Back to the 80's (aka the Bodacious Billet Build-off)

[Danno]

6 hours ago, Dennis Lacy said:

Let me make it clear that for every successful model at that point in my life there were half a dozen that started out with big dreams and good intentions then went full FUBAR! ???

"Full FUBAR!"  That outranks Half-A$$ed FUBAR, right?!?!

?

[Quiet Eric]

Early mock up...this is a pretty old abandoned Niekamp roadster project. The frame/belly pan might work for the new direction. Wheels just came in from the pink plastic Lindberg ‘40 Ford. Front wheel has been narrowed.

 

[Jordan White]

I've just modeled the wheels for my build, they are Boyds Sport 6 wheels that I was only able to find on a truck in one of my Sport Truck magazines but I just love the look of them and find them very late 80's/early 90's.

 

I've also chosen the color, Geo's Tropical Green Metallic.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Jordan White

[mrm]

I'll jump in this one too, as more or less I like that style of hot rods. I still remember a seafoam-ish model A with Deuce grille on the cover of Street Rodder. I always wanted to make a model of/like it. 

 

[mrm]

I actually googled and found the Street Rodder issue I was talking about. Or at least a picture of it.....

 

 

[Plowboy]

16 hours ago, Jordan White said:

I've just modeled the wheels for my build, they are Boyds Sport 6 wheels that I was only able to find on a truck in one of my Sport Truck magazines but I just love the look of them and find them very late 80's/early 90's.

 

 

There's a set very similar to those in the last issue of the AMT '72 GMC. But, they're all the same deep offset.

[Jordan White]

1 hour ago, Plowboy said:

There's a set very similar to those in the last issue of the AMT '72 GMC. But, they're all the same deep offset.

These are also 1/16 scale. ?

[Mr. Metallic]

Glad to see the growing enthusiasm for this community build. I'm still a ways off from jumping in myself. Still trying to decide exactly how to approach mine and what the subject will be.

I know the title says 80's, but obviously the billet movement extended well through the 90's, and actually started in the 70's. So, don't let the "80's" name restrict you.

Edited November 9, 2020 by Mr. Metallic

[Jordan White]

Just ordered the wheels on Shapeways in Fine Detail Plastic, and they should be here by the end of the month.

[Jordan White]

Got started on putting the engine and frame together. I cut off the automatic transmission and spliced on a manual transmission from my Trans Am GTA kit (converting that one to an automatic). I also added the TPI intake manifold, the kit oil pan, and timing chain cover (I had to fill in the bottom to close the gap).

I got the frame pieces assembled together and I filled in a couple gaps. I also puttied in some of the low spots, but there are a couple I still need to get. I also am going to add new motor mounts (transmission is slightly longer), and am going to add frame extensions for under the running boards.

My current plan for color is keep the yellow frame, and have the drivetrain/suspension be Geo Magenta Metallic. Engine will also be magenta, with yellow intake, distributor, plug wires, and pulleys. Should be a nice contrast against the teal body.

[Spex84]

Oink oink!

Thanks to a generous fellow modeler, I have obtained a Revell VW street machine kit in the same pink I had as a kid. That one got trashed long ago; hopefully this one makes it So far...it has Beatnik Bandit II wheels and tires, AMT '57 Ford front seats, Corvette door handles, various gluebomb bits that might become an airdam, spoiler, and side vents, corvette taillights, and rectangular headlights. I intend to replicate the Vega taillights that were common to the Mulholland-style body kits. Door panels are Monogram '34 Thom Taylor roadster parts, as is the steering wheel.

 

[matthijsgrit]

3 hours ago, Spex84 said:

Oink oink!

Thanks to a generous fellow modeler, I have obtained a Revell VW street machine kit in the same pink I had as a kid. That one got trashed long ago; hopefully this one makes it So far...it has Beatnik Bandit II wheels and tires, AMT '57 Ford front seats, Corvette door handles, various gluebomb bits that might become an airdam, spoiler, and side vents, corvette taillights, and rectangular headlights. I intend to replicate the Vega taillights that were common to the Mulholland-style body kits. Door panels are Monogram '34 Thom Taylor roadster parts, as is the steering wheel.

 

Looking forward to this one. Wondering How you'll incorporate the Callaway parts in de Bug. The Callaway-connection is a very nice one, I think... Their first "C-project" was the C1, a turbo kit for, for example, the VW Golf. Sorry for the side-info. Bring it on!

[foghorn62]

On 10/28/2020 at 7:32 PM, tim boyd said:

For those that haven't already seen the recently posted finished cars that share a bit of blame for this new community build thread (smile), here are a few...

1.  Just completed project started back in 1989 and first covered in the mag in 1990....

2.  Another magazine project that (according to Dennis Lacy) inspired him to post images of his (now 2) new builds in the 1980's/early 1990's idiom (you can see them in the Light Truck WIP section of the forum)... 

3.  A John Buttera-style '29A Highboy, first constructed and mostly finished by Chuck Helppie, who then gave it to me to finish up with a different paint job and final details....

4.  A smoothy-style '29A pickup, inspired by a Thom Taylor image in Street Rodder mag, finished around 1985 or so....

Will be following this thread and very much looking forward to what you all come up with!  Best....TIM 

These classics have a familiar look to them.  It’s been about eleven years since I last saw the Boyd collection in the flesh (or styrene actually).  Some of them go back as far as the NNLs at the Roadway.  Thanks for the memories Tim!

[foghorn62]

On 10/28/2020 at 10:48 PM, foghorn62 said:

 

So, I started to resurrect this stalled 30+ year old Billet Vicky build about a week ago. I’ve already had some bumps in the road, but also made some progress.  I was reluctant to do a chemical strip on the body because I didn’t want to loose the body work that had been done. I figured the plastic frame would be ok, so I dumped it and some other parts into the Purple Power soup.  Unfortunately, the frame did not survive, but came out in pieces, so I decided to scratch build a new frame out of brass.  It looks like the IRS will work fine with the new frame, but I wasn’t happy with what I had done with the front, so I built a TCI style cross member for a coil over IFS.  One other piece of good news is that I remembered that I had used the Tamiya X22 acrylic clear when I originally painted the build, so with a little rubbing alcohol and some elbow grease, I was successful in stripping the body down to the primer.  Here are a couple of pics of the new frame as a WIP.

[Jordan White]

Paint arrived the other day, and I got the rad Geo Magenta on the engine/transmission! ?

[Spex84]

Holy smokes Tim, that frame and IRS setup looks amazing!

And I dig the magenta, Jordan. Imagine that color paired with a grey tweed interior, haha.

[Jordan White]

Haha the magenta is actually one of the accent colors, though I do plan on having splashes of it in the interior!

[matthijsgrit]

https://www.fuelcurve.com/monochromatic-musings/ for some inspiration maybe

[Modlbldr]

I might have to get in on this too. Time to dig out some of the old mags and stir up some ideas.

Later-

[Oldcarfan27]

Jordan, that Ford will look amazing when you're done. Keep on going!

What color is the body going to be, Pink or Florescent Orange? Don't laugh, I was there when that was the trend.

Kinda reminds me of Baby Blue Tuxedos, or White linen jackets and loafers with no socks nowadays. Huh?

[Jordan White]

1 hour ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

Jordan, that Ford will look amazing when you're done. Keep on going!

What color is the body going to be, Pink or Florescent Orange? Don't laugh, I was there when that was the trend.

Kinda reminds me of Baby Blue Tuxedos, or White linen jackets and loafers with no socks nowadays. Huh?

Thanks! As for color, you must have scrolled past my post above, I'm going with Geo Tropical Green Metallic (aka teal green). 

[Oldcarfan27]

56 minutes ago, Jordan White said:

Thanks! As for color, you must have scrolled past my post above, I'm going with Geo Tropical Green Metallic (aka teal green). 

That you did, I must've been too involved in my memories of pastel paints and feathered hairstyles. 

[mchook]

I'm thinking about joining in & maybe trying to built something like this. It was running around here back in the 80s and I loved it. I might use a 34 Ford truck kit instead of a Model A.

[Mr. Metallic]

Glad this community build is gathering steam while I've been away.

Everyone's progress is looking good.

Tim, that scratchbuilt frame is sick!

[BullysCustomModelParts]

Here is my T done, I was going to post progress photos but I got carried away and finished it in two days.

cheers,

Jackson Bull