Straightliner59

Thank you, Randy! I appreciate it, a lot, when a craftsman such as yourself notices my work. Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks, Vince. It's just going to be a basic, down and dirty worker!

Thanks, John! Much appreciated. It;s probably about time to get this one finished!

Since I'm considering the Model A coupe a long-term project. I have a couple of possibilities, and I may declare. Option one is an old Monogram Midget that I started converting to a "big car" almost 20 years ago. The other is a project I just dug out an started messing with, again, is a Peterbilt 352 cabover that I cut to make a day cab on a 120" WB chassis I started on too long ago to remember. I will have some time, tomorrow, to assess which is the better candidate. Meantime, here are some photos of the possibilities...

Recently, while reorganizing some stuff in the shop, I pulled this out. I don't recall when I cut the chassis and cab, but, as you can see by the yellowed liquid cement, it's been a while! It's a 60" cab on a 120" WB. I'm going with an AMT Cummins for power. I haven't decided yet, whether turbo or naturally aspirated. I'm not sure where the rear axle came from. It had stubs on the ends, with a ball on the end. Was that an Ertl thing? As I recall, MPC favored plugging that big, ol' square end into the wheels. It appears to have something like an Eaton or Spicer two-speed, which would be appropriate for this truck's job. It would represent a small local/regional freight company, and be used to tow 27' boxes. Critiques, questions and comments always welcome! Thanks for looking!

Just NICE!

Six views of the body. Not much going on, lately. I have been distracted with organizing some stuff in the shop. I have a large number of parts kits, and boxes of parts kits. I see them and see a lot of space that could be used for other things, if I was only to sort those kits. I digress...Included here is a photo of the bottom of the body. I am waiting on a package of .060" Evergreen angle stock, to replace the .100" that's bridging the bottoms of the door openings, now.

The Cragars look much more at home! That's what I'd go with.

Thought it might be fun to see what's sitting around your shop that's maybe been sitting for years (or, in my case, often decades!). Who knows, maybe you'll run across something perfect for the next round of Snake's "Bring Out Your Dead" thread. I think that thread has prompted me to push three old projects across the finish line. I'll start with a couple. I'll add more, if this takes off! First up, one of Grumpy's Toys based on a promo. I will likely go curbside, on this, and build an interior for it, but no chassis or engine. Next up, a Monogram Midget, sort of converted to a "big car". Lastly, for now a streamliner loosely based on the "Coca Cola Stand". It's an old lakes runner whose guts became the Chrisman #25 dragster. Bottom plate is some old, thick sheet I had lying around. Body is made from aluminum step flashing, which is one of my favorite scratch building materials. Panel lines are scribed, rivets were made with an awl/scriber. Let's see what's been languishing on your work bench!

Bingo! Whether or not there might be contest/show I want to enter is irrelevant--I build what I want to see in a model. With each project, I generally try something that I haven't, before, and, I work to make it my most "complete" piece, yet.

Excellent work, and, very well-deserved! Congratulations.

Congratulations, Tim! A nice benefit, for your hard work. Very, very well deserved!

I like Irfanview. Another free program I've been using using for years is FastStone Image Viewer. It has some pretty nice editing software, as well.

I don't see why not! Looks pretty decent, to me. Nice price, too.

Francis, I have an old bottle of stuff called "Blacken It" that is an etchant for brass, etc. Floquil used to make something called "Hobby Black" used for the same purpose. I think all of these products are essentially the same thing. I don't recall ever trying it on aluminum. This iis amazing work, you're doing, sir! A pleasure to see it coming together.

This is at least a temporary solution, but, since the real one has a reinforced area inside the door, if it works, I can keep it. I added some .100" Evergreen angle. It holds the door opening to the proper width, and stabilizes the body, immensely. The other day, in a thread regarding liquid cement applicators, Ace mentioned insulin syringes. Back in 2000, I moved into a trailer, and found several bags of brand new ones. I had a thought they might work for cement, but, I put them aside and never really thought about them, until Bill mentioned them, then. I'll just say that I'm glad I have a lot of them. They work great! I left a small amount of cement in this one for a couple of days, and the thing still works. No issue with the solvent eating the rubber or plastic!

I agree, about the blanket. If I don't make one, I'll get some printable fabric, and make one, that way! Thanks, Tom! Glad you're enjoying it!

Thanks, Robert! That is very kind, and much appreciated. I basically had the A-pillars fixed, right away, thankfully! I still need to strengthen them, before I can do any work. Ideally, I'd be able to cement the body permanently to the chassis, now, since I essentially have a prototypical body, at this point. Unfortunately, I don't think there would be enough access, to finish the work I need to do, inside. Even while I was "hemming and hawing", I knew the doors were going to be opened. ? Here are a couple of photos one of the fractures (yellow arrow), and the culprit that caused the pillars to break (the area between the red arrows). The area between the red arrows should not have protruded into the door line. Instead, it should be flush, between the jambs. It was cutting the doors free from that, that over-stressed the pillars. At this point, however, I think my best option is to square up and clean up (finish) the ends, and accept it. I don't see the cowl staying attached to the roof, if I was to either try to sand it flush, or, to remove it, altogether, and fabricate a new panel. Before anything else happens, I need to drill and pin the breaks, first. I am fairly certain I can drill at an angle, and pin it, as it's cemented, now (blue line). It's looking pretty cool, I think. In further news, I am actually considering buying some thread, and building a tiny loom, to weave a new blanket, for the seat. having had some time to take it in, I'm not sold on the experimental one. As always, comment, critiques and questions are welcome. Thanks for looking!

I think that is what I will try. Don't feel guilty! This is all my doing! It was actually one of the goals I'd hoped to accomplish, when I started this project. Now, I need to figure out in which order to proceed.

That's very cool, Dave. We can always use a little inspiration! Thanks, Jim! I'm a little curious, myself!

Superb work, sir! Absolutely love the safety wiring.

The doors have been removed from the body. As feared, the A-pillars broke, exactly where they meet the cowl. They literally broke, as I was freeing the last bit of door from where it was molded to he dash. Got a lot of cleanup to do, along with fabrication of jambs, inner framing and mounting the hinges and doors. I think I can drill through the bases of the A-pillars and pin them to he body. I am weighing options, re: jambs. I could make them from strip brass, and solder the hinges to them, but, I am unsure of the practicality of that. Not like there's no time to figure it out! As always, questions, critiques and comments are always welcome!

I just hope I can stick that landing!

Hahaha! Thank you, Francis. Those words of confidence have often been my "famous last words". I hope you are correct!

This thing is super cool! Just a great look.