Straightliner59

Window netting. Masking tape and brass rod, so far.

Thank you, Francis. It's good to hear from you! The blue does seem similar, now that you mention it. I've always thought it would be cool to do their 4-door car! Thanks, Ron. Yeah, I was a little surprised at how much difference it made, just adding more of the contingencies. Thank you, John Michael! It's getting close. Once I build the window netting, I can install the interior... I got most of the foil done (I'm horrible, at this!), except for the door handles, and locks, and the nose emblem. Windows are in, but still need a little clean-up.. I've started work on the 'chute. It's almost time to make a punch list!

Definitely one of the best kits for parts! The display Small Block is beautiful! I used one in my Junior Fuel dragster.

I had to overcome my own propensity for doing that. Once I made some progress toward accepting my own errors and imperfections, I actually began to complete some projects!

I reckon not!

Really? Most of the consensus I've seen is that it's the best of the "bi-scale" '70 Chevelles. That's the main reason I ended up choosing that body. I have to depend on the kindness of others, where these things are concerned, because I rarely see discrepancies that others do--unless they're really bad. ?

I got the rear bumper painted (Alclad Chrome over Color Place black). Also began foiling the car, and deciding where I want to mount the 'chute. I had the master kill switch installed, but knocked it off, and couldn't find it. Oh, well, the new one will be better!

I spent a ton of hours working on an AMT '70 Chevelle, before I decided that I'd be better off replacing the AMT body with the one from Revell's snapper. I had completed a lot of work on the front suspension--and, indeed the entire chassis, when Revell's '68, and AMT's '68 El Camino were released. At that point, I threw in the towel, deciding that I had no interest in converting an AMT '70 Chevelle into a Revell '70 Chevelle!

I got the taillights made and installed. Still some cleanup to do, on the foil. I used cigarette foil (You can buy the same stuff at the craft store, by the roll.) for the inner texture/reflectors. The lenses are .020 clear PET with decals I drew and printed. Questions, comments and critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

Since I live by myself, and am mostly asocial, when I am not at work, I am most often in my shop. That's generally the place I want to be!

I want to build Leal's Duster. And Grump's first tube-chassised Vega. And Grump's First Monza...?

Wow. Thank you, Ian. I really appreciate that!

Hahaha (re: leisure suit)! Great! Now I can't un-see that! Fernwood 2 Nite, anyone? Thanks, Jim. I appreciate your comments!

I got a bottle of Alteco CA glue formulated for repairing metal dental fittings. Hoping I've found something better for gluing sheet aluminum, than contact cement!

An admirable job, getting the finish on the body to look right!

I did some work on the front end; Made headlights and painted the headlight "tunnels" with Testors Chrome Silver. Since this is meant to be a fiberglass hood/fender unit, I printed decals to represent the turn signal lamps. I also added a few more contingency decals...

It just gets better and better!

I love this technique. I made the anti-sub belt in the Super Gasser in a similar manner. I used fine screen, to emboss it. This looks great, sir!

Thanks, Ian. I appreciate it! I like that name. It's perfect for a fuel altered! Thanks, John Michael! I saw them on that tour. They opened for Ted Nugent at the Tarrant County Convention Center, in Ft. Worth, in July of '77.

Well...it's been an adventure, getting to this update. The teal on the nose never settled properly, and, I noticed that the ink had run, beneath the clear. Off comes that! The next attempt, I discovered that the ink had run, previously, because the Krylon clear was too "heavy" and stiff, and it had cracked, going over the tricky curves of the hood. I printed another couple of decals, and, this time, I shot them with Testors MM semi-gloss clear. I also slit the tip of the decal, to aid in its conformity. By this point, the bump on the nose of the hood had become somewhat uneven--something I discovered when I applied the third decal. The second and third decals were only the teal-colored portion of the scheme. I decided against stripping the body, and accepted that the teal would be a tad bumpy. Then, the nose slit didn't close up, like I planned (Hey, what else is new?!?). I cut the tip of a new teal decal and applied it across the nose, to hide the slit. Okay, I'll live with it--it's not perfect, but, it's not horrible, either... Somewhere, during all of that, it dawned on me that I didn't have a name for the car. No proper Super Gasser from 1984 would be without a name. It took a couple of days of tumbling words over in my head before I finally determined to go with "Star" something, given that Vega is a star. The Foreigner song popped into my head, and I had the name. I found a font I liked, and messed around with designs, until I came up with something I had a reasonable chance of cutting out by hand--I've heard a Cricut machine works well, for cutting these things out, but even after five years, I still haven't made the effort to learn to use mine!? Without any further ado, here's "Star Rider".

That cable looks fantastic!

Thank you, Ian! I got the scoop painted blue, now, too. It really sets off the hood graphics, nicely. Photos in a bit...

I was admiring someone else's handiwork. I would agree with your assessment!

Thank you, sir. I applied some of the decals--the major components of the graphics, at least. I may have to remove the center section of the hood decal, and replace it (I printed spares), if it doesn't settle down. I made a small change in the stripes, adding the tribute to my Dad that is on all my race cars, save a couple of early ones. I have a couple of more local sponsors to put on it, and body trim, etc. Anyway...here's how it looks with the decals on. I am really happy with the scheme! I think it looks pretty "'80s"!

The electronics looks great! It goes right along with the engine. Excellent work, Ian.