Straightliner59

It really is! It's better designed than the AMT kits of the day. I was working on one in 1975. I lengthened the frame, for some reason. It was painted two-toned, Pactra Blazing Red and Lightning Purple. I never did finish it.

By rule, it has to be 3" minimum, to 40" (I think) from the front of the car (bumper).

I just ran across my Johnny Lightning of this, along with Mike Morgan's badass Nova!

I really finally am getting into this project! A pretty fair amount's got accomplished, over the last days. I'll post more, once I'm home from work, tomorrow morning, so I can add some details to the descriptions. In the meantime, I did new decals with the more colorful leaf. Thanks for looking!

I've been watching for a good price on an MPC Mack DM 600. It didn't need to be an original--I just wanted the kit. Turned out the first one that came along at a price I liked was this original MPC release! It's one of my "comfort kits"--those kits that really take you back to your time as a neophyte modeler. It's missing the decals, but, I don't need them. It sure looks good sitting in the stash with one of my other "comfort kits"; An original Ertl Transtar. I bought it, even before Round 2 announced the redux.

That's one of those, "You can't afford not to buy it" deals. Nice catch!

Such a bummer, to hear of this. He was a great asset to this board. Seemed like a good guy, too. I finished at least a couple of projects because of the "Bring Out Your Dead" thread. He was always gracious, when I didn't finish, in time!

That's impressive work. That body support structure is the main reason I stick to dragsters!? Almost all my best drag racing friends are flopperheads. Most of the racers I've got to know best, over the years run FCs. I've always preferred dragsters. I think it's that they're just built for one thing. Funny cars were born out of showmanship, not the pure pursuit of speed and low ETs. I like funny cars, just fine, but, if I was a racer, it would be dragsters!

Thank you, kindly! I think I would like it for dragster front axles. The kit is less than $50, direct from Caswell! However, I'm also considering a right-angle tailstock, for my mill. I truly enjoy watching your work come together! You're a fine craftsman, my friend!

Well, it allowed me to cast two at a time. The Sharpie was to say, "This one, not so much!"? Right off the top of my head, I couldn't say, specifically. Just look for one that has good, defined posts for the insulation to fit into, and good detail around the perimeter. Maybe AMT's '66 Nova?

That's exactly what it is! I may still have some, here. Once I saw what it was, I went back to using Tamiya X-18, which has a virtually identical sheen.

Thank you, Francis! I am really looking forward to having the body painted, so that I can apply the decals. That's a way off, yet, as, so far, I have only re-scribed the passenger side door line. I'm really excited about the gold leaf, and the white lettering (Which could also be any other color, for that matter)! I made new "Plum Nutz" markings, in a new font that you may recognize! I need to get the size dialed-in, for the overlay. Then, there's the injection manifold. Since I can never just go with something basic, like a Hilborn, I'll be scratching a Weiand manifold, so that I can use the bent stacks, like Bruce Larson ran on his Chevelle. I'm finding that the stacks are going to be tricky, as well. Thankfully, I have a lot of experience scratchbuilding obscure induction systems!? I have a couple of other ideas I want to explore, as well--so, I hope you and others can get something useful, out of this, over its course.

You're really rolling, on this thing! Fine work, Ian!

Revell's engines from that era, are still among the best ever kitted. They might assemble, differently, but, they are gorgeous! Miss Deal is still my go-to for early hemis!

That worked out, very well! Did you use a kit, or just research, and buy your own supplies? Plating is something I've been somewhat interested in, for years. I'd be interested in your experience, with it--when you have the time!?

That's Scott Colmer's! It is posted above!?

I especially love the chassis shot, from right in front of the motor plate! Congrats, getting the body on! That's always a big step!

I hear that!

Yeah, I'm no fan of it, either. I referred to it as curbside, because it was going to be a "quickie"! That never friggin' works out, for me!? Was I going to go full-blown (not a quickie!), I probably would have just cut out everything but the chassis, itself, and done the entire floor in aluminum sheet. Oh, well. Things get out of hand around my shop, in a hurry.

I think you'll be quite satisfied with the results! As you can see in my photo, above, I went past the outer edge of the printed black, in a couple of spots, with the adhesive. As long as you stay within the outer edge, the printed border overlay will keep your sins a secret!? Also, I've found the leaf to be forgiving, in that, if I miss a spot, I can go back over it with new adhesive, then leaf, in it's not a detraction. I have been wanting to do gold leaf, and white script for at least two decades, so figuring that out, too, was a bonus. I really have come to enjoy designing and creating my own graphics!

Nice to see you, my friend! I did these interior panels in two layers, and used the old model aircraft/armor modellers' trick using a punch or awl, from the reverse, to make the screw heads. I started scratchbuilding leaf springs, years ago, out of what I then called "laziness", in that, it kept me from having to remove mold lines, and scribe the lines between the layers, and clean up the springs, themselves. I have since realized that it wasn't so much laziness, as that I enjoy fabrication, more than cleaning up someone else's mess!? In one of my dragster threads, I did something of a how-to on building aluminum dragster bodies, too. I love working with that stuff! Thank you for your kind words, Pierre. I appreciate them!

I have a couple of the Mongoose dragsters, but, it will be nice to have the Snake one, again!

I think they're old Halibrand salt racing wheels. I think.

It's interesting that you would mention this, Graham. I had ordered a package of red to blue variegations. It arrived, yesterday. I couldn't wait to try it out on some of the previously-printed decals I had. I might be creating new graphics, again--I really like the colors, in this! I also tested the white script lettering on a bit of aluminum. I can't wait to see that over paint, too! You can see where it's out of register. That's why I used it for testing.?

Definitely like the concept! Very cool!