Peter Lombardo Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 (edited) It has been almost two years since I last posted anything to this forum……….I have been very busy with a new business project so there just wasn’t time, and quite frankly my head was in another place. Anyway, after 22 months, mostly spent idle, I have just completed my model of the Timbs Streamliner and I figured I would finally put that W I P to bed, so to speak. To recap this build, if you did not or do not recall the original W I P here is a link to the posting……http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=49174 To pick up where that one left off, the chassis and body was done and painted, the interior was finished with handmade tuck-and-roll from half round stock cut and painted tan to simulate the leather on the actual car. The windshield frame was fabricated from 12 separate pieces covered with bare metal foil and the two windshields fit into channels in the frame. The car sat like this for many, many months while I tried to work out the photo-etched parts, that is, the front and rear bumpers, the headlight surrounds the license plate backing and the hardest part of all, the grille. The grille has about 25 chrome slots (I say “about” because my old tired eyes just can’t see it well enough to count them all) anyway, I knew this was going to be a difficult part to replicate, but also critical to the overall build…… the bumpers were also important to it, but I think the right grille, with the correct slots and the necessary compound curves would make or break the build. I went to my brother who is a sign maker that used to work in a photo service shop that did screening for the print industry…..he understands the “photo” process and computer design very well…..we measured out the model so we could get the proper sizing so we could attempt to make a photo etch sheet. Then because the size of the sheet that we could get was plenty big, I added 32 and 34 Ford grilles, windshield wipers of various sizes and a few extra sets of parts for the Timbs car to the sheet. I picked up the chemicals and the stainless steel sheet of metal, along with the photo resist film to laminate onto the stainless sheet………..well, we had so many problems with air bubbles between the photo resist and the metal and then many issues with washing the chemicals over the exposed sheet that I just did not think it was worth it. After a number of failed attempts, I called it quits and put the car aside. As I said, I have been busy with a new business project, it sat idle for about a year. Every now and then when I had a few minutes I would send an e mail and the artwork to a photo etch and/or laser shop I would find on a Google search to get an estimate of what it would cost to get the photo-etch parts made. Some just said they were not interested, some said they were not set-up to do a small run like this, some quoted prices like, $150.00 for the set up fee and $500 or $600 for the sheet and $75 more for a second sheet. Well, I am not a cheap guy and am willing to pay someone a fair price to get what I need and want, but $800 seems too extreme for a few photo-etched sheets with parts for a model car that will spend the bulk of its life on a shelf collecting dust…….ok, my completed cars are protected from dust, but you get the point, the cost was too much…………….the car sat a few months longer. Then about a month ago while on the F1M forum (F1 model cars) I saw a post where someone was asking about if anyone knew of a small production photo-etch shop that would make parts for him…………..someone from Europe responded that he knew of a shop in Great Britain that would do small batch runs for a very reasonable price. I looked up their web site (PPD ltd) and sent them my artwork and a request for a quote. Minutes later they responded and after two more e mails I agreed to the pricing (about $140.00 US for 2 sheets) and then 3 days later they notified me that they were dispatching my parts……….I responded to them that in America, to dispatch something, could either mean it was killed or it was sent away ( a joke) , he assured me that the parts were sent and not killed……..about 10 days later the photo etch parts sheets arrived and needless to say, the quality was amazing. Every thin line on the grilles was perfect. We looked at them under a printers loop (small magnifying glass) and could not find any flaws or deviations in any of the work. So, armed with the photo-etched parts I was able to complete the Timbs Streamliner in its restored condition. The final part needed was the license plate (retro plate) which my brother printed for me. So here is the completed Timbs 1949 Streamline Special as it appears today, in its restored state. Sadly, the slight gold fleck in the paint gets over exaggerated in the picture because of the camera, but in person, the gold fleck is muted and does not look “over the top.” This is the photo-etch sheet....a few pieces are missing...they are on this and a few other cars. I have decided to build two additional versions of this car taken from two other periods of its life. Working backwards, this is the current version in its restored condition, next backwards will be the condition it was found in, in the high desert of California, devoid of paint and with its engine out of the car, and lastly as the wooden buck that Timbs built to form the handmade aluminum body panels. Once all this is done, all three models will be the center piece of three small dioramas using the original pictures as 3D backdrops to the models. So when done (for NNL East 2014) it will depict the Birth….Death….and Rebirth of this uniquely special automobile. But for now, this is the finished restored 1949 Timbs streamliner, a one-of-a-kind very unique, and sensuously slippery, but terribly impractical, footnote in the history of the homemade American custom car. Edited October 28, 2013 by Peter Lombardo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Beautiful model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharoah Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Wow Peter! I've seen pictures of that car and you really captured it! Swoopy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randx0 Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Glad to see Norman's car completed. Your projects are always interesting and well executed this is no exception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 What a pleasure to see you back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bondo bill Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 WOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kucaba Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Just fabulous!! You are to be commended for your perseverance. Welcome back, I was just about to do a Where's Waldo about you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyrichard Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 whow thats stunning !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyD340 Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Stunningly SWOOPY, gorgeous build Peter!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris White Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Beautiful Job!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack_Mechanic Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Absolutly amazing craftsmanship!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 First, it's great to see you back, Peter! Hope you business venture has smoothed out and allows you some model time. Next, this came out spectacular! I remember well your WIP and the set of 3 versions sounds cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 This is a great model of a very interesting car. The photo etch look very nice . Not a bad deal for that many grills an such. If that is just one of the sheets even better . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerN Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Beautiful job on a very interesting car - thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Great job ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lombardo Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 (edited) Gentleman, thank so very much for the very kind words.... ........I really appreciate it....I put a lot of time in trying to complete build, if nothing else, I thought about it all the time when I wasn't fighting to get the new business project moving.....2 years ago I said I would finish it one way or another.....I did not expect it last 2 years, but it is such a great relief to have it finally done. I am not a fan of loose ends. Harry, thanks for for the re-welcome.....It makes me feel good to know I was missed. Every so often I would look at the forum and see some amazing work by all of you guys, but until I put closure on this one, everything was at a stand still. My new business venture has been are real hard haul for me...... you can't imagine all of the sleepless nights worring about each piece of the puzzle that I have had to deal with, it really zaps your desire to work on a model, as I said, my head was a million miles away. The economy has not made it any easier, but it is the poor economy that forced me to create this project so if it works like I expect it to, I will be able to thank the poor business climate for making me take the steps that I was forced to take. I do believe that as one door closes, another will open, you just need to stay positive and never give up looking for that other door. As this new internet venture gets ready to launch, I can't wait fill you guys in..........it is in the automotive "world" and if it goes as planned it will be a very disruptive......but who knows, maybe not, but I like to dream in Techncolor, so I planning on it taking off. I have assembled an amazing team of professionals and true believers in the project, so with these guys and gals I expect big things. Enough on that, thanks again everyone, I really appreciate the words and interest in the build. Edited October 27, 2013 by Peter Lombardo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rv1963 Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Very nice, so smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Looks Great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customsrus Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 wow that came out very nice Pete. Cant wait to see the other two versions. Glad to have you back where you belong. Hope to see more of your work very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbowser Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Outstanding work Peter. I saw this car on TV a few months back, maybe on "My Classic Car"? Hope your business venture works out, gotta put food on the table first and foremost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RatRod Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 It's always a pleasure to see your work Peter, glad you found time to complete this one. The whole series will be stunning I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 (edited) Great looking model Peter ! Peter, if you see this , can you give me a P-M ? Yer e-,mail wont work, yer P-M box wont work and I no longer have a phone number for ya an New Jersey ios too far for me in my 53 Ferd . Edited October 27, 2013 by Eshaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cole Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Zoinks! You built the Norman Timbs Special! How kewl is that?!!! Welcome back! Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lombardo Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Great looking model Peter ! Peter, if you see this , can you give me a P-M ? Yer e-,mail wont work, yer P-M box wont work and I no longer have a phone number for ya an New Jersey ios too far for me in my 53 Ferd . ED, nice to hear from you..........send me an e mail at aegisgolf@verizon.net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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