mr68gts

Got the lathe out and got to making chips! This is one of the rear end spindles. The first one was a failure. There was an issue with a dimension in the printed parts. They are close but there wasn't enough of a lip to retain the 4 link bracket without sliding over the spindle so I made a new one with a bigger step in it. I may need to go in an change the dimensions a bit on the pattern for the spindle boss that will be printed so that it fits correctly without interfering with the tube since there are bolts that hold the caliper bracket on. What to do when you need a carriage stop and don't have one? You think outside the box and get ingenious lol! Using the tail stock as a back stop so I can machine the out half. Finished part. I though up another idea on how to do this but I will just make the 2nd one and carry on. The idea would require having new parts printed and there really is nothing wrong with these. Just a different way to do it.

First parts painted and detailed!!!! What a milestone for me woohoo! The individual part break down as follows, The crank hub which in real life is pressed onto the crank snout, the crank bolt goes in, then the timing/degree wheel goes into notches on the hub (yes the notches are in the 1/16 hub!), the pulley goes over that and then the support hub goes into the pulley and it is all bolted together. The pulley and the bolt are not painted yet. I have some paint mixed up to make the pulley look like hard anodized but am not quite there yet and I cannot do anything about installing the pulley anyway because I need the block and timing cover here to install it all any how. The bolt will be gold in color to look like a gold iradited bolt. (ala ARP) The 6 bolts in the support hub are T2M bolts. I'm going to have to scrounge around for these things since they are no longer in business. There is a company that makes hardware like scale hardware did but they do not have anything like what T2M made. Wish someone would pick up that line because they are a wonderful detail to add!

The next order on it's way! The 481x is finally going to be a reality, after over a year working on it!

The Penske rear shocks. This is just the upper assembly. I have the lower portion and the adjuster done also but I'm not going to bore ya'll with the details.... lol, you get the gist of it anyway. So I've got the drive flange for the floater done. I ended up doing it in one piece instead. Just made more sense as these parts are small in scale! This is the flange on the floater spindle. This piece will be 3d printed along with the above parts. By doing it this way I can get the profile of the part and retain the strength of the aluminum. This is the floater spindle without the above flange. This part will be machined from aluminum for strength.

Dave, Thank you! If it wasn't for your help some of it wouldn't be possible and I most likely wouldn't have corrected the chassis issues either. The hub itself will be 3d printed along with the drive flange. I did the 5 on 5 b.p. but I have the dimensions for the 5.5 one also. (there's a height difference on the 5.5 pattern one for some reason) The spindle will be machined but the portion that has the brake bracket boss will be printed. Basically a collar that will slip over the machined tube with a stop to locate it. Probably the best of both worlds this way as I can get the strength of the aluminum yet the detail of the printed parts. Funny thing, I've learned to draw up everything in 1:1 scale since starting the 481x. It makes it much easier to scale it within the program over trying to do it on paper and keep it straight. With that said I can scale the parts down to what ever provided it will print. Off to the lathe I go! Time to start machining the tube spacer for the 4 link brackets. Paul

Got a little further with the chassis this morning! The basic rear structure is off the old chassis. There was nothing wrong with it and the shock tabs were in the correct spot so I just reused it without the bracing. The cross members have been relocated and now I can start adding in the floor bracing and rocker bars.

Thanks Chris, So, fun time is over! Time to get serious and put it to plastic! I didn't order up the rest of the 481x yet but that will be tomorrow. (just ran out of time to combine files) New hoop with newly printed modular 4 link! Like I said, plan is to have it on wheels for GSL in rough form. Wish me luck! I'm going to need it lol. Paul

Thank you fellas! I dug out the aluminum plate I use for chassis tonight so here we go! I may see what brass I have on hand and do it up with a mix of brass and evergreen. This way I can use the strength of the brass as an advantage. It will only be the main rails, hoop and basic structure if I do go this route. Just going to have to ponder. We are so limited on supplies up here that it's hard to get anything without ordering even the basic necessities for model building. I even have to stock up on glues when we come down the mountain! Paints are a joke, so when I say see what brass I have on hand..... lol I've got to get back to digging up parts, see what I come up with in the next few days! Paul

Trial fit of the brake rotor assembly to the front rims. The screws are going to be a pain in the you know what!

Here's the floater parts so far. The rotor will be machined along with the retaining ring for the rotor. I am thinking I will make the flange on the spindle separate from the "tube" so I can machine it also and use the printed flange to be able to replicate the model properly. I still need to do the drive flange and axle cover. It's 2 pieces in real life but I may make it one piece in the model. Haven't decided yet. Just depends on how crazy detailed I want to get with it. One part will look just like the 2 by the time I am done with it.

Magneto. The cap didn't print the pins so I will have to redo that but the rest of it came out good. Front brake parts. I haven't tried them on the rims yet but I will soon to see how they fit. Shouldn't be any problems since it has all been engineered on the computer! 4 Link parts. The rear end brackets have a little bow to them but I think I can straighten them out. I may see if I can have them photo etched though. I need to put together a file and try and get it all photo etched. There's a bunch of tabs and brackets I am going to need that would be better in photo etch than printed. Lower drive parts. The long stub is the support hub. Short one is the crank hub. Can't wait to see if I can put all this together once I get the block and remaining parts ordered up. Updated strut bodies set up for the machined spindles. Lets hope they are strong enough to support the model once completed!

More jewlery! Check your in box...

Dave, did you hollow out the scoop? If so, currious how you did it! As usual, beautiful work!

Awsome update Chris! I've about had it with photobucket myself but when I try to set up a Fotki account it doesn't let me. I am not sure what thats about but maybe I don't want to go there either lol. Paul

Thank you Dave. The cad files will soon be less since all the parts I need are either on their way or ordered so it will finally be time to start putting it back together the 2nd time! I think the only parts left are the floater hubs, all the calipers and the rear Penske shocks. I have a hat picked out that got done for someone else a while back if I do decide to go supercharged. Paul

Brad, Thank you sir, The spindle mount 5 spoke is available in the store but the kidney bean and the Bear Paw are not. I may make the Bear paw available after a bit but the Kidney Bean Halibrand needs more work. Chris, Thank you! The computer is a bit mad at me but it'll get over it! Nah, she's good. Been doing most of the work at 3 am whilst she be sleeping! LOL. Dave, Thank you! It's been a big effort and now the parts are starting to roll in! The first order of parts will be here Tuesday and I am ordering the rest of the 481x tonight along with a few other parts to hopefully get this thing up on wheels at least by GSL. small update.... I redid the clearance for the valve cover bolts so I can carbon fiber them instead of Alclad / Spaztix chrome without the decal pealing with installation of the T2M bolts. The bear paw and 5 spoke rims will be ordered at a later date (funds! Need mo funds! lol) Everything is transferable from rim to rim though so there won't be an issue! Off to relax for the evening!

Really like this thing! May have to find the series of them myself. There was a guys years back at Victorville that was turning the Willys into the SWC car. Paul

And if I want to carry the nostalgic look to the front that would be around the same era for a no expense spared billet wheel. Not too sure on these though as it will hide much of the detail looking through the rim so I may just go spindle mount 5 spoke Americans instead.

Decided to have a bit of fun since it is a model. Came up with a new bead lock style rear rim with some nostalgic flair! Definitely going with these!

They are not.They were produced by Chuck who sadly no longer is with us. Best bet is if you happen to find them on the bay or something is to snap them up. I have a set myself and they are not available.

Don't give him any ideas! Tim, what do you use to soldier your parts together? The steering box looks fantastic! Will it operate too? Paul

Tim, technically yes. I could do it now if I had the machine and tooling. Because you can take the file and open it up in Mastercam which will help convert it to the necessary file for nc (maybe .stl also, im not sure) and program the machine to mill it. It would takes days however to machine. Limitaions to something in scale would be available tooling however. Easier maybe to use as a wax master and cast in metal maybe.

And finally the last piece of the 481x long block is finished up! (the block!) Thanks to those that have helped and also pushed me to get this thing finished! The rest of the front of the block is finished up and at Shapeways also. I think I am going to add a crank snout starter to it though but that should be easy. I hope... Now I will need to finish up the supercharger manifold and do the superchargers for it. It's not cheap to print at 28 dollars but it will be supported pretty good. I may go back in and clear out some material in the middle to cut down on some of the material costs. That's where most of the expense is. It passed all of Shapeways inspections so it's ready for me to order up....as soon as I save up some money! lol.

Excellent work so far! Keep it up. Paul