Ramcharger Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 Thanks, Bill! That's a big help! If anyone ever should wonder why you need to be active on a model car message board, this is the reason why. Look how many guys from all over are willing to help improve a build, for no other reason than to make it way cooler. I'm am so diggin' the sense of community around here. I'm in the midst of adding more detail to those springs and working on building the front axle and spindles. I'll probably have some photos tomorrow or Saturday. Stay tuned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 More updates! I went to the local IPMS show on Saturday, so I didn't get anything done, but I got a second and a third. My parts box POS Gremlin gasser almost beat a $400 Model factory Hiro Porsche (I talked to one of the judges). It doesn't look like much but I mocked up the front suspension and I'm working on the steering set up. I cut the spring shackles out of aluminum, scratch built the rear brackets, and centered it all up. It took a few tries! The axle is aluminum tube with plastic ends and I'll use aluminum for the steering brackets. After I get this mocked up, I'll start on some painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 More. I finished the front end, I have the shocks built, I'll install them after paint. I'm going to blow it all apart for paint tomorrow. My wife is quite sure I'm nuts for doing this much scratch building with all of these tiny little parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovefordgalaxie Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Dude, I'm a fan of your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thanks Tulio! The feeling is mutual, I am a huge fan of your Galaxies, they are great! I'm headed down to the paint booth to shoot some parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTalmage Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thats genius! never thought of using a pop can for all the brackets and leaf springs... I've always wanted to do a scratch built front straight axle ever since I first seen one on here... I'm a little too cowardly to try to make an altered wheelbase car though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 Jesse, just cut one up, it's real easy! When I do my '62 T-bird AWB car I'll take some photos before I do all the body work and you'll see it's not that bad. The piece you cut out to move the wheel wells forward generally fits in the space behind the new wheel well location so the body work is pretty minimal. The chassis you just chop a piece out the same size you moved the wheel wells forward, slop some superglue on it and you're done. As a matter of fact, the sloppier you are, the more realistic the build. Remember, most of the AWB cars after early 65 were done in some guys garage with a blue wrench (cuttin' torch). I made some front shocks out of brass and then worked on the rear suspension. I made the traction bars like the ones Ford used on the Thunderbolts, so they were pretty easy to fab up after I made a cross member and some axle brackets for them. I found some 9" pie crust slicks in the parts box and some chrome steelies for the rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 23, 2014 Author Share Posted February 23, 2014 Chassis got some paint, as well as the front suspension. The front shocks are drying as is the interior. I'm working on the wheels and tires while watching the UFC fights and sippin' a Natty Boh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 bad55 stan Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Look n good Ron... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 23, 2014 Author Share Posted February 23, 2014 Thanks Stan, I've started the motor and I always seem to find something I forgot to paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Looks great, nice work ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovefordgalaxie Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Looking great!! Loved the rear tires, and the front suspension looks very very real and accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Thanks Ray! Tulio, that is the greatest compliment to a modeler ever! When someone else says it looks real that just makes my day! Thanks!! More to come probably tomorrow, I remember this started out as a quick build, hmmm, what went wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovefordgalaxie Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I remember this started out as a quick build, hmmm, what went wrong? Maybe too many parts that look very very real?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 I finally got the car up on wheels! I think the front end is too high but I can't rebuild it now, it's too close to the contest for that. I measured the crank center line when I mocked up the motor and it sits at a scale 24", which should have been be legal in gas class back in the day, but seeing to drive the beast would be another thing! I'm painting the interior and I have a few more things to do like the roll bar and the rear seat area, then I can paint the chassis pan. I've started some detailing on the motor, I plumbed the fuel lines for the injectors and made a magneto out of aluminum tube. I also did some work to make seat brackets and did up the seats, I have to dullcoat the seats yet. I'll probably get the motor and drive train in her this weekend and then on to the body! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 More Photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovefordgalaxie Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I finally got the car up on wheels! I think the front end is too high but I can't rebuild it now, it's too close to the contest for that. I measured the crank center line when I mocked up the motor and it sits at a scale 24", which should have been be legal in gas class back in the day, but seeing to drive the beast would be another thing! I'm painting the interior and I have a few more things to do like the roll bar and the rear seat area, then I can paint the chassis pan. I've started some detailing on the motor, I plumbed the fuel lines for the injectors and made a magneto out of aluminum tube. I also did some work to make seat brackets and did up the seats, I have to dullcoat the seats yet. I'll probably get the motor and drive train in her this weekend and then on to the body! Isn't possible to just flip the axle from the bottom of the springs to the top of them? That looks doable. You can always do the opposite and rise the rear a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovefordgalaxie Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Now that I saw the body on frame, maybe another way would be to angle the front fabricated frame rails up a bit to a more parallel position the the rest of the frame. That would lower the front end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovefordgalaxie Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 A preview of what raising the rear would do: Mr.Chevy by Lovefordgalaxie, on Flickr This Chevy is pretty high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6bblbird Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 You could always post it like this: No one will notice the nose bleed stance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator-Fox Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Keep it up Ron, I'm a fan as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 I think I have to flip the front axle and put it inside the springs, it's a little too cartoon-y for me. I'll do that tomorrow, it shouldn't be too hard. Since this is my first try at scratch building a spring setup, I think I missed the arc by a bit, I'll get it right on the next one. The funny thing is, I was worried it wouldn't sit high enough in the front. I also already raised the rear about a 1/4 inch, I'm actually pretty happy with how the rear is sitting, I want a little of that "cowboy" rake that was popular in the early 60's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramcharger Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Well, I dropped the nose and it looks much better, I kinda want to drop the rear a little now! I think I'll quit messing with it, I have to clean up the mess I made of the front axle and spring set up when I took it apart. Apparently, I built it Ford tough, It really didn't want to come apart! Walter, that looks pretty cool, I love the wheelie stance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Definitely has the right height now. Looking forward to more. bobthehobbyguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovefordgalaxie Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Well, I dropped the nose and it looks much better, I kinda want to drop the rear a little now! I think I'll quit messing with it, I have to clean up the mess I made of the front axle and spring set up when I took it apart. Apparently, I built it Ford tough, It really didn't want to come apart! NO!!! Don't drop the rear, it looks PERFECT now!!!!!! And please, keep on posting!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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