Straightliner59

That's some killer fabrication. Excellent work!

Finished up the tennis balls, and shot some of the armature wire with Zinsser BIN primer, then rubbed some earth-tone pastel powder, into that. I tied the first ball onto the tether. I got the injector lines installed, along with the throttle rods, and the linkages on those. I have a few more pieces to add, and some detail painting to do, before I give it a wash, and move along to the mag. This thing's getting there! Thanks for looking!

Thanks, Brian! I'm kind of excited by the prospects! I have one side of the injector lines run. Once I finish up the manifold, and get it installed, I will build and install, and wire the mag. Then, I can finally install the stacks! That'll be a pretty big day!

Indeed, the first step is the biggest! That's one of the coolest things about modeling--by the time we're done with something, we do have a better understanding of those components, no? Of course, in the end, it only has to look right! You're on your way, now, my friend! Your scratchbuilding, as always, brings joy!

I think patience trumps skill, in this instance--I have made at least seven attempts, so far, and four have been successful. Now, I'm trying to figure out what wire I was using. I thought it was nichrome, but that is behaving differently, so I suspect that I picked up a piece of single-strand conductor off the benchtop--I always end up with a big pile of little bits of stuff, right in the middle of the bench, because I think I might be able to use it, later. Add that to the little containers I've saved, of stuff, for the same reason, and it's no wonder I can never find anything!😂 Thank you, David! You're too kind! Thank you, Pierre! I appreciate that. I agree about those little details--I have always loved them, since I was a child, looking at a model railroad, in a hobby shop. That's why I build the way I do--because I want to see what that looks like! It's those little details that make models interesting, to me--I believe that we're kindred, that way. A well-built out-of-the-box model, is typically just that--well-built, but uninteresting--unless the builder's done something exceptional with paint, like highlighting and shading interior and engine and chassis parts. Thank you for your comments, my friend!

It's been a while since I wandered over here. I was impressed, way back in the beginning. Even more so, now. The controls in the cab look fantastic! Nice start on the boom.

Your front suspension just made me smile!

What he said!😃

You're absolutely right. I couldn't remember when they outlawed the plexiglas windows, but, I was pretty sure that windshields were always a no-no.

Okay, so, once the pinheads are turned down to size, I need a way to tether them together. I am using some nichrome wire that's .018", to make tiny eyebolts. I place a length of wire on the anvil, and place the end of a 1/16" pin punch on the end of the wire. A light rap with the ballpeen hammer flattens the end, and flares it. Next I drill through the flat, before using 240/320 grit sanding sticks to shape the eye. All that's left, now, is to push it through the head (which, of course is drilled through--no need to complicate things!🙂), then, hit it with a dab of superglue gel. Done! I am leaning toward some ultra-fine wire from an old armature. I think I have some that's about .003"-.005", somewhere. I hope I can get it to take paint. Some of that stuff doesn't like to! Thanks for looking!

I've been making my own decals, the last few years. I honestly think it's one of the things that's made it more interesting, for me. It used to be that I'd be digging through boxes of decals, and still never find anything I liked, as far as race car graphics go. Now, I can think of a name, and start designing. I love that! For the Badman, and the Nostalgia Top Fuel car, I printed layers (maybe a slight drawback, but, Cady did it that way, for years!), then painted, or, in the case of the Badman, applied paint, or leafing adhesive and gold leaf to one layer, then using the second layer for outlines. I am really looking forward to getting the decals on the car, although it's still going to be a while. These look super-nice, Ian!

Excellent work, Pierre! You're off to a fine start, my friend!

Those look great! Much better than my castings! Nice work.

Thank you, gentlemen! I think I have the problem of tethering them together figured out, now. Photos, later! Thanks for checking in!

A4 Garage is excellent! There's Kenji's something or other, too.

I stopped at a different Walmart, today, to get some more yellow-headed pins. This one had boxes of nothing but yellow pins! I should be set, now.🙂

Thank you, Tim! No need for apologies. Other stuff gets in the way, from time-to-time! Caboose was awesome! It was so easy to get lost in there, for a couple of hours. I appreciate you stopping by, my friend!

Beautiful work, Tom! Love your finish work!

Thank you, Andy! I guess I'll just add, here, that this is my only completion for 2024. I finished it in January, and have been working on a "quick and easy" Badman project, since!😅

Well, I think they look pretty, together! I've got a good start on the injector hoses, too. Turns out, I'm going to need more yellow pins, anyway--a couple didn't stand up to the sanding process, even as gentle as I could be. So, I need three. I am going to try my hand at "ship-rigging" to tether to balls together. Kind of interested if I can make it work! Thanks for looking!

I get them on Ebay. ten or eleven bucks will get a hundred blades and a handle! I've been using them, the last few years. I love them!

I decided to shoot some metallizer aluminum on the manifold, to see where I stand. I liked it enough to shoot some flat clear, over that. I installed the fuel block, and did a little work on the mag, but, I suspect that'll be redone, completely.😄 Now, i need to drill the throttle bodies for the injectors--I had planned to do that, before I painted the manifold, but, I didn't want to strip the paint, so... I shot clear purple over half of the stacks. The other four will be amber-ish. I used Parafilm to mask the bases. It's perfect for these instances, because it has a straight edge, and it conforms to anything. It's designed, originally for laboratory use, so it doesn't leave residue. I'm sold on the stuff, thanks to Andy Sapiro. I'll see if I can't finish up the injectors and lines, today, along with the paint on the remaining stacks. I was looking for something to use to plug the stacks, to keep objects out of them. Tennis balls seemed logical. I found a box of quilting pins with 3 mm round heads. They're too big, in their natural state, so I chucked one in the lathe, and sanded it to size (regulations call for tennis balls to be from 2.57"-2.70" in diameter--day-glow yellow balls first came into use in 1972, so, we're good, technically and chronologically! The things we learn, because we model!😂). The sanding gives it a look to the naked eye, of a fuzzy texture. Only one problem: the box I bought only had seven yellow-headed pins! Questions, comments and critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

Some might say that "mediocre" is being kind!😀

And, here's the man, himself! This album is actually a pretty hard-rocker.

Very nicely done! Those parts are beauties, Francis.