1/16 Scale Army Vega Funny Car - Finished 10/14/2018

[Mooneyzs]

I was able to put a few more hours in tonight and make some more progress. I feel I didn't get too much done but am happy with what I got accomplished tonight. Here are the pics.

 

I started out tonight with cutting material our for my fuel tank hold down strap. As you can see I cut up a Beer can and used the aluminum from it:

 

 

 

 

Next I took and and bent the Fuel Tank Hold Down Strap to fit the fuel tank:

 

 

 

 

 

I added a drain plug on the rear end:

 

 

 

 

Next I started to work on the front spindels. going to be removing some of the kit plastic and using Scale Hardware attach to the front Axle:

 

 

 

 

I cut little bit of the center section out and drilled thru so I could have a bolt go all the way thru, got one completed here:

 

 

 

 

Finished cutting and drilling the other spindel:

 

 

 

 

Then I had to attach spindles to front axle's to see how they looked:

 

 

 

 

Got a little more accomplished with the fuel tank. I was digging thru my aftermarket parts bin and came across a Pro Tech 1/25th scale distributor and the turned aluminum base was perfect for the cap for my fuel tank, so I had to rob and use it . Then I took and drilled holes for the RB Motion A/N fittings which will get painted up red and blue using Tamiya Clear Red & Clear Blue:

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by Mooneyzs

[Dragracer]

The fuel tank strap looks good as does the spindle work, enjoying this build immensely!.

[Mooneyzs]

The fuel tank strap looks good as does the spindle work, enjoying this build immensely!.

Thanks Richard. I have been having a blast with this build. It has been fun so far and is getting more exciting with more progress i make. It makes the whole picture clearer and little by little I am getting there.

[brett]

Awesome work Chris, might try some of this when I do my 16th funnies

[John Teresi]

Chris......looking better and better every-time I look at this build.......the detail is just stunning.

[Mooneyzs]

Awesome work Chris, might try some of this when I do my 16th funnies

Thanks Brett! You definitely need to do at 1/16th build, they are sure fun.

Chris......looking better and better every-time I look at this build.......the detail is just stunning.

Thanks John, your words are an encouragement. I can't wait to get more done on this wasn't able to work on it tonight but hopefully tomorrow.

[Mooneyzs]

I have another minor update on this build. I was able to sit down for a while and work more on the front end. Worked on the Steering Tie Rod and getting that together. Here are a few pics of the progress. Tubing is 1/16 Aluminum tubing. Tie Rod ends are RB Motion. Bolts, Washer and Nuts are Scale Hardware. Thanks for looking.....

 

Front End Mocked Up:

 

 

 

Another Angle:

 

 

 

Left Side:

 

 

 

Right Side:

 

 

 

Up Close Left Side:

 

 

 

Up Close Right Side:

Edited July 16, 2017 by Mooneyzs

[Dragracer]

All I can say about the detail here is MY GOD!

[Mooneyzs]

All I can say about the detail here is MY GOD!

Thanks Richard..... all I can say is I have a little detail going into this build

Will have some updated pics posted shortly......

[Mooneyzs]

I was able to get more done on this build over this 3 day weekend. Didn't quite get to put as many hours in as I was planning for but I did get to get about 11 or 12 hours in and pretty happy with what I got accomplished. I pretty much was focused on the front axle and rear end. Here are the pics and Thanks for looking.....

 

 

I decided that I didn't quite care for how loose the spindels felt in the axles with the Scale Hardware bolts, so I decided that I would add some evergreen tubing and drill it out the size of the bolt so it didn't feel so sloppy:

 

 

 

 

 

I started out with making attachment tabs for the rear end:

 

 

 

 

 

After finishing up fabricating the tabs it was time to glue them in place, I had also tapped the tubing of the mounting tube so it had functional bolts, for fit up purposes:

 

 

 

 

 

Once I had the tabs glued in place I attached the rear end to the chassis and wrapped it with tape to hold it in place while I made tubing to attach it to the chassis:

 

 

 

 

 

After getting the first tube in place, it was time to make the 2nd one and get it in place as well. at this point I decided to let the glue dry over night and left it like this so my mounts would stay where I wanted them:

 

 

 

 

 

Once the glue was fully cured the next day I pulled the rear end off leaving just the tabs on the rear end:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the chassis with the mounting point in place:

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by Mooneyzs

[Mooneyzs]

Part 2.....

 

I started out today with finishing the tubing that was to be attached to the upper mount. I must of made at least 6 to 8 of these because I could not get it right and wanted it to be perfect, I swear I spend a couple hours doing this too

 

 

 

 

 

Now it was time to make the Lower mount tabs on the rear end. I did the same thing as I did on the uppers. Made the tabs, attached the mount tube to the tabs and then got it into position to glue:

 

 

 

 

 

Then after that I worked on fabricating the tube that would attach the lower mount to the chassis:

 

 

 

 

Here is the chassis with the rear end removed so you could see the Upper and Lower mounts:

 

 

 

 

Here is a Shot of the upper in place again:

 

 

 

 

Another Angle:

 

 

 

 

was trying to get a shot that you could see both Upper and Lower mounts, sorry about the pic being a little blurry actually the camera focused on my finger versus the rear end:

 

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by Mooneyzs

[brett]

NICE work Chris, real nice and really easy for us to copy (one day lol)

[Mooneyzs]

NICE work Chris, real nice and really easy for us to copy (one day lol)

Thanks Brett, It's starting to take shape thats for sure. Feel free to save the pics for reference. Another reason I enjoy posting my progress pics is that I may be able to help someone else on their builds or show something done a different way. Thats one thing I enjoy about this message board is that all of the members are willing to share there techniques so we can learn from one another.

[Romell R]

Youre doin a bang-up job on this Chris love the fab work. Keep the updates comming

[Mooneyzs]

Thanks Romell... You bet i will have more pics. Hoping to maybe get to work ob it today but i.have to do sone house chores first when i et home from work.

[gasser59]

Loving this build and all of your fabrication skills. This is really making me want to get to that 1/16 scale Fiat body I have. Thanks for the inspiration but I gotta finish my 1/25th scale Fiat first.

Oh, one other comment. Try to get ahold of some printing plates. They work great for forming sheet metal and cuts easily with a good scissors.

Great stuff Chris. Keep on scratchin'

Edited July 5, 2011 by gasser59

[Dragracer]

When the time comes for me to get to that level of detailing for any of my builds, I just hope to have close to the same amount of patience you must have, I know of too many models I've had in the past that met the wall from across the room because of small problems (a certain '70 RoadRunner comes to mind, luckily I had another one thats still in the box), I'm planning on using modified pins as bolts for my P/M builds (valve covers,oil pans,manifolds & so on), hopefully now that I'm older, I'll have a little more patience. Love the build, can't wait to see more!

[Mooneyzs]

Loving this build and all of your fabrication skills. This is really making me want to get to that 1/16 scale Fiat body I have. Thanks for the inspiration but I gotta finish my 1/25th scale Fiat first.

Oh, one other comment. Try to get ahold of some printing plates. They work great for forming sheet metal and cuts easily with a good scissors.

Great stuff Chris. Keep on scratchin'

Brad... thanks man, Good to see you back posting on here and loving your fiat build you have going on. I am looking forward to doing my 1/16th sacle Fiat as well. Where can I pick up some of those printing plates here in the valley?? I saw that you must of used that for your seat on your fiat and it looks great. I definitely have some things I could use those printing plates on and will have to pick some of it up.

When the time comes for me to get to that level of detailing for any of my builds, I just hope to have close to the same amount of patience you must have, I know of too many models I've had in the past that met the wall from across the room because of small problems (a certain '70 RoadRunner comes to mind, luckily I had another one thats still in the box), I'm planning on using modified pins as bolts for my P/M builds (valve covers,oil pans,manifolds & so on), hopefully now that I'm older, I'll have a little more patience. Love the build, can't wait to see more!

Richard.... I will tell you that yes it does take patientience with builds this involved. As of right now I have 75 hours into this build so far and I have a long ways to go and I started this back in March of this year. May sound funny but I am keeping track of my time on some 3x5 cards. Not every build I do I put this amount of detail into it, for one I couldnt' afford to do every kit like this. I can only imagine at this point how much I will have invested in to this build. In the midst of this build I am thinking of doing a curbside build to get something build up pretty quick and completed as well as jumping back to my 1/16th scale FED build I have going.... Actually the FED is really close to being done and will be finished before I finish this Funny Car. I am definitely with you on using modified pins as bolts. if you noticed on the rear end on this build I am using a pin since it was the closest thing I could find for a drain plug...lol

One piece of advice I can give you on doing highly detailed builds is you definitely need patience a lot of it and when you get to a point during the build if you get fustrated or need a break from it, stop and put it on the shelf for a bit and work on another kit, then get back to it when you are ready. another thing I do is I try not to rush myself and take my time building. I have learned quite a bit along the way since I really started getting into building models when I was 15... which was 20 years ago. I also had a period of time where life got in the way... college and early in my career where I didn't build at all. Missed it and Loving that I am back into it, Got back into it in Jan of 2010 didn't realize how much I was missing it until this past year. Now all I want to do is just build build build... as well as improve my skills and get better at them.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Mooneyzs

[Dragracer]

Thanks for the helpful advice Chris, as you can tell I am totally taking my time with these 2 builds as I haven't posted anything yet ,don't want to get frustrated, so just working on it when I can (as I mentioned to Brett, a case of Modelers ADD)hopefully I'll have some stuff to post in a week or so. Thanks again for the inspiration & words.

[Mooneyzs]

You are welcome Richard, Anytime...thats what we are all here for is to learn from and help one another. Looking forward to seeing some of your builds. I go thru spurts with building it seems like, sometimes I will have a bunch of time to build then other times I can't find time to work on my models and go thru widthdrawls

[gasser59]

Chris - This is one detailed build and I'm enjoying your progress reports and pictures. A local mom and pop print shop will have some used printing plates so find one down there in your part of town. There are number of different thicknesses to the plates and I like the thinner ones used on the smaller presses where the plate is appr. 9" x 18". If no luck sourcing some, let me know and I'll hook up with my supplier downtown.

On another note. With all of the torque the rear end takes, what do you think of adding a brace between the taller tab on the top of the differential and the housing as in the photo?

Again, great work and I'm really enjoying seeing your build take shape.

[John Teresi]

Chris......this build is truly amazing......I have been watching your progress since day one......I gotta say.......you may be the new Sheriff in town......AWESOME work man

[Mooneyzs]

Brad.... Thanks man, I will have to look up sone print shops in my area to see if I can find any mom and pop places. What thickness of.material have you gotten from them.

I realy like your idea on adding a brace between the rear end housing and the taller tab. I am gonna borrow your idea and do that for both top and bottom tabs. Thanks for your suggesion on that.

John.... Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I am not sure if I am the next sherrif in town. That is some big shoes to fill . Your builds have been a insperation to me and makes ne want to build better. I am shooting to have this build done by the NNL West next year in Santa Clara. If i can get it done sooner that would be even better. Would like to make it up for that show, I haven't been there since 1996. I also look forward to seeing your builds in person and meeting you as well.

[pharr7226]

This is stunning work! I'm going to borrow a lot of your ideas and methods. Thanks for sharing.

[Mooneyzs]

Thanks Rick.... Feel free to use any of my ideas and methods. ...Even save the pics if you want. If you want pictures of anything specific just let me know.