eviltwincustoms Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 So Chris, I am sure others are wanting to know as well... This is a lot of work on the original chassis, what kept you from just pushing this one to the side and just building one from Scratch? Because in the end you will end up with a chassis that is going to be 75%-85% custom built anyway. I know you can smack me in the back of the head for asking that question, now.... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasoncamaro Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Chris this thing is insane your attention to detail is amazing keep up the inspiring work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Photos Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 The changes look great Chris, it was nice talking to you last night, keep up the great work. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 (edited) Bart... i don't know why i didnt just fab a whole new chassis since I ended up prety much.cutting.it.all up. i probably would have been easier to of done a whole new chassis lol I don't think I tealized how much work i really was going to do on the rework. plus after i had already completed the mods on the front end the day before. guess I didnt feel like redoing it for a 3rd time lol. Next funny car I will start the chassis from scratch. Jason.... thank you for the kind words. Mike.... thanks bud all of this rework is going to be worth it in the end. I am hoping to be able to get some more done to this tonight but we will see since I have a few house chores to do when i get home tonight. Edited December 5, 2011 by Mooneyzs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W-409 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I think it is much easier to do as Chris is doing. it's much easier to cut one piece away and then scratchbuild it and cut another part. For me. I could never build one frame from styrene tubing, but of course when as talented builder as Chris is building, maybe that doesn't matter if you build like that or just straight from styrene. But that's a good way of making frame more realistic, I have to try that way too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Chris, Hindsight is always 20-20. Fortunately it looks like you have been able to preserve most of the work you have done. All the time you spent cleaning up the chassis tubes it probably would have taken about the same amount of time. However I think you need to consider coming up with some jigs to make sure that everything lines up properly. bobthehobbyguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 (edited) Niko... Thanks man. I am sure you could do this as well. i've seen your work and you do a great job. It just takes ssome.time and patience. Bob...you are right that the time i have taken to clean this chassis up i probably could have just done a whole new one. I have been been measuring and double checking things 3 to 4 times to make sure things are right before i glue anything. I do have some jigs that i have made for certain stuff on this build. My next funny car i will be planning on making a complete jig which i will be able to use for multiple builds and scratch building the whole chassis. Edited December 5, 2011 by Mooneyzs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baddgass Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 It's been awile cumputer been down ,but back online and had to look in on your amazing build Chris. All the work your putting into this is mind-blowing ,but beautiful! I see you done a lot of chancing to the frame and some my say,your crazy,but I see nothing but great skills in trying to get it right.So keep up the good work and inspiring me and other. But please don't show up to any shows I'm in lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuel Coupe Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Fantastic work. Do it right or don't do it all. Really nice!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Teresi Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Chris.......excellent work my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hOLMS Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I really dig the intricate artwork going on here...wow, wow and WOW!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 Hey everyone... Wanted to say thanks for all of the nice comments. sorry I havent had any updates this week to share. I have been slammed at work and no other time to work on this I am itching to get back to my workbench on this and get the chassis mod completed. Hopefully I will ne able to have something to share soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 (edited) Hello All, I know its been a few days since you have seen any progress or posts from me on this build. Work has been a little hectic as I mentioned but Tonight I sat down for the first time at the bench in little over a week. I sould be able to make more progress this week. I wanted to take a moment and thank one of members here.... Mike Garland.... aka Magic Photos. He has been a great help to me on a few things with this build and is an outstanding and wonderful guy. I have talked with him a good amount of time over the phone and has been wonderful answering questions and giving me suggestions. He was even nice enough to send me an extra vega body that he had (The jungle jim version) and a couple other small items as well, after i was telling him my plans on what I was going to do with my body he thought it would be easier to start with the jungle jim one. Again Thank You Mike! I really appreciate all of your help so far and I am not done picking your brain yet... . As far as tonight, I was able to get started to put more of the chassis back together and fab a few tubes. I can't wait to have it all back together and done. The end of the week that is my goal. Anyway here are some pics to share with you guys. Thanks for looking. Here is the Jungle Jim body that Mike was kind enough to send with me. The plan is to let it soak in the purple pond and then I will remove the front and rear body piece and use the pieces from my kit on this body. I will have to go back and scratch build the vents (not sure what to call them over the front wheel well area: Here the body was put into the purple pond: Here it is about 4 or 5 days after letting it soak, which most of it brushed right off with no hard scrubbing: Edited June 10, 2020 by Mooneyzs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 (edited) Here is the body after I had scrubbed the rest of the paint off with a tooth brush and then rinsed in warm water with Dawn detergent: The Other Side: Here is the beginning of the chassis rework, adding tube. Took me a little bit to get them at the right angles that I was looking for. Was looking at Prudhommes cuda frame from two pics I have of it as well as a picture that Mike sent me on a different chassis. I can't wait to have more of this done: Edited June 10, 2020 by Mooneyzs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W-409 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Great job with removing the paint. Why you are going to use that body? Didn't get that thing. What's wrong with this kit's body? I have that one Vega too, but maybe it would be nice to have this kit also... It just looks like, they are quite rare and expensive. I found only one from eBay. Buy It Now price is 130$, so that's bit too expensive for my budget. Luckily other Vega model kits are bit cheaper. Bad thing is, that shipping costs about two times more than model does... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decal Art Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Looks fantastic! I've been following this thread every couple days to see updates. Very interesting to see it all come together. Art Loveland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostreet Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Nice work on the chassis Chris. Curious why the different body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 Niko & Joe.... Thanks guys. Well the reason that I have decided to use the Jungle Jim body is that the "Snorkle" (not sure if its he right term) on the hood area is way too big and my plan was to cut that down and move it forward. There will be work with the JJ body in this same area to build up a snorkle for it but I think it will be much easier. This Vega body was originally created from a different car than the Army Vega. I can't remember off the top of my head but I think it was either a Don Schumacher or Gene Snow Funny car that the body was based off of. Could someone chime in that knows for sure? Thanks. Besides the snorkle area I was also planning on removing the Army Body's back window and making the wind screeen out of aluminum or brass and well the JJ had a window there, popped it out and I am pretty much set so make my piece and drop it in Versus having to cut and shape a lip on there. The only thing I may need to do is add plastic to the lip since the metal i will be using will be thinner than the kits window and it will need to be raised up to be flush to the body. I just figured that the JJ would be the easier of the two bodies to start with. As mentioned I will be removing the front and rear of the body, then replacing with the correct Army Vega pieces for those. Niko.... I paid a pretty penny for this kit too last year. I just saw one that went for about 84 bucks on ebay just a few days ago. The Sad thing is that I ended up having to buy a 2nd kit because the first one I got, the decals were not in the best shape. Art... Thank you for the compliments and for following along while this build is coming together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Awesome progress Chris. Glad see an update. Loving the fact that you have a new body to work with. Reworking the rear window like we spoke of will be worth it alone. Just how differet are the fronts on the two bodies other than the tire 'vents'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddy Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Hey Chris..........great work so far on the frame re-work. You're close in age with me, and unfortunately, my hands shake so badly anymore, Im not sure I could accomplish that much tedious re-work !! Great job ! The details are what it's all about. I commend you on the attention to the minute'est of details. Im much the same way, very detail oriented. Your entire build is a great testament to your skill and attention to those details. I had one question........regarding your front wheels and axle..........since those front SuperTrick/Centerline type wheels have indentations to represent lug nuts.........were you going to scratch some hubs for those as you did on the rear ?? Were the real front wheels spindle mounts ? Being such a little guy at the time this car ran, I dont know for sure. Im just not old enuff to know if spindle mounts went back that far on Funny Cars. Only reason I ask, is that since you have dove so deeply into details, I was curious as to whether you were going to build some hubs for the front axle ?? Again......Im blown away by your attention to the real deep detail !! Keep on Truckin' !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Photos Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Great job Chris, it is going to look great. Any help I can give let me know. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 Awesome progress Chris. Glad see an update. Loving the fact that you have a new body to work with. Reworking the rear window like we spoke of will be worth it alone. Just how differet are the fronts on the two bodies other than the tire 'vents Thanks Brad. you are right that this JJ body will be much easier than having to rework the kits body like that. I was going to cut away the back window screen and add a lip for the new back window to sit into. The front ends are completely different years so all that needs to be done is for me to remove the existing front end cleanly and the other one will fit right up. Then i will scratch build new tire vents. I think scratch building them will look much better because from the pics i have it looks like there is a lip all the way around the vent. Where as the built in ones on the kit dont look like that. And then on the rear body panel the JJ has the tail lights molded into it and the Army Vega they were smooth and painted on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 Hey Chris..........great work so far on the frame re-work. You're close in age with me, and unfortunately, my hands shake so badly anymore, Im not sure I could accomplish that much tedious re-work !! Great job ! The details are what it's all about. I commend you on the attention to the minute'est of details. Im much the same way, very detail oriented. Your entire build is a great testament to your skill and attention to those details. I had one question........regarding your front wheels and axle..........since those front SuperTrick/Centerline type wheels have indentations to represent lug nuts.........were you going to scratch some hubs for those as you did on the rear ?? Were the real front wheels spindle mounts ? Being such a little guy at the time this car ran, I dont know for sure. Im just not old enuff to know if spindle mounts went back that far on Funny Cars. Only reason I ask, is that since you have dove so deeply into details, I was curious as to whether you were going to build some hubs for the front axle ?? Again......Im blown away by your attention to the real deep detail !! Keep on Truckin' !!!! Joe....thank you for the compliments. I am 36 and I know what you mean wth the age stuff. seems since i have gotten an Opti-visor, I have been using it alot more with my builds. I love that thing lol. I have always been a very detail oriented person. some times too detailed and want everything to be right. I can also be my own worst critic. I have learned alot over the years that i have been building and my biggest piece of advice is to have patience, take your time and not to rush things. regarding your question I believe the front wheels were spindle mounted. I have some pics of the car at home i can upload and show you when I get off work tonight. if i remember right the front wheels look as if they have a bunch of bolt heads around the tire and some around the center. You have brought to my attention that I may need to add more detail to the front wheels and add all of the bolt heads on the wheels. thanks again man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 Great job Chris, it is going to look great. Any help I can give let me know. Mike Hey Mike thanks again. I will try and give you a call later tonight after i get off work sorry i missed your call yesterday, worked 12 hours trying to.get stuff done. i should be leaving at my normal time today since we are having meetings with a customer. Sorry for the individual quotes but since i am responding from the mobile version on my phone I am not able to scroll up to look what was written previously by others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltwincustoms Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Sorry for the individual quotes but since i am responding from the mobile version on my phone I am not able to scroll up to look what was written previously by others. How funny Chris... that is why I like my Android phone and the 4.5" screen. I view the site in regular desktop or also called Classic mode and don't mess with the Mobile nonsense. You loose a lot of the Editing functionality and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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