1968 RKE/JRT SCCA Trans Am Javelin

[swede70]

Greetings,

Not that I'll soon be awarded a lifetime achievement award for the enviable number of project completions I register, nevertheless if I might network with others, absorb insights and share a few ideas, no great harm will come of it.  This would be a Jo-Han annual/funny car release of their 1968 American Motors Javelin slowly being resuscitated into a coherent rendition of a Ronnie Kaplan Engineering/Javelin Racing Team SCCA Trans Am racer from that year.  

About decade ago I gathered up a pair of glue bomb models in the form of a ghastly 1968 and a still-worse 1969 Javelin SST, hence with the march of time, parts gathering and (I certainly would hope!) progression of a certain skill set, some things come into focus.   The '68 is enough together to constitute a going thing, whereas the '69 will eventually emerge, albeit not now.  On with the show then...

-

This would be the topic in-period and at play.  Seen is Peter Revson early in the '68 season, while I don't really know if the material hanging down up front is strictly intended to be an air dam full truth be told.  Also, they really didn't have any effective anti-dive built into the front suspension in '68, hence what is seen isn't the static setting if you will.

...and this would be a few project mock up images which depict the stock release with various modifications and updates.  Chassis is basically  standard '70 Mark Donohue Trans Am release with '69 Hurst SS/AMX power so to speak, while the stock interior has been cut up to combine the standard '68-specific interior side trim with the bare '70 racer floor.  The cage is scratch built, the wheels are resin clones of 1:24th Monogram '69 L88 Corvette racer fare.  Tires in the rear are ancient MPC Goodyear Blue Streak Sports Car Specials with the curious 'pebble' tread these had, whereas the front tires are vinyl repops of NASCAR tires from the early '60's purchased at an area hobby show.  The turned aluminum rings employed on the wheels were like-sourced, albeit I can't remember who did them.   Stuff is missing and/or incomplete at this point (i.e. the Group 19 RKE wing in the back for one), although as tides shift, now and again updates will be made to this post.  

...the roll cage was largely finalized last evening, with the top tubes heading forward from the main hoop splaying out a bit as they arrive under each A-pillar.  The odd avocado panels are from a deceased '68 promo picked up for less than $20. Happily it carried an organ donor card, and thus it's vitals were transferred to something living.  Headlamp fill panels are '70-'71 Penske Javelin, whereas the turn signals have been filed out and plugged.  The cast-in 'JAVELIN' identification on what would be a license plate platform up front has been ground out and filed to remove evidence of such, while a hole to afford scale air to a scale oil cooler (Jo-Han Superbird at this point) was likewise cut.  Neat, appropriately patterned screen has been cut to protect the intake area from picking up larger debris as seen in the next image:

...looking the business then with the roll cage installation being a tight as I could make it.  The side mirror is Jo-Han Superbird stuff again.  Happily the special promo-issue grille with the chromed and upraised 'Javelin' script lived, hence it reappears here.  The Wink multiple-element rear view mirror is coming.  Obviously, all the identifying badges have been removed, although occasionally the fender script i.d. was retained by Ronnie Kaplan Engineering on their racers.

...not too bad in profile, with a 1:18th GMP Trans Am Camaro diecast fuel filler used on the deck lid.  I think they rendered it too small for 1:18th, whereas it looks at home here.  Noteworthy and tedious will be the rocker panels which were cut off and replaced with '71 rockers that first had the upraised trim present on them carefully sanded down and out.  Sanding the same detail out on any rare shell isn't recommended for either children or adults.  Again, the upper bars on the cage are splayed looking forward, hence they look a touch odd here.  I keep trimming the exhaust dumps again and again for length, and some work still needs to be done here...

...noticed will be the scrubbed off dash pads with overlaid panels fitted as per photo reference gathered.  The fill panel beneath the rear screen, the trunk lid, the quarter trim extensions and rear valence panel are all separate items, while the sans bumper profile is an insert that was scratch built and is not yet complete.  That my old trunk lid and fill panel were glue-fried and distorted pretty much sealed matters, hence I had to do something.  The resultant surgery was delicate as seen below, but largely successful...

Happily I was able to save and recycle a 'Javelin' badged tail light insert for they certainly don't grow on trees.  Other mild stuff would be the meshing of a '69 AMX wheel with the taped '70 Jim Paschal NASCAR GT steering wheel rim given some photos show the car with the same.  Given I'm looking to mix up things, I thought this would be something to do/try.  Aluminum rod hub inserts are also seen if one looks close.  Thanks for reading and examining this post.  GO JAVELIN!

Mike K./Swede70

Edited December 21, 2018 by swede70
...my usual crummy copy ineptitude on show again.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Yeah baby. This one rings all my bells: resurrecting old gluebombs, heavy mods to convert something to something else, scratch-bashing from a variety of sources, correctly representing vintage historically significant race cars...I'm in.  

[fredo84]

Lookin' sweet !!

[dragmodels44]

Awesome! I love the old SCCA cars! Win on Sunday, sell on Monday! When race cars looked like their street counterparts!

[Ralph Henderson]

yeah buddy.  nice start.  love the old trans am cars.  back when race cars looked like their showroom counterpart.

[afx]

Great project Mike.

[<profile removed>]

This is awesome!

[espo]

I really like the theme of your build. You mention the "tread" on the Good Year tires, and I think that at that time the SCCA racers were required to have some sort of "tread" on their tires but nothing like what a street car would have had. I noticed what looks like some Minilight wheels in the back ground and they were also somewhat common in that era. The five spoke Americans like the ones you are using and appear in the picture of the Kaplan car were the most common. In the late '60's I worked for the Union Oil Company in southern California and one of my duties was to help at the fuel station at the old Riverside Raceway. This put me up close to many of these cars. The thing that always struck me was the purely low dollar racers that were racing their personal cars with the added safety equipment. I remember guys showing up with showroom fresh  '68 and '69 Z28 Camaros with full interiors and listening to the radio. They didn't stand a chance with the big teams but they were enjoying themselves. Nice to see you paying tribute to the SCCA style of racing.  

[afx]

I know your projects are well researched Mike and hope you don't mind me sharing this period photo of the Good Year Sports Car Special tire.

Edited December 20, 2018 by afx

[vintagercr]

I love the old Trans Am cars

[swede70]

Thanks everyone for the kind interest expressed,

Lest I sow further confusion, my reference to the 'pebble tread' is more a description of the shortcomings of the old MPC tire rendition of the actual Goodyear design than any specific reference to what was run in period.  Gosh - if one had an example of the rear tires I currently have on the '68 RKE/JRT Javelin in hand, a person on the scene would generally afford thumbs up to the sidewall detail, think less of the harsh edge formed by the sidewall as it meets the tread proper, and finally, take a rather dim view of a wholly inaccurate pattern regarding the tread itself.   Not as clear as I'd desire, I've attached a pair of images of the old MPC tire I currently have fitted on the rear of my '68.

I find that the lack of really terrific scale footwear for 1:25th SCCA Trans Am topics to be disconcerting, while at the same time I've tried most everything off the shelf or sourced from a kit box. Even the fairly good Replica & Miniatures of Maryland Trans Am wheel and tire set can be improved upon - or so says I!    On another front, while I like the proportions and choices made for tread and sidewall detail on the new Chief Joseph Trans Am tires, I'm not strictly a fan of the very soft and pliable material of which they are made.  As for wheels,  I have scale Minilites, ARE Torque Thrusts, ARE '69 CP-200's/Trans Am wheels everywhere!   Wouldn't it be fun to come up with ARE '70-season Tran Am wheels which were intended to win business back from Minilite going into the '70 season but didn't?  See:

I'm starting to play around with molding my own tires, hence understand that I might favor the sidewall design of one, the indented and alternating indented diagonally-lined 'tread' of the traditional dry spec. Goodyear Blue Streak seen on the (again) very old MPC Winston Cup NASCAR tires of old, and even go for cutting strips of vinyl tire tread off to work up alternate diameters and heights. As a reasoned resource apart and away from period photographs, vendors of accurately-patterned racing tires plying their nylon-plyed wares can be found online and can help to clarify matters in a general sense if one wants a quick resource.   Hmmm, in this instance maybe try: https://www.racegoodyear.com/tires/sports.html

It's all very preliminary at this point, but (for example) if one reads about Mark Donohue playing around with super modified tires up front and rather tall profile NASCAR tires on the rear of the mid to late-season '70 Penske Javelin within the pages of the Van Valkenburgh/Mark Donohue title The Unfair Advantage, it's pretty clear that an early season entry is going to look and sit quite a bit differently than a late-season iteration of the same topic.  Although mostly a blinding flash of resin, seen below is a late-season '70 Penske Racing Javelin wearing some resin masters for tires I worked up that may in turn be used to create molds for softer and black-tinted scale footwear.  Consider then:

..and so quickly contrasted to an early-season rendition of the same basic car.  The model seen further below features the terrific Jimmy Flintstone flared shell as employed on the project above, with Chief Joseph 3D-printed Minilite wheels (plugged so I might employ a four-lug retention system if you will), different tires, a more basic seat as well as out of the box front spoiler which generally looks right for an early-season car.  The front tires are Replica & Miniatures of Maryland items up front (akin to 1:24th scale Monogram '69 L88 Corvette issue), while the rears are vinyl NASCAR stuff picked up from another cottage industry vendor.  Ugh - I have too many projects!  

Kind thanks for the feedback and stories availed.  More to come as they say...

Mike K./Swede70

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by swede70
Again - my drafts are typically awful...

[swede70]

Greetings and thanks for the kind interest displayed to date...

A quick series of updates this, with accompanying notes:

...this would be George Follmer, likely at Riverside '68.  Note how the roll cage members stretching down from the roof line and terminating into the dash bend  twist up a bit while also being visible from the floor heading upwards toward the fire wall.  Also notice if you will the absence of the factory arm rest which were usually tossed in a bin on a period Trans Am topic.  Geo. is obviously a dedicated Ray Ban Man...

...one of the very few full-color interior photos discovered, image by Ron Lathrop.  Note what I believe to be a differential cooler access panel atop the rear seat base metal work, as well as crude supplementary padding that has my back hurting as I contemplate the discomfort suggested here.

...and my interior taking shape.  The upturned bars situated behind the A-pillars have be replaced for removal of what I'd worked up, while notice that the separate interior panel detail has allowed me sufficient access to both drill out and fill what is faint arm rest detail at best on the stock tool.  While the interior tub was apart, I ground off the dated cast-in pedal assembly in anticipation of replacing this with a better rendered material.  To ease painting, the entire roll cage (less the bars attached to the firewall and angling down) is a one-piece affair that separates from all that is seen.  Although one would expect the chassis and cage to be painted some suitable gray, instead it's blinding WHITE!

...more together now, although material remains to be added.  Fill panels of varying description will be fabricated and blended in, while further dash work stands to be done.  The fill panel w/contour seen behind the driver and up to the trunk bulkhead is recycled Jo-Han SC/Rambler material, while note the new differential cooler access panel/hatch.  Note too the roll cage bars below the dash which were recently added.

Understanding that the chassis doesn't exactly form a point of strength on this build, some things are nevertheless worth pointing out.  Here the cast-in leaf springs have been partially filed down, while SC/Rambler parts have been overlaid complete with the shock absorber bottom pick up points and the shocks themselves.  Two SC/Ramblers gave their lives to this effort given I wanted a staggered shock installation.  The fuel cell housing is something old that was mastered and reproduced as a cast item to be, again, spread across builds...

Moving on, the subframe holes have been drilled, while the radiator support/crossmember present on the promo chassis and missing on the kit releases has been introduced here.  I hope to cast this given all my Javelin builds could profit from such.  Lastly, plastic rod of a slightly smaller diameter was fit both into the exhaust header collectors as well as the dumps to form what would appear to be a glue-free bond that doesn't allow any day light to show through; i.e. the assemblies look admirably clean for the effort made.  Thanks for reviewing this update.

Mike K./Swede70

Edited January 5, 2019 by swede70

[Snake45]

VERY cool build! I'll be watching it. Some years ago I came into a mint, unbuilt AMT '71 Javelin kit which includes all the TA goodies.  A couple years ago I bought a restorable glue bomb JoHan '70 Javelin on eBay. Then I bought a resin '70 Javelin body on eBay, which turns out to be a TA race Javelin with the bulged fenders (I think it might be from Jimmy Flintstone). (Later I bought '70 Javelin bumpers/grilles from Modelhaus.) I'm hoping that between those three things, I'll be able to get one factory stock '70 Javelin and one full-race TA '70 Javelin. Will have to do a full inventory to see what I have and what I'd need. 

[swede70]

That would be a neat and certain strong collection of spares to work with to create both a stock as well as suitably-modified Trans Am racer.  Indeed, the flared shells were for a time sold en masse and for very little on eBay, although it seems now that the supply had ebbed.  Jimmy Flintstone still sells the transkit with the old school cast white metal roll cage parts off of their website for about $70 if it might help anyone.  My late-season '70 effort is based upon one of the first transkits sold from way back in 1995, while the early-season car and shell is based upon one of the fire sale $15 eBay listings that have since dried up.  Although disconcerting to view just how much clean up is necessary to render the flared shell casting usable, for careful effort it's certainly possible and shouldn't form a barrier to others contemplating this pathway forward... 

And just in passing, know that the front bumper found on the '70 Jo-Han Mark Donohue Trans-Am release differs from the Jim Pachal NASCAR GT/annual release given it doesn't 'feature' the cast-in 'JAVELIN' license plate detail akin to what is seen on the promos.  I too have a standard production '70 Mark Donohue kit taking form as a stack 'o parts, although there isn't really anything worth seeing at this point.  Thanks for your reply and shared enthusiasm...

Mike K./Swede70

 

Edited December 23, 2018 by swede70

[swede70]

Greetings,

Just in passing given I've found it helpful, the link provided will take one to a website where one can isolate and identify typefaces/fonts consistent with reverse-engineering graphics to understand what materials are needed to do decals in-scale.  I'd been encountering difficulties given the wide range of styles and cluttered web search results, although for framing matters as a pursuit of '1960's numeral fonts'', I eventually tripped across the resource revealed here.  The results are intended for use on a '68 Ronnie Kaplan Engineering Javelin, although the utility of www.identifont.com will hopefully come across to the user as plain.  It seems I'll be in the market for Battista, with Carousel as a possible alternate.  That one can compare finalists side-by-side really lends utility to the site, while what I've attached communicates how I've used it. Try then: http://www.identifont.com/differences?first=Battista&second=Carousel

...contrast then to the below reproduced image:

Thanks...

Mike K./Swede70

 

Edited December 25, 2018 by swede70

[swede70]

...some small updates then,

Seen will be a new Group 19 Ronnie Kaplan Engineering wing assembly for the deck lid, inscribed front indicator recesses suggesting that the front fenders were never punched to allow standard indicators to be fitted, as well as new jacking points underneath the model just aft of the exhaust dumps.  The wing material is from a Heller 1:48th scale helicopter kit, which afforded a consistently shaped profile across the length I desired twice over given I had to mate a pair of elements in a vague shape of a boomerang.  Desiring down-force rather than lift, indeed - I assembled  what is seen here effectively upside down.  The mounts were fabricated from sheet plastic, while the end hardware is simply hex rod cut to size and located with care.  

Also spied even as it registers as minor stuff, the exhaust dumps have been trimmed back, while the aforementioned fender side indicator 'dimples' were etched on after first removing the raised stock detail for light sanding and scrubbing.  Worried that I'd situate them incorrectly, I carefully taped off the lense detail as seen on a spare '69 AMX body taking extra care to  very firmly press the edges of the mask onto the surrounding panel work to best define where things were, and then transferred the tape mask onto the '68 Javelin shell before lightly etching what is seen here.  Further and lastly, a five-panel Wink rear view mirror housing was fabricated and fitted, although I'll likely redo the mounts in brass or some such given they strike me as a bit heavy.  Thanks for reviewing this update.  

...notice if you will the thin spoiler hanging in space on the rear of the deck lid.  These had aluminum mounts with two options as to the level of the element sought, whereas I've opted to position mine on the second and thus lower option.  

...hard to see given I've used a recycled promo deck lid cast in avocado-colored plastic with the new Group 19 wing being olive drab, things nevertheless look o.k.  

...hardly visible again, nevertheless the size of the wing element isn't far off; i.e. I was fortunate not to have to purchase multiple helicopter kits to find something suitable.  The Wink rear view mirror assembly can just be made out, while the small cylindrical jack point behind the near side exhaust dump is readily noticed.  Yes - some reasoned and not too large spring shackles stand to be added.  

...revealing the slight boomerang profile I spoke of, the profile from the top isn't terrible.

...and finally the view from the front three-quarter.  The Wink mirror assembly is perhaps a bit too prominent, although period photographs do telegraph the size of the same.  In the main, I don't have much in the way of room to tuck things in higher, whereas I trust what dimensions I was able to find and subsequently work up.  The trimmed exhaust dumps look a bit better, while the fender indicator indentations spoken of are cleanly executed.  Thanks for reviewing this update again...

Mike K./Swede70

 

Edited January 5, 2019 by swede70

[swede70]

This would be a brief update then...

Mostly waiting for a Testor's branded reissue of the Jo-Han SC/Rambler kit to arrive, nevertheless some work has been done as other things are contemplated.  I hope to cut out the egregious rear axle and 'hump' detail and replace such with the Rambler kit parts as I've depicted in photos below.  It obviously helps if one has the old Jo-Han Funny Car kit-sourced Model 20 rear end as it's nice indeed and makes the effort worthwhile.  Further, if one harbors ambitions to add a Panhard rod or a sway with linkage detail, then the space freed up is invaluable.  A few photos then of recent work undertaken...

...note the stamped in bumper mount profile, hitherto missing on my model.

...likely to be redone and certainly reshaped for aggressive file work, nevertheless an improvement here.  Whoops - I lost the thin length of strip plastic atop the rear valence panel license plate cut out along the top here.  Such has since been fixed.

Small things, but the scratch built bellhousing was removed and reshaped, while a thin mounting lip was cut and shaped so that it largely matches what photos I could find.  Also and just in passing, the Borg-Warner T10 transmission was trimmed a bit at the end, while the tailshaft housing was also reshaped so that it would be round versus the odd rectangular profile the Jo-Han parts sport as-delivered.  Discreet stuff is the removal of the undesired Gen. I AMC V8 oil filter mount on the block that here has been ground away.  Yes - Jo-Han AMC engines come through with two oil filter mounts given they opted to do a light retool of the existing Gen. I engine for later releases versus tool a Gen. II V8 from scratch.  

...practicing on a spare SS/AMX chassis, here can be spied the aforementioned AMC Model 20 rear end w/axle tubes.  The cast-in driveshaft is no more given it was cut out, while a new tool Revell '69 Camaro Z/28 featuring much better U-joint detail has been substituted in.  Also seen is a separate transmission cross member cut free to facilitate better paint application apart and away from the chassis.  

For casting duplicates of the Model 20 rear end, the rear cover too can be isolated and painted with greater ease.  

...a different Javelin chassis here, the image communicates how cleanly the two-piece SC/Rambler floor back of the wheel housings can be integrated once the old-school cast-in axle is cut out.

...and viewed from the topside.  Again, quite clean and affording open trunk detail if one is so inclined to add such.

...and lastly, how things will likely look on the '68 - at least towards the rear.  SC/Rambler spring overlays, lower shock absorber mounts from the same, and early issue Funny Car Model 20 rear end parts from a glue bomb purchased long ago.  The fuel cell housing is from before, while better Revell '69 Z/28 driveshaft detail will improve upon what is seen here.  Thanks for reviewing this project update...

Mike K./Swede70

Edited January 15, 2019 by swede70
...polished drafts akin to polished scale projects.

[afx]

Very clean work Mike.  I like to zoom in so I can appreciate it more.

[Dave Van]

Nice work....I own a 1/1 73 Javelin so very interesting. 

[swede70]

Thanks for the kind displays of interest,

Not knowing quite where to post this, I very recently stumbled onto the new Petersen Publishing SEMA Archive accessible online.  Used to reviewing material on the David Friedman Collection/Benson Ford Research Center and well as the Rev's Collection/Stanford University, for carefully sifting photos on the PP archive, suddenly it seems my online capabilities have been improved by a third.  Certainly a great many photos to support this project have been found, while if coverage for what you care about in turn is afforded, why not try?  In particular, for restricting my search to something as simple as '1968 Trans Am', a half dozen underhood image of the Ronnie Kaplan Javelins taken at the Riverside Mission Bell 250 were uncovered that answer quite a few questions I'd harbored.  Now I know that the cowl induction vents cut into the top of the firewall weren't covered for conversion to the late-season fresh air system and aluminum air intake 'box' run, that the oil blowby breathers were painted black and mounted at a certain angle, etc.  

Do consider giving the utility an inspection, although understand that the search term function is limited in it's power given the cataloging of the images isn't very deep or comprehensive.  A fair amount is misfiled and misidentified, so if you in turn have the insight to share to help them relabel what requires such, then consider doing this too given we all can't be expert concerning everything.  In short, the value you quietly lend to the scene today may be quietly rewarded to you tomorrow.  See then:

https://archive.petersen.org/pages/search.php

Mike K./Swede70

Edited January 15, 2019 by swede70

[swede70]

Greetings, 

My Testor's-issue SC/Rambler parts car arrived, hence I was able to cut into the chassis and trunk castings to prepare something for implantation into my '68 RKE Javelin. Seen below is some experimentation in this direction.  

...this is my late-'70 season chassis again, while note how the floor pan still utilizes the old kit material where mufflers might otherwise be expected on the standard production car.  At the time I fitted the SC/Rambler parts seen, I didn't strictly make use of all the material availed so that the surface transition would be as smooth as was later judged possible.  A better effort is seen below even as a few parts are absent...

Regarding the late-'70 chassis again, note the now-priceless Rebel Machine front suspension fitted plus subframe rail 'implants' to clean up the damage for removing the axle location 'blocks'.  Also note the angled radiator installation that appeared on the Penske-constructed AMC Trans Am Javelins, here utilizing an old 1:24th Monogram NASCAR core.  Lastly, the white resin tire masters seen on the back which are slightly wider than standard MPC Goodyear Stock Car Specials, modified here to look a bit better on the '70 and later Trans Am Javelin.  Same tread, same sidewall, just doubled up in resin to come up with the added width then...

...this a mock up on an existing SS/AMX chassis using the parts bin stuff that just arrived.  Notice I've used all the material I could get from the SC/Rambler floor between the rear frame rails.  A gap is seen given there just isn't enough material to bridge things, hence happy I am that I made a low-risk test of sorts here.   I expect to leave things a bit longer and grind off the faint strengthening ribs seen on the standard Jo-Han race chassis to blend things effectively.  Notice too that if one spends enough time filing down the top of the frame rails and carefully fitting the rear hump half to the forward half of said hump, matters can be tightened up considerably as contrasted to what is discerned on the late-'70 effort shown further up this post.  

...and lastly, it's pretty common to see the neat flush American Motors exterior door handles drown under a layer of primer, a layer of paint, a subsequent layer of clear and finally foil.  Trying to combat this dilemma, I thought that maybe if I trimmed some very clean handles from a junk shell and created a mold to cast duplicate apart and away from the build, perhaps hope would exist to finish them with greater delicacy and care.  The idea is to seek to have these plated, then apply a wash of Testor's Model Master Magnesium Buffing, and then lastly, apply some semi-gloss clear with the intent of coming up with something good to simply drop onto the work.  Filing out flush door handles on a shell isn't fun, but if something like these can be finished to a high standard before anything is strictly carved out of the body, then the effort might be worth it. Thanks for skimming this most recent update. 

Mike K./Swede70 

Edited January 16, 2019 by swede70

[espo]

I just got the Feb. '19 issue of Muscle Car Review and they have an article about a photographer in the New Jersey area and have copies of some of his work from 1970 at Lime Rock. A lot of great period pictures and a few of the AMC #6 and #9 Penske Javelins.  This may not provide any addition information for you, but I thought you might find it interesting anyway. 

[swede70]

Thanks for the notice regarding such as 'extra eyeballs' being alert to things that might appeal is always much appreciated.  Kind regards...

Mike K./Swede70

[swede70]

Greetings and thanks for the past interest displayed,

What follow are some images relating how new SC/Rambler kit material was integrated into this build, along with some small scratch built fill panels to smooth things out. Shocks, a Panhard bar/track rod, and sway bar installation for the rear still need to be added, but so far - so coherent.  Note I've done away with the slightly crude panel overlay on the back half of the interior here, with everything seen being simply a single panel thick.  Thanks for reviewing this update.

...most of the added stuff intended for the rear of '68 Javelin chassis is seen here.

...more visible from the topside, one will note the SC/Rambler floor implant if you will, as well as the pair of scratch built panels for the floor that flesh out the profile already present there.  Looking further forward, one sees sliver of further SC/Rambler driveshaft material mated to a pair of rectangular stock extensions stretched out to the sides. Also note that the rear bulkhead lifted from the original Jo-Han Trans Am Javelin tool bears slight extension along the bottom so that it can be installed tightly in a free standing sense, while to blend smoothly with what is below and beneath it, the panel has been opened up a bit with the base filed on an angle where it would contact the SC/Rambler part.

...all of the above in place.

...seen top down.

...at home with the cage worked up from before.  

...the small fill panel with side extensions better witnessed.

...looking fairly decent even as the front end awaits and expects (!) help. 

...the topic again to put matters and the impression made here together.  Thanks for reviewing this most recent update...

Mike K./Swede70

Edited January 20, 2019 by swede70

[Ralph Henderson]

As silly as this may sound, this type of attention to detail is what makes ME try to build better models. 

Sometimes I yearn to just build something, but seeing work like this makes me want to try new things. 

SEEING it get done is a great help to that end.

Thank You for taking the time to take us on this journey with you..