Straightliner59

Thank you, very kindly, my friend! I consider that high praise. Here's what those pedal parts look like, installed. I slipped the interior door panels into place, so I could fit and install the panel gussets, and set the wheel into place. I got the dash drilled, so I guess the switches and starter button will be next. Thanks for looking!

The chassis is a work of art! If I wasn't sure the body will be just as gorgeous, I'd say it would be a shame to cover it up! Excellent work, my friend!

I've been picking away at interior stuff...When I filed the relief in the dash panel, for the steering column, it vibrated a couple of the gauges off, so, I replaced those. I still need to drill the panel for the kill switch, main power/battery (for the starter), and the starter button. Then, I'll need to fabricate those. Because I didn't open slots in the floor for the brake and clutch pedals, they'll get mounted, as shown, in channel that I milled. I'll mount the brackets to a piece of strip stock (for a larger surface for glue), and cement that to the floor. I still need to work out the throttle pedal, and cut my gussets for the firewall/floor conjunction to length and install them. The pedals and arms are brass. The pedals will be soldered to the arms. I'll probably just soak them a bit, in Hobby Black to color them. I also cut the steering column and installed a collar on the end that passes through the firewall to the steering box. The collar will accept the end of the column with the wheel. The collar won't be visible, beneath/behind the dash, and will make installation of the wheel much simpler. I applied a wash of India ink to the wheel, then found a domed aluminum disk, to fit the center, for contrast. I'm on my first of four night off (WOOHOO!), so maybe I can get a dent made in this interior work! As always, your comments, critiques and questions are welcomed. Thanks for looking!

Thank you, sir! My projects have a strange way of doing this.? I'm happy with what I have done with it, so far. And, I hope, (and think) I have kept it recognizable as to its roots. It's a fun journey! I do recall saying something to that effect!? I think we have all experienced the underthinking of our aspirations! Minimalist dreams turn into...well...this! Thank you for your kind words, Pierre! They are always appreciated.

I sure am glad my brain never farts!? Been there, many's the time!

I agree with Trevor, above. Parts that are assemblies that will be painted the same color, should be glued together first, and any mold marks removed. Typically, parts that attach to the aforementioned assemblies can be painted individually. As you become more experienced, it'll become more "automatic", as to how you handle different situations. I have never built a Pocher kit, so, I can't really advise, about that.?

Added some details to the door panels. The indents on the door releases were custom-made to fit my "stunt driver's" hand!? I have to move the pivot up one hole on the window cranks, and get rid of the one it's currently in, because it would hit the cage. Should be a relatively easy fix. Thanks for looking!

Okay! I got the hump and the shifter installed. Not sure I'll bother with a boot, as it looks like it would, in real life, anyway. I started messing with the dash panel, and steering column support. It'll only take a small notch in the dash, to clear the column. Yay!? I also cut a couple of "rubber" mats from a piece of sign-lettering vinyl. It's coming along! I still need to add a couple of switches, and a starter button to the dash, as well. Floor is drilled for the belts, but still needs to have pedals added. I need to drill the door panels for the window cranks and door handles. Your comments, questions and/or critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

That's some kinda cool, right there!

I appreciate that, David! Thank you! Thank you, Kevin! I just wanted to be able to make as much as possible, in-house. I am always looking for materials that will allow me to make different stuff, more easily. That is really what is most fun, for me!

Those wire dragster fronts are gorgeous. I bought a pair for my Junior Fuel dragster, to replace the scratchbuilt ones I had made.

Here it is, all painted, and tacky-glued into its home. I'm still working on getting it fitted properly under the hump. A few thou, here; a few thou, there, and I'll have it! Thanks for looking!

Looking good, Roger! Inner fenders fit very nicely!

BMF is a pain, but, it can't be beaten, appearance-wise. Nice work, Kevin. Looks great! Especially for your first effort!

Well, you can't run a four-speed of this era without a proper vertical-gate shifter! I used some .042" dead-soft aluminum armature wire that was flattened in my bench vise, then hammered out a little thinner with a chasing hammer, on the anvil, to make the lever. Once it was about where I wanted it, thickness-wise, I finished shaping it with a bastard and some sanding/polishing sticks. I chucked a short length of the same material in the lathe, and used sanding and polishing sticks to taper the handle. I then stuck it in the mill vise, and drilled it to slip over the shift lever. Once it was cemented in place, and the cement had cured, I used a four-way polishing board, to "blend" the pieces together. The bottom end was then drilled for a mounting shaft. I used a threaded rod from a box of watch parts, to make the spring section of the small lockout(?) handle. The shaft had a collar machined on one end. I drilled the shaft longitudinally, through the collar, to accept the actuator rod and handle. I then milled off three sides of the collar, to make the stop for the spring (represented by the threads), and mounted it to the lever. The small t-handle is made of florists' wire, that I superglued together, because I wasn't having much luck getting the soldering iron to build enough heat in the fine brass wire to solder it, and decided the superglued wire would be sufficient, anyway. The handle was painted with Tamiya X-18 semi-gloss black. Next, I made the reverser handle from some soft steel wire I have a package of. It's about .020" in diameter. I used a punch, and a ballpeen hammer on the anvil to flatten one end, then drilled a hole through the now flattened, expanded end, for the mounting shaft. I concluded that some UV activated resin would work best to create a knob on the reverser handle. It worked, well. It's since been painted red with an old bottle of Pactra acrylic red paint. I made the base from Evergreen stock. I'm happy with the fit of the trans hump, but will open up the hole for the shifter, a bit more. If I can find my shifter spares box, I may try to mold one of the boots, then cast it in rubber. That's likely a fool's mission, but, a lot of the stuff I've learned over the years started out, in just such a way! The mounting base for the shifter will get some color of Testors metallizer slopped on it, just to be sure, in case it's somehow visible. Getting this assembly satisfactorily mounted will be a nice step forward! As always, questions, comments and critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

Look up "fusee chain" on Ebay (or, wherever you prefer).

I did these with sewing needles and aluminum duct tape. I don't have them, here, but beading needles make excellent-looking retainer cables for the wire clips. I have usually made those from fine wire. The Impala was built from one of the Hasegawa "American '65" series. Just a slammer. The closeup was taken with an old web cam, so, I apologize for its lack of clarity.

Tim, I would be interested in how you made the draincock. I've never got one to look that good.

Excellent work, Tim! That's a real beauty! Feel better, my friend.

So far, so good! I only use it for brass, with dissimilar materials. Brass-to-brass joints are usually soldered. I generally use the GS Hypo cement like contact cement. A little on each surface, then pressed together.

Thanks, David! It worked okay, but, I am working toward better! I did get some more fitting done to the trans hump. For many years, I used contact cement. The past few, I switched to GS Hypo cement. It's much easier to control. Thanks for your kind words!

It's been over a year, here in Colorado. They've switched to paper for a die, each. There's no end to the greed and stupidity of government. Everybody just govern yourself, properly, and we can tell these idiot-thieves to pack sand.

I hear you, about the beginning to hate a project. On the positive, that means you're getting there! It's looking great, Roger! The paint and decals are beautiful!

It's looking great, and really coming together. Nice work, Kevin!

I truly appreciate that, David! I'm glad you're enjoying it! Thank you for your continued support and encouragement! I've been working out how I can make eight identical 45 degree elbows, for the injector stacks. I came up with a simple jig, and was able to make enough decent parts for the project, but, I plan to try to come up with something better. I also need to manufacture a method to make the injector bases for the manifold. I'd like all of this stuff to be uniform.? I'm using 1/8" dead-soft aluminum armature wire for the elbows. It's easy to bend, and there's no kinking or distortion. There's still the need to drill them for a place to insert the pins from the stacks, but, I plan to keep those at less than 1/16" long, so there won't be the need to drill too deeply. That way, I think I can use the lathe, to do that, without the risk of opening up enough length to reintroduce the risk of collapse. I've included a shot or two of the elbows on the manifold. They're not bad, but, I think I can do better! I also started on the trans/clutch cover part of the driveline hump. Still some fine-tuning to do, but, it's close! I'm searching for some thin, textured, self-adhesive vinyl. If I find some, I may use it to make a rubber mat to cover the floor. I have some smooth material (the vinyl that sign makers use), but, I think that, if I go with a floor mat, I want it to have some texture. As always, your critiques, comments and questions are welcomed. Thanks for looking!