Model A Five-Window Coupe

[absmiami]

GOOD

STUFF

!!

[Straightliner59]

 

51 minutes ago, absmiami said:

GOOD

STUFF

!!

Thank you, Mr. Sapiro! I've been watching that little Cooper of yours coming together. Love that project!

[absmiami]

Thanks

We’re making the same parts  - because the cooper was designed with so many pre WW2 features

lm mocking  up the front lower suspension arms so I can determine the length of my front leaf spring - which  is next on my fabrication list

Coopers used leaf springs until 1960 - which seems odd - but they kept winning -  so ....

 

[absmiami]

Don’t forget to wash your hands before you post .....

[Straightliner59]

1 hour ago, absmiami said:

Thanks

We’re making the same parts  - because the cooper was designed with so many pre WW2 features

lm mocking  up the front lower suspension arms so I can determine the length of my front leaf spring - which  is next on my fabrication list

Coopers used leaf springs until 1960 - which seems odd - but they kept winning -  so ....

 

My favorite aspect of racing and hot rodding, in that era is because so much of that stuff was either cobbled together, or handmade. It led to such unique and interesting vehicles. This post is certified...well, "virus-free" has a whole new meaning, now! My hands were freshly washed.

A couple of shots of the brass pedal arms, in place. Still a bit of shaping to do, and I need to make the clutch linkage, yet. The pushrod for the master cylinder is just lying in place awaiting completion of the master cylinder, to find its home. The master cy;imder will be built atop the piece of Contrails tubing sheathing the pushrod, behind the crossmember. I will have to cut a hole in the floor, to access the master cylinder cap. I am debating front brakes. The parking brake will be one of those Mico brake locks.

[Straightliner59]

After finishing up the Firebird, I finally got back to work on this. I needed to make sure the pedals and arms and levers, and  all that stuff would clear each other, so I white glued it all together, along with the master cylinder and the brake pushrod. It looks like it'll all work, so I can finish tacking the suspension back together. I also need to see if I can find a set of brakes for the front. If I can find some I like, I will use them. Otherwise I'll go suicide style! As always, critiques, questions and comments are always welcome. Thanks for looking!

[David G.]

I'm glad to see this one back on the bench.

So many of these progress threads fade away- I know because I have a couple unfinished workbench threads out there myself.

Keep On!

David G.

[espo]

Great looking craftsmanship on this pedal setup. 

[Straightliner59]

4 hours ago, David G. said:

I'm glad to see this one back on the bench.

So many of these progress threads fade away- I know because I have a couple unfinished workbench threads out there myself.

Keep On!

David G.

Thanks, David. I hope to keep updating this thread, regularly.

2 hours ago, espo said:

Great looking craftsmanship on this pedal setup. 

Thank you, sir. I didn't think I would be able to make it small enough, and with enough strength, from plastic, so, I decided to use brass. It does look pretty cool! Once it's all cleaned up, it should look even better. Thanks to you both, for looking and commenting!It's much appreciated.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Hi Daniel, sorry to be so late at the party...

Sir you have made a lot FANTASTIC scratch building improvements to this kit!   You have shown some serious good skill on this build so far my friend!  I will certainly come back to see your progress on this build.

Well done!!!  Take care, Francis

[Straightliner59]

10 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Hi Daniel, sorry to be so late at the party...

Sir you have made a lot FANTASTIC scratch building improvements to this kit!   You have shown some serious good skill on this build so far my friend!  I will certainly come back to see your progress on this build.

Well done!!!  Take care, Francis

Hi, Francis. Thanks for checking in! Your comments are very much appreciated! I have been admiring and enjoying your work on your pickup. That thing is amazing, sir! Thanks again! Glad to see you, here.

[Straightliner59]

I found some front brake backing plates I really liked--even better than without them. Then, when I was working on them, I messed one up. I'm not sure where they came from, but I am reasonably sure I don't have any more. I ended up fixing one, the making a mold and casting a pair. They can be seen in these photos. They aren't properly oriented, yet, because at some point, this entire assembly will be dismantled. However, i now know that all the major components fit to, and with the chassis. I think that next, I will open a hole in the floor, for the master cylinder cap. It's kinda starting to look like a hot rod!

I am kind of leaning toward something like Royal Blue, or Navy Blue for the body, when the time  comes, but, definitely not sold on it. As always, thanks for looking! Questions, comments,and critiques are always welcome!

[Straightliner59]

I couldn't help but to see how it looks  with the body on, again...the radiator is just tacky-glued into place. Thus, the lean.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Very good job Daniel!   I recall using some brake backing plates on past builds and mine were from Replicas & Miniatures Company of Maryland (very nice resin parts).

You are detail oriented... it's obvious!   Nice update, I do like your project sir!!!

[Straightliner59]

2 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Very good job Daniel!   I recall using some brake backing plates on past builds and mine were from Replicas & Miniatures Company of Maryland (very nice resin parts).

You are detail oriented... it's obvious!   Nice update, I do like your project sir!!!

Thank you, Francis! The brakes I found were molded in red. I suspect either Revell or Johan, but  leaning toward the former. I love everything I have seen, of Norm's stuff, but haven't found a convenient enough way to order it. That might be a good thing! I love those little details. The most interesting models, to me, are those that have enough details to keep your eyes  busy for an extended time--that's part of what I am enjoying with your pickup! Thanks again for your kind words, and for checking in! Both are much appreciated!

Edited April 27, 2020 by Straightliner59

[Straightliner59]

I made a pulley and a fan. The pulley is from Plastruct rod. I made the fan from tooling aluminum. There's still a lot of trimming and cleanup to do on it, but, at least it will be nice and thin. The main reason for making this stuff, is so that I could check clearance between the fan, and the radiator. As can be seen, it's just right! Whew! I was afraid that might be an issue.

[David G.]

Still watching, still amazed!

David G.

[James2]

I quit...

 

[Straightliner59]

On 4/28/2020 at 6:09 AM, David G. said:

Still watching, still amazed!

David G.

Thanks, David. Glad you're liking it!

 

On 4/28/2020 at 6:14 AM, James2 said:

I quit...

 

There's no need, for that! ?

 

For the last couple of days, I've been playing around, making a new, improved grille shell. I think the new one (the one that isn't opened up, yet) is looking much better than the original. I'm using Maid-O-Metal 36 ga. tooling aluminum, and forming it over the kit piece. I glued some sticks together, to fill the void on the back side of the kit's radiator/grille shell. This time, before beginning the great rub-down, I sanded the Ford badge from the shell. I found some elliptical punches online that will be small enough to use to make a new one, with printed enameling. It's not difficult, at all to do this, it just takes some patience to develop a rapport with the metal. These photos show the old shell and the new one, alongside each other. The lines and details are much crisper, now. I have some of Detail Master's radiator mesh, to sandwich whatever I decide to fill it with. Critiques, questions and comments are always welcome! Thanks for looking!

Edited May 3, 2020 by Straightliner59

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Great craftsmanship Daniel!  That grille shell is sensational and the utilisation of that unknown product to me (Made-OF-Metal) is pure genius.  This is what I love so much on this forum... sharing good tricks and it's a really good one!  Can't wait to see it finished but take your time, every update is a treat!!!

[Straightliner59]

 

22 minutes ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Great craftsmanship Daniel!  That grille shell is sensational and the utilisation of that unknown product to me (Made-OF-Metal) is pure genius.  This is what I love so much on this forum... sharing good tricks and it's a really good one!  Can't wait to see it finished but take your time, every update is a treat!!!

Thank you, Francis. I really appreciate it, coming from as fine a craftsman as yourself. I use that tooling aluminum, A LOT! it's very versatile, and easy to work with. Below are a few examples of things I've done with it:

This is just a piece  of it, rolled around a plastic tube. Of interest, here, is the  "weld seam". It was created by using a straightedge to guide a ball-ended stylus over a cutting mat with a harder, pebbled surface, thus creating the texture in the metal.

Next is a fan I'm fiddling with for this project. Simply burnished over the kit part, alongside.

I made both the front and rear hubcaps for this project. I used various sizes of tubing as dies, to create the contours.

I used it to make  the splash pans for this '34 coupe.

While it's not best suited for it, all but the nose and tail sections of this body is built with Maid-O-Metal.

 

 

 

[Straightliner59]

I used parts of two photo-etched hinges to make this gate hinge throttle pedal, and some .040"X.080" Evergreen strip and some nichrome wire to make the arm that would rotate the rod running across the inside of the firewall, where  the throttle linkage to the engine would attach. Except, there will only be these pieces, and  the linkage running toward the carbs, exiting the firewall, somewhere behind the carbs. I feel like I might be close to the point of taking this all apart, and preparing it for paint and detailing, and reassembly.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Thanks again for sharing Daniel!   Do you stick the Maid-O-Metal with epoxy or super glue or you just wrap it around the parts?   You're a hell of a builder my friend and you ingenuity seem endless!!!

[Straightliner59]

12 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Thanks again for sharing Daniel!   Do you stick the Maid-O-Metal with epoxy or super glue or you just wrap it around the parts?   You're a hell of a builder my friend and you ingenuity seem endless!!!

Francis, first, thank you for your kind words. I  am flattered, to be sure! Two things that mean the most to me, as a modeler,  are when I can inspire others to try something new, and, when a craftsman, such as yourself, compliments my work. Thank you, kind sir! To attach the metal sheet (whether this tooling aluminum, or the flashing I use), I generally use contact cement, because it remains somewhat flexible. If it begins to thicken in the bottle, a little acetone or naptha will thin it out. I've had success using contact cement, for many years, now!

[Codi]

Enjoyed perusing your thread Daniel. A LOT of great things going on here.  I'll be sure to follow along as well in the future.  Cheers to ya', tim