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64 Dodge D100 Pickup Pro Street


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Francis!! your right,....."Patience always wins in the end" Good things come if you wait. Taking the time to build a project and treating each piece as model within its self, pays off !! I find it also gives you more satisfaction doing it "right" not necessarily the first time, but you know what I mean! Your "work of art" is really coming together!  

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15 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

It's one thing to make something look real in this scale, but to build something as complex as the hinges and have them operate properly is at an entirely different level of skill and engineering. Absolutely astonishing 

Thanks Ian!  I have to admit that after making all these aluminum and brass parts on this and previous projects, I was up for a new challenge and the idea of making functional parts like the hood hinges was the perfect test as if I can put it that way.

I am always up for a new challenge and the support I receive as well as the high quality work done all over this forum motivates me to always try to do better!

Francis

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17 hours ago, Lorne said:

Francis!! your right,....."Patience always wins in the end" Good things come if you wait. Taking the time to build a project and treating each piece as model within its self, pays off !! I find it also gives you more satisfaction doing it "right" not necessarily the first time, but you know what I mean! Your "work of art" is really coming together!  

Thanks Lorne!   Model building is actually a matter of patience and passion, everything happens to those who know how to wait, and the satisfaction of overcoming a difficult situation only makes the end product even more rewarding.  Your constructions are a good proof of this theory my friend, the quality of what you do speaks for itself!

Francis

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3 hours ago, mustang1989 said:

There's just no end to the level of detail on this bad boy. Keep 'er comin' Francis.....still watchin' bro.

Thanks Joe, I have no choice but to continue, I wouldn't want to end up with a bunch of machined parts and an unfinished body, that would be rather disappointing considering the time invested so far!   Hope to see you back on your new Maverick project my friend!

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Francis, these hinges are pure jewelry, but then so is everything else that you have made.  I know a little about making hinges like these, because recently I tried and failed several times before giving up.  Now I see yours, and I wonder if you are actually only three inches tall. And scratch made rivets!!!  So let me ask, what thickness brass stock did you use, and what tool did you use to cut out the various parts.  There are compound curves there that are beyond my own comprehension, and I can’t envision a Sherline tool that would make them so precisely, without CNC.

Thanks,

TCOTTC

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11 hours ago, foghorn62 said:

Francis, these hinges are pure jewelry, but then so is everything else that you have made.  I know a little about making hinges like these, because recently I tried and failed several times before giving up.  Now I see yours, and I wonder if you are actually only three inches tall. And scratch made rivets!!!  So let me ask, what thickness brass stock did you use, and what tool did you use to cut out the various parts.  There are compound curves there that are beyond my own comprehension, and I can’t envision a Sherline tool that would make them so precisely, without CNC.

Thanks,

TCOTTC

Hi Tim, and thanks for the kind words, but I'm a little taller than three inches but a little under 6 feet, that gives you an idea of how tall I am...LOL.

As for the material used for the hinges, I was forced to take a little thicker than desired in order to have sufficient rigidity so that it does not deform when unfolding (or retracting).  I used 0.010" thick brass instead of the thinnest one I have (0.005") which would have been more to scale but way too fragile for functional parts.  Everything was done by hand, I traced the shapes onto the brass, cut and filed by hand, making the two similar pieces together to make sure they were as identical as possible.  I drilled the holes first on the milling and used aluminum pins to keep the parts together during the fabrication.  I don't have a CNC and don't intend to invest in this kind of upgrade, I think good hands (and fertile imagination) will always be needed to overcome this kind of situation, it's actually tinkering and the good old methods will always be the basis of this hobby... I hope!

Please feel free to send me a PM if you need more information, I am always happy to help when I can...

Francis

 

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Hello everyone,

I have spent the last few days working on other parts of the body.  Today's update is certainly less impressive than the last if I can put it that way, but still important components to complete the engine bay.  Using several pieces of styrene, I made the inner fenders extension, sections that fills the gap between the inner fenders and the frame.  I started with an "L" shaped strip of styrene for the top part and successively added small pieces cut at different angles following the shape of the frame.  I then finished the two sides because they will be visible in the engine bay and also from below.  They will be permanently glued and fused with the upper part of the inner fenders.  I still have a few small adjustments to make but you will have a good idea of what the engine bay will look like.  There is still time to get back to work (tomorrow morning), so I hope to make further progress next weekend and bring you other pieces of the puzzle... 😊

Take care, Francis

Several small pieces of styrene (0.020") glued together before the sanding job to fit with the frame.467_Inner_Fender_Progress_1.JPG.6f7ff66e0413b9eda8ce0813481cc5fc.JPG

Exterior side view.468_Inner_Fender_Progress_2.JPG.9bf61eb63c4ff2216c021e824c2798f1.JPG

Test fit driver side.469_Inner_Fender_Progress_3.JPG.1108e42515561eaff600bc1a59760399.JPG

Test fit passenger side.470_Inner_Fender_Progress_4.JPG.9cb400565bdead18131c46284c83729e.JPG

Both sides are complete but still some minor adjustments to be made before final assembly.471_Inner_Fender_Final.JPG.209deda26b08a40800ae6c7becb4a68a.JPG

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I just don’t know how you do it Francis.  Your scratch built parts always look so perfectly precise whether milled on your super machines, or glued up from pieces cut with an X-Acto0 knife and sanded.  I can understand using precision tools like you have, why the parts look so fabulous, but even the hand shaped parts look just as good..  Well done!

TCOTTC

Edited by foghorn62
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On 2/25/2021 at 1:54 PM, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Thanks Daniel, you give us so much with all your awesome techniques my friend so if i can inspire you (or help you) just a little it's like icing on the cake for me!

Francis

Thank you, Francis! You certainly do inspire me, my friend. I'm always happy when my work encourages others to try new things! 

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Francis, wonderful progress.  None of us understand how you make these panels and parts, but surely an incentive for each of us to do something better with our model projects.    

How does the Hemi fit with headers?  Can we soon have a view of a mock up situation?

I'm also interested in seeing how you construct the radiator.   With cores?

Mike..

 

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On 3/2/2021 at 10:39 PM, foghorn62 said:

I just don’t know how you do it Francis.  Your scratch built parts always look so perfectly precise whether milled on your super machines, or glued up from pieces cut with an X-Acto0 knife and sanded.  I can understand using precision tools like you have, why the parts look so fabulous, but even the hand shaped parts look just as good..  Well done!

TCOTTC

Thanks for the compliment Tim, but I must confess that I'm more in my comfort zone on body parts fabrication using styrene than brass or aluminum and these inner fenders extensions are a good example.  Not to mention that it's easier to make changes or adjustments along the way, but your great dexterity in working with brass is starting to make its way into my working habits...

Francis

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On 3/3/2021 at 1:38 AM, Straightliner59 said:

Thank you, Francis! You certainly do inspire me, my friend. I'm always happy when my work encourages others to try new things! 

Mutual respect Daniel, you are exactly what this forum should be and serve and I found a lot of satisfaction and answers to my questions by knocking on your door my friend!

Francis

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On 3/3/2021 at 4:48 PM, Mike Williams said:

Francis, wonderful progress.  None of us understand how you make these panels and parts, but surely an incentive for each of us to do something better with our model projects.    

How does the Hemi fit with headers?  Can we soon have a view of a mock up situation?

I'm also interested in seeing how you construct the radiator.   With cores?

Mike..

 

Thanks Mike, as you all too well know it's all a work of time and patience, the ridiculous number of hours spent on this thing so far is certainly something that would be hard for me to deny...

The headers fit the engine perfectly but I still have the Lenco transmission mount to do before I can show you a good simulation of the components in place, so far, all my testing has been done with pieces of masking tape to hold the components in place, so I don't think that would have been very nice to show you!

I also have the whole clutch lever system to do and I need all the body components completed to get the final position and remaining space before I can make it.

I would never have thought that it would take so long to build a scale model from scratch and I can see the magnitude of it with each work session, I can confirm it to you...!

Francis

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On 3/3/2021 at 11:41 PM, Tortuga Kustomz said:

That engine bay is looking amazing man, great details all around, make me want to work on the pickup truck i wanted to build for a while now, keep it coming Francis

Thanks Marcos, I wanted to build a pickup for so long thinking I would be easier and faster than a car but I have been wrong so far... but it is true that I never have pushed the details that far and it doesn't help!

Francis

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You really are the complete modeler, master machinist, superb  fabricator, might as well throw in great body man and finisher.  Then add great planner and the obvious  ability to stay on task in a project of this magnitude, and one can understand the quality and quantity of your accomplishment.  The work on the engine bay is absolutely on point.

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21 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

You really are the complete modeler, master machinist, superb  fabricator, might as well throw in great body man and finisher.  Then add great planner and the obvious  ability to stay on task in a project of this magnitude, and one can understand the quality and quantity of your accomplishment.  The work on the engine bay is absolutely on point.

Thanks Ian, I really try to do my best in all aspects of the build knowing that an excellent and shiny paint job is a must on a project brought to completion.  They say that a good wine takes time to mature but I hope not to abuse too much the great patience that everyone who follows my project from the beginning...  and I hope to be able to deliver a product that will meet your expectations because mine is quite high I would say!

I have little room for maneuver because there are jewels on this forum but it is very motivating and inspiring!!! 😉

Francis

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On 3/6/2021 at 11:40 AM, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Thanks Marcos, I wanted to build a pickup for so long thinking I would be easier and faster than a car but I have been wrong so far... but it is true that I never have pushed the details that far and it doesn't help!

Francis

I undertand that Francis, for some reason every new build is harder and more complicated then the previous one, yes is more fun but is more work every time

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Hi Francis!

Wow, great fit under the hood. Those splash aprons are top notch. 

Since Mike raised the question of the radiator, I saw something interesting the other day...

You may have seen in hobby shops those metal "puzzles" of landmark buildings from the world capitals. They are shiny photoetch, that you fold and assemble to get a miniature of say, the Eiffell tower, or the Chrysler building. Some of them have rather substancial expanses of simulated "grill" surfaces. They might do for a radiator face, and then, yours would be metal, like many of your parts . 

Just thinking aloud here! LOL. 

CT 

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5 hours ago, Tortuga Kustomz said:

I undertand that Francis, for some reason every new build is harder and more complicated then the previous one, yes is more fun but is more work every time

This is what I call a "training phenomenon", when you got good results or a higher level of detail you don't want to go back so the next build will take even longer than the previous one.  Fortunately, the experience gained will be an asset for the next project... I guess... 🤔

Francis

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1 hour ago, Claude Thibodeau said:

Hi Francis!

Wow, great fit under the hood. Those splash aprons are top notch. 

Since Mike raised the question of the radiator, I saw something interesting the other day...

You may have seen in hobby shops those metal "puzzles" of landmark buildings from the world capitals. They are shiny photoetch, that you fold and assemble to get a miniature of say, the Eiffell tower, or the Chrysler building. Some of them have rather substancial expanses of simulated "grill" surfaces. They might do for a radiator face, and then, yours would be metal, like many of your parts . 

Just thinking aloud here! LOL. 

CT 

Thanks Claude, I'm probably going to have to make some minor adjustments on these as I realized that the clutch system (the swivel shaft) will be too close to the floor. I will have to do another surgery on the floor and adjust the aprons afterwards.  It's endless but I hope you will forgive me!

I'm almost (yes almost...) done with the body components so I'm closer than ever to shot some primer on that thing but you know with me and this project, there's nothing definitive and I always find something that I need to make before moving on to the final phase...

On 3/3/2021 at 4:48 PM, Mike Williams said:

I'm also interested in seeing how you construct the radiator.   With cores?

By the way, sorry Mike, I missed your request for the radiator, but basically I used a brass "U" channel for the sides and 2 layers of stainless steel wire mesh (Model Car Garage) that I sandwiched between the 2 exterior panels of photo etch (Detail Master).  I hope that will answer your questions but don't hesitate if you need something else!

Francis

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