Straightliner59

I repainted the front wheels. They are painted with Modern Metals Metallic Taupe. I think it's still available at Michael's. There are several colors in that line that can be useful to modelers. I still need to install valve stems, and apply a wash, along with a little bit of Rub N Buff. I tried something a bit different with the tires. First, I shot them with Tamiya Tire Black. I then taped off the treads, and shot the sidewalls with Krylon Ultra Flat Black. I like the subtle difference in color, between the two surfaces. Next, I mixed some titanium white artist oils with a dab of Permasol black, and a tiny amount of yellow ochre, and applied it to the lettering with a small piece of rubber eraser. I have to be careful with it, for a couple of days, since the oils take some time to dry. I still need to add wheel inners, as well. As always, questions, comments and critiques are welcome! Thanks for looking!

I repainted the front wheels (going to add a wash, and some Rub n Buff and a valve stem), and painted the front tires. More details about that, on the build thread.

Sure! I built the header board, as well.

Here are the wood bows for my Model A coupe. They still need a bit of work, but, they look pretty good.

I've noticed, that, given time Super Clean will begin to etch the glass, but nowhere near enough to cause alarm.

Indeed, it does!

I bought a Pyrex casserole with a plastic lid. Works great! I also keep a jar, with a little bit of it on the workbench, for small parts.

Well, thank you, Art! I appreciate that! I've noticed that some of the bodywork, where I lengthened the car has shrunk, pretty badly. I must have still been using Acryl Blue, when I did it. I'm going to live with it, because I don't want to undo everything! Thanks for looking, and for your comments!

Thank you, JC. I repainted the wheels, last night(again!). Next, I will probably paint the tires and finish detailing the wheels, so I can get them all assembled and mounted. Thanks for your comment, sir!

Never! Thanks for sharing that bit of knowledge!

I sanded the seams from the tires. I also cut down the centers of the rear wheels and added centers cut from castings of the front wheels, so they somewhat match. I had to do a little repair to the steering. I covered the seat bottom with tracing paper over a coat of tacky glue, and shot it with some Krylon chalky texture charcoal grey. I will use it to cover all the leather/naugahyde surfaces, and to make the cockpit coaming. Once the wheels and tires are finished and mounted, I will begin work on the cockpit details like the master cylinder, clutch, throttle, etc. As always, questions, critiques and comments are welcome! Thanks for looking!

Ray, that's how Model Car Builder is published, as well. I have two copies of its September issue on the way. Kind of excited about it!

Excellent work, Francis! Do I understand, correctly that the eyes/rod ends are brass rod that you drilled? I often use my lathe as a giant hand drill for making fittings from Plastruct hex rod. Glad you found some time to "hit the bench"! Always enjoy seeing your fine work, sir!

With Testors' Stainless Steel metalizer, straight from the can...

Well, I had to take a little detour, of sorts. I couldn't/can't find the old Krazy Glue tube that has my knockoffs in it, and all I could find were two. I looked at kits I had, and came up empty. That left me with having to mold and cast one of those I had. I sanded the stalk from the back, and mixed up a ball of mold making putty. I placed the wad of putty on the piece of granite that I build flat stuff on, and pressed the prepped knockoff into it, so it was just flush with the surface. I let it cure then cut a hole in it, to help index the mold halves (I should have done that while it was soft, and cut two of them!). I then coated it with mold release. I mixed another ball of putty, and pressed it down onto the other half of the mold. Once that was cured, I washed the mold halves, and cast new spinners using acrylic nail compound. I got the stuff in the photos from Sally Beauty supply, but, I also found a small kit at the local Walmart. I've been using this acrylic as a casting medium since the middle '80s, when Don Fahrni acquired some from a dentist he knew. At that time, it was used to make bridges, thus was dyed pink. Its odor is distinctive, so, the first time I smelled the acrylic nail medium, I knew what it was, and knew I had a ready source for a casting material. One of the things I like about it, is that I can flow the liquid component into a mold, then add the powder before closing the mold. Mixing is not necessary, and the liquid tends to flow well, to the nooks and crannies. That said, had I begun this project when I could have worked straight through, I could have made a set of knockoffs, beginning only with the kit part, in about two to three hours. As you can see, they still need to be cleaned up. There's really no excuse, nowadays, not to at least cast some of your own parts, given the ready availability of the materials needed. The mold putty is available at Hobby Lobby. I use the same stuff when I make "pre-drilled" distributor/mag caps.

Thank you, Leslie! Per your suggestion, I tried it on a piece of laminated bamboo. The firmer surface made for a cleaner cut and bend. A bit more experimentation, and I may give it a try, on the hood of the Indy car. There are still a couple of more things I want to try, before I go for a final!

It sometimes happens, while sitting at the bench, an idea dawns on you that may provide a solution to a problem that has long nagged at you. This afternoon, I had one of those ideas regarding creating realistic louvers for a model car. I used a 1/4" chisel (which will work fine, if I decide to use this technique on my Indy car. A 1/8" chisel would be a better option, for 1/25 scale models), and some de-plasticized aluminum flashing that I annealed. I eased the corners of the chisel bit, to attempt to create a more rounded end on the louvers. Once the sheet was annealed, firm pressure, on a cutting mat, provided enough force to push the bit through it. As is the case, here, generally, when I try out stuff, like this, I don't concern myself with measurements, etc. I simply want to see if the method is workable and feasible. I have a couple of ideas that will refine this, further, and perhaps lead something doable, without a press, and a die (although, at some point, I may attempt to make one). Thoughts?

That 1/32 scale '34 was the first model I built, when I got the bug, again, in 1982 (I only too five years off!). It was the Dukes Of Hazzard version. I still have it in my display case!

Thanks, Bill. I had forgotten that. I have an old HP Books publication titled "Indy Car" that covers the history, up to that point (probably mid-'80s) that covers most of the major technical and mechanical changes. That was my best reference when I built this Kurtis Kraft kit. It has a four-link. Like I said, I had forgotten that, specifically, but I remember being surprised, several times, at how early some stuff was incorporated/developed in Indy cars, that didn't really come around, commonly, until much later. I don't know what it is, with me, and these old Monogram kits. I just love 'em! Thanks, Dave! Thanks for commenting, gentlemen!

I think I will make it!

It's coming together, relatively stress-free! Thanks, Steve. I got the wheels painted, and used them to support the car, to get a look at how it rides. I may try to tone the wheels down, a little. At any rate, they will get a wash, and probably a bit of Rub N Buff, as well as valve stems, front and rear. I don't seem to have a set of knock-offs, so, I may attempt to make a set, using the mill--I have already turned a length of aluminum rod to diameter and bored it. Trying, now, to decide how to go about milling and parting them off, given that I don't have a slitting saw, yet.

I have paint on the rear wheels. I made a new mold for the front wheels, because I wasn't happy with the results I was getting with the first one. Glad I did that! They are much better, now. The radius rods have been painted and mounted. I still need to add nuts to the rear radius rods attachment pins. I am feeling pretty confident, about getting this thing done by the deadline!

The radius rods are mounted. I painted them with Testors' Stainless Steel Buffing Metalizer. Before I mounted the rear pair, I was looking at the tires, compared with the car. I'm sure it's been done, but lowering this thing could make for a mean looking little hot rod!

It IS the L-88. You are correct. I guess I wasn't sure! ?

That's kind of what I was thinking. Which begs the question: What the heck did I do with the one in mine?! I'll have to dig through my parts boxes, I guess. I'm sure that's something I wouldn't have got rid of.