RancheroSteve

I've got the Visible Woman kit. I was getting ready to name that as my weirdest kit when I saw your post.

Also one of my favorite cars ever. Excellent build!

Roger: I'm not sure how it escaped my notice, but I didn't know about this car either until I saw it at the Petersen Museum a few years back, then of course I found out about the model and had to track one down. Mike: thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to try to correct some of the inaccuracies in the nose, and add a few details here & there, but otherwise just try to do a decent "out of the box" build. I haven't quite figured out the paint yet, although I did pick up a can of Duplicolor Red Metalflake that looks fairly close; still need to test it though. Maybe over an orange undercoat?

Thanks for the interest, guys. I don't think I'll be going quite as crazy on this one as I did with the Deora (that project took WAAY too long). It helps that it's generally a more accurate kit to begin with, although there are a few things that need fixing (more on that later). After getting the thing apart (and breaking a few parts), here's an overview of where I am so far: The frame and engine cleaned up. I made new mounts for the rear coil-overs, repaired one engine mount and the transmission tailshaft, made a radiator mount and made new axle tubes. Most of this was necessitated by the brittle plastic and excess glue, but it was also a chance to add a bit more detail. The kit tail section of the body is split in a non-prototypical way and leaves an ugly seam. Guessing here about how the real car goes together, I've separated the belly pan at the rear axle and joined it to the tail, allowing me to glue the tail section together and putty the seam. The interior tub is far too shallow and looks toy-like. I realized there's a lot of unused room between the floor and the frame rails, so I cut the floor out and I'm extending the depth of the interior. I'll make a new floor and extend the sides and console down to meet it. Some more random parts. Some of these will need upgrading or replacing. Finally, a shout-out to Bob Kremer, who sent me this bag of parts a few years ago - exactly what was missing from the glue bomb, and without which this project wouldn't be happening. More to come - thanks for watching.

Yes, a rather odd vehicle, but it has a certain period charm for me. I'm starting with this dusty specimen: I've got it dis-assembled and cleaned up - starting to figure out how it all needs to go back together (with a bit of added accuracy). I'll post some "in progress" shots tomorrow.

Update: After some time off to concentrate on the 289 HiPo, I'm getting back to this one. I've opened up the hood, cut out the radiator opening, removed the windshield, fixed the cowl and interior opening, made some new headlight buckets from brass tubing, and started building up the trunk area. Onward!

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! The parts are out of my hands now and will be going off to the caster soon. I'll post more pics down the road.

First, keep in mind this represents the 1963 version of the HiPo (which was an option on the Fairlane that year). The tube coming out of the timing cover is the oil fill tube (as Maindrian Pace pointed out). In 1964, they went to a valve cover breather/fill cap arrangement. The manifold shown IS the HiPo manifold, which is essentially the same manifold as all 4v 289s. The manifold you're probably thinking of is the aluminum hi-rise, which was a Total Performance/Shelby aftermarket option.

For the past few months I've put aside most of the other projects on my bench to concentrate on producing a set of master parts (to be cast by a well-known caster) of a detailed and accurate early Ford 289 HiPo with a five-bolt bellhousing and narrow bolt pattern T10 transmission. Most of the parts are heavily modified from various kit sources and completely scratchbuilt in some cases. Photo-etched brass surfaces were created for block, head, belhousing and transmission surfaces. I made these engine master parts for use in The Lynx Project, which has been organized to explain and explore the missing Mercury Lynx concept cars 1964. Until fairly recently, no one knew that these concept cars existed. I'm part of a large project organized to re-tell the story, in 1/25 scale, of how these cars were designed, built at both Dearborn Steel Tubing and Bertone, and eventually hidden in an Indiana warehouse to escape the company's "crush the concept car" order. A few examples of the parts follow. Keep in mind these are in an "almost done" stage - final surface finish still needs to be applied in most cases. The block: Bellhousing: Block with timing chain cover: Transmission, which will be getting a p/e linkage: Intake manifold with thermostat housing and carb spacer: Cylinder head and valve cover: Generator bracket: Block with timing cover, water pump and balancer: Thanks for looking. If you'd like to read more about this project, check this out: http://www.thelynxproject.org/

Testors makes a "Pontiac Engine Blue" - that would be my best guess. http://www.testors.com/products/136569

Just to clarify: the non-stock Comets in the photo I was referring to have later factory wheels, but stock '65 Cyclones (which I'm assuming is what Moebius plans to produce) came with hubcaps that resembled chrome wheels. Not a lot of discernible difference in 1/25th scale, I'll admit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/181235169677?lpid=82

Yes, I was thinking along those lines too - most of the T-Bolt stuff would work. Depending on the specific car - at a specific time, different front suspension set-ups were used: modified stock suspension, straight axles. The B/FX cars used 289s, the A/FX and exhibition cars used the 427 and later the cammer. Lots of changes in a short time on these cars . . . right on the cusp of the funny car era.

And come to think of it, the Cyclone might have only come as a two door hardtop, but there were Caliente convertibles. Mostly just a change in grills and some trim between the two, if you ordered your Caliente with a "Super Cyclone V8".

Yes - that hood was never an option on the Comet, but a fiberglas item that was used on drag cars. I believe they ran ducts from those scoops to the carbs, a la the Fairlane Thunderbolt. Also note that both of those cars have non-stock wheels; what look like chrome reverse wheels on the stock Cyclone are actually hubcaps.

Absolutely - I'd love to see both versions! Although there are a LOT of differences (in addition to engines) between a stock Cyclone and the A/FX drag versions.

A little hard to tell from this photo, but that looks like a non-stock 427 in that Comet engine bay. I know this is a just an announcement/concept graphic - I'm assuming that Moebius will soon figure out that Comet Cyclones came stock with 289s.

Wow, that's pretty exciting! Based on their work on the Hudson and Chrysler, if anyone can get it right, I think Moebius can.

Here's something from the GPMA site that might answer some questions: http://gpma.org/blog/?p=69

Wow - that was fast! I don't think anyone but you is going to fret about the 1/16". Awesome build!

Good article here: http://www.motortrend.com/classic/roadtests/1110_1949_kurtis_sport_car_drive/viewall.html With lots of excellent pics of a beautifully restored car.

Thanks Len - good pics! Looks like a lot of cool cars and some fine models there. I haven't been able to put much time into the Kurtis lately - I'm working on another model project with a deadline, but I'm itching to get back to it.

Always interesting to learn something new - a good article on Bill Rutan and his car here: http://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/2011/06/01/hmn_feature5.html

Great - this will be a very cool and different project! What are those wheels on the real car?

Similar Potvin blower set-up, but the engine in the Orange Crate is an 417" Olds.

Yes, the Mooneyes frame and the Attempt 1 frame are essentially the same (and not completely correct for either one) with only a few small differences. I'm not a kit historian by any means, but my guess is that the Revell parts pack frame (marketed as the Mooneyes frame) is the same as what's in the double kit: Here's what I ended up with after trying to "accuratize" the Attempt 1: And here's the box art from the Mooneyes/Sanitary T double kit: