Straightliner59

One of my favorite Chevy IIs! Last I heard, Steve was on the mend. I hope he's getting back to 100%.

Thank you, Francis! There is no doubt, about that! I don't even like to think about drilling that stuff, without it. I also milled the popoff plate on the manifold. I am putting it to further use, today, as you will see! Thank you, my friend. I appreciate that, very much! It's getting very close to done! I was planning to work on the injectors for the ports tonight, but decided to experiment with a couple of different sizes of aluminum armature wire, to make fittings for the fuel lines. It's very soft, so I wasn't sure I'd be able to mill the flats on it. It worked! I have the armature wire in both .040" and .052" (maybe 14 and 16 ga.?). I need fittings for the braided fishing line, so I thought I would see if I can make them from aluminum. Looks like a go! The "anodized" fitting is cut from 1/16" tubing.

Nice top end! That's what I am working on, as well. It's coming along, nicely, Ian. Enjoying your progress, my friend.

That, my friend, is some amazing work! Like Ian said, it may look like a simple piece, but the curves and contours, and the fact that it has to match up with another piece. Magnificent work, Francis--it looks better than a kit part!

I got more work done on the blower manifold, and on the barrel valve. I found these square nuts with large washers in the drawer. The real nuts are eight-pointed star nuts, and the washers a tad large, but, hidden back there, behind fuel lines, a blower belt, etc. , they will barely be visible, anyway. I found some tiny springs in a drawer full of miscellaneous metal bits and pieces. I shot them with some Krylon Satin Black. I also mounted the port distribution block. I mostly detail painted the barrel valve components, and assembled them. The linkage arm is an old Garage Scenes part. That's secured with a nut made from Plastruct hex rod. Thanks for looking!

Work is continuing on the fuel and induction systems. I made a new fuel block for the port lines. For anyone who is interested, I brush painted it with Humbrol Metal Cote #20004. Not sure what it is, because I can't find that nomenclature on the tin. I mention it, because I just picked it up a week ago, from a local shop. It's very similar in behavior to Testors metalizers, for any others who like to use it for brush painting details. Setting up the mill for drilling the manifold made that operation very easy, and very accurate. With the setup blocks, all I had to do was turn the manifold around, re-set it, and align the holes along the side of the manifold, they were already centered along that axis, and at 45 degrees. It looks like I'll be making aluminum fittings for the fuel system, to match my (ahem) "custom-sized" lines. I just shot the manifold with Testors Metalizer Aluminum Plate (Buffing). Next up, I'll get the port injectors/lines installed, and figure out exactly how i am going to make and assemble the fuel lines. Thanks for looking!

MPC funny cars had Denmans. You're right--there are a bunch of different ones.

Frontrunners are early '80s. The reissued Piranha has decent ones, but, they're plastic. Revell's Miss Deal has a really nice pair! ? No pun intended, but I wasn't going to run from it, either. AMT's Ohio George Willys too, would be worth consideration.

Upon further review, I will be redoing the below pictured setup, to one like this one, except with the check valve on the left, instead of the right. I'll be changing the entire way I was going to do the port lines/injectors. I don't like the high sit of the valve, here. I used a 1/32"-ish end mill to cut the hex shape in the check valves. Next, I'll figure out what to use for the flex lines to the fuel blocks, and fittings, and how to put them together. I also need to make the new explosion blanket for the blower. It's getting there! Clearly won't be by the end of the year, as I'd hoped!? Comments, critiques and questions are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

As long as it's my best, I know that I'm getting somewhere. As long as the next one is better, or more advanced, in some way, I can be satisfied, for the moment!? Agreed. I only prep and paint, because I have to, in order to complete my vision. I started scratchbuilding, so heavily, because I loathe cleaning up mold lines! But, also, I enjoy making my own fittings, and things like that. I wouldn't be as likely to do that without the mill and lathe--I have, but it's time-consuming, and very hit-or-miss. I wonder if that's the same Primer King I know?

I mean, RIGHT?! Where's the adventure in simply removing mold lines?? Your recent soft top must have been incredibly rewarding to accomplish! It's a work of art, to me, and the new standard. It's that kind of stuff that's fun, for me, as well. You're absolutely correct about shows/contests, too. They're always inspirational, and it's great to be able to visit with other like-minded guys. I always was excited to go home and build! Your reaction reminded me of something Neil Peart once said upon reading that Eric Clapton had seen Hendrix and said he wanted to throw away his guitar. Peart said that kind of thing only made him work harder, and that he couldn't relate to that thought process.

I recently saw this in Joe Martin's "Tabletop Machining", which makes perfect sense.

Those look awesome!

Thanks, Ian! I ended up doing something like that (to the manifold). The biggest problem I was having was clearance, with the mag back there. I ended up going all "Pete Robinson" on the blower end plates, and thinning them down. I have to make a new blanket for it, now, but it fits! I used .060"X.080" styrene for the block, and mounted it on the manifold, beneath the mag. I'll get some photos in the next couple of days.

Sometimes (and it took me almost 50 years to get here), I decide that I have to accept those flaws, knowing the next time will be better. Like Charles said, perfection is impossible to achieve, but, it's certainly not impossible to strive for! I've discovered that, since I became able to accept those little flaws as products of trying I've found myself actually finishing more projects, rather than saying "Well, this isn't perfect, so I'll stick it back in the closet, until I can make it that way." I've also finished several of those projects, over the last six or seven years--and, I am satisfied with them! I accomplished new techniques on all of them, so I learned from them. That's all the reward I really need. I don't understand the phrase "I don't build for contests, I just build for fun." I've never built any model, for a contest. I build how I enjoy, and, if it's good enough to win, then great! If not, okay, not today. I'm no less happy with what I've done, because I didn't win. Over the years, I've known quite a few modelers in different pursuits, who've burned out, and quit building. That's something I can't even relate to. I think they were building with too great an eye on competition, because you do not burn out, on something you truly love.

It's always good to know, and to find others who freely share the things they've discovered!

Super-nice work! I'm a firm believer of pinning parts. It makes test fitting so much easier, and more accurate.

The headlight buckets are excellent! I'm adding that to the bag of ideas I have stolen from your arsenal!?

Thank you, Francis! It must be headed in the right direction. I'm down to the last major assembly, and everything else is pretty much done! ? Now, I just need to figure out where to mount the fuel block for the manifold. There isn't much room, back there!

That's very kind of you, Les! Shall I PM my address? My youngest sister lives in Scotland, but, I don't recall where. I think it's a more remote area, though.

That's a good idea. The wire I used, would have to be annealed, first. It's pretty hard. Progress has been kind of slow, as I have been sorting out the steering, and generally wrapping everything up, so that I can begin work on the blower manifold--which is happening, next! I also mounted the radius rods. I printed new axle tags, too. On to the fuel system! Comments, critiques and questions are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

That's kind of my thinking with the .081 coax. If I can slip it off the core, I can use it around other diameters of wire. I got that idea, when I ran across a short section of something larger, and was able to do that. Virtually all of this kind of stuff in the modeling aftermarket comes from somewhere else--some other pursuit. The trick is finding the source!? I'll look around for some of the fly-tying braid. Thanks for the tip, on that!

Well, it looks wonderful! Sometimes, the best-looking stuff is very simple to make.?

That's what I used or the return lines on the Nostalgia Top Fueler. I want to find more sizes, because I love the stuff! The stuff I found is sinking line, so it has a heavy core (feels like lead, but...) which is great for getting it to stay "posed".

It's all great, but that rack and pinion! Beauty!