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51 Henry J Sedan Delivery


Olds Rocket 88

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it's fairly common (IMHO), not so much a "mistake" so much as the modeler either doesn't know to put inner fenders in or doesn't want to take the time to make or adapt a set to fit.

I think it's because a lot of kit makers don't bother to make inner fenders or don't make them separate so the can be bashed onto something else.

It would seem that I had not expressed a third option for model builders regarding the inner fender issue in that they may have decided to build their model in the style that has no inner fenders.

My apologies to Ron if he thought I was criticizing how he executed his well done Henry J.

Sometimes we forget to ask a builder why they chose to build in a particular fashion rather than expressing how we feel about it.

That being said...maybe we need to have a section where people can post their builds and only nice things are ever said about them. :rolleyes:

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One little detail I missed the first time was the little wire on the coil, I've never done this so, now I have a new idea, thanks! Also love the "Honest Charley" decals. Did you make them? As far as the inner fenders go, I have seen them missing on real cars at shows. The one issue I see with that is road dirt getting on the engine. It does seem to give you more room to work on the engine though. Sometimes there can be a hidden tube frame up under the fender to mount the fenders on. I have seen this and also have seen them just sitting there on the lower frame or made to tilt forward. As far as the criticism goes, I did that once and felt bad about it afterword that I may have made the guy at the other end feel bad too. My motto is just not comment at all on something I see that I don't like. Some think it makes you a better modeler and are not shy about saying so, like Harry, and I think he means well. I hope I will become a better modeler with your little ignition wire, thanks for that tip.

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Harry,

Leaving inner fender panels out of 1:1s isn't all that uncommon, at least if it's a drag-race inspired car. It's a great way to reduce weight on the front end of the car. Less weight up front aids in weight transfer, and weight, in general, is the nemesis of any drag racer who is trying to go faster, class rules notwithstanding. Engine bay trash/dirt isn't really a factor in the race application because of a presumably clean track surface and they won't be racing if the track is wet. Guys who build streeters that mimick drag cars don't necessarily have the same factors that come into play, but as the old saying goes, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Given the size of the tires on Ron's build, it looks his build is drag strip inspired, and he is running an alternator bracket! :)

Edited by futurattraction
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It's one of my modeling pet peeves... along with no mirrors on street cars and the "magic floating alternator"...

Harry P., making model car building better....one pet peeve at a time. :D

There is a mirror and a generator bracket on Ron's Henry J, maybe Ron didn't know about Harry's other modeling pet peeves. :D

but seriously, no one attacked Ron directly, Harry made an observation and an inquiry, which was followed by what looked like a direct attack.

that was unnecessary and Ron could have replied: "That was how I chose to build this one." rather than saying "Seems you don't know much about cars or modeling....... maybe if you can't do anything but find fault with the builds on this site you should just keep your mouth shut!".

Anyway, I'm done with this thread, won't be back, PM me if you want to yell at me.

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Harry,

Leaving inner fender panels out of 1:1s isn't all that uncommon, at least if it's a drag-race inspired car. It's a great way to reduce weight on the front end of the car. Less weight up front aids in weight transfer, and weight, in general, is the nemesis of any drag racer who is trying to go faster, class rules notwithstanding. Engine bay trash/dirt isn't really a factor in the race application because of a presumably clean track surface and they won't be racing if the track is wet. Guys who build streeters that mimick drag cars don't necessarily have the same factors that come into play, but as the old saying goes, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Given the size of the tires on Ron's build, it looks his build is drag strip inspired, and he is running an alternator bracket! :)

my thoughts exactly! its all about the weight when you build cars like this

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Nice looking Henry! Like it just the way it is.

Regarding the inner fender well contriversy. The Henry J, Sears Allstate, Willys Aero, Ace were pretty much the predicessor to the Rambler uni-body, all with Kaiser Fraiser roots. I haven't been under one in years, if my memory still functions right; I remember that the Henry J didn't have a complete frame, (if it did it was extremely wimpy). More like front and rear subframes the front was stiffened a great deal by those inner fenderwells. (It was the same way on the '53 Willys Aero Ace that I had with a small block Chevy in place of the four cylinder Willys "Jeep" engine.)

When a fiberglass front end or fenders are installed the fenderwells got hacked out with a sawzall or even a torch back to the firewall, everything was spotwelded together in the first place.

Most of the Hot Rodded and or Gasser Henry J's I've seen over the years don't run inner fenderwells either. You are dealing with a smaller car with a larger engine installed. Most of the Gasser's have some "other" frame under them. The Revell Henry J Gasser has a frame swap under it. Gas Class rules at the time dictated a full frame at the time, a lot of Hot Rodders followed suit with what they saw work at the drags. Could be why you don't see too many full size Ex-Gasser / Hot Rod Henry J's with inner fenderwells still in them.

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