Post by Bernard Kron on Jan 25, 2023 17:27:51 GMT -5
The Race of Gentlemen ’29 Ford “A-V8” High-Boy Roadster
(More photos below)
This is a classic “A-V8” hot rod, a 1929 Ford model A roadster body perched on 1932 Ford chassis rails powered by a hopped up flathead Ford V8. This style was hugely popular in the early years of hot rodding on either side of WWII. The small, lightweight Model A body combined with power of the V8 and the stiffer, more modern Deuce chassis provided an ideal package for both cruising around town and the street racing and dry lakes speed runs that were the standard back then.
The Race of Gentlemen (or T.R.O.G.) is a celebration of those early days. Starting as a beach racing event on the shores of Wildwood New Jersey more than a decade ago, the founders have stretched out to organize various beach racing and 1/8th mile drag racing events on both coasts of the USA and even traveling to Europe. The most recent event was last December at the Flabob Municipal Airport near Riverside California, recreating the spirit of the first drag racing events.
The T.R.O.G. rules are quite strict and specific, limiting chassis and powerplant to pre and postwar war 4 cylinder and flathead V8s. More recently hey are allowing early pre-1956 OHV motors,. If modified they must use era-correct speed equipment. The prevailing aesthetic of the typical T.R.O.G. racer is the “Preservation” style where the as-found patina of these old cars is maintained while the machine is restored to its full potential of safety and performance using original, period vintage parts wherever possible. This model represents the prototypic T.R.O.G. A-V8 as raced at Flabob.
I started with an AMT ’29 Roadster body and interior and Revell ’32 Ford chassis rails. The front and rear crossmembers are Revellogram ‘29/’30 Model A pieces as is the rear spring. The front spring is AMT ’29 Ford while the 4” dropped I-beam axle is a wire-reinforced resin piece from ThePartsBox.com. The center X-member and rear axle, brake backing plates and the Houdaille hydraulic lever shocks are Revell ’40 Ford pieces. Those sexy solid faced Halibrand mag wheels and tall, skinny repops of the Monogram Lincoln bias ply rear tires are aftermarket pieces created by Jason Lookabill (lookabillj@gmail.com). The front tires are AMT Goodyears modified to fit Jason’s wheels. The wheels are finished in Vallejo Acrylic Bronze Mecha Color to simulate a Dow 7 coating.
The Ford flathead V8 is built up from Revellogram ’37 Ford truck block and transmission and Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland Offenhauser finned heads, Fenton headers and high rise intake manifold.
The AMT kit interior bucket had its seat removed and replaced with a bolstered tuck ‘n’ roll unit from the Revell ’32 Ford .5-window kit. The interior is finished in Testors Acryl British Crimson worked over to simulate worn leatherette. The dashboard is a refaced AMT ’29 Ford piece with a photoetch guage panel from Model Car Garage. The steering wheel and interior details are from the AMT ’29 Ford kit.
The chassis and body are finished in Tamiya AS-29 Grey Green over red oxide primer and metallic silver in preparation for the light sanding that yielded a mildly weathered “as-found” effect. The numbers and Sta-Lube decals on the rear deck and hood sides are homemade. The grill is finished in British Crimson to echo the interior.
Thanx for lookin’,
B.
