Straightliner59

Francis, thank you, again! I truly appreciate your kind words, my friend. Here is a short thread showing the results of my experimentation. I really think I can make this work, with a slot milled into a piece of metal (I think even aluminum will be fine, given the light nature of the work.).

Thanks, Steve! Thank you, as well, for your continued encouragement. It is very much appreciated. It will be finished before the end of the year!

That is exactly what I intend to use. I've played around with it, some. Wood works okay, but leaves something to be desired. I am thinking of milling a simple, angled slot in a 1/4"X1/2" piece of aluminum, just to accept the tip of the chisel, and keep the depth, and, therefore the shape, uniform. I'm thinking that'll work pretty slick! Meantime, here's the other side panel. It will need to be cut for exhaust clearance.

One hood side panel is well on its way...

Francis, thanks, so much, for your kind words! I am truly humbled by your comments. Glad you found it! I got the plastic coating removed from the aluminum flashing. I am excited to build the hood. I have a couple of different approaches I can take with the hinge. I am going to see if I can mill a simple die, so that I can punch some louvers--we'll have to see how that works out. ? And, no--you can never spend too much time at the bench! I enjoy watching your projects coming along.

Excellent work, as always, Mr. Sapiro! I like the technique you used for the pedals. Everything just looks right.

Thanks, Rob. I appreciate that!

It's on the wheels! I think I got everything done that needed to be, before mounting them. We'll see, I reckon! Next up is sanding the film from a sheet of flashing, so that it can be cut and annealed, and work on the hood can commence. Critiques, questions and comments are always welcome! Thanks for looking...

Well, this thread has been quiet for so long, I had to dig five pages into the archives, to find it! Wake up, B.O.Y.D.! I got this thing on the wheels. All that's left is the hood--which I am going to attempt to make from aluminum. Three pieces and hinged! Oh. And the markings. I've got this!

I got a Speedball metal leafing kit. I am going to see if I can use it on my Indy car. I used some years ago on this Revell '34 snapper, but, the sizing/adhesive had dried up. I am going to outline these numbers in red One-Shot, one of these days, soon. I may make this one my next BOYD entry, if there's a round, after the current one.

Without a doubt!

Only the first couple of times! ?

Check out Fireball. http://www.fireballmodels.info/ Joseph's got a lot of off road wheels and tires, and his work is beautiful!

Thank you, Bruce. Indeed, it is! Thanks for looking!

Thank you, Steve! I don't think you can damage the American language any worse than we already have! ?

I've got a lot of work done, on this thing, but it wasn't flashy, so, I haven't updated this, in a while. I am very close to putting the wheels on it. I'm doing "punch-list" stuff, toward that. When I looked at the engine, I couldn't help but notice that it was lacking something. It dawned on me that the same method I used to make the snaps, would also help with the look of the engine. I used the inside-tapered brass tubing punch to make some small domes from aluminum duct tape to cover the nuts on the cam covers. Rather than use the tape in its natural form, I dulled its finish with a pink eraser. Once I had applied the discs, I used a short piece of aluminum tubing, again tapered on the inside, but, not sharpened, to seat the edges of the discs over the nuts I think it worked out pretty nicely! Here are before and after shots. As always, questions, critiques and comments are welcome! Thanks for looking!

Welcome! I grew up in Montana. First Browning, then went to high school out on the plains, in Glendive. That's where I first started building. You know, long winters, and all. ?

Thanks, Perry. That will keep me busy, for a minute or two!? They may have come from the place Perry mentioned, above. Thanks, Rex!

I have always enjoyed the little AMT kits. One of their shortcomings has always been a shortage of wheels. These kits are becoming more expensive to purchase, and some are not too commonly found (especially the 'Cuda, which has a very nice set of Cragar SS wheels). The American Racing wheels that I have are mostly afflicted with sinkholes, although I managed to save a couple. I realize there are aftermarket wheels available in this scale, however, they are mostly for exotic cars; Understandable, given that the market is driven mostly by those and Formula 1 stuff. I have several of them built, in the display case. They include a 'Cuda, a Torino, a '36 Ford, a '48 Ford, and a Chevelle. Ten or more years ago, I started working on one of the '68 'Vettes, to build as a Stock class NHRA racer. It was shelved, due to a lack of decent wheels and tires. One day, when I was driving for NAPA, I noticed a transmission seal that looked like it might be perfect for the slicks. I jotted down the part number, so that I could pick one up at the counter. It was perfect! It scaled out exactly to specs! Needs a bit of reshaping of the sidewalls, is all. Still, front wheels and tires were an issue. It was right about there, that my interest waned... A couple of nights ago, I was rummaging through my boxes of 1/43 scale parts, and discovered that I had two of the '67 Firebirds. Since I have been becoming more interested in vintage circle and road racers again, lately, I decided to take a razor saw and some Evergreen to the wheelwells, to flare them. Of course, that led right back to the wheels and tires issue, which leads to this post. I think I have mostly solved this dilemma! I began by chucking the American wheels in the lathe, and cutting them down , so that only the spoke cross-section of the wheel was left. I gathered a selection of the wheels I would likely use, and used them, as-is, to make molds. Castings will be less "dangerous" to work on, than original parts. Oddly, the only wheels I have that I didn't mold were about four sets of '57 Chevy wheels, which I only mention, because I don't know where I got so many '57 Chevys! The wheel's diameter is 3/8". Thus, I used a 3/8" end mill to hollow out a short length of 3/4" Delrin, on the mill. I intend to make tires as I need them for a given project, then mold and cast those, so I only need to make a master for each tire. Now, all I needed was a rim that could be easily duplicated in varying sizes--because rims don't like to be cast in open-faced molds--at least I never had much luck with them. The rim was simple. 3/8" Evergreen tubing, quickly tapered on the inside edge, and cut off, as needed, for length, to match the width of the tire. Attached are photos I have of my built 1/43 stuff, a few pics of the current projects and of my 1/43 scale tire and wheel project! The aluminum is going to become a pseudo-Centerline/Super Trick front wheel that I will mold. Interestingly, the Halibrand style wheel is from an old Aurora A/FX Grand Am funny car. It looks pretty much at home, in the Delrin tire! I will modify it some, and mold it, as well. Might make a nice set of wheels for the 'Vette! I will probably dismantle the 'Cuda, and cast its Cragars. I would like to rebuild it as an "inspired-by Blowfish" salt racer. I also want to redo the Torino as a Stock Car. I have an AMX that will probably become a road racer, as well.

I really like this, Josh! Like Tim said--the paint looks perfect! No decals buried in high-gloss clear. I like your seat belt hardware, as well--great, innovative idea, there! Very nice work.

Thank you, Scott. That is very helpful. If I hadn't ventured off, down another trail, tonight, I would give that a shot! I will, soon, though.

This whole project is fabulous! I especially dig the rack and pinion. Very nice work!

Thank you for your comments, Scott. Much appreciated! That is an excellent idea! What did you use for the abrasive? My biggest problem is finding something to make uniformly-sized "rings". I have an X-Y table for my Dremel drill press, but haven't been able to come up something that holds its shape, over the course of the operation. Everything seems to flatten and expand, creating a finish that's not evenly-sized. Thanks for looking, sir!

I made a leather "boot" to surround the seat from a doubled-over black plastic trash bag. I think the texture is very nice. I added black piping of Detail Master black .0075" wire. I originally intended to use their red Detail Wire for all the piping, but, I couldn't get it to stick to the body, so, I went with the too-big stuff. I need to clean/touch all of this up. That will get me very close to mounting the wheel/tire assemblies.

That, too! ?