Straightliner59

Very nice work!

Looks very cool! I've always been amazed at the amount of stuff they crammed into such a small space.

I've been working on the lower-end restraint diaper. It's made of the embossed paper (not foil) lining from a cigarette pack. I need to add a network of straps around it, and four ends, to meet up with the brackets mounted to a header flange bolt. It's sprayed with Krylon Chalky Texture Slate. I think this'll do the trick. Comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

Man, this looks great! Those 90 degree plug wire boots are a PITA, but they look so nice. Beautiful work, Scott!

I got an AMT '34 coupe. It's the 2-in-1 version with the red car on the box. I like the Flattie in AMT's '34s. Hey, $22.50, shipped? I'll take that, everyday!

Thanks, Jesse! Sounds good, to me, coming from a guy who knows!

I felt like the cowl lettering needed something to bring it out. I mixed some Humbrol gold and brass to brush over the lettering. It's not perfect, but it looks pretty good to the naked eye. I needed to do the lettering for my traditional tribute to my dad, "Conrad's Engine Service". Had I realized the cowl was so badly going to need highlighting, I would have done its lettering in the same manner as the Conrad's. Both are Baveuse, or, as I like to call it "The Archer Font". For the engine panels, I printed two sets of black outlined lettering on clear film. Once they were painted and clear-coated, I painted two of them with the gold mixture from the cowl lettering. I applied them to the panels, then applied the second set of outline-only decals atop them, much like old Fred Cady decals were done. I then attached the windscreen. You can see the five rivets that are holding it on. I used plastic model RR rivets, pushed the through previously-drilled holes, then mushroomed them on the inside of the cowl, with a butane lighter. Uh, yeah. Hey, well, no guts, no glory! No problem! I'll add some more, for appearance. I should be able to mount the body panels before too long. I just want to ponder, first, to make sure all the stuff that needs to happen, beforehand, happens. One of those things is a helmet pad/bar. I'd like to get the body mounted, then the tires and wheels, and just build the top of the motor, in place.

Thanks, Dennis. I appreciate it!

Thanks, Jim!

I got the red surround stripe added to the cowl, applied the decals (plural, because I doubled them, due to translucency) and mixed a little bit of 40-year-old Humbrol Brass and Gold, and brushed that on, to bring out the lettering. Then I shot the works with Krylon Crystal Clear Glaze. I'll have to see if I can sand a little thickness off the decal area. No matter--I am very happy with these results. As always, they look better naked-eye.

I finally decided on and made the decal for the cowl. Fahrni is my late, longtime friend and mentor, Don. Don made the spindles. He'd decided that he wasn't going to use them, so he gave them to me. The late Mark Brown cast the Donovan valve covers and the heads. When I couldn't decide on artwork, I thought a tribute to my friends was in order. I plan to attempt to highlight the lettering with a lighter color stripe, down their centers--after trying it on one of the extras I printed. I also got the cowl striped. I was only able to tape the top side , along the cockpit opening, so I only had a guide along one edge. I think it came out, pretty slick! Comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

I didn't know there was any other way!😂

These are very nice kits, I'd say. They need work on the welting, and the rear fender fillers, if you build it fenderless. I've heard of a couple of small bugaboos, but nothing major. I can't give you much of a critique as far as how well it assembles, because mine is pretty heavily modified, as you might imagine!🙂

I always loved the gold chrome on the decals in the '39 Chevy.

I agree. There will always be some of us, who have the desire to create. The numbers will maybe decline, but, we'll always be here. I might add, for those who are saying "you didn't make the styrene". Stop being ridiculous!😁

The Revell/Monogram '29 Model A Pickup 3 in 1 kit (Rat Rod is one version. There have been many re-boxings, over the years) has a beautiful Bell dropped beam axle. I have bought a ton of those kits, just because that axle is in them. The kit is loaded with beautiful parts!

Thank you, very much, Mr. Boyd! You've more than earned that title. This means a lot, to me.

The most common practice on old Fords is to use a "dropped" axle. That means that the center section is placed lower in relation to the spindle, like so: As opposed to stock type: That's going to be the simplest method.

It works because it's a stronger solvent? I use it to cut enamel paint for airbrushing. Shortens drying time, greatly!

That's the key.

I would agree. If multiple parts are required, I'd say it's wisest to scratchbuild one, then mold and cast duplicates for the rest. I'd also say that, if you completed all those processes, yourself, you get to call all those parts scratchbuilt!🙂

I agree, for me, there's just something very Zen-like in the building and shaping of a collection of pieces of raw material, into a recognizable...well...part! I guess I would define a scratchbuilt vehicle as one in which the main components (body and chassis seems reasonable) have been builder-constructed from raw materials. While scratchbuilding is my favorite aspect of the hobby, I have no notion of attempting to scratchbuild a carburetor at any time, while Fireball Modelworks is in business!🙂

I use these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/171655129213 They seal tightly, with a gasket in the cap. The paint for my dragster has been in them for a couple of months, now and I've yet to thin them, again. I've had some other mixtures in them for a couple of years, or so, and they're fine, too.

Beautifully done! Everything you do always looks just right.

I use the upside down/lacquer thinner approach. It works excellently!