Straightliner59

The only reason I know any of that, is because of projects I was working on! ?

I enjoy discussions like this! That was MP legal in '75. The rules only state that the engine must be automotive. There's a thread, here:

Enter this term into Ebay's search engine: kingsdun 8pcs pointed precision tweezers set I've had a set for about five years, now, and love them! There's one selling for $20, shipped. Well worth the price!

I love that stuff! I have a fair amount left. I've been eyeing an obsolete box, that appears to have some hanging out of it, loose. It might find its way to my shop. ? I use the copper for fuel lines. Great stuff!

Thanks, Ian. Yes, I appreciate those kinds of little details! I know that Francis does, as well. Those are on one of Slixx's "Goodie" sheets. I was just going to make and print some, when I noticed them. I still want to print a small sheet of axle tags--Strange, MW, Summers Bros...If Mark Williams is still in the same place, they're just a few miles north of me! Thank you, Mr. Sapiro! I'd been fiddling around with a couple of things, and this one caught my attention! Thank you, so much, Richard. I appreciate your kind words! That definitely sounds like a cool Vega. And a doppelganger! I've always loved them, for some strange reason. Running high 9s, it maybe could run Super Gas, at its 9.90 index. Gotta' have those details, my friend!

I think the rear wheels and brakes are done! They're the most involved set I've done. Wheel studs are .020" brass rod, lug nuts are .040" hex stock, bored on the lathe. I used straight pin points for the valve stems and added Mark Williams tags to the axles. Now, to finish up the slicks (just a little clean up), and get these back in them, without damaging the finish on the wheels. I made a small fixture to align the wheels and hubs, while I installed the studs. It was necessary, as some pressure was required to insert the studs, and to press the lugs over them.

I completely misread the question! I'm sorry. Jason's suggestions, above are right on!

I've gotten to where I make a lot of my own, with the inkjet printer. I can use a crisp image, reduce it to the size I need it (using MS Word, or a free equivalent, like OpenOffice), print it, then use a hole punch, to cut it out. They can be applied, as usual, or, they can simply be glued into place in the dash. If you don't have access to a printer, gauges can sometimes be found on other decal sheets, as well.

Thank you, Michael! I'm really happy with the gloss black. I never found out about the flat black, until it was gone! I'll probably try the white, on something, at some point.

Rear wheels are Alclad Chrome over cheap, Walmart Color Place Gloss Black spray. I'm happy with 'em! Snake always swore by the Color Place Flat Black, until they quit making it. The gloss works great, too. Lays down, smoothly and dries quickly.

Tim, this is truly one of the most interesting and unique projects I've seen. I love what you've done with this! To turn a toy into a model is a great accomplishment, and you've done it, in spades! The added details to come will only make it more impressive.

More on the brake rotors and hubs. During final assembly, I will fit and match all the wheel studs and lug nuts. The center discs (axle ends) will get an axle company's logo decal. They should look pretty good, once they're done. I hope they do--it's a lot of work! I have a couple of shots of the linkage "towers" for the Lenco, too. Thanks for looking! Questions, critiques and comments are always welcome.

Very nicely done, sir! I can sense your characters' frustration. A kick to the chain link is impending!

I've been doing some work with the rear wheels and brakes. I had never drilled out the lugs before, so, I thought this is as good a time, as any! I turned a set of rotors, too. Calipers are castings from an old Revell '82(?) Camaro kit. Studs/nuts shown here are model RR Hex NBW (nut/bolt/washer). I may just scratchbuild some. As always, questions, comments and critiques are welcome. Thanks for looking!

Superbly done. An excellent conversion!

That Corvette FC is one of those kits, like the Monogram Slingshot--it's as recognizable as McEwen's car, as the Slingshot is the Cook and Bedwell dragster. Every drag car modeler I knew/know had multiples of them. Of course, we're a small segment of the hobby.

I suspect that is the case. The bodies are pretty nice renditions of those they represent. That wouldn't be a surprise, given that Tom West was at MPC at the time they were introduced (If I remember correctly).

Thank you, Jim! Much appreciated.

I am, too, for sure. I was looking at photos of Shirley's and Ormsby's Swindahl cars. They both looked so long and low and sleek. A lot more beautiful that people give cars from that era thought to, I think. Here are a few more of the NFD. Thanks, Ian! Glad you like it!

I reworded my search and found one of the Firebirds for about $40, shipped!

I understand that. I didn't find any at auction, only at set prices. $120. Model Roundup has one for abut $80. I think a lot of it's because they haven't been reissued since they did the "monster " version with giant tractor tires. There just isn't a ton of them around, anymore. Yes, they did butcher the rear wheel openings, for sure. In the early-mid '80sm those kits were everywhere! Corvettes, Firebirds--I'd forgotten the Omnis.

That's one nice thing about altereds! You can go either way. I can see your point about them maybe not filling enough space, from certain angles, but they look really great, in the profile views!

Very nicely done, sir! I've built two of them. I traded the first one for a cool "Header Flames" t-shirt. The other is i my display case. It's a fun kit to build! It could also be used as a club, if necessary!

At one time, I had a ton of these things, and you couldn't give 'em away! I found an article in an old Petersen "Drag Racing" magazine of a Super Comp Corvette FC called "da Big Kahuna" (that wasn't all that was big, in the article, either!?). I thought "Man, that old Firefighter Corvette would be an excellent starting point for this car! I wish I still had one. Guess I'll look around. How much could they be?" I found one at $80, and the rest of them are around $120! Yikes!

Thank you, John. Much appreciated! Uh, yeah...I just figured that part out, myself!? Using a custom-cut template to trace around really improves things, as well. I've been playing with this tooling aluminum for over twenty years, and I'm still learning new ways to work it! It definitely has its place, in modeling, as far as I am concerned. I built the Nostalgia Fueler body from it (but don't recommend it for that use!), and the first body for the Junior Fueler, from it. Ultimately, the Junior Fueler body was built from flashing, as the NFD body will be, eventually. sorry, these photos are poor, but they're the only ones I have of it, with the panels on it.