REVELL-MONOGRAM [ MORE REVIEWS ] [ WEBSITE ] [ NEW STORIES ]

In-Box Review
125
'40 Ford Standard Coupe
'40 Ford Standard Coupe
  • move

by: Rowan Baylis [ MERLIN ]

Background
Embodying incremental changes from the previous year’s model, the 1940 Coupe represented the peak of Ford's development for this type of vehicle before America's entry into WW2 forced a switch to military production. A number of styling changes saw a redesigned bonnet (hood) and radiator grill, with the headlamps moved outboard ahead of the wheels, and wipers mounted at the base of the windscreen - all combining to create a much more modern look. The Deluxe and Standard versions featured dual and single tail lights respectively and there were a couple of different interior fit-outs - the most unusual from today’s perspective being the Business Coupe with a rather “Heath-Robinsonesque” one-piece seat-back that hinged upwards to allow access to a storage area in the rear. The other option (as kitted here) featured a split seat-back to allow passengers to sit in the rear on a pair of small jump-seats - certainly a big step up from a dickey seat in actually being in the car’s cabin and protected from the elements, but probably not very comfortable for any distance...

In Kit Form
The kit comes in a box bearing the classic Monogram logo, but I think it’s really Monogram in name only, because the parts, decals and instructions all bear the Revell brand. The kit is moulded in China and the earliest date I could find in the kit is marked on the sprues, and that is 2000. The instructions are copyright 2015, while the decals are dated 2014. The kit doesn't seem to be in the current Revell line-up, but I purchased mine in new condition from Supermart USA via Amazon, so I think it should still be readily available.

The kit arrives in a deep top-opening box that's well filled with parts. All the sprues are bagged for protection, and it was interesting to find the interior tub and bonnet (hood) had been snipped off their sprue(s) and packed inside the body shell. I don't know how much space this saved but, presumably, it was done for a good reason.

The kit comprises:

95 x white styrene parts
34 x chromed styrene parts
10 x clear styrene parts
4 x soft tyres
2 x decal choices

The moulding is very good in my kit. There are inevitably some mould-split lines to capture the complex body contours, but I couldn't find any flash and only the shallowest of a couple of sink marks. Ejector pins are light for the most part and have been kept pretty much out of harm’s way.

A Few Details
Working sequentially through the 16-stage assembly sequence, construction kicks off with a nicely detailed 18-part engine that includes some chromed parts. Chrome plating may well be appropriate for modern hot-rods and show cars, but I think I’ll strip it off and spray a polished n/m finish. Turning to the chassis, it’s basically one-piece (plus an X-frame) and nice and true on the sprue - which should ensure the finished model has a solid foundation to sit on.

The radiator is moulded in two parts (front and back) with a neat mesh pattern. Splitting it this way means an irritating seam to sort out, but it might have been down to preclude any chance of sink marks on what would otherwise be quite a thick part.

The front and rear wheel suspension and transmission are straightforward, but quite nicely detailed. It’s a bit disappointing, however, that the front wheels can’t be steered (without some tricky surgery) to give a little “life” to the finished model.

The wheels are supplied in a rather glossy soft material. A definite plus-point is that it doesn’t appear to be a proverbial “dust magnet”, but against that is a noticeable seam in the middle of the tread pattern, and quite heavy sprue attachments. Hopefully, the seam will sand away without too much feathering, and careful positioning of the wheels will hide the sprue attachments. All will be revealed with a full build…

The clear parts are quite thin and there are no blemishes in my example. Oddly, no side windows are included for the doors so, unless you add them from clear sheet, they will be firmly “wound down” on the finished model.

The engine compartment includes a battery and horn (again, brightly chromed), and there’s a heater to attach to the passenger side of the firewall.

The passenger compartment builds as a neatly detailed tub, with a split front seat and jump seats in the rear. Decals are given for two different styles of dashboard - stock and custom - and the steering wheel comes with the correct period gear-shift on the pillar (this is often swapped for a floor-mounted item on modern restored cars).

The completed tub slots into the body shell before joining with the chassis. The rear wheel arches are separate pieces, as are the running boards.

The kit offers the choice of dual or single tail lights for the Deluxe and Standard options respectively, before rounding things off with fitting the bumpers, headlamps and position-able bonnet (hood).

Instructions & Decals
The instructions are printed as a neat 12-page booklet, with clear diagrams that break construction down into logical and easily manageable stages. One thing I really like is that the parts are named in a list so, instead of simply having a bunch of anonymous pieces, modellers who are unfamiliar with car construction can actually learn a bit about what made the full-sized Coupe tick.

Generic colour matches are keyed to details throughout. Where things get a little confusing is the overall paint scheme, because it’s shown as plain medium blue in the instructions, while the finish on the box-top model appears to be metallic. Meanwhile, the decal sheet has both Illinois and California licence plates and two styles of dashboard instruments, but the instructions only show one colour scheme. Even this is muddled, because it shows a Standard Coupe from the rear, but a Deluxe from above.

The kit is in the “Car Show” series, so the scheme shown is presumably based on a modern restored show-car, as it features white trim lines around the wheel arches, bonnet, roof and boot. It would be nice if Revell had also included a stock “vintage” version as an alternative. I'll refer to vintage paint chips HERE and HERE for a more "period" paint job.

The decals themselves look to be good quality, with excellent registration and minimal carrier film on the glossy items.

Conclusion
This looks to be a really nice kit, and I’m looking forward to building it as part of Auto Modeler’s Blue Oval Campaign. Construction looks straightforward enough for beginners to handle, while there’s sufficient detail to satisfy experienced modellers and provide a sound basis for super-detailers and anyone wanting to go above and beyond to modify it into a hot rod.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AUTO MODELER.
SUMMARY
Highs: Clean moulding and solid design with plenty of detail. Good quality decals.
Lows: The kit seems to contain parts and decals for more options than covered in the painting instructions.
Verdict: The Revell-Monogram 1940 Ford Standard Coupe is a really neat kit that should appeal to modellers of all levels of experience. It's not in the current catalogue, but is definitely well worth seeking out.
Percentage Rating
90%
  Scale: 1:25
  Mfg. ID: 4371
  Suggested Retail: £19.23 (Supermart USA)
  PUBLISHED: Sep 24, 2019
  NATIONALITY: United States
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 88.37%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 75.85%

About Rowan Baylis (Merlin)
FROM: NO REGIONAL SELECTED, UNITED KINGDOM

I've been modelling for about 40 years, on and off. While I'm happy to build anything, my interests lie primarily in 1/48 scale aircraft. I mostly concentrate on WW2 subjects, although I'm also interested in WW1, Golden Age aviation and the early Jet Age - and have even been known to build the occas...

Copyright ©2021 text by Rowan Baylis [ MERLIN ]. Images also by copyright holder unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of ModelGeek. All rights reserved.



Comments

Looks pretty neat. Thanks for the review. My uncle restored a couple of these, a 39 and a 40. Pretty neat cars. I might have to try this one sometime.
SEP 24, 2019 - 08:37 AM
Great review Rowan, this looks like it will build up nicely! Looking forward to the flag dropping in a few days now. Cheers, D
SEP 24, 2019 - 10:36 AM
Excellent review Rowan. Love those soft lines, of this car.
SEP 24, 2019 - 06:35 PM
   


Photos
Click image to enlarge
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move