1949 Ford Coupe -- ELA version

This 49 Ford is intended to be completed as a fantasy CHP unit assigned to East Los Angeles.



Whittier Blvd in ELA is the low rider capital of the world.  I have always contended that CHP has missed a public relations win by not having an appropriate unit assigned to Whittier Blvd.  

Near the intersection of Whittier Blvd and Atlantic Ave a sign crosses Whittier Blvd.



I intend to scratch build this sign and place it on a base representing a short portion of Whittier Blvd.  The fantasy CHP unit will be stopped cross way under the sign.  

I started the car yesterday and at the moment the body looks like this.


Typically this out of production AMT/Erytl kit has some issues.  I had to fill the custom grill around the edges to get rid of an approximate 1/32" gap.  There is also an obvious gap on the driver's side of the hood that will have to be corrected.




That's it for today. Updates as appropriate.

Unique idea, John.  Will it have a fantasy black & white paint scheme?

Like metallic/glitter black and pearl white.

I'm in

Thanks Buck.

Great minds think alike Mike. The actual colors will depend on my fingernail stash though.

The actual colors will depend on my fingernail stash though. wrote:

Hello sailor!!!

Ya big kid. ya couldn't heep ya hands off it, could ya!!! LOL.

Got the engine together and wired today.









That's it for today.

Headers make better sense, but these will be easier to use. It's progress for sure, thanks!

Yeah, I thought of headers, but I have enough fit issues as is.

Looking good John.

Thnx Tan.

Mean looking engine John!

Nice subject John.

Thanks guys. Had to do a bit of modification to the engine this morning, but not enough to call for new photos. Going to get started on the templet for the sign tonight.

Here is the first mock up of the fantasy unit.









Thanks for looking.

The engine sit in there just right John.

Is that pearl black?

Actually it is the kit engine so there was no fit problem. Had to raise the blower a bit to clear the hood though as I had changed the intake.

The black is Model Masters Blazing Black straight from a rattle can.

RESET, RESET, RESET!!!

The longer I worked on the fantasy unit the more I thought I should round file much of what I had done and get truly radical with the car.  Consequently the body went in the pond.  

I decided to open up the rear wheel wells and add large tires.  Looking through my stash I came up with these from a 41 Willys street rod.


As the tires would now be a great deal wider than the body I needed rear fenders.  In my stash I found a failed build of a 1950 Chevrolet pick up with these fenders.

Fortunately the fenders were a reasonable fit on the coupe body.  They only required a small amount of sanding to fit them.  

Here are a couple of mock up shots of the coupe as it now appears.






There is still some body work to do on the fender attachments.  The front end of the car will remain much the same as before.  I have a couple more revisions to make and will post them as they are done.  I still intend to scratch build the ELA sign.  As always, questions, comments, suggestions, praise, criticism and friendly ridicule is welcome.

dogfish7 wrote:This isn't a race car?

Not intended to be a race car --- purely a fantasy that would have been really fun to patrol Whittier Blvd with.

This is what I love about fantasy builds. You can just go with it and create one of a kind cool subjects.

I can see it better now than I could on Skype last night John.

You may have this in mind but to me there is to much underhang at the leading edge. I'd suggest cutting them at the lower mold line.

I think they may also look better reversed. So that the more rounded (less bulbous) end faces forward. In otherwords swapped from side to side.

Just my thoughts, otherwise I like your thinking.

Skid: I wish I had thought of reversing them. Afraid it's too late now though. Too much glue, filler and sanding time invested.

It's never too late John. If you think it's better, do it.

If not, at least trim off the underhang. It looks ugly to me.

Not a big fan of the rear fenders, but fantasy is fantasy, so go ahead and fly them. I think I would have shortened the rear axle and tucked them into the body, or used the shortened Ford 9 inch rear end from the same Willys kit. it already has a 4 link suspension.