Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

'32 Ford roadster gluebomb rework. April 26: back on track


Ace-Garageguy

Recommended Posts

On 10/3/2012 at 8:52 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Again, thatks for the interest. Bernard, I'm going to do a how-to on some of the epoxy stuff shortly.

 

Only recent progress is the fitting of the stock 303 Olds valve covers I've been waiting for ever since the Revell '50 Olds kit was announced. In truth, their announced pending-availability was a large part of the inspiration for this bilid. Years ago. Alloy adapter and top-shift LaSalle almost done too, so the shifter hole can go in the right place in the trans hump now.

 

DSCN7144.jpg

 

FYI: For anybody who didn't see my post in the '50 Olds kit review thread, the new Revell Olds engine is in the background for reference. It comes with a 3-speed manual Olds-Cad-LaSalle side-shift gearbox, appropriate for many hot-rod applications. ALL the speed equipment from prior AMT and Revell Olds 303-324-371-394 ('49-'63) engines will fit the new engine in the new Revell '50 Olds kit. The finned valve covers on it are small block Chevy (later Olds valve covers would have 3 bolt-holes on the bottom rail, not two) but the Olds parts fit just as well.

Very cool project!  Think in one post you said the transmission you used is an old Revell piece. Which kit or parts pack is it from? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Don Sikora II said:

Very cool project!  Think in one post you said the transmission you used is an old Revell piece. Which kit or parts pack is it from? 

Thanks for your interest.

Yes, the trans is a LaSalle 3-speed. This one is from the Revell Miss Deal Studebaker funny car, but there are 4 in the Revell Mickey Thompson Challenger kit. There were essentially two versions...top-shift and side shift. The white thing on top of it is a mod that represents the top-shift lever tower. The top-shift was favored by most rodders. There were also different tailshaft configurations, longer and short, and they could be setup for open or closed drivelines...so if you want to be technically correct...

EDIT: The early ones from Revell lack the bottom plate and bolt detail. The one in the '50 Olds has it, but it's a side shift, which can be reworked to a top-shift.

I think R&M makes one too...though I wouldn't swear to it.

Real unit shown below, bolted to an adapter bellhousing for a flathead Ford...

309739169_lasalletrans.JPG.36604a065647d284c27ae18ee2fe9deb.JPG

 

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/24/2019 at 11:46 PM, Don Sikora II said:

Thanks for your response. There are so many cool hot rod parts in those old Revell kits, so always happy to learn about the ones I don’t know about. 

You're welcome. A while back I wouldn't have recognized the LaSalle gearboxes for what they were, as they're lacking a lot of the characteristic details. But recalling that Micky Thompson used 4 of them in the Challenger I, I noticed that the Challenger kit gearbox made some other appearances in Revell kits.

As this build is intended to use almost exclusively parts that were available 50+ years ago, I decided to not do an upgrade of the gearbox...kinda in keeping with using the dimensionally incorrect ancient AMT body shell (visually "sectioned" in front, too shallow height-wise at the cowl area; the backstory to justify it is that this car was built from a shell with the lower forward section rusted away...).

On the other hand, there are a few things that are immediately visible that, to me, make such an instant impression (like the excellent Olds valve covers from the fairly recent Revell '50), I couldn't pass on using them here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

JAN 5, 2020 UPDATE

1) Biggest thing accomplished was shortening and reversing the steering arms on the front spindles.

DSCN1671.JPG.291a6484bd72ba5a853c5159797c08ab.JPG

2) Front suspension got bolts in place of the shirt pins holding it together previously. Shank diameter of the plastic bolts is .030", so they're actually fairly stout.

DSCN1676.JPG.cda6900f7241bc44d4a887171fe57e0f.JPG

3) Steering arms were positioned so the tie rod would just clear the split wishbones, pretty common on cars like this. Several things to measure and get dead on here. Just as on a real one with this front end setup, suspension travel is limited, clearance between the frame rails, wishbones, and tie rods is very tight.

DSCN1669.JPG.17d09a17d016f824db08386d0c626d92.JPG

4) Tie rod mocked in place, verifies steering arms are correct now. Clearance was also checked at the engine crank pulley, is OK. Steering linkage will be functional. The attachment of the wishbones to the axle isn't entirely prototypically correct, but I'm going to leave it pretty much as Revell made it in the interest of finishing this model before I die.

DSCN1673.JPG.7299f486b01135a2cdf8b6168ae83bf5.JPG

5) Last part of this job is thinning the front backing plates, so the wheel offset will be right, as well as the fit of the drums. The finned Buick drums I'm using are a little underscale to work with the '40 Ford backing plates as in real life. A little optical illusion will make everything appear about right, though. With so much of the mechanical stuff visible, I try to get everything looking like a real car built by somebody who knew what he was doing.

DSCN1683.JPG.6e69d1e6a8b1369d3bd765388bec07d8.JPG

 

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

JAN 5, 2020 UPDATE

1) Biggest thing accomplished was shortening and reversing the steering arms on the front spindles.

 

2) Front suspension got bolts in place of the shirt pins holding it together previously. Shank diameter of the plastic bolts is .030", so they're actually fairly stout.

 

3) Steering arms were positioned so the tie rod would just clear the split wishbones, pretty common on cars like this. Several things to measure and get dead on here. Just as on a real one with this front end setup, suspension travel is limited, clearance between the frame rails, wishbones, and tie rods is very tight.

 

4) Tie rod mocked in place, verifies steering arms are correct now. Clearance was also checked at the engine crank pulley, is OK. Steering linkage will be functional. The attachment of the wishbones to the axle isn't entirely prototypically correct, but I'm going to leave it pretty much as Revell made it in the interest of finishing this model before I die.

 

5) Last part of this job is thinning the front backing plates, so the wheel offset will be right, as well as the fit of the drums. The finned Buick drums I'm using are a little underscale to work with the '40 Ford backing plates as in real life. A little optical illusion will make everything appear about right, though. With so much of the mechanical stuff visible, I try to get everything looking like a real car built by somebody who knew what he was doing.

 

 

Looking good, Bill! I just took the front suspension apart on my Model A, so I can finish the spindles. I'm going to do pretty much as you, so I'll be looking in, as you update. Thanks for all the knowledge you share. It's much appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Looking good, Bill! I just took the front suspension apart on my Model A, so I can finish the spindles. I'm going to do pretty much as you, so I'll be looking in, as you update. Thanks for all the knowledge you share. It's much appreciated.

Thanks for your interest and comment, sir. Glad you find some of my stuff of value.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/10/2020 at 2:41 PM, Mr. Metallic said:

Yes! Ace is back on the 32 roadster! I love combing through all your build threads multiple times. I'm always learning something from you.

 

20 hours ago, larman said:

Your work is so inspiring! I love all the details! It is great to have people like yourself on this site who know real cars so well and translate that to their scale builds.

Thank you both, very much. Your appreciation means a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/11/2020 at 8:50 PM, cobraman said:

I like how you mounted the headlights.

Thanks Ray. I had to do it like that to maintain the proportions established in the mockup. They'll still need to go a little lower to get them as far down as the mockup has 'em, which is a big part of the "look" of the car.

Another reason I did 'em that way is so that I can possibly replace the plastic rod with brass tube later. I always kinda wanted to do working lights in this one, and I finally found some really small LEDs that will work, even in the taillights, and wire fine enough to run inside a 1/16" brass tube. Did I say small? I'll use the brass support for the ground, and run the power wire inside it. That's the plan, anyway...but I have to get everything fitted dead-on with plastic first.

I think I already also mentioned the mounting allows me to easily remove the lights to display the car with different rolling stock, and a tonneau instead of the windshield. Stripped and set-up for dry-lakes racing, in other words.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Another reason I did 'em that way is so that I can possibly replace the plastic rod with brass tube later. I always kinda wanted to do working lights in this one, and I finally found some really small LEDs that will work, even in the taillights, and wire fine enough to run inside a 1/16" brass tube. Did I say small? I'll use the brass support for the ground, and run the power wire inside it. That's the plan, anyway...but I have to get everything fitted dead-on with plastic first.

This sure is shaping up nicely Bill. I really enjoy following along with your work and equally important is your commentary explaining your thought processes. Looking forward to the application of these small LEDs and your electrical source plus placement.

Edited by gasser59
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/13/2020 at 2:37 PM, gasser59 said:

This sure is shaping up nicely Bill. I really enjoy following along with your work and equally important is your commentary explaining your thought processes. Looking forward to the application of these small LEDs and your electrical source plus placement.

Thanks for your interest and input. Over the years, I've always learned more from articles or any technical sources if there was a "why" you do it some particular way rather than just a "how", so I generally tend to include the "whys" of what I'm trying to accomplish too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

MARCH 24, 2020

"Bout finished up the radiator, with the revised fill neck and hose outlets...

DSCN1670.JPG.b0e48b1b389ebd16a0e5e2ec139dfc61.JPG

...so I could remount it and get the hood fit worked out. I've removed the center rib on the hood to represent a fabbed custom one-piece job, and so I can show it with the sides off. I'm happy as a clam (clams are pretty happy apparently) with the fit at the grille shell, but the rear will need to be shimmed a tick to get it right...

DSCN1681.JPG.c2f1a72dfd13ebbc16e85a3495f6f4d5.JPG

Makin' up a lower mount bracket for the generator to lose the floater-look the Revell engine comes with, and the adjuster bracket will be a nice PE part. A machined aluminum rad cap just clears the hood.

DSCN1682.JPG.7161b4a1ed7e418557fe898776e2b004.JPG

Drilling the distributor cap and valve covers for wires (I'd painted the valve covers with a gold lacquer, and I didn't really like the look, but was afraid the lacquer crazed them; happily for me, a bath in 90% isopropyl took it all off with no damage)...

DSCN1675.JPG.5939396b3d39c6189d8abf9c38a9058a.JPG

I'm using the finned Buick drums from an ancient Micky Thompson Challenger kit, trying to stay with vintage parts as much as possible, and none of the wheel backs I've found so far will let them sit deep enough. Still looking, but in the end, I may have to break out the old Unimat and make something...

DSCN1678.JPG.692940cb33f1d2bc536f2cde5315a457.JPG

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/24/2020 at 8:45 PM, Snake45 said:

Will 2020 be the year you actually finish a model? :unsure::unsure:B):lol:

You never know. But I will definitely finish the real 750 HP '66 Chevelle that's been getting in the way of my modeling time.

On 3/24/2020 at 9:07 PM, CabDriver said:

I LOVE seeing some more progress on this one! It’s a real joy to see your work Ace!

 

On 3/25/2020 at 7:56 AM, David G. said:

It's been a long road on this one. It must feel good to be making progress again.

Fascinating work you've done on this.

David G.

Thank you both for your interest and comments. I know the little details and not much big progress isn't that exciting, and I appreciate you guys still following after so long.

I have a guilt-free Saturday off for the first time in years thanks to the zombie apocalypse, so maybe I'll get something done later today.  :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

OK...those wheel backs and the way the brake drums fit them was really bugging me. I found some mystery chrome backs and made a test rim from one.

DSCN1689.JPG.0adb518752752b388636c95d05171bdc.JPG

Assembled, they just didn't do it for me. They're about a scale inch smaller than the old 16" rims, and though you can't see both sides of the tire at the same time, the finned drum didn't look right with no clearance around it either. That's the '50 Olds generator getting its bracket finished up on the right.

DSCN1691.JPG.e1f59f80b93de4781631e28e924e3d70.JPG

What to do? I remembered I had a gluebomb AMT '40 with the old 16-inchers. Trashed, not restorable, but 2 of the rims looked salvageable.

DSCN1696.JPG.a8aa36498e5291b68d011f90b513c81c.JPG

Red too-small test rim on the left, a black 16" rim salvaged from an AMT 16" wheel, and another wheel...plus the wheel and tire that'll be on the front of the car. These things were a double-barrelled bugger to work with, as they had the tire-melt blues, and one insisted on crumbling a couple of times.

DSCN1702.JPG.59fbe3bbabeaa0a4aa801d793b1b7426.JPG

Got two done and primered, finally. Had to turn down a dowel to make a tapered sanding stick to do the insides without breaking the damm things.

DSCN1714.JPG.db0b72d4bd5b3ce227a7944e84585f08.JPG

Assembled with the right amount of clearance around the fins...

DSCN1707.JPG.2d3b909598e10042aeab4c4be08c6e31.JPG

Yup. This'll work. Painting the things has been a nightmare too. OLD can of Testors dark red enamel, almost no gas left in it, and it wants to bubble more than anything else. I can't believe I'll be sanding and polishing inner wheel rims. Oh well. Then they'll be done. (I shot the wheels years ago with the same can, 'cause it glossed so nicely with no additional work; that's procrastination for you.)

DSCN1723.JPG.7ce4da3e3292d478e3ac984171be624d.JPG

Made a shim for the back of the hood and dialed in the fit at the cowl and radiator shell to my satisfaction too.

DSCN1717.JPG.ec03cf5e17a800192b07bc0094676bbd.JPG

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
19 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Great work on this! Can’t wait to see it in paint. What ever happened to the AMT Vicky you were working on?

 

Thanks. Both this one and the Vicky (and at least 20 others) are exactly where they were when I last posted progress.

9 hours ago, Earl Marischal said:

Would love to see some more progress on this one.

Did you finish the ‘66?Chevelle?

 

Thank you too, sir.

The '66 Chevelle is getting close to engine-start. The 2016 Caddy leather power seats are in, the custom console is progressing, and I just finished up most of the fuel system. I'm now in the process of reworking the inner fenders with louvers and more engine clearance. Then the front sheetmetal comes back off so I can rework the headers to accommodate the engine setback. There are countless interrelated details on a build like this, but it all comes down to putting your pants on one leg at a time. And patience. Lots and lots of patience.

Once she'll move around the lot under her own power, she gets partially disassembled and goes to paint.

While she's being painted, I'll be moving West, then come back here for a few weeks to put her all back together.

5 hours ago, Paul Payne said:

This has been a great build to follow- learning so much about old parts and adjusting fits. Only down side- no such thing as a 1/25th scale coat of paint! I've learned the hard way to leave more than you think necessary for paint allowance!

Glad you're finding something useful. And yes, I've learned a whole jell of a lot in the course of building this model too. There are things I'd do much differently if I were starting today, and it's sometimes hard to resist the temptation to go back and change them. But she'll keep on going from here with no rework, soon as I get some more time...like after the Chevelle and DeLorean are both done, and I'm in Az. to stay.   :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...