mr68gts

Here's the original annual kit. Unfortunately I am missing the destructions and the mag front rims but the rest of the kit is there.

Yep...Tom is A-OK

Just signed up myself! This should be good! Good luck on this endeavor Randy! Paul

Probably sprayed too heavy of a first coat. I've found with the Urethane clears that if you thin it some instead of relying only on the hardener to do it that it tends to flow out better, not look like it is dipped in the stuff, and you don't need as much to start out avoiding the orange peal. This allows you to use less helping to avoid the problem. I've been going that route for quite a few years without any problems. Also drying time of the decals and how well they are adhered to the body affect that. Too soon after applying the decals and they tend to lift or wrinkle. I also use solvaset quite often to help with the decal adhesion. Seems to work for me with pretty good success rate, especially with older decals. Paul

Got the main decals on. Had an issue with the Judge stripe on one side so they are staying off. Let them dry for a few days and then I can final clear it. I may do the emblems in bare metal before the clear. Just so they are protected from handling since they are small and thin. Have fun with that Jesse. I know on mine nothing had fit the way it should or should I say the way we like! I think the trans was pointing to one of the rear tires when I mocked it up before engine assembly lol. The chassis wasn't too bad but the cleanup required was a lot of work. It went together pretty square though. I used the floorboard as a jig and weighted it down while the glue set up to get the chassis square and straight. Worked out pretty good. Not bad for doing much of it at work anyway! Paul

Thank you! I got it in not only the intercoat clear with the gold pearl but also the 2 part Urethane! So far so good! Paint looks good but the lights I feel will do it no justice and need to see it in the daylight so I will hold judgement till then. At least I managed a pic of it though!

The engine is a pretty good representation of one but the 4 spd behind it shouldnt be there. Lots of cleanup work and squaring of the engine block was required.

I am building that particular model. But since it is not totally accurate as far as Arnies car goes I am doing the paint this way. Ya know, kinda flashy, out of the box. I believe the "correct" color is the Carousel Red you mentioned though. I am even fighting off correcting the headers in the kit because I want a 100% box stock build. (The headers are horrible and not correct for the Poncho) Paul

To the O.P. I would maybe look into a rubber band about the correct size and width if there is one available. Or electrical tape can work also as a belt. Unless you are going for a 100% box stock build (like you were going to go to contest with it) I have one of these started but never got to the engine stage as I never cared for the engines in the kit. It is still a nice kit however and with a little bit of work can be made to look great! Yours is coming out fantastic thus far. Keep up the great work! Paul

Manzo,...The KING of T/A!

Thanks guys. Here's the chassis as it sits currently. I still have some work to do but it's not to bad. As I said, most of the clean up work for the chrome is finished. Just need to get off my butt and get to it. I am just happy to finally get the body painted! Hope to clear it tonight with the gold pearl added to it. It should make the color pop! Paul

lol. No...no scratchbuilding. Just box stock. I still remember how to do that.....I think....lol

Sorry, I was thinking common kit. I forgot about the group 17 thing.

So, I've been working on this thing for a while. Just a box stock build that I finally have no paint problems. I've had a bunch of problems getting it in paint. It's been fighting me the whole way! Finally managed to get the base coats on it today without any hiccups. The color is Candy Orange over Greeks Gold base. Still need to clear it then add the main decals, then more clear. Lastly the sponsor decals. The chassis and Poncho engine are pretty much completed. I still have some Spaztix chrome work to do but most of the clean up is done. Nice to have a box stock build to go to while I am going crazy with the Pro Mod.

Always admired Russel's 3 wheeled creations! Nice to see someone else carry on the tradition! The group model this year is the corvette I believe? I couldn't imagine that as a 3 wheeled thing, but then again.... Paul Scratch that! It's the 67 Camaro

Dave, Thank you! I am having a blast with this thing. Managed to stop by Chris's over the weekend for a bit and got to see the Army car first hand. The pics he shows of it while awesome still do not show the detail of the parts themselves. Was nice to hang out for a few hours and just bs and catch up. Too bad I can't make it to DSC but work comes first and I am trying to save my vacation time lol. Bad enough I'm using up 100 hours of it for GSL! (I get 210 hours!) Anyhow, I started playing with the struts last night and unfortunately broke one. I have spares but it just goes to prove my point that the struts just are not going to be strong enough to hold this model up I think. SO, I started machining them out of brass! I've got the main body of both sides done. I need to change over to the mill and machine the spindle hole,(at the required angle) to accept the machined boss/spindle that will go in the hole. I'll start out with a center drill and finish up with a regular drill bit. Once that is done I can machine the spindle half of it out of brass and then soldier it together. The hole will help stabilize the spindle and give it some strength. I hope.... onto the pics... I haven't decided if I am going to clean off the parting nub and machine a receiver hole into the top of the body to accept the adjustable part of the strut yet or not. The nub makes a good register also but I was trying to see if I can make the struts and Penske shocks for the rear operational so I may require it to be gone although I won't require much travel.

you ought to see this thing in person! I got to see it first hand over the weekend...neener neener! lol

Randy..... I got nothing....time to call it quits! Lol Wow that is seriously some amazing work! Cant wait to see this again at GSL! I have always wanted to make working butterflies, musta read my mind. Better dawn my trusty ol tin foil hat again...lol

Is there a tutoial on your glassing process? Id be interested in it for a 1/12 Porsche 910 I did a brass frame for eons ago! (I've wanted to do a true glass body using molds to get the proper texture and such.)

Tim, Glad to help. It was easy since I already had the solid model, just the wong scale lol. Looks like it printed fairly well. Btw, the hole in the side of the reverser is or should be.04 for the crossshaft bung with the crossshaft being .02 across the flats. (Hex shaft) Looks like it mated up to your bellhousing well too! Awsome work! Paul

Mike, Thank you sir. Im very much a newb at the solidworks but I am a fast learner. I've enjoyed the journey thus far. I actually bought the solidworks training books to learn. With these books Ixve quite litterally taught myself the program and some help from Chris. Ther will be some updates on this in a week or so. Off for 6 days and taking care of a few things before shift starts again. The metal strut idea was actually me machining them. That is good to know about the metal printed parts though! I did not know that. That also explains the price of the precious metals. Chris and I were laughing one day about platinum parts on a model lol. Tim and Chris, thank you!

Little bit of an update! The chassis is slowly going back together in the wee hours of the mornings before I go to work. (AKA 3 am lol) I've got the basic cage structure done and the J bars are back in! Glad I can engineer all this on the computer. There is literally none to extremely little room between the trans cross member and the Lenco section! And yet it still fits as it should! Before I know it, it will be on all fours for the first time ever. I may see about machining the strut bodies in brass instead of the 3d printed parts just for the strength. I am still worried about the weight and size of the model on some crucial components. Just have to see. And the engine is just a hair above 10 inches crank center line to ground as it should be. Pay no mind to the upright at the mid plate. It's just my reference point I am using to locate the engine for now till I bend up the mid plate hoop.

someone said ribs? I come with a gallon jug of Sweet baby rays BBQ sauce.... I see ribs! but not bbq'd, don't mess with a mans appetite! come on man... lol Can't say enough about the work you are doing! Definitely going to be a sweet model with a ton of details once completed! I'll refrain from putting BBQ sauce all over your parts

Couldnt find his copy on there just now. Maybe got pulled? I see someone else has one up with Fireballs card with it. I assume that is you Chiefjoseph?

Because we are masochists lol.... and we keep coming back for more ha ha