Tom Hanna inspired front engine AA/FD build

[GlueSniffer]

Began really addressing some of the body issues and making improvements.  One thing I changed was the nose. The Ivo body has snake head sort of shape. I filled that in to make it more like the Hoover body.

The cowl and nose did not fit the body very well. Something I found with my Ramchargers kit, separating the cowl from the body and nose really aids in making for a better fit as well as a better final assembly experience. With the part cut, the chassis can be almost completely assembled and body installed post.

The cowl took a lot of bending and tweaking to get it leveled. 

Between filling, sanding, priming, sanding, and priming again I began scratch building the front axle from 3/32 brass tube. 

The axle mounts on the frame were in some serious need of thinning out to get them more to scale. They were about 1-1/2” thick plate steel ? 

[GlueSniffer]

Part 2 of the project arrived ? What good is a top fuel dragster without a Dodge sponsored push van??? The van will just be a curbside with matching paint, large Dodge logos and racing stickers on the back. May throw some tools, nitro can, and spare parts inside the van. I won’t build the van until the dragster is done and ready for paint. 

As for the dragster, the engine is DONE. Just put the fuel injector piping on today as I was waiting on the little 0.022” compression fitting nuts. I’m 99% happy with the end result as I have never gone this detailed in a model engine before. 

Front axle is almost done. I’m going to scratch build the steering linkage as well. I need to build a chassis extension for the chute, then the chassis can be painted gloss black. The body is about 90% done. I had tacked all the panels together and sanded them all even. I have a few gaps to fine tune, then I will thin the body out around all the openings to make the “sheet metal” appear more to scale. 

[Codi]

First visit here Matthew and it is a really good looking car.  Looking forward to your next updates.  cheers, tim

[GlueSniffer]

On 1/22/2022 at 8:39 AM, Codi said:

First visit here Matthew and it is a really good looking car.  Looking forward to your next updates.  cheers, tim

Thank you! I was just looking at your rear differential you made… ??? I know I’ll never take my model building to your level, my hat is off to you!!

[GlueSniffer]

I started on the chute mount today, but I just couldn’t help myself and got side tracked obsessing over my window problem. I have clean plastic sheet but after 4-5 attempts to get a compound curve and failing, I started looking for alternatives… mainly plastic bottles as they tend to be really consistent. I did get a good shape from a Poland Spring bottle but it was too thin for my liking. I looked over at the Vitamin Water bottle next to me, perfect!!! Cut out a test piece to see if the contours would be right and I think this will work!

Shot the test window with a little of the Duplicolor metal cast blue (same stuff I used for the AN fittings) and I am over the moon happy with what will become the windows. The blue goes with the paint I mixed up just right ? 

I know the Tom Hoover fish bowl car has a flat piece of wood in place of these windows, but I couldn’t use flat plastic. It just did not feel or look right. To me this just feels “right.” And to me sometimes “feel” is more important than ones and zeros. 
 

 

 

[GlueSniffer]

Took a short hiatus from this project for a while. For good reason. Got into resin 3D printing, taught myself 3D modeling. Been printing stuff. But it was time to get back to this and change something that has always bothered me… The valve covers. 

[MADmodelDOCTOR]

On 1/8/2022 at 11:22 AM, GlueSniffer said:

Thanks for the info!! The Monogram one was a 2 piece that needed a lot of clean up. That dragster looks incredible!! Great work! Engine looks fantastic! I think a 1/16 build is needed in my future! 

Me too!

[MADmodelDOCTOR]

On 1/8/2022 at 11:22 AM, GlueSniffer said:

Thanks for the info!! The Monogram one was a 2 piece that needed a lot of clean up. That dragster looks incredible!! Great work! Engine looks fantastic! I think a 1/16 build is needed in my future! 

Me too!

[Adhsdad]

I could be wrong but the look on your pup's face says to me "hey dad, are you finished yet? My food ain't gonna fix itself" ??

[Ian McLaren]

Very impressive project, I have an affinity for the longer wheelbase FEDs around 200 to 215" I really like how this is going, well done! 

[Nitrobarry]

Watching this build closely. Great work so far!

[Codi]

Any updates to share Matthew?  The 3D valve cover renderings look great..........nice skills to have.......certainly would like to have that ability too. cheers, tim

[Brandon17]

Any updates on this awesome project?

[GlueSniffer]

I see some replies since my last post on this car asking for updates. Well, the good news is this car is back on the bench as of today and some progress was made where I left off! I had built quite a few things since (most not model related) 

With the upcoming NNL EAST show for 2023 coming up, I wanted to push to finish the chassis on this so that I may put it on the “Primer Project” table. I will be bringing my ‘29 Model A for the Street Rod category.

I finished up the parachute mount that I was starting when this was last out of the box. I have no experience in tube chassis scratch building, so this was a nice section to try it out as it will barely be visible when the chassis is in the body. Just a bit of the X-bracing will be visible through the blue tinted “plexiglass “ windows in the body work. Also leaning towards American Racing wheels now over the Halibrands. That is not set in stone though.

 

[tim boyd]

3 hours ago, GlueSniffer said:

I see some replies since my last post on this car asking for updates. Well, the good news is this car is back on the bench as of today and some progress was made where I left off! I had built quite a few things since (most not model related) 

With the upcoming NNL EAST show for 2023 coming up, I wanted to push to finish the chassis on this so that I may put it on the “Primer Project” table. I will be bringing my ‘29 Model A for the Street Rod category.

I finished up the parachute mount that I was starting when this was last out of the box. I have no experience in tube chassis scratch building, so this was a nice section to try it out as it will barely be visible when the chassis is in the body. Just a bit of the X-bracing will be visible through the blue tinted “plexiglass “ windows in the body work. Also leaning towards American Racing wheels now over the Halibrands. That is not set in stone though.

 

Very, very cool progress!  TB

[Tortuga Kustomz]

awesome work my friend

[GlueSniffer]

Tonight I get the driver’s hoop cemented in place, snapped the seat in place. Always nerve racking doing that on dragsters since you have to flex them so much. Double checked the engine placement and glued on the kit supplied clutch can to the resin 392. Sanded the flash and seam on the rear axle. Also sprayed both the Halibrand and American Racing wheels.

tomorrow I will finish the assembly of any remaining chassis tubes, paint the rear axle. I’ll aim to paint and detail the seat.

[Straightliner59]

Man, that engine is beautiful.

[GlueSniffer]

Pulled it out of the garage on its own 4 wheels this morning! Out on the street ready to load into the trailer to head to the body shop to have all the panel edges cleaned up, gaps straightened out and a 60’s tri-tone paint job!  

All kidding aside, done enough for the primer table at NNL EAST tomorrow. Still a lot of work to do, a few things to correct. But I like how it’s turning out!

[bytownshaker]

Beautiful job so far!!!

[sflam123]

That looks fantastic so far!!  I can't wait to see it all gussied up with paint!

[Straightliner59]

It's absolutely gorgeous! Fantastic work, Matthew!

[afx]

Nice looking project.

[catpack68]

Awesome work!?

[Vettegasser]

Nice !!!!!  Like to see more