10thumbs

Bill, if you don't mind, here a famous Gasser and the stance; Looks level to me. Edit: I just noticed too, with that (lack of) tire clearance, this rig did not squat off the line. Hmmm, did the rear raise up any?

Interesting, I of course don't have the mechanical background to offer any halfway intelligent information. What surprised me recently was an internet research during a previous Fiat Altered model build, especially the 4 link application. There was specifically the opposite mentioned, and this really caught my eye and interest of what you just posted; "The rear doesn't drop because the axle is "rising" off the pavement, as your statement implies". As I understood, under acceleration, there is an immediate weight shift, causing spring wrap-up and the applied torque has the tendency to twist the axle upward. This weight/energy lets the body sink at the rear, thus actually causing the axle/rear wheels to raise upwards as the sprung rear axle counters the weight onslaught, lessening the imprint of the tires to the surface. The axle doesn't drop, then the body sinks down, but just the opposite is my understanding. Interesting stuff. As a sailor, I like hearing that the wind puffs up the sails, and this is what pushes the boat further. This is just not true. What lets the boat go forward is the fact that there is because of the wind in the sails, a vacuum created just in front of this rigging, and the boat is sucked into this void. Thanks for the interesting subject.

Fast food. Hmmm. I haven't been to a franchise burger-type place in decades, not in the future either. Very dubious, my opinion. One street down from my home is a very small pizza take out place, since 1965 in family hands. The best pizza I've ever had outside of Italy. Read original. I like a good Thai joint for take outs too, fresh ingredients and you can see what they're putting in the wok. Germany has excellent sausages, grilled on the spot and excellent fries too. There's one that's a trailer and pulled to the market place on Fridays, locally owned and local ingredients. The place has been given an absolute top rating, nationwide. What I really miss though, is BBQ !! When I visit Florida, the decision, shrimp or BBQ, is always a toughy.

Great model! Hey guys, let me say I recently had a funny discussion with my wife (we married in '75), she's a German girl, about Germans and vacationing in the early 50's. The greatest thing on Earth was going down to Italy for a vacation. Low and behold, Germany was becoming for the normal working class a mobile nation. So let's get some sun and drive to Italy. The wages were low, there was work though and the thrifty Germans were starting to enjoy life after decades. Cool cars were negotiating the Alps with 30hp (there or abouts). The Messerschmidt for instance. Also the Gogo-Mobil. Many rarities are still seen yearly at the different street old timers shows all over the country. The Isetta, with the front opening door too. Even my cousin back in the 50's bought one as a fun car, and I rode several times in the silly thing, back in my childhood Florida days. Gears were shifted by a lever on the left side interior panel! So, just some side info and a total hijack, but I think Chuck will find it OK. Well done!

Another thing I'd like to mention, about the rear end "dropping down" during acceleration. Better traction is achieved when the rear end goes up, because then the tires are implanted into the surface. When the rear end sinks, the rear tires are actually wanting to lift up, hence lesser traction. Was this "unknown" during the 60's gasser era?

Wasn't a fellow named Chrisman whom in the early funny car era whooped on the Hemis with his blown Ford funny car. Jack Chrisman? His son? This was the era around 66-67, like with Jack Nicholson's cool flip top Comet.

Great idea with the flashlight, I have a couple of those small things lying and they work too! Good stuff. Also an idea about metal contrast. Shiny brass, small washers for the bigger bolts? Just letting some of the brass be visible. A slight touch of clear (CA) and they won't tarnish over time.

Hi Raoul, that is a beautiful model, very cleanly built, my opinion. Question; I can't really tell, but it looks like the grill has been actually opened up, or is it a wash using black paint? Looks very good up front. Also, I like the really clear glass! Did you polish out the kit glass? If so, please tell us how you did it, or maybe a hint at which material you used for the glass. It looks thin too, very convincing. A wonderful model, compliments.

Ray, is that the back plate? The bolts sitting there certainly look like they have a uniform position. Concerning the bolt size issue, and after reading bluncs and your input, I may even agree to the larger size bolt. Also an alternative would be to give the bolts a different look, meaning a different degree of shine if you're leaving the aluminum as is. My thoughts are that with different metals, and even the same metals in one immediate area, a different finish can achieve the depth that styrene can never reach. Like when the car is finished, and you peek underneath for a look to see if the differential is leaking oil, maybe a different finish on the bolts as compared to the housing may make for an interesting view for the eye. At any rate, I personally have to keep in my mind that this is not a 1:25 car, so I'll have to adjust more about commenting. Hey, think big, right?

Ray, just to give an idea, here a cold light lamp for a small milling machine. The small movable arm has a cold light lamp, this allows excellent and bright light for viewing the small areas, no shadows whatsoever, you can see everything in front of you, and it doesn't get hot. This is the only way to go, the best possibility for lighting up small areas that I know of. It lights things up in a small area and leaves nothing unseen. Sorry I didn't show an example earlier. Here another type, this one costs a whopping $20, can't beat it; These are from German shops though, but simple and very effective.

@Michael, so that beast gave you a hard time too, eh? Sometimes though I still think I might like to tackle this one again. @Doug, did you ever finish it? Any pics? @Carl, I don't remember even seeing the Nomad, just the Bel Air coupe gave me a beating. I like reading these.

@Dale, man I bet that was a frustrating build! Reminds me of the AMT33 Willys I did recently, it was a problem too, just not as bad as yours. @Greg, congrats that you did well on that kit. The box art doesn't ring a bell with me though, I'll do a search to find the one I might have had. @Snake, this sounds interesting. I like propeller war planes, but I'm still not sure if I could win against this kit. EDIT: Snake, I just did a search for the box art and I think the one I had must of been the 1:48 kit, the Navy version. Don't remember a camouflage airplane back in the early 60's. Lots of great pics, the kit is certainly difficult.

This the truck forum though, about....well

Ray, I think stick to the same size as the ones shown on the smaller ring. Smaller is often better on models, plus there are more of them so they won't be too dominant. Whatcha think? PS: I just read the post from the top of the page, about your lighting needs. What you need for this application is "cold lighting". The best there is for such.

So I just finished the brass "funnel", or reducer. Too much work with not much success. Nix the funnel. Again, this is what I need; So I'm gonna fake it. Thinner tube into the thicker tube, then fill the void with my magic acrylic, shape it up and polish it. Then paint the joint silver. I'll make the 90° bend as good as I can with the cross-slit-technique, smooth metal up and fill it with the magic acrylic. Polish and paint. End of the dilemma. The magic acrylic is a powder and thin liquid, mixed it becomes goo, after 3 minutes it's harder than styrene. Cheating, but these pipes are a bear, the toughest part of this all metal build and I'm really stumped as to how to do it otherwise. EDIT: After still more thinking, the above plan sucks. Signguy, Larry has the method! I found a pen in the drawer that'll work great. So, I'll trim it to size and cast in nickel on Monday. When polished it can shine like chrome, and the build remains all metal. I like. I won't even bother with bending the 10" stacks, they stay straight, and the reducer placed on the end, then the 5" pipe to the other end of the reducer. 5" bends a lot easier than 10".

Thanks Clayton, I'm thinking now the 10" is just not feasible. 8" is a little easier to work with, and the reduction to 5", which is already coming from the motor is easier. Just one part is still a big problem, the elbow on the 8" pipes. I made a new one, it's better than the pics shown above, but still has a few crimps. Next I'm trying a funnel to act as a reducer, and make this from real thin brass sheet. This way it can be soldered, then it'll just get a shot of Alclad if I can get it to fit decently. Thanks for your efforts. I googled Picket Bros, too. Nice pipes, and they're all smooth elbows. I just can't get the elbows as smooth.

Thanks guys. Larry and Brian, that sounds interesting. Matthew, thanks for the pics and the idea. I'll be looking at two 45° pipes. After thinking this over I came up with this. First of all, this is 8mm tube, not 10. This was a quickie too. It might have possibilities; The straight cuts like previously done with smaller tubes is the wrong way to go. The cuts have to be crossed, like this; This was a quick job just to get a view at the results. Take more time and make better cuts that go exactly halfway through and this might just work. I'll try again soon. I like so far, it's a progression. Another thing I'm looking at is just having the elbow visible under the stack that runs straight down. No bend on the fat stack, just bend the smaller tube and let the funnel be visible. More later.

Thomas, it's been a while since you first posted these pics, but it's been recently commented so I'll chime in. My thoughts are that the paintjob quality looks very nice. Just I dislike the flakes, they appear way out of scale and look odd to me. Like the beginning of a 1st snow settling on the car. I like doing candy and metal flake paint myself with House of Kolor products, none of them have such large flakes, and that stuff is real automotive paint. Nail paint is nail paint, those flakes look funky to me too on real fingernails, and I just don't like the look on a model. This is just my opinion.

Here's a pic of the tube bending problem. Left is a 5" tube, right the 10" tube. 5 cuts on the smaller tube gets a 90° bend. 7 cuts on the right, and only 45°. I have a long way to go, and a learning process coming up. Something else has to be figured out. EDIT: It just hit me. I need to visit a real mechanic. Brake lines. They need to be bent too. 10mm tube is larger than usual brake lines, but maybe the tool used can be adjusted?

Thanks again Larry. I have a problem though. I can't get the bend done properly on the big stacks. The radius is just too long. I found in my desk drawer though a pen that'll work great as a reducer. Great tip!

OK, I found this: After checking all my pics a little closer, it seems most custom rigs have the fat stacks going right down under the cab, then probably joined with the smaller pipes just outside the frame rails. If they were joined inside the frame rails, they'd probably hang down too low. I imagine then, make a bend with the 10" stacks right up to the frame rails, then run the 5" pipes just to the outside of the frame rails, and join them right there under the cab. Since mine has cab skirts, this will have to be a tight endeavor.

Thanks Larry, good idea with the pen used as an elbow. Just still not sure if they're needed. Exhaust leak....well, straight pipes without mufflers, so maybe the smaller just feeds into the larger without being connected?

Dan, the Bumble Bee Fleet has a new Leader now, they sure look good together. A great theme, I like.

edit.. More than disgusting.

Ray that piece looks good!