Mike Williams

Thank you Glen, I'm enjoying letting this one come together. Mike..

Nice looking project. Gotta love the '33 Willys, but dislike the kits let it sit so high off the ground. I suppose AMT was only interested in doing one version of this body style. Still, a killer car. I wanted mine down low in the weeds, resulting in having to chop off the entire front, and to back-halve the rear as well. A wonderful car for a great project like you are doing. Mike..

Just a word here to @Force...! You've offered over the years so many beautiful photos and reference advice, for my own projects too. I'd just like to give you a big shout! Thank you very much. Again here with this beautiful highboy project..just amazing you come across again. Thank you. You truly offer the forum a great service. Mike..

Paul, I agree! 100 pro. So many 41 Willys kits can be seen, no one puts it down in the weeds, so low and nasty looking! Fat tires in the fenders too. I love it, wish I had a 1:16 body, I'd do it as a next project. Mike..

Oh my! I do love the dashboard and instruments. So typical Mopar, also the Alternator gauge. Seen a lot of those in my day. Good too Francis, you added a lighter for the truck. These small extra things will add a few dollars to the resale value! Perhaps along with carpeting in the cab? Beware! Should you choose an electric bench seat, with toggle switches down on the sides of the bench....should these also work....I will not speak with you anymore. Only because this luxury was unavailable at the time for this pickup. We do want to keep things realistic, yes? Smiling now from ear to ear, a wonderful view here Francis! Mike..

@Brad, much appreciated friend, nice of you to stop by here. I agree, the car is looking mean and nasty, the plan was to go with a shorter wheelbase (150" was the real deal in 1965), with lots of motor tilt and moved back, this is the LOOK, my opinion. The tires are a bit too wide, not much to choose out there. If they were solid then I'd slice them, but Revell FC tires are so flimsy anyway....a problem. I've already seen the front axle mounted with wheels, the look is right and it kills me. Looking forward with this one! @Francis. Agreed, about posting a previous photo, my sympathies exactly. Occasionally I have to take a peek at what the finished car might appear to represent, with all the units mounted. Mercy! This car in my opinion will be nasty, I just love the dimensions! Thank you sincerely for your support. @Marcos. Very kind of you to drop in and comment. Your work and modeling is exceptional as I've seen your topics. Also, as a FB group buddy, our paths will surely cross again soon. Thank you sincerely. @CT, first of all your support and commenting is greatly appreciated! As I understand, this sized chassis was the last of its kind. The motor was moved more forward for better weight distribution, and the chassis lengthened to compliment the changes. Still, I wanted to build one of the older and aggressive cars, as I think even the styrene kits don't quite reach the way they looked. Shorter wheelbase, motor back to the slicks and tilted down low! I like. Mike..

Francis, I meant this, not the steering wheel; How would this unit be removed from the solid block? Concerning tach shift lights, Mopar big blocks and shifting....I thought this was the reason for making such good automatic trans with shifter kits! Suddenly, most didn't need to shift gears, but won anyway! Automatically. Laughing now. Mike..

Moving along now, the 150" chassis is finished. At this time I'm unaware of anything that needs soldering, so it's time to finally clean up a joint here and there and start sanding some areas and adding paint filler. The longer car is also finished, last thing to both was adding a chute release lever, done. Closeup interior, all pedals and brake pull handle are in. The brake lever slides back and forth with a rod to the brake cylinder, the lever has to move or else the rear axle won't slide in later on. Here a scale 150" chassis; So, some touch ups with the metal on the chassis....then I'll tackle the front rims. Wire laced, 40 spoke wheels. Oh yeah! Mike..

Love it! Wonderful theme and I do believe you're on the right track. Do you plan a similar finish for the wheels? Hope so, I'd love to see some tips. Mike..

Oh. My. Goodness! Look at this pickup. Tim, my very favorite hotrod alongside a '32, '33 and '34 Ford would be pickup from the 40s. These make utterly great rides, truly sensational in my book. I'm sure you've noticed on the HAMB just how great these can be. Does it run? I love it, just the way it is too. Compliments. Mike..

Francis, I was thrilled finding that coat hanger wire was not only the perfect scale for 1:16, but also soldered nicely. Fun indeed. CT, thank you. Luckily a fellow sent me a blueprint with proper measurements, shown here is perfect scale with the highly polished brass, yet unpainted. The axle itself is polished steel coil wire, aka "piano wire". Magic Photos, the plans are out there, at least partially. You could also ask on a particular FB group for these, someone might offer insight. You could use a readily available sketch of a Woody Gilmore chassis available online, and useful were photos of one or more of his original chassis being sold. The correct tube sizes for 1:16 I could offer you on this thread if interested. I've seen your name on specific FB groups, hence the mention above. Also, I have the real plans from a restored dragster expert, but I'm keeping these to myself as promised to him. This goes for both cars shown here. Mike..

I like the results, beautifully accomplished. Francis, QUESTION; how do you remove the steering block cleanly from the solid block of aluminum? I understand the cuts you made and how these are done. From a solid block though, how is the milled unit removed? Mike..

Jim U, I like what you're doing with the Willys '37 front end, a great new approach. Suspension seems correct too, looking just fine! QUESTION please; how did you do the gray-looking finish on the rear wheels of the Willys? They look a lot like this type of finish, just I haven't a clue on how-to. I'm looking for a dark and unpolished Halibrand magnesium wheel finish....like this; Your wheel appears to be the right direction....thanks.

Meantime, the shorter car has a clutch and go-pedal, a wheelie wheel out back and the bottom seat part and brace. Also a couple of small chassis mistakes corrected. Also, an aluminum support at the axle housing for the steering rod. Radius rods and front axle are finished. A chute release lever and a brake cylinder with pull handle.....then the chassis gets paint. Here a few details with the long car. This time I liked the idea of a brass clutch can in an anodized look, I kind of like it. A few motor details worked out, this 426 Revell FC motor will have a different front cover and idler pulley setup, the kit has a single part for all of this. A change might work out.... Perhaps interesting here...the silver chassis rod. I needed 2.25mm for correct scale. Just so happens a coat hanger works, solders up nicely to brass also! More later, Mike..

@Dueces II, great to see you here as well! Thanks for the approval. @Francis, an auction won for such a soldering piece! You did well. I do believe the difference being the resistance soldering unit allows for a more precise solder flow, so the joints don't get too cluttered. A fine luxury. I'll have to write, since retirement, I have 100s of carbide burs and diamond points in all imaginable sizes, from super micro (0.3mm) to 4mm for rough cutting and reduction, so reducing the solder joint is not a problem. Actually throughout the entire build and just before painting, I'm still hacking away at the solder joints and smoothing them out. The units in Europe are well over $500 meantime....but an auction at a fraction of the price? YES, I would JUMP at the chance. Mike..