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Drag Firebird


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Ive been working on this for a few weeks. I didnt want to post until I was sure I could overcome a few issues I have had in the past. I started a drag week mustang, and the body was old, and the cage just sucked on it. Im in the middle of a 1/12 scale drag VW, but I wanted to do a drag week style car. So, I started this. Hopefully Ill be able to crest the hump, and actually finish this model. 

Its a 1979 Pontiac Firebird from MPC. The engine is a sonny leanard mountain motor 1000 cid billet engine. The transmission is a 3 speed lenco auto, the rearend is a ford 9 inch from the mustang, and the centrifugal supercharger is scratch built to mimic a procharger F3. There are various other 3d printed parts, and some photo etching. Wheels are from 3d scale parts. 

I know the joints need a little work. Im going to use some fingernail filler my wife gave up on, after I get it together. Ill get a few more pictures, in a little bit. The front end has been separated now, and the body mounts have been added. I also had to spin the supercharger around. It works better with a driver side exit. 

 

 

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Here are two more. This is recent. I have started the front suspension. I still have a lot of work left. The box will be the intercooler. The hot side goes in where you see, and then the discharge will be on the top and go straight to the intake. You can see the body is a little warped in the bottom picture. The cage is square, but the body is twisted because of the t-tops, just like in the real firebird with t-tops. I bet this one would leak water too. 

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Edited by drummerdad
more info.
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On 3/20/2020 at 8:57 PM, afx said:

Glad you started a thread on this build, look forward to seeing more of your work.

Thank you. I hope it doesnt disappoint. 

So I got a little done today. We are relocating our sound room at church, and I am doing the sound equipment and rewire, so I had to work on that for a few hours today. I managed to get the upper strut supports in place. The picture only shows the left side, but I got the other one in also. And I made an impeller for the procharger, although I didnt get a picture of it. You cant see the brake caliper in these pictures, because I havent made it yet. Im going to make a detailed front piece that you can see through the wheel, but I havent got to it yet. 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks for the kind words guys. I have bought a few 3d parts from Shapeways...I think. I go to a few 3d sites, and I think they have stores on Shapeways, who prints the parts. It works out good for me. It is a 1/16 scale firebird. 

Edited by drummerdad
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I have bought some 3D parts few months ago to check the quality (I'm a curious guy...) but I was a little bit disappointed about the rendering for 1/25 scale.  The technology behind this is purely amazing and open the way to the production of incredible parts.  The rendering however have it's limits but I'm sure that 1/16 scale makes enough difference in size to generate some accurate parts.  These parts are rather expensive but worth it when you want to build ultra detailed models.

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Some of the 3D parts have better quality than others I have found. However they are better than the resin parts I have bought. It might be the same thing, where the supplier makes all the difference, but I have not been impressed with resin parts. Im trying to improve on my fabrication skills. Its cheaper than resin and 3d parts, but it takes awhile to get good enough to make a good part. 

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