Straightliner59

Don't think I wasn't looking around, for something!? I thought one of the engines from the '67 Corvette, or from the later road racer 'Vette, but, they both seemed too small. I did end up cutting those exhaust ports from the '67's heads. There aren't a whole lot of 1/24th Big Blocks, to choose from, and most of them come from two "lines". I bought a 1/24 409 from Texas 3D, but, I thought it was too nicely detailed, for this old Monogram kit. Oh, well. I'm having fun with it!

I'd put it in at 170 degrees. I can't imagine that would be too hot. But the spoon may be worth a try, too!

So, yeah! I went ahead and started building an oil pan using that pink stuff.? It's easy to see why it's ideal for prototyping. It machines, and works, fantastically. I still need to add the sump--which I plan to make longer, to match a marine performance unit. Obviously, there's a lot of shaping, to do, and details to add, but, we're getting somewhere--down a sidetrack!?I was just supposed to be doing enough to get it ready to make the motor mounts, for it. The white cylinder head will have the exhaust port details sawn off, to replace the wonky carvings on the '66 Malibu's heads. Just for grins, I set the beginnings of the Crower injection manifold, and valve covers on it--now, we're getting somewhere. No photos of that, yet. Stay tuned. Thanks for looking!

This engine, from the Monogram '66 Malibu (red version!?)has some pretty odd qualities. Both ends of the block are molded at a slight angle. Those angles match up with the angles molded into the front motor plate, and the bellhousing. Weird, wild stuff! Because the kit's motor plate fills the space, there's no cast-in mounting boss for the front cover. I added one from Evergreen. The front cover juts up, past the deck, as it is molded. Adding the pan rail to the bottom of the block put the center of the crankshaft right where it should be, distance-wise, from the deck of the block. I added a couple of bits of split tube, to create main bearings, of a sort, in order to positively locate the rotational centerline of the drivetrain. Now, along with the rod protruding from the differential, I can be sure that the entire driveline aligns, when I am ready to start making the mounts--that shouldn't be too long! I am leaning toward making the pan from this pink foam/Renshape-type material. I've had it a while, but have yet, to use it. I just milled one side of this, where I'd sawn it from the bigger block. That works, wonderfully! Oh, yeah, my cool, new Moon steering wheel! Thanks to all for looking, and for your likes and, especially your comments!

Thank you, Niko. I appreciate that! There are likely plenty of guys who would say that this is a bad kit, for any number of reasons. I've always felt like this, about the Badman: While it has its shortcomings, it makes up for every one of them, with "cool"! I built one a little over 50 years ago, and I loved it, so I figured it was about time to do another.

Then, in that regard, I am an expert modeler! I definitely will create a plethora of problems for myself!

Thank you kindly, sir! I'm hating myself, about now!? I had at least a decent engine. Apparently, I didn't think it was decent enough. Off came the molded-on oil pan and starter. So far, so good. Then, I discovered that I don't have a pan that's big enough to replace the removed item. Time to laminate sheet onto another pan, to make it big enough. Hmm...the block should have a small, vertical area to create the pan rail. A bit of .030" sheet can fix that. Now, to finish up all this mess! Also, I drilled and painted a cool metalflake red Moon steering wheel. I'll get photos in the next day, or so. Also shown here is the simple mounting bracket I made for the steering box. Oh, yeah--I dropped the u-joint, worm gear assembly, so I will need to redo that, unless the original turns up, again. Thanks for looking!

Well...I guess I'll just have t mess around with it, and see what will work. I suppose, worst case scenario, I would have to cut out that area, and rebuild it. If that's the case, I may just write off the money I spent, on it. First, I will try some heat--maybe try warming a heel or toe dolly in the oven? When I get a little time to mess with it...?

What I have made, so far is brass, and I think it's plenty rigid. It's figuring out how to set the box up, and get it all soldered together. Here are some photos of the first real attempt (and only, so far). I made the worm gear by wrapping brass wire around a bit of brass rod, then soldering that. The sector gear was hand-cut. I'll cut a new one, now that I have a rotary table, for the mill. I think it's good, size-wise. I've had it held together, and it does operate! The kit piece in the photos is for size reference.

What a cool shot! I agree about the tinwork. If it doesn't need to be a natural metal finish, I don't see any reason not to use the plastic. The windshield installation is going to be killer! Are you going to make rivets? I like to use model RR plastic rivets, then "deform" the opposite end, to create the "trapping action".

I've missed some really great deals, because I was otherwise busy. I ended up bidding before I started work, and was lucky enough that it held! It was only a couple of hours, but I was surprised!

This one won't function, other than the steering arm pivoting, when the wheels are repositioned. I really want to make one for the Surfers' dragster, once I get back to it. I've played around, with it, a little, with some success. I just need to figure out how I'm going to put it all together! Thank you, David! I appreciate your comments and encouragement!

I didn't get it done. Shocking, I know!? I did make some progress, however. I added a "cap" to one end of the cross-shaft, and a boss/bushing to the other. I dug through a box of watch parts that Don Fahrni gave me, and found a small threaded shaft that fit through the main shaft section, and also would thread into the u-joint. I also turned a cap for the end of the main housing. I still have a few little things to add, but, I think it's looking pretty decent! Thanks for looking!

Like Pete said--that's exactly how I would do it! I don't know how I survived as a modeler, before I finally figured out how to do my own graphics. I really feel like it's freed a different part of me, as a modeler. I do all my graphics with a cheap Canon inkjet printer. I highly recommend teaching yourself how to do them! My most recent ones have involved some hand-painting, gold leaf and two layers of decal film, but, I also print product labels and tags, too.

As is usual, with me, I wasn't happy with the first steering box. In doing further research, I noticed that the bottom, cross shaft housing on the Vega box is square. Tabs extend on three corners, to mount it on a roughly L-shaped bracket. I'm thinking of adding a u-joint, so that the box can mount "flat", and not at an angle. It's much less "fiddly", and it's something else cool, to look at! I don't expect to be using the threaded rod, and I plan to turn new end caps for the box. There are still some details to be added, as well. I'll be attempting to finish building this thing, before bedtime, in the morning. Comments, questions and concerns are always welcomed.?Thanks for looking!

Thank you, David. It shouldn't take too long to get the steering box and mounting wrapped up. Then, I'll be on to shock mounts and getting the engine fit. We warned him, and warned him that those arm tethers served a good purpose. He went from forearmed, to one-armed, for a lack of listening!

You're definitely making progress. Looks great, Ian. Tin work looks good, too! It takes some doing to get all that stuff to play nicely, together.

Small advances add up! Definitely pulling for you, health-wise! That's most important, right now, for sure.

I've decided that a Vega steering box is in order. They'd been around, four years, by this time, and have always been a popular swap. It's roughed-in, and the firewall has been penetrated for the steering shaft. Everything ends up where it needs to! The driver is happy with it. I am happy with it, so far. All that's left it to build the bracketry that mounts it, and detail the box, itself. The critical part is done. Regarding the driver; this one is from a (couple of!?) mid-'80s Monogram Sprint car. I like to have him handy, to reference whether, or not, someone could actually drive the car. While he may not always fit into the cockpit, due to physical limitations--he's just not flexible--he can still be eyeballed against different angles of the car, to determine whether your ideas are ergonomically sound. Anyway...Thanks for looking!

Picked up this vintage resin Hornet, off Ebay. It has some issues, but, a lot of resin from the '80s/'90s did. The roof is sunk, is the main one. It's not slush-cast, though. Nor is it overly-thick. That's important! It was much more affordable than a promo, and I needed something to keep this grille/bumper I have, company. Poor thing's been hanging around here, all by itself, for at least a couple of decades!?? It'll likely become a curbside class drag racer.

Thanks, Mike! You're most welcome. They aren't doing anyone any good, if they aren't seen!?

Thanks so kindly, Pierre! It's getting there. I'm fiddling around with the steering box, now. Once that's done, I think I can start working out the engine mounting.

Thanks, David! A sigh of relief, for sure!? I've always wondered how we can test fit, and test fit, and test fit, then, all of a sudden, it doesn't fit!

Agreed! Easily the most comprehensive piece done on detailing a then-current fuel engine. I have a couple of deals on more modern fuel engines. Interestingly, while the components have changed over the decades, the basic setup is very similar. These three pages are from National Dragster, in the late '80s. The other bit is something I photographed in 2004, or so, at Brainerd, then published on the old StraightLineModeler website.

Thank you, Ken. I appreciate that! I kind of wanted to set everything back together, and make sure it was still going to play nicely, together.? The package tray is now painted and installed to the "floor" pan. I added a trim strip of aluminum duct tape. Everything looks good, except for some minor tweaking, as necessary. Thanks for looking!