Paul Payne Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 (edited) Harley Earl's vision for American cars was "longer, lower, wider". Dream cars, idea cars, concept cars- most were never built, but exist as drawings, renderings, and paintings, with a few major exceptions. The Buick Y job, the Phantom Corsair, as well as customs by Harry Westergaard and the Barris brothers all come instantly to mind. Modelwise, Ted Chopper Lear's customs as well as Doug Whyte's 53 Studebaker are great examples of concept cars. The egg crate grille- initially I had no idea for how to fabricate something like this, but after some thought I felt styrene structural shapes glued together might just work. I found possible shapes to use- here are pictures of the beginning of what might just work. In addition, I created a profile for the grille center from laminated styrene sheets. At the Hoosier model club show I came across a junk airplane fuselage as well as some 40 Ford hoods- now I got ideas for shapes and how to create the front prow, rear boat tail, and side contours! A junker 61 T-bird body gathering dust suddenly became a starting point. I also swapped for some additional junk airplanes to use for more shapes and patch pieces. Wheels and tires, a steering wheel, dash parts, and two possible bucket seat donors- one from an early Corvette, the others from a Bugatti royale- and things came together even more. Now- what about an engine? At this point, I don't know if this project will be curbside styling excersise or a more detailed version. I was thinking of creating a dual overhead cam V-16 from two blocks and some top end parts. OK, fellow modelers, what do you think? Edited November 5, 2020 by Paul Payne misspelling 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modlbldr Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 (edited) Wow! This is going to be quite an ambitious project but I like what I see so far. It takes a great eye to take a pile of parts and see what's hidden inside of them. Don't lose the motivation!! Later- Edited November 5, 2020 by Modlbldr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Tom, thanks for the encouragement! At this point I'm still debating the engine, since I would like to finish this project in this decade! I will post more as I make progress- right now I am pie cutting the fuselage halves to adjust the outer contours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 What a wild idea ! I love the plan. Good luck and keep it going ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Move over George Barris, there's a new kid in town! Keep at it, I love stuff like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotnitro? Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Following!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Bartrop Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 I love this idea, and I can't wait to see what you do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spex84 Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Whoa, crazy! I think this idea is definitely worth following through on. I like the DOHC V16 idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blunc Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 this is not just out of the box thinking, it's out of several boxes. can't wait to see how this progresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills72sj Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 I vote skip the engine and continue the artistry on the body. I look forward to the progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 A Klingon Kruiser in the making . . . ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nazz Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Very interesting project Paul. I will be watching as well. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted November 9, 2020 Author Share Posted November 9, 2020 A little progress- the styline tail light openings were very deep. I filled them with plastic so I would have solid material to rework this area- no firm ideas yet, possibly similar to the Buick Y-job. I also decided to use the Corvette bucket seats, so I cut them apart and sanded them , refining the shape of the top of the backs since they were definitely left hand and right hand, not evident before separation. I wanted very cushy seats for this ride, and I like the detailing of the little creases and wrinkles in the upholstery. They will get new sides and backs- pix when that is done. I added some more to the grille as well. Here it is against the center profile piece. A lot of repetitive work to be done before the shaping begins. After all, the grille was the reason this project started in the first place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted November 9, 2020 Author Share Posted November 9, 2020 Almost forgot- I modified the bottom contour of one half of the fuselage for better lines. The half on top has a pie cut section removed, which will be duplicated on the bottom half. You can really see the difference. I had also grafted in patch pieces from a donor fuselage, again to smooth nd refine the shape. Still need to add filler slivers in some gaps. I want to get these pieces as close to final shape as possible before grafting them onto the body, to reduce the chance of things coming apart from stresses. Another opinion poll! What shape for the wheel arches, or perhaps none or only minimal ones? If the wheels won't show, I will change out the wheels for different ones- however I do like the wires but perhaps only a portion peeking out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted November 12, 2020 Author Share Posted November 12, 2020 Progress- fitted and glued the top and bottom halves of the boat tail. Airplane wing sections will continue the contour to the passenger compartment. More soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 I like that, very creative. Bunkie Knudsen would be proud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted November 14, 2020 Author Share Posted November 14, 2020 While kruzing the internet, I found some inspirational photos of real car projects- these builders are doing in real steel what I am attempting in plastic! One thing which I plan to really re-work is the passenger compartment surround. he existing windshield frame will go and a divided screen will be constructed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted November 15, 2020 Author Share Posted November 15, 2020 A little progress- removed the windshield frame and cut and fit part of an airplane wing to extend the boat tail to the passenger compartment. This wing section almost exactly matches the contour of the 40 Ford hood. So far one side fitted, then used this piece to outline the shape on another wing. Added a center shim support for both halves- not glued in since this may become an extension of a passenger compartment divider/center console. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 A little more progress- using plane wings, I extended the boat tail up to the passenger compartment. The hood has been split and a more rounded section for the nose was found and trimmed. The fuselage halves have additional patch pieces grafted in and are almost ready for initial sanding, then putty, then sanding, then putty...you get the idea! Haven't done much on the grille- need to devote some time to it and make it start looking like something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Hi Paul! Wow, what a creative design, and it gives full meaning to the term "mash-up"! Impressive. I'm curious as to what glue you are using to bond all the parts together. I'm asking because I could not help it remembering a mash-up I made a few years ago with a 53 Stude, and even allowing for a looooooooong curing time before applying putty and primer for finishing... the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH styrene glue managed to telegraph ever so slightly trough the final paint a few years later, in the comfort of my glass cabinet, no less... Very frustrating. On the other hand, some projects pieced together with Super Glue don't show a hint of the surgery scars. I had my lesson, as you may imagine. I'm not minding my business here, but since you invited comments and questions, I went along. Keep up the terrific idea! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted November 21, 2020 Author Share Posted November 21, 2020 Claude, glad you are enjoying this project! I have been using liquid styrene cement for the initial bond, then, after this sets, reinforcing the joints with superglue. I have puttied up the fuselage halves, sanded, the re-puttied, then sanded again, then re-puttied again- maybe this will be the last time! I wanted to do as much work as possible with the airplane parts unattached, to reduce stressing. Once they are attached, there will probably be considerably more fill in pieces and putty to get final contours, which are still somewhat undecided. I am using a one part auto putty (red stuff) which I have used in the past without shrinkage problems (yet)! Right now I am gluing up more modules for the egg crate grille as well as working out the interior opening and hood. I will post more pix soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 6 hours ago, Paul Payne said: Claude, glad you are enjoying this project! I have been using liquid styrene cement for the initial bond, then, after this sets, reinforcing the joints with superglue. I have puttied up the fuselage halves, sanded, the re-puttied, then sanded again, then re-puttied again- maybe this will be the last time! I wanted to do as much work as possible with the airplane parts unattached, to reduce stressing. Once they are attached, there will probably be considerably more fill in pieces and putty to get final contours, which are still somewhat undecided. I am using a one part auto putty (red stuff) which I have used in the past without shrinkage problems (yet)! Right now I am gluing up more modules for the egg crate grille as well as working out the interior opening and hood. I will post more pix soon! Hi Paul! I'm surprised that you report no shrinkage with the solvent based (red-one part) putty. Good for you. But the catalized two-part stuff is supposed to be more stable, because it hardens by catalyst, not evaporation. Usually no shrinking ever. Keep us posted! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunajammer Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 This is the kind of stuff that really turns my crank. I'm just too dumb to come up with it myself. Coincidentally, I'm working on a mash-up right now, the details of which shall remain silent until I'm confident it will gain any momentum. Keep going, I'll be watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 Well, progress has been a bit slow due to way more puttying and sanding than I anticipated, as well as how much slow, patient, (tedious?) work is required to continue building the egg crate grille! This project is a bit different for me since there was a vague idea of what I want to achieve, then letting the parts dictate construction. I decided on a rounder nose for the hood, so I cut it in two, added stock (not very symmetrically as it turned out), and a lot more putty than I really wanted- I may still sand away the putty and try to use plastic. I got one half of the airplane body in primer, still puttying the opposite half- I suspect the primered half will still need some work. When I extended the boat tail to the passenger compartment, there was quite a gap between the Tbird body and the new plastic. I decided to try filling this with short lengths of sprue and some scrap that will be worked into final shape. I plan on a divided passenger compartment with a seat divider and console running from the back to meet up with the underside of the dash. Here are some pix so far- more will come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowlife ! ! Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Wow what a project ! I'm loving this, great imagination I'm so impressed how you can use the aircraft parts ! I was going to suggest turning the fuselage sides upside down and using the cockpit opening as a wheel arch ! Bit late maybe ? Good luck with this I'll be looking out for future progress. ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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