426-Hemi

So as I said in the end of my last posting, I was getting ready to design and add in the new engine mounts to the frame.... Heres how it all started: That straight part behind the cross-member, is merely a scrap piece of Evergreen Styrene "H" column I had laying on the bench in my little scrap pile, was just long enough for this too! WHY did I choose "H" and not "C"? I well didn't have any "C" channel as I may have used it, BUT, the "H" column works a bit better for such. And why you might ask? WELL, the "H" if you cut the top of the "H" off, just the "rails" of it, and have that web between it left over, act as that straight area that you see from removing just the rails off to the center web, that makes for a GREAT flat area to glue to the frame rails, and then the "notched out" vertical rails add in some other area for gluing.... this adds strength to the joint when glued! This "H" column gives you that "C" channel area, for a place to have the cast-in engine mounts in the block to rest in! -As you'll see! Its made to fit as one long piece to keep it straight, BUT I found that this whole set up is going to need adjustment as I go, as the engine mounts on the engine itself, are not directly across from each other on the block! SO, those adjustments will be made as I go! A bit difficult to see, but see the rails sticking up off the "H"? Those will be made to fit tight to the trucks frame rails and glued in place, when the time comes!!! -Glue joints like this add strength, not much but enough to hold something in place, thats just "placed" there, you know? I have to have at lest 3 contact locations for mounting the engine and transmission in, as well as the married transfer case! So now the fun intense part of all this is ready to go.... You have to get a generalized location for the mounts, BOTH sides. mark them on the trucks frame rails! THEN figure out the height of them low on the trucks frame rails or high, and even "centered" sometimes it can be any of the 3 of these depending on the model and if your running it stock height, or lowering the its stance or even raising it like a 4x4 monster truck. A LOT comes into play here, just like a real car! ANYWAY, I found that the best location for the engine was going to be low on the frame, and that made the engine mounts easy! My idea of the "H" column worked out perfectly then! And so, I went right into making them and doing whatever adjustments needed to be made as I went along. Made, positioned, and in place, WITH some added "angle" supports!!!! NOW the test is coming, HOW WELL do they fit, hold the engine, and are level side-to-side? Fits pretty good from this angle of pic..... This angle of the engine looks good too! I checked it from side-to-side level and even that looked spot-on, I just could not get a good picture of this as it just would not snap a clear pic of this, because I think the frame is white and it blurred out the pic from the shine of it..... PITA no less tho! Then as you seen I added some down bracing to the mounts, to hold a little weight, so why not add just a little front-to-back strength too much the same way? (I did after-all have the left overs from the first angle cuts), so why not use them too!? SO, I did..... A little rough and misshapen right now, but once that glue is cured and I can, I plan to take a file across all these angles and joints just to clean them up a bit, and shape the angles a bit better! Notice the "H" now" it looks as tho the H has a sort-of "cup" on the ends of the mounts for the engine mount "shoe" to fit right into! Making the engine fit solid, and snugly in-place! This is it for now everyone thats following along, more to come in awhile.... I got a bit more done on the frame while I was working on the engine mounts, but, I am now headed to do some detail work on some parts of the Daisy Dukes Jeep while all this sets up and hardens solid so NOTHING moves when I'm working on it or handling it! Enjoy for more! Thanks for looking!

OK more, from the engine fitting "bit" and all....... I mentioned it in my last posting, about the frame and how the engine fits (I'm NOT pleased with how Revell made the engine mount to the frame!) I can't STAND that they used a pin in the oil pan to mount to a cross-member in the frame (I literally HATE this type of engine mount!) Wasn't on the real cars and really would NEVER work to begin with, I know its a short cut but, I just can't "go" it... SO, fitting the newly made 400 B block, I had to see what choices I had for the engine mounting situation and not liking how Revell designed it to be. SO, off I went..... This is the frame out of the box! I got the hole in the cross-member circled and some messages in the pic to show/explain what I found (in disgust) but you get the idea here..... WELL trying to "fit" the engine in this box-stock kit frame wasn't gonna happen the oil pan isn't right for the way Revell made it to be (the oil pan on the original kits 318, was nothing like a small block LA Mopar engine anyway!) BUT this meant I had to cut that frame cross-member out, and fill the hole in it while it was removed from the frame. As I tried to fit the engine I found that the engine's oil pan would not "clear" the cross-member where it was box-stock, SO, I removed it, and plan to relocate it. With the engine and transmission all together with the transmission mount on, I "fitted" it to the frame with that cross-member removed to "mark" where the cross-member would have to be put back into the frame rails and then that set the stage for the actual engine mounts on either side of it. -Luckily, this NEW location, will just "clear" the stabilizer bar for the suspension! NOT by much, BUT it will clear it! Cross-member back in place in its new location, relocated, slightly more forward. Some added wording to the picture to say what I had done! A few more pictures showing the details of what I did do. When I cut the cross-member out, you have to remember that the blade you use to cut ANYTHING takes the thickness of the kerf out of that part, so in order to put it back in sort-of the same location, (if the spacing is the same) you have to add to it with something of the same materials, and just a bit more then the kerf of the blade. And then file or sand to the desired "fit" you wish to get.... Also using a good liquid solvent glue, will "melt" the plastic enough to squish into place (NOTHING real tight now), as you would almost have to distort the plastic at that point to get it to fit, but a little "weld bead" is PERFECT, that is just what I did here. The "plating" on either end of the cross-member will remain in place to look as tho it was end plated before being added to the frame. What fun this is gonna be, as I have now got to make somewhat realistic positioned "engine mounts" to meet up with the cast-on engine mounts on the engines block! That is going to follow! Stay tuned!!!! Thanks for looking!

So making a little more progress on the ole '79 Ramcharger.... I got the engine in Mopar Engine Blue, and then got to seeing what it take to make my resin casting of the 727 Torqueflite transmission work with the kits stock transmission mount.... (Had to measure up the transmission to the stock one, and then cut out of the resin transmission, where the mount would be, and then cut the mount off the kits stock transmission to put it onto my newly built 400 with 727 on it to mount to the kits frame, kinda following the kits assembly instructions to some extent to make this all happen and NOT have to change EVERYTHING in my wake! Transmission "tail" removed, as per the length of the white box stock kits transmission mount. Also seen in this picture! THEN I did what was needed to fit the 2 parts together.... And added a "pin" between the 2 parts for strength, to hold it all together. I don't think I done to bad getting this all to go together and look good all at the same time! NOW however, fitting this motor into the frame, and getting it to fit within the inner fenders as well as the firewall and the core support! HOPEFULLY, it will (I "THINK" so, but we'll see) As you all know, change one part, and EVERYTHING around it changes, I'm trying to prevent this to some extent but..... We'll see! You guys know the drill on such things.... Stay tuned! More to follow right after these short messages!

Well as I mentioned in my "verbal" update............ I needed to get the camera back in-hand to get some updated pics of what I accomplished. Here ya go! Mopar "B" 400 painted with a NICE coat of Mopar Engine Blue. I also got the fuel pump painted silver as well! Other side, to show a little "detail" paining that I did, the oil fill cap, painted gloss black, as per I believe it would have been on Pap's Ramcharger......... (He kept the engine, and the truck, as "stock" as he could) And from what I have heard on this, talkin' with my cousin, My Grandfather took some good pride in this truck as it was his one and only bought brand new vehicle! More to come as I make progress! Thanks for looking! Som more details been pulled out of my parts bins, and will be ready to go in a couple hours worth of working on it! Starter is out, and both exhaust manifolds..... I have to slowly test fit everything to get it to fit as this engine is gonna require me to cut the frame cross-members up to fit it in properly..... As I was saying, nothing is ever a "drop in fit" real OR model! Stay tuned!

As to start again, as you all know, I stripped the engine down found a few interesting parts on it, left them alone They look pretty good, SO, being happy with the results thus far, I began to assemble the ole 400 B block to have it ready for some color! Well with all the engine paint gone, but some little remnants, (I'm OK with the little thats left behind on it!) SO, I began by adding my resin B/RB big block valve covers to the kit stock heads. I then let that sit just long enough to set, and then began getting the position of the transmission ready, on the transmission. It also is one of my resin castings!!!! On Paps Ramcharger, it was an automatic, SO, the kits stock small block was replaced with this block seen here, as well as I used my 727 Torqueflite transmission to make it all come together. Looks pretty good! HOWEVER, I seen a few things detail-wise that caught my eye.... See where the carburetor sits? IN front of that to the left you'll notice an orange-ish circle, NOT sure, but I think that was originally to be a radiator hose location! Where the thermostat would be! I had to fill it in, didn't like it, like that! SO, it got a little CA and some baking soda, and then hit with a Dremel, to make it flat with the surrounding surfaces! THEN on the back of the intake, behind the carburetor location, there was ANOTHER make like that first one, NOT sure what that may have been (possibly a rear mounted distributor?) I'm not sure, but again, either way, it had to disappear too! Filled in it, the same way I did the one in the front! Starter area where the transmission meets the block looks pretty good! So.... I left it as-is. Back side of the block and transmission look pretty good, so moving right along..... I found me a trouble spot! The transmission didn't fit the block well on this side! NOT AT ALL, the transmission flange on the back of the block was WAY TO WIDE.... I had to file it down with the bolt lip of the transmission! It doesn't look bad at all now! I'm happy with the re-shaping of that bolt lip on the engine block, BUT, I noticed something was "missing" from the assembled engine! The damned fuel pump! It had to have come off during the stripping of the paint.... SO I poured my stripper through a nylon to remove paint particles from it, and catch any parts that may be in it......... Which when your done with any chemical type stripper whether brake fluid, or actual hobby stripper like I use, straining it out makes it last longer!!! And when I did this, Low & behold, there it was! Nothing wrong with the fuel pump just came off probably during a time I was "brushing" some of the paint off..... All I have to do is glue it back on! Not to shabby! I glued the fuel pump back to where it belongs and then let it set to harden up before I was ready to add its first coat of Mopar Engine Blue..... It got that last night is now "standing" to let the blue dry.... Those pics will follow when I'm able to handle the freshly painted Mopar B 400! ENJOY!

Well after the first pics taken of the choice of parts, to make that Mopar "B" 400, big block, I put it in the paint stripper for about 3 hours, and this is how it came out..... Well for the fact the motor block was a glue bomb save, and made by "Revell" I think that it turned out pretty good! Turns out, that orange paint wasn't the only color on the engine!!!! It was some sort of bluish/green "turquoise" if ya will. I'm NOT sure what type paint any of it was, but it seemed to come off fairly well in "ELO"! -I was pleased with the result! I had to use a tooth pick and a T-pin in some area's (in the deeper crevices, and in compound surfaces), to get the globs off, but it came out fairly well.... I say it aside, and left it air dry, as the back of the engine where the transmission is to mount, had a "hole" that needed to dry out BEFORE I began to assemble it..... Looking back onto the engine model, it seems there was some "extra" non-Revell parts used! The oil pan, looks to be a medium sump pan, which isn't to the Revell 440 4 barrel (which is what the engine is based off of) BUT looks to be a oil pan from AMT, off of a AMT-Ertl 440 OR the AMT-Ertl 426 Hemi, (not sure which) As I had made a mold of this, so it is one or the other, NOT added by me I might add! The reast of the engine looks right for the block, heads and the valve covers (I removed the valve covers) as I wasn't pleased with the look that Revell gave them to be more of an Aftermarket 440 valve cover then a "Stock" set, SO, I used my own castings in resin to look more to the B 400 engine. My Mopar big Block B/RB valve covers are dead-replica's! They're made from a AMT-Ertl set, with a change made to the bolt flange where they bolt onto the head, I made that "lip" thinner, to look more like a lip then a heighten part! The Intake, isn't to the engine either, it WAS "Chrome" Revell didn't Chrome the intake that I know of to the 440 that I believe went to the '68 Dodge Dart kit. SO, I wound up having to give it a bath in oven cleaner to remove the chrome from the intake, and that helped remove even more of the paint globs in the heavier areas and crevices. Stay tuned!, Will be back right after these short messages!!!!

Guys, I been saying I have 2 of these Ramchargers from the "Gone Fishing" set from Revell, WELL its about time I dig one of 2 out and get to making it... my Family Members vehicles come first if I have more then one, SO, without going into a long winded message, I got to thinkin' of riding in Paps Ramcharger last night, and dug the thing out (I haven't done ANYTHING to it since I got it, BUT pulling parts for the engine, and removing the factory parts that the engine had within the kit, is a start.... Now a little history, I rode in this truck, quite a bit when I was younger! He had this truck up to I THINK it was 1994, or 1995, He had it, with a car, a '76 Chevy Caprice Classic. He didn't have the Chevy that long, Bought the truck new off the show room floor in '79! Was his LAST "new" car he ever bought! The Chevy, however was the replacement to the old '71 Dodge Demon he had before it, My Dad I believe was the felon who "wrecked" the '71 Demon..... GRRRR Was using/borrowing it when his car was broke down and had to go to work in bad weather, slide off the road and totaled the car..... ANYWAY, back to the Ramcharger, I began by thinkin' of the talks with family members a cousin, and one uncle (I recently lost the uncle) but our last talks was about a LOT of family vehicles.... This Ramcharger came up, It had a Big Block in it, Both my Uncle, and my Cousin seem to think it was a 400 B block. The cousin, worked on it in its last time in the family (I'm unsure of where it is now) -They sold it, when Pap passed away a few months later. BUT my Cousin, another grandchild of Paps was the last to change the oil in it, and do routine maintenance for Pap, SO talking with him, he said the Ramcharger had a 400 in it.... Granted, this "400" would have been a special order for that truck, and he told me that Pap did in deed special order the thing, so.... I have to believe this! So, now to the model, It comes with a VERY needy engine, the heads and valve covers as well as intake look GREAT, the block? WOW... not even close, I THINK Revell was trying to make it look like a Mopar LA 318..... Just because that was the most common engine for these. BUT the oil filter isn't positioned right, NOR is the oil pan correct for a Mopar LA 318. SO, I pulled these out of the kit, and stashed them in my spare parts bins! (The valve covers? They're REAL close & nicely shaped for a Mopar LA small block!) I may end up molding these as well as the heads when I'm making molds again! SO, I got to looking at my parts supply for something big block, to be that "400".... I have all sorts of NEW Mopar Big Blocks, but I also have a TON of old, glue bomb blocks too, that are in good shape and usable. So I thought why not use up some of my glue bombs to lesson the amount I have.... Save the new blocks for ones that need that NEW feel to them! -Plus, thats using a model part that needs a little, but will look GREAT! So, off to pics of this huh? Setting in the foreground is the Ramcharger itself! In front of it sets a Mopar High-Performance Orange 440 block from a Revell Dart! ITs NOT gonna be a 440! LOL I'm gonna use it for a 400 B block! With it, you'll find that I have my OWN resin valve covers to go with the block! I took the Revell factory valve covers off the engine and stashed them with my spare parts for another build! They just don't match the contours of a 440 or ANY "true" Mopar big Block, BUT would be NICE "aftermarket" valve covers, if chromed with Alclad! SO, I stashed 'em to replace them with my own castings that are from AMT-Ertl. They made the closest Mopar Big Block "Wedge" valve covers as far as they're shape and contours go.... Which was the master copy for my resin versions.... Only difference with my resin copies is I thinned out the bolt lip of the valve cover to be closer to scale with the real thing. Then, you'll see the pulley set up...... the kit stock parts only provide an alternator, and no power steering, Reason, I went this route is Paps HAD power steering, My cousin told me that was one of the most difficult repairs he done for Pap, he blew a power steering hose fitting, , and had to replace not only that, but the whole line from the pump to the gearbox on the frame! Said with the 400 there wasn't a lot of space to do so! SO, I pulled a spare I had, from one of my "Dream Truck" build.... Thought, why not? It was left over (I used better looking detail pulleys on that truck so left its half-hearted pulley set to use else where, AND I know a way to make it look better then it does box-stock. Then you see the transmission, a 727 Torque-flite Automatic. My Resin cast part as well, as the kit part supplied engine and transmission was a standard, with married transfer case. I'll be removing the transmission tail to put onto my resin transmission, due to the way it mounts..... A bit of work, but by now you all know how I am.... details, Details D-E-T-A-I-L-S!!!! A few close-ups..... NOW as you see what I'm starting with, watch me transform it all to what you see in my other builds..... WITH the use of junk parts, and my own resin parts, to make a reflection of a real auto (once again) as you sit and look..... I'm gonna have a blast with this one, just like I have all the rest! ENJOY!

Thanks for posting that link, I'll have to look into that one!

Could always "dullcote" the chrome and make it look like aluminum..... Just for a slight change but not a general body color, to blend in and look like "too much"..... Just a thought

NIICE!!!! I got one of these as the GTX, and have a lonely grille toa '71 Satelite, that I have to get another one of these kits to use it... BUT, thats a ways off for now..... NICE work on it tho! sure looks GREAT that color! -Black goes with it perfectly too!

Thanks Randy! Yeah, I got a lot into these 2 trucks! Specially for what they are, and why.... Now granted in my last posting of the Dart, or within a couple posts of the last one I made, I am going to be adding interior work to Dad's truck here, as I had the materials out for the interior work to the Dart, which just-so-happens to be the same needed materials (colors & embossing powder) for the interior of his truck, so..... I'm working on this one too! Just because all that I needed was already out and these 2 trucks aren't ever to far away, as they're in a "dust case" near my work bench for when things like this happen! I agree too, BUT it be nice to see Round 2 do both, the Monster Trucks, as well as the street trucks all from a single body..... BUT, saying this, I'd like to see the straight bed come back out again, as well as the step-side bed too..... Just to have a choice of these again.... Both these 2 models, were built from '78 Dodge Little Red Express Trucks! I custom fitted the frames with 4x4 suspension as needed for the 2 trucks they are to replicate. (I have to admit, its VERY EASY to make that 2x4 truck a 4x4 truck with how the frame is made!) They were however built/manufactured very well back then, even the newest releases of the Little Red Express, is a heavy made model thats strong! My only issue so far is the older MPC parts I've worked with, the plastic gotten brittle, look at Dad's truck here, (the last one) and take a look at the rears under it, from when I was building them, I had to repair several places in the rear leaf springs, and the front axle needed a bit too (the steering tie rod was pretty brittle and then make it all come together I just left it rip on the details under both trucks, to make them become what they were sat to be in the first place. Stay tuned! There will be more to this build within a day or 2!!!!!

It be the warehouse, and for that the box really doesn't need to be "crushed" to mal-form the body, pressure to one side or and other to make the box skewed would be all it need.... Heck the warehouse could have been storing them like that AND as I'm sure you know those warehouses aren't A/C'd in the storage areas, unless its a food needing to be cool. so, take it for what it is.... For what its worth, I bet there was a whole pallet of them that were like that specially in this case!

Randy, Yeah, its always fun to see a "stock" owner sort of build, not a lets see what I can dream up sort of thing. you know? LOTS of fun involved in reproducing, in scale a model of a real car known or once had in any shape or form! I enjoy it tho. As I'm more a stock modeler anyway, (I do enjoy the occasional break neck horsepower builds tho!) But, its the reproduction of a real car I find challenging, And on top of that, you learn things along the way hence this car of my Dad's I'da never known it was a 270 trim level Dart! So, got your wheels turnin' to build a model of your ole '71 I take it? LOL what fun it be! -Now only if I could turn back the hands of time, to when I was building models YEARS ago, to have the internet at my finger-tips to do research like this instead of picking a family members brain, or pestering the local garage for detailing info..... LOL Plus, to know to pay a bit more attention of family's cars and trucks LOL Cause, I'm still pestering people (family members) on old cars, throughout my childhood, and all.... There are only some, I can remember first hand, without guess work. So.... Glad to have brought a smile and some interest to someones face, its a good thing! As I just found another in the works build of mine I'll be posting sometime later today! LOL

I bet its NOT "Revell" at all......... I BET that its the warehouse shipping them to Hobby Lobby, and the tight packing they do on the pallets! (GO buy one else where just to see if the body is in better shape!) Real hobby shops NOT "Craft Stores" don't pack in the volume in their trucks as I bet Hobby Lobby does! I've already got 2 of these, NOT from the reissue, so. I'm good!

Randy, with a little research, and the single one picture I have of the front of my Dad's '68 Dart, the picture only gets to just past the center of the door on the passenger side of the car. I noticed something looking at that picture in-hand, it has a body line "trim" on it, thats straight. making this car a 1968 Dodge Dart 270 trim car. Which means it could have had some options but not many as it was one step above the "base" model Plain-Jane. -Which would explain the basic 318 V-8 too..... Which was thee biggest engine for this trim level available to it. With that finding, that would mean I would have been correct to paint those "black" areas in the dash, and the center console of the car, as the base model didn't have a console, and that black area in the dash was thee same color as the base color of the interior. AND only the 2 door model were able to get bucket seats, the 4 door models of this same car had bench seats only! With what I had mentioned, the seats themselves, has merely a stitching where that little metal embossing was! In the next trim level (the GT) the metal trim embossing in the seats were present. The stitching "area" without that metal embossing was not an option for the GT or the GTS, they both got that metal emblem! GT was a higher level of option car, where-as the GTS was merely a "Sport" model of the GT Hence "GTS" As well the GTS was able to get an optional 383 big block were-as the GT was able to get only a 340 4 barrel as its biggest engine, and the 270 model was only able to get the 318, and the base model '68 Dart was only able to get 318 (as an option) as well The GTS wasn't able to get the 170 and 225 slant 6 in them, the GTS was "base" at the 340, 4 barrel. Interesting how things "unfold" isn't it?

Bill, Yes, I know, the '71 model year of the Plymouth Satelite, Roadrunner & GTX were merely a "re-badging" of the same car.... -I asked to see if the kit you used was thee old Monogram Satelite or if you had removed the "GTX" emblem cast into the Monogram '71 GTX..... I myself, have the GTX, BUT, I also have the grille from the ole Satelite too (Both 1/24th scale)..... I plan to locate another GTX, to use the Satelite grille in!

So the bed is 3 inches long? With thaqt its more a 6 foot bed then an 8, 8 scale feet in 1/25th is almost 4 inches! As for the grille yeah that does suck for us that Modelhaus is gone.... They officially closed for all the orders they got when they made that announcement so..... I myself, do my own molding in resin so. I can't do "large" items bodies and hoods, but engines tranmissions and grilles maybe even bumpers, I can do.... BUT nothing like Modehaus did! Thanks for the info on the resin utility bed, I may have to sit down and scratchbuild one! -That ought to be a fun task! LOL

Randy, I forgot to mention that the embossing powder, is GREAT stuff! you can literally use it like paint! What I mean by that is this, you paint your "base color".... leaving the area's you want the embossing powder to be, uncovered! -Once the base color is dry elsewhere, tape it off as I did, and then brush the same color on HEAVILY, OR whatever color (this would be great time to say), tan sides, with black floor carpeting. then you'd use GLOSS black paint for the floor only because gloss takes longer to dry, and dump black embossing powder onto the wet paint, just as I did for this interior! Apply a little pressure to "seat" the embossing powder into the wet paint, and shake off excess onto paper return to original bottle! BUT theres another trick..... You can literally brush paint one color starting out, cover IT with that color of embossing powder, apply normal pressure, let dry a bit, shake off, and then allow it to cure on ONE color...... Then areas you didn't paint, but want another color, apply it the same way with a brush..... Then dump that color embossing powder onto it, again press, tap off, and you'd have 2 different colors that look like carpet, or lining, anything "carpet-like" fabric even! Now. you really wanna get crazy? You could do the SAME THING, with "chalk dust"...... Buy artist chalks, and shave them with a single edge razor blade... Use that the same way, you'd use the embossing powder! (it be finer and look more like fabric instead of carpeting!) -Intermix paint, embossing powder and chalk dust and you go from vinyl, or Pleather (LOL) to fabric, to carpet.... in one interior! -Don't even get me thinkin' on using all that with Flocking and Kens Fuzzy Fur!!!! LOL

NICE!!!! I'd love to locate a grill like the one in that Dodge just to mold it! (ALL the possibilities it open up for the Little Red Express Trucks!) That Utility bed, turned out GREAT!!!! NICE Work on it! Is it a full 8 scale feet long or is it look bigger because of the picture? I'm asking as I have a truck planned to use a utility bed, I just have to plan out what I will do for the frame to get it right.... NICE Work tho!

Thanks Randy! As for the window cranks, yes, you could get them both ways. the REAL Plain-Jane "basic" models had the black plastic (type) knobs.... Granted, I know Dads car wasn't heavily optioned, BUT I also know it wasn't something he got "brand new" either, he got it sometime in the mid 1980's.... SO, having said that, I could not tell you what it had for sure as I barely even remember the car.... Now, like MOST of the "Family builds" I'm doing, there isn't a lot to go from as far as pictures! I'm going off memory in some senses, and off family members remembering (their memories) of which ever car or truck.... Granted, thats not to say what was done and replaced either...... without good documentation, who really knows? And sadly, I can't just call Dad and ask him, (Lost him going on 4 years now) so..... I have but one pic of the car, and with it, I can barely see the top of the passenger seat to know the color of the interior was Tan. So with a little "Modeler's License"........ I'm making as best I can, and trying to not fudge as much as I can, by research and or other ways of family members knowing and remembering the car! As for the pleat in the seats, I'm not sure what that is! It may be a metal medallion, I am not sure... -Looking up pics however show that it could be, and then others show that it was one way with it being metal, or just a stitch pattern, used on seats that didn't have the metal medallion in them. SO with that, I am not exactly sure what that even is! Or I should say "was" in Dad's car.... Now, with knowing the car for the most part, was a plain jane with very little "extra" to it, I'd almost bet in this one, it was just the stitching..... -Almost like that to have a "plain" versus, one with the medallion on a higher optioned car, one seat fits all sort of deals.... -Makes me wonder now that you mention it LOL Now, you think I'm "in it" on this one? Have a look at my "Father & Son" Dodge truck build..... http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/101687-father-son-dodge-truck-build-new-progress-pics-2-7-16/ I'm in that one REAL DEEP! BOTH my truck in that I KNOW what it had, and Dad's truck too. They were relatively close, mine a '78 Dad's was a '79.... -I'll be adding some to that build in the next couple days too! -Working on the interior of the Dart, has the same colors almost as the truck did, so the "materials" are out and well, its been a while since I've done anything to Dad's truck due to some parts I was needing for it, to continue that I have now! So really, I'm going to be bouncin' all over the place on different builds I got going on, just to gain some completion on the many I got going, and by Summer's end, into Fall, I ought to have at least 2 maybe MORE "Done" and under glass!!!!! LOL -At least thats my plan and I'm stickin' to it! LOL

That is lookin real good...... NICE job on that paint and that top goes on it VERY WELL, NICE Work!

With my last update, I was working on thinking things out on the engine, that I failed to add in the very beginning! This happens as that was one of my first when I came back into the hobby! SO, to keep on keepin' on, I sat it aside, all in the while thinking how I was now going to achieve this or that in the detail additions that the engine was lacking, at the same time, picking up on the interior, and getting somewhere besides in thought.... As you all that are following along have read, I had lastly added the chrome trim BMF to the door panels, BUT had much more to go! So, grabbing that parts sprue, and looking to see what my next task was going to be, WELL it needed painted! BUT I wanted to add some details to it before-hand. Meaning, I had some holes to drill..... The holes that a "chrome-like" straight pin was to slip through! These holes would be drilled in the cast-on detail of the door panel for the window winder knobs! The head of the straight pin to act as that "knob".... So, got them drilled rather quickly, and then went right to painting! Got all the window winders painted Testors "Chrome", as well as the door latch handles, and the ash tray lids! While the chrome paint was open, I went to painting the lever for the turn signal on the steering column, as well as the details on the dash! Knobs, and such. I had drilled a hole for the glove box door as well to insert a slightly smaller straight pin into to look as that "bulge in the door itself, to not have to paint it.... Sat the dash aside for a short time, and got pics of the door panels! Looks dang good to me! Then while that all sat a little, to dry more, I got out the Sand Tan again, and did a little brush painting, starting with the steering wheel! Got it did, and then right on to the chrome silver again, to the metal part inner "rim" of it, and then finished it off with semi-gloss black around the "handle" part of the steering wheel, and then got the horn also painted as well as the knob on the end of the turn signal lever. Not to shabby over-all! To show a little depth to the work I did.... Then was able to do a bit more to the dash at that time, to leave that door panel sprue set awhile to dry, I went right ahead and began adding the decal to the dash for the instrument cluster..... Not bad! not bad at all! I'm pretty pleased with the dash as-is, I may go back in a day (to allow the decals to dry and cure) and add some clear epoxy to "seal" the decal to the dash.... and look like a glass type covering to it! Once that was all done, I was able to move right into getting the interior door panels in-place. Passenger side first! Noticed something taking that picture! I didn't paint the gear shift knob! Semi-Gloss Black as everything else as "trim" color, BESIDES "Chrome".... -Also noticed I have not got the automatic P, N, R, D, 1, 2 decal on the console while I was painting the shift knob, so got that taken care of too! All in all that interior succeeds what my expectations were of it! I'm VERY happy with its out come as well as surprising myself and what I can do when I think it through just a little on what I want to achieve, (I never thought I was "all that" on doing interior work, I guess, I'm proving to myself something different as this looks GREAT!) Thats in for now more to come as I get things done, comments welcome, ENJOY!

-I must say, I'm not the only one that goes off the deep end with mis-aligned tires and rims then! I LOVE seeing others using mills and lathes on their builds such as I do! NICE jig for gluing them 100% vertical I have a set of those right-angle braces too! -They work well for wheel mounting!

Lookin good Jason!

I'm joining in too, The Gasser I never quite understood, BUT its has grown on me,and being a Mopar guy, the '41 Plymouth is a GREAT "Gasser" candidate! I like the work I see here the frame work, yeah I'd keep that cross member (remember, thy had these issues in real life building these cars), and yes the strength was needed for the frame, so I'd keep it! I LOVE the engine choice too! Fits right in! Thats the 392 Hemi out of the '57 Chrysler 300C. I know because of the heads you posted, I built one of them for in the Chrysler 300C, that has twin Turbo, and Hillborn injection! Question tho, whats the deal with the headers? Those kit made, or are they something you made?