Revell 1/24 '40 Ford Custom Pickup Truck Kit Build Review

By Phil Cooley, Front Range Auto Modelers (FRAM)

The Kit

I did an in-the-box review of this kit back in January with the caveat that I planned to build it and paint it two-toned with black diamond pearl fenders and a purple body, hood and bed.  And that is what I did. The kit review can be found here.

The Build

I built the kit straight out of the box and as I expected, it fit together nearly flawlessly, with the exceptions of the hood and opening doors.  As I noted in my in-the-box review, the door fit is kind of fiddley.  I also lost one of the door hinges and those two things solidified my decision to glue the doors shut.  One mistake I made, though, was to glue the doors to the body before I glued the inner door panels.  This kit has re-positionable side windows.  Gluing the doors to the body before I glued the door panels made it very difficult to glue the door panels and capture the side glass without getting glue or fingerprints on it.  And as for the hood, it is a little on the loose side, in that there is a noticeable gap between it and the cowl.

In my earlier review I stated that the wheels were dated—I still feel that way.  They are very 1980s.  Also, this style of wheels has a series of holes in them and the chrome plating filled in the holes.  I drilled them out with my pin vice.  That improved their look, immensely, but they are still way out of fashion.

The chassis is pretty simple, but is easily paint detailed.  The engine is fairly simple also, but with the hood open the chrome accents really stand out.  On my build I used a yellow Sharpie on the carburetors, which gives them an anodized look.

I did the door panels and seats in white pearl with purple pearl accents.  I also painted the inside of the cab purple and the headliner white.  I think the colors show up nicely.  

The colors I chose for the body were Testors Enamels—Smoke Grey Pearl and Boyd's Grape Pearl.  I think they are a  nice contrast to each other and they really dry quickly, especially for enamels.  I used a red Sharpie on the chrome taillight lenses—I think that gives a realistic look and is a lot quicker than using "Stop Light Red" paint.  The only decals I used in my build were the white Ford and V8 emblems for the tailgate, the silver strips for the pickup bed, and the black and yellow California license plate.

Conclusion

If I were king for a day, I'd modify this kit by adding parts that would allow it to be built stock.  I'd also add a set of 5 spoke mag wheels.  But if Revell elects not to make those changes, I still think it's worth buying. 

Phil Cooley is a member of Front Range Auto Modelers.