426-Hemi

So as I mentioned, I didn't get "A lot" done, BUT what I did get done was pretty intense. I got the front axle ready for paint, and some more details, BUT I also got the tires on rims, and some detail done to them as well! White spoke wheels, on the times as I pictured earlier..... Looks really good! I got to add chrome lug nut bolts yet and the front set of wheels needs to have some sort of lock-in, lock-out hub assemble done to the rim but other then that the set of 4 look really good! (I have to also make a spare), BUT with a white steel wheel on it! -Which is coming too! I got a spare steel wheel to use, I just got to do a little detail work to the wheel and then paint it white! A little different angle and a bit closer..... NOW comes the fun! Flipped over tires! Top 2 side-by-side are the front tires, and the lower 2 side-by-side are the backs! The top 2, have disk brakes, (rotors) as you can see, with calipers, the rotors, and calipers I MADE! The caliper has a hole drilled in it to except the brake line and fitting! BOTH sides drilled to have the caliper behind the axle center, as the real one would have! Then you can see the rear tires with DRUM brakes, Again, the DRUMS I MADE! I have yet to drill them for the brake line and fittings! Being "pre-made" these ALL will be "directional" to the truck! I want to get the wheels and tires on the axles this time BEFORE the axles are mounted ot the suspension, to adjust the height of the truck accordingly to what my Dads would have been! Building this way, will allow me to do that, AND add as much detail as I can just like I did my model of the truck I was building way back when..... Next part to be handled is the rear axle! A bit of work needs done before I can get to where I am on the front! Thats it for now! More to come when I'm able, ENJOY!

SO, with the weather being NIICE out its been difficult getting "A LOT" done on any modeling but I did manage a little bit..... I got to looking at that old Donor frame, that I'm trying to save as its styrene for my Railroad truck build as I'll be doing extensive frame work to it for that model, BUT I was more interested in the suspension to go under my Dads '79 Adventurer 150...... SO, I seen that the crude steering details they at MPC made way back when, it was good for the time back then, BUT, I thought I could improve upon it.... Went from this: Removed from the styrene frame..... Better view as the part itself. I think that steering tie-rod, could be improved in detailing so, I went on to do a bit more then just replace the missing "rod" MPC had originally with the part. Heres what I made it to be: Right side up, removed from the leaf springs, for detailing and height adjustment. I also added the drag link that would connect to anther rod that goes to the power steering, this detail wasn't even one the model, I made it myself, and added it from pictures of a real Dodge Adventurer truck! -It is a bit different from what I had in my Power Wagon! I knew there would be differences, BUT I tell you all, theres a bit more building these 2 trucks then I ever thought in the beginning, more then just the exterior, and interior...... AND even the motors! Notice, I removed a bit out of the mount where the rear mounts to the leaf springs! to lower the stance a bit, as my Dads real truck didn't appear "lifted" and left this part of the model alone, it would have made the truck look "lifted" BUT, it also wasn't "lowered" either, altho, thats what I've sort of done here, is lowered the trucks frame and body over the tires.... NOT a "low Rider" but more of a family truck sort of height! Same front axle, flipped over looking at the bottom! I got to paint this thing an getting it ready BUT I may as well get as much detail on it as I can before it gets painted! More to follow right after these short messages! ENJOY!

Joe, with me thats a good thing! LOL the Mrs, might not be happy with what I spend once that does happen......

Stray, Thanks on the compliments on the truck..... Its been a fun build/rebuild/restore of an old Dodge straight bed! As for Paypal, my issue is having no bank card or even credit card....... One of them is needed for a paypal account that I don't have, thats stops me from getting a paypal account and I've tried it with reloadable-credit/debt cards and the ones offered locally don't support papal! SO, I'm S.O.L, on that one......I'll find one at some point I guess, but till then...... I'll build the truck as Dad drove it in the summer.....

Thank you gentlemen! I try to use whatever I have laying around, to try and use up as much "scrap" plastic as I can (YES, before ANYONE asks, I have a HUGE scrap plastic supply!) My wife does crafts in my shop, repairs all sorts of things but she too uses it and a LOT more then I do, I actually am the one producing the scraps a lot of the time! BUT I try when ever possible to recycle those left over scraps! (You guys would NEVER believe the plexiglass "stash" I have for making display cases all from my neighbor! What the company he works for considers "cut off and scrap, is a whole 10 shelf display case to me! (YES, they're "that" big!) Ray, I'm not " better" we're all equals, I don't know how long you been at building, BUT I've been doing it since I was about 6 I guess and have not EVER stopped, been doing it ever since, and used to build for a living! (still do to an extent) build/design for a few bucks here and there to support my hobby or addiction of plastic, And now, I mold, to trade for things I know I can't just go out and buy.... So I trade my resin castings for different things that interest me..... But also please remember, I have a fully equipt shop for all this too..... I've got machines the normal modeler would not have! -One of such, may be in my next tutorial!

Thanks Joe! I do my best to keep it simple and understandable! Hope that it helps someone other then me detailing.....

Then, I mentioned to drill the holes for the supply and carburetor fuel lines. Here they are: Then, I went ahead and made the fuel line from the pump, to the carburetor. I bent my own line, and made my own fuel filter "in-line", and added it and then went back and painted the line a aluminum color, as the real counterpart would have been. Difficult to give a "shopping" list when most of this was "scraps" I had laying around. The rod is Evergreen Scale Models Styrene plastic Rod thats .100 inch in diameter. The rectangular stuff, is scraps, chosen by its size, to match that of the engine in 1/25th scale! Hope this helps! Enjoy.....

So you guys, ever go to detail an engine, to add the piping from the mechanical fuel pump to the carburetor, EVEN fuel injection, and when ya go to look for the mechanical fuel pump the model has none on the engine? What ya do? Here's the way I do it. You have the engine: See in the picture showing "pointing" there is no fuel pump on the model. SO, then you left high and dry, literally, OR you can add an in-line electrical fuel pump, I suppose, BUT thats not a good "detailing" of an engine, not to me at least. Or well at least not good detailing on Stock or "street rod" building. Then, I went to look, this motor had none period, it wasn't broken off or not added at all. It simply did not have that detail made from the factory! SO, then John goes on a hunt to see what I have in my "scraps" (and yes, I have on HECK OF A PILE/Stash of scrap plastic, sheet, and shapes.) I find I have some to use for making something.... Turns out, I have a bit of it, not only short scraps, but full lengths of stuff. You could even go as far to make this part from sprues! The best I can give ya is the following, look for some flat stock, and some round stock! The round stock: Turns out this was a pretty long section (over 4 inches long) that was out of my Evergreen Scale models styrene shape supply. Its .100" Rod. You take that rod, and put a slice in it on an angle, like so: Slice this about 3/4th across the "round" end, and about twice as long down the length of the diameter of the rod (hope that makes sense!) This slice will then be filled with the hanger. The hanger part/portion needs to be square, and able to be trimmed. As you'll see. I found what I needed in my scrap stash of really small sections of styrene plastic! Granted, your best choice is to find something flat, rectangular to fit in the slice you cut into the rod, not extremely tight, but snug. Glue with your choice of capillary glues, (I prefer Ambroid Pro-Weld, but you can't get it anymore), SO my second choice is Tenax-7R. Allow to dry. at a 90 degree angle, remember the rod part has to "hang" and the flat rectangular part is the hanger that is mounted to the engine slightly above the crank center! Now, you made that slice in the rod, the end of the rectangular part and down the side of the rod, has some "openings" needed filled in, trim the rectangular strip on the "top" add a small drop of CA (I prefer Krazy Glue) and a dash of baking Soda, file/sand to shape and thats done, then onto the slice down the side of the rod, do the SAME thing add CA to the slice opening, and a dash of baking soda file/sand to shape done! See: Now as I said, this was all done, and everything left "long". You have to go back and trim things to be in scale to the engine. See the rod is trimmed, short, but looks about right, when you see it on the engine, you'll see what I mean by "looking right". Be sure to drill the hole(s) for the fuel line to the carburetor, or fuel injection, as well as the hole doe the supply from fuel tank! As once on the engine, its a bit more difficult to do at that time (My first one taught me that issue!). The rectangular part however leave LONG! It has to fit into a oblong hole made into the engine block to fit it and then be filled in around. Here is the oblong hole in the block, notice the location, slightly above the crank and below where the fan pulley/cam is located. Now, what it looks like in place, and have had filler added. I had to go back and repaint the engine block to match, and then go and paint the fuel pump. And now painted:

Received and replied!

-No one is stupid, you just have to get yourself "comfortable" with doing things and sadly, a lot of times, thinking outside the box! (I myself, seem to be doing that more and more) Give it a shot, just remember when you bend the solder around the brass pipe, to pull it as tight as you can without "kinking" it up..... The tighter the fit the better looking it will be in the end!

-Good GAWD, where are you taking this thing Ira!? I'm almost afraid to ask!

-Thats exactly what I was aiming for! Be one of those "WHAT A RUSH", right? Yepper! I think its off the wall, but cool at the same time! Thanks guys!

LOVE the Camper idea made into a RV...... Is the "Camper" still available tho? I would NOT mind finding one of them for a Dodge truck I have!

-I'm sort of doing the same thing with a A100, custom frame, AND a V-16 Hemi Air plane engines been "righted" as the factory one was made upside down. This is COOL VERY short wheel base on yours compared to mine! I'll be watchin'!

Good GAWD MAN....... The rims, and tires on this is gonna be something (I'm NOT a fan of the Escalade, but DANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NICE layout and thought on how ya want it to look............ I got to ask, whats ya plans for body color?

-I have been trying to locate the Cat D8H but they're a long shot..... Just because I've always been a fan of "CAT" so............ whats the kit like tho? I'm unfamiliar with it as far as building it...... GREAT start I got to say! NICE work!

Thanks guys! Its much appreciated..... Andy, I was unsure, BUT I had someone else tell me the same thing, there are 3 of them! In that single car that I removed them from! Granted, I got MORE speakers to add, so, all those you see still in the car interior parts will be removed and placed inside the cab of this A100 "cab". Which is why I left a short "trunk" in the back of the cab when I made it, to put, house all that "inside" the cab..... The largest Amp, is going inside the Dog House, with glass in the top (reason I opened it up) Stay tuned! More to come in the future!

YES! O-M-G YES! I'll be looking to see if this seller takes Money Orders (I don't have a paypal account) MY GAWD, thank you for finding that! -This would be a long shot, BUT...... ANY that you know of like those from the '70's with a flat roof? The Ebay auction is a raised version! (I'd settle for one like it BUT if I can get one thats closer....... You know where I'm going with that...... EDIT: ERRRRRR I tried to contact the seller, hes not taking any questions so, I have to pass on that cap.....

Thanks guys! This Father end of this is gonna be a dang good fun one!!!!! Just because as I've said, the truck itself, the model.... I'm building from several parts donors due to one, its age, two, its difficult to get a straight bed Dodge and three, its got to be 4x4, BUT kept "stock" height, and looks. My truck in this set, the real one is/was as you see the model. Which its easier to "lift" them, then it is to keep them bone stock like my Dads '79..... Having said that, I've been "fitting" and measuring the suspension to keep it as stock as I can possibly get it, NOT sure how easy or difficult that might be and what modifications I'm gonna have to do to get it that way, BUT, we'll see, as I plan to do whatever it might take in order to get the "look" right. As you see so far, the truck itself, I got the rims (close) to what Dad's were, and tires to match, That is from Vince, THANKS guy! -He's helped me a lot in this build with trades and such, so..... Dale, ole Big Ears is at it.....LOL But, you knew that!

I got some stacks but those I have are from Lindberg, off the Little Red Wagon kits. I have several of those kits! I do however like the idea of having these "twin-stacks" PER cylinder on a Hemi tho...... Preferably the 426 Hemi! BUT I'd take something like that on a 392.....

AWESOME! Don't be surprised if you see this trick from me in the near future!

I was imagining the "Charger" SRT myself, you?

SO..... I got the suspension on the way, I got the frame almost ready for it, and then it comes down to "stance" this was and has got to be a STOCK height truck, thats how my Dad had his THAT I do remember, Problem being, is will it work? I kept as much as I could "stock", BUT could I pull it off with the tires and rims I had? NO, I got a bit more help from yet again Vince! (Thanks man, you have not idea how much hide you been saving!) LOL He sent me these: These are the best ones for the size I recall and my uncle speaking about over the phone the other night. The "singled out one" is ratty, and will be used NASTY side hidden as a spare tire! -Just to get rid of the thing! Its the only one I have and its plenty good on one side for a spare! Then, I haven't mentioned rims..... These rims, well IF my memory serves me right, they seen 3 or maybe even 4 Dodge trucks my Dad owned! WHY he loved them, I could not tell ya, BUT I know he did..... I know at least once he had them sand blasted, and powder coated! Never to need much upkeep after that, they STILL exist today, on the '84 Dodge Power Ram my cousin got that was also one of my Dads trucks! (thats how he got the rims!) My Step-Mother sold the truck to him AFTER Dad passed this past spring. As 8 vehicles is about 5 to many for her! LOL I just wished I was closer, I probably have that truck too I lived closer! BUT they were white, gloss white on a gloss black truck. They had I believe a red and blue stripe in them originally till Dad had them powder coated then those were gone, but.... they still looked pretty good! THEN, last but not least..... A picture of the cab, and the straight bed..... This is what Dad's looked like..... Imagine it black, 4x4, stock height, white spoke wheels, stock tires, and if I can find something once in awhile a bed cover NOT a "tarp" but like a top over the bed, with whatever you can imagine in the thing he was ALWAYS hauling stuff for himself or others so..... At times seems as tho he stored things for short periods of time too.... In the summer however the bed got cleaned out, and the top was removed, and used to haul but not to "store" for any length of time. -Thats a part, I'm not sure ANYONE makes (at least I haven't seen any) Thanks for looking and following for those out there following this thread! More to come when I'm able! ENJOY!

OK, so now you all have seen the "Donor" frame, and the fun I had with it.......... NOW comes that resin frame all that removed, and rebuilt suspension will be going on! EXACTLY the same frame, BUT its missing a few vital parts, It needs a gas tank, and both inner fender wells. Other then that it looks just like the frame thats in the Little Red Express, only longer! And missing details, this particular frame however, like I have mentioned, is resin! SO, who ever "cast" it, didn't do to bad, but, I need to add inner fenders (I think they removed them, to make molding easier!) BUT, the fuel tank the master copy NEVER had it.... SO, as if I remember correctly that was an added part in the kit (you had to glue it in yourself!) A few resin mold "bubbles"? -YEP, thats one way to tell resin from a glance! The "engine bay" in the frame, needed "opening" was a fine thin sheen of resin here, like an onion skin, this was made with a 2 part mold! Thats where the 2 separate parts, separated! (say that 3 times fast!) As you can see, I also had to open the little section behind that transmission cross member as well. Along with I had added a "pad" to mount the trans mission too, as the original truck had a half breed 360 - 440 in it, and the transmission was a bit.................bigger in diameter so, I needed something to bring the tail shaft up on the transmission, and I had to get the front mounted as the stock engine mount (just like my other frame in this build, would not work "as-is" so..... I have to make 2 completely different engine mounts per truck due to one being/having a Big Block in it "Mopar 440" and then the current one having a small block in it, "Mopar 360" SO, yep its the same way in real life too the mall block engine mounts are a bit longer and a bit more, pushed up, to meet the block, where the big blocks were pushed down to meet the block in about the same manner, just higher on on and lower on the other due to "deck height", the mounts weren't on the same "plane" from the big block to the small block and they compensated this by length and placement of the mounts on the truck frame! Over-all look of the frame upside-down! Notice closest to you lowest part of the picture, that frame rail, NO gas tank attached to it!? The truck this was molded from, I am not sure if it came with a glue on detail part, or simply did not have a fuel tank on the frame rails, (IT certainly could have been behind the seat! BUT I'm not 100% certain on that so.... I KNOW where the step-side tanks were however (I've owned several), and got one even today..... Just the other side! This picture is the one that would show how the tank would be again the furthermost away frame rail! A few more to follow, STAY TUNED!

OK for all thats following along, here are those pictures I promised! Now as you read with my typed "update", I was removing parts from a glue bomb, frame, to have the needed 4x4 suspension for this truck. WELL that frame so far so good, has supplied me with both front leaf springs, and axle, as well as partial "steering" parts (I'll be doing some custom work), on the steering detail as I did on the frame thats going under my truck in this build..... ANYWAY, the donor frame for the model was/is gonna be used else where on another build due to it being "styrene" my Dads truck however being bone stock, can use the more difficult frame to work with thats resin for strength sake..... (the styrene frame will have MAJOR modifications to it), for the truck its going to be used in (my Railroad truck) that you'll see again in the future! So, without further ado, heres that glue bomb frame I was salvaging parts from: Firstly, if it had been "painted" it would have made severing the parts a bit harder to do, BUT this junk frame looked as tho the whole truck was assembled with no paint! (In my favor!) BUT, wasn't a complete truck when I got it, all I got is what your about to see! The front suspension isn't in to bad of shape! I can work with it. I did however remove the tie rod, going from side to side, the crank journals to make the wheels "steer" were left in place, I think I can work with them, we'll see. I also noticed A LOT of glue seams needing "filed" smooth, that will be seen in just a few pictures! BUT upon severing this front suspension, one of the leaf springs broke, (I knew it would I noticed the crack looking at the frame at one point so...) I was ready for it, and armed with Tenax 7R! So, then this is what the parts looked like being removed: Can't even tell where the leaf spring WAS broken! Anyone see it? This same frame ALSO donated to me the rear suspension, it however was in much worse shape! REMEMBER this "donor" frame will be extremely hacked up in the end, BUT its going to be used in another extreme build when this Father & Son set are done! The styrene will make the glue joints easier to do, and much stronger, Dads truck however is bone stock, I won't need to do any "lengthening" to it to keep the frame straight or strong so..... The hardest part on this one will be adding the inner fender wells! THOSE will come from a "Little Red Express" truck NEW frame, that would have gone under the truck originally! With a short step-side bed! The back suspension, BOTH leaf springs were broken in 2 places, and the rear wasn't EVER glued really well. AND upon removing the drivers side leaf it came loose from the rear. (NOTHING was glued real well on whom ever assemble this truck when it was now..... Coming up next, is the "NEW" resin frame! Stay tuned! More to follow these short messages!