool. I really like where you are going with this. I really like those seats that you are using. I'll be watching where you take this.

[Mr409]

Okay, I don't decide it, but I'll say that In My Opinion those holes on parts doesn't make it too Rat Rod-style, since those old Gassers had holes drilled to many points, as well as other old Race cars.... But it's just my opinion, so it doesn't matter.

[Dennis]

I think with a few basic changes this kit can be a lot more approriate for this forum than in its out of box form.

Hedman was making small block Chevy block hugger style headers in the late 50's. The kit headers suck. They belong on a 70's fad-T.

The Weiand blower is modern but I have seen a few stripped & painted and they look a bunch better.

The air filters need to be replaced.

The wheels are good looking but absolutely modern. But, if Bob blesses them I won't argue it.

The interior looks WAY better the way you have painted it, Bernard. Looks race car inluenced like this.

I think the seats you have chosen are more ratrod than anything, Bernard. For some reason a lot of people think that bomber seats are supposed to have all those bullshit holes in them but it was the ratrodder guys who started that. Real vintage aircraft seats look nothing like that.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanks for the responses to this so far. I think exploring the pluses and minuses of this kit from a Traditional point of view will prove productive.

The seats I chose are interesting. They are in fact replicas of the actual seats that Stacey David used, with "rat rod" holes added. I think they may be 1/24th scale which is why they are slightly bigger than the upholstered versions included in the Rat Roaster kit. ThePartsBox.com offers them in the same two forms as the OEM, Speedway Motors, which is to say "lightened" and plain:

I believe the plain version was originally produced as a race car item, which is what ThePartsBox.com, which sells a lot of circle track gear, markets them as. On the other hand, Speedway Motors sells them as "bomber seats", even though they really don't look like bomber seats to me... I'm sure they know what sells them best...

I agree with Dennis that all the drilling out stuff, while found on some 50's cars, is pretty much a contemporary rat rod styling cue. That's why I think the Rat Roaster is Stacey David's "post-rat rod" take on things. To my eyes, sort of the worst parts of the post-billet and posy-rat rod sensibilities. To some degree in my project I'm trying to roll with it and still correct it without aggressively backdating it. I seriously doubt that this project will be , and it's not my intention to do that.

Also, to some degree agreeing with Dennis, I think the tires and wheels are borderline. And since they are difficult to mate up with other wheels and tires, they are sort of doomed to being a set which may prove too readily identifiable on other projects. But it is early days yet and certainly DakotaJohn's chopped 3-window is the exception that may prove the rule. There's still an Orange Crate kit in my future as a parts donor...

Definitely the intake and exhausts are problematic. I think the Weiand/B&M blower sits too low and I hate the ribbing pattern on it - definitely modern to my eyes. I, too, have already seen the kit part stripped and metalized, and it does improve things immeasurably. But at the end of the day it's wimp-ass compared to a Jimmy. If I choose to use it it will be stripped of its chrome and it will only be used to prove the point of "improving" the Rat Roaster, not backdating it. The same goes for the exhausts. I'm just questioning whether I want to put the time into making up the Limefires ... and/or whether they'll look good enough if I do.

The Rat Roaster helps highlight the whole issue of saying things are because one can find pre-'69 examples of them, or whether it's a question of "look and feel". As is generally the case, I'm a "look and feel" guy ( ) and on that basis here are the elements that screw the pooch from a Trakability POV:

1) The fake drilled out interior (drilling it our really doesn't change things).
2) The modern blower.
3) The circle track style exhausts.
4) The really deep offset on the rear wheels and the fact that the centers match the fronts.
5) The various over the top styling items like the hood ports and the polished bare metal trim.

As I've said elsewhere, I'll continue shopping for earlier series Revell 1/25th highboys when I can find them. But they're fast disappearing.

P.S. Note to aftermarket resin casters. With the release of the Rat Roaster, the screaming need for an integrated set of offerings for the 1/25th Revell Deuce family, i.e. plain stock style hood, louvered hood, louvered decks, louvered hood side panels with a highboy compatible lower edge, stock style hood side panels with a highboy compatible lower edge, smooth hood side panels with a highboy compatible lower edge. Many of these parts have never existed and/or will soon disappear as the last 1st series highboy kits are sold off. Do it!

P.P.S. SBC Limefires, too!!!!

[spex84]

I think your take on the interior is really great. Doesn't look all that ratty, more like a mid 60s "show n' go" interior. The "bomber seats" are not really actual bomber seats, which puts them in the post-modern pastiche category. Ie, they "evoke" bomber seats, but they're something more contemporary. If you were to put in some diamond-tuck buckets from a 60s AMT kit, it might look more 60s/traditional.
You're absolutely right that enough "imitation" and "tribute" parts put together end up creating a car that looks and feels like a contemporary/modern build. There's a lot of stuff on the rat roaster that needs to be dialed back in order to 'save' it, maybe too much work to be worth the effort? Maybe just a challenge!
Thanks for sharing your impressions of the kit and the potential it holds!

[Bernard Kron]

Mar 3, 2013 19:45:03 GMT -5 spex84 said:

... The "bomber seats" are not really actual bomber seats, which puts them in the post-modern pastiche category. IE, they "evoke" bomber seats, but they're something more contemporary. ... enough "imitation" and "tribute" parts put together end up creating a car that looks and feels like a contemporary/modern build. There's a lot of stuff on the rat roaster that needs to be dialed back in order to 'save' it, maybe too much work to be worth the effort? Maybe just a challenge!
...

Nicely put. That's why I think the 1:1 is kind of a post-rat rod/post-billet car. I'm frustrated that this is what we'll have to work with as the roadster part of the Revell Deuce family, and for some time to come I fear. To much of this kit will require some amount of work to, as you say, "dial it back"! Hence my shout out to the aftermarket...

[draggon]

I was just thiking the same thing on the diamond-tuck. When did it show up? I cant remember. IMHO, no holes and diamond tuck buckets would be much nicer.

And I'm saving the headers for a 60's Fad-Tee!

[southpier]

when did the "dimple die" thing start? is it not a way to strengthen the metal surrounding a lightening hole? or is this a recent trend?

doesn't seem so high tech that some Grumann engineer couldn't have set it up.

[zenrat]

I always thought that the dimple effect was a natural result of punching a hole through metal.
In fact try doing it WITHOUT getting a dimple.

[spex84]

I assume by "dimple" you mean the flanged edge on the holes?
A hole just cut right in sheetmetal doesn't have much strength, but using a die to flange/roll the edges over makes it much stronger and gives the panel much more rigidity. Anybody with a lathe could make hole flanging dies. I did a quick google search and there was even a photo of one made of wood!

[southpier]

so the year these came into play for lightening Traditional Rods would be _______________ ?

[Koolkat]

I believe hole drilling in frames, axles, and bodies for lightening purposes started in the early fifties, mostly for drag and salt flats. I don't know about 'bomber seats' having holes. Diamond tuck upholstery became pretty popular in the early sixties, although it was around before then. Although I liked it, it always reminded me of a coffin. A rough hole cut into metal will tend to eventually crack due to road stresses, so it must be perfectly round, smooth, and/or reinforced. I'm not a wheel expert, but those wheels highly resemble some earlier Halibrands.

[RodBurNeR]

I haven't had one in hand. My personal preferences steer me away from wanting to build that kit, but I would use the wheels and some parts possibly.
I can't say yes or no...but the air cleaners look too new to be TRaKable.