Phantomphan 1/25 scale 1958 Edsel Pacer convertible transkit By Al Superczynski

Okay, okay - I admit it - I'm a sucker for classic American Iron, especially convertibles. I like hardtops or sedans just fine and build them as factory stock muscle cars, street machines or mild customs, but long and low soft top turnpike cruisers are my soft spot - either top down and factory stock or top up as mild customs. Every time Revell-Monogram or AMT releases a new tool Fifties or Sixties hardtop I wait and hope for a convertible version to hit the shelves as well. More often than not I'm disappointed and have to resort to either a laborious conversion or aftermarket resin when available.

Such was my plight when AMT released their most excellent '58 Edsel Pacer hardtop. Edsels don't do much for me except in their convertible guises so as soon as I got my sweaty palms on one I was digging out references and planning how to go about a conversion. Not to worry!

Tom Montgomery of Rancho Cordova, California, AKA and d.b.a. "PhantomPhan", has come to my rescue with an absolutely gorgeous resin conversion set for the AMT kit. Everything needed is cast in a high quality tan resin - convertible body, new interior side panels, convertible boot, narrowed rear seat and even an X brace for the chassis. I was especially impressed by the molded-in convertible top well and the positive location of the boot. There's very little flash on my example and no pinholes whatsoever. The parts are direct replacements for their corresponding kit pieces and a dry fit shows that they match up perfectly. I've got a lot of resin kits and conversions in my collection and Tom's Edsel ranks right up there with the best of them including everything I've got and seen from The Modelhaus (THE standard for resin car kits, conversions, and parts IMO). The picture of the completed model above, as built by Tom himself, is testimony enough to the excellence of his product. Highly recommended to lovers of American cars!

Tom's '58 Edsel convertible is available directly from him at the very reasonable price of $30 plus shipping and handling. I got mine within a month of sending off my check; quick service for a custom cast resin item.