Rocking Rodney Rat

Agreed....now I'm heading to the bench to work on some more scale hot rods...-RRR

Call it whatever you want, but calling a sheep's tail a leg doesn't make it a leg. -RRR

I'm not trying to argue either, but the definition of a hot rod as defined by the rodfathers is an American made automobile manufactured before 1949 modified...etc... I think a new term for what you are showing is needed, it may be innovative and cool but it's not a 'hot rod'. My $.02 and worth both pennies. Over to you! -RRR

It lives here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/ -RRR

Nice save.... -RRR

Sweet! Draggin' wagons are kool! Bring it on!!! -RRR

I wasn't able to get the backstory, but it's sage advice, in any case.... -RRR

Nice. That chassis and engine is originally from the Don Garlits Wynnsjammer kit. One of the best 392 Hemis ever offered in 1/25th scale IMHO. It has a crankshaft (and a clear oil pan) as well as blower rotor blades and separate pulleys and rubber blower belt. The original issue also had a clear body. That kit was also issued as the HemiSphere without a clear body a few years ago... -RRR

The Grumpy's Toy fenders aren't that much different from the AMT Vega bodies I'm using. I'm going to use the openings from the Revell Vega body (Gene Snow car) I have. -RRR

The chop. Body #2 is the one I will use as the back half when (if?) the two bodies are mated together. A mild chop is in order, just enough to bring the roof down level instead of rising up in the front. Taking a gander at the body, a cut could be made at the base of the C pillar, or at the top. It was decided to make a cut at the top corner of the rear window. ---------------------------- The plan is to remove the B pillar. I marked on the body where the B pillar was for future reference. I had intended make a jig to hold the front part of the roof in place while the A pillar was cut to make sure the roof drop was the same on both sides. --------------------------- These pieces of Evergreen rectangle (bottom right) were notched to hold the roof in place. I didn't end up using the jig, I just started cutting, pretty much made a mess, LOL. Cuts were made at the top of the C pillar, B pillar was removed, and slices were made at the bottom and top of the A pillar to move parts around. None of the slices were cut all the way through. Much fitting and futzing ensued to get everything lined up. It didn't go as smoothly as planned. ------------------------- It's amazing how much change a small drop in the roof made! (stock body in the background). ---------------------------- Adding a piece of sheet styrene to fill in the back window area..... -------------------- That's it for now. Next up, front and rear wheel well openings being massaged... Thanks for following along..... -RRR

Not brain surgery, not rocket science but rocket surgery..... -RRR

Okay, campers! The parts I ordered on FleaBay arrived yesterday and I wasted no time getting to work. I bought a body and related parts of the MPC "Grumpy's Toy" 1972 Vega. The only parts I really wanted was the front fascia of the body and the front grille/bumper assembly. Comparing the two bodies, the MPC body is a little narrower, probably closer to reality than the somewhat wide AMT body. A quick measurement with the calipers determined the MPC body is about 2 mm narrower at the front than the AMT Kammback body. Well within useable tolerances. ----------------------------- First item of biz is to fire up the Sawzall and cut off the front part of the '72 body and cast the rest of the body on the junk pile.... ----------- Next, cut the front off of the Kammback body and tape the '72 front end on and see what needs to be done to mate the parts together.... After some careful study, it was determined the best place to make cuts to narrow the body was marked as such in the above pic. Cuts were made and then sandpaper was slipped into the cuts to remove the needed amount of material . Remember, it was only a millimeter off on each side. ----------------------------- The parts were glued together. I'm going to bring the front wheel well forward, so I didn't glue the parts together down the side, as you can see in the pic, the parts don't line up. That will all be addressed. There will be some sanding and filing in several places, but this worked out as well as can be expected. --------------------------------- I cut the front wheel well section out of the Revell Gene Snow Vega body I had and dropped it on the body. I will make the wheel well part narrower, the hole looks too wide to me. ----------------------- Going back a little bit, the AMT '76 Kammback kit has the '72 grille on the chrome tree. I like the grille without the bumper running through it and that's what I want to do, with bumperettes on either side of the grille. Here's a comparo of the two. The "Grumpy's Toy" MPC offering has the bumper running through the grille. The AMT grille (top) is just slightly too big to fit into the MPC opening. The MPC grille is much nicer looking and obviously drops right in to the opening on the body. ----------------------------- The back side of the MPC bumper/grille assembly shows the open part of the bumper runs right through the grille. Ugly. The plan is to cut off the bumper ends and use them. I will then fill in the backside opening through the center of the grille. I'll then grind out the bumper and put in a piece of Evergreen sheet styrene to cover the grille. Slixx decals offers two different '72 Vega grille options, one of a funny car grille and headlight sheet and one of the "Jungle Jim" Vega decal sheet. I'm hoping one of that can be used.... Lots more to do.... Today's project is taking body #2 and chopping the top, just a slight haircut...I want to do all of this body work before I cut the two bodies and mate them together to make the stretch. Thanks for playing along.... -RRR

It shouldn't be too hard to fill in the gap on the cowl. ...and speaking of crazy death traps, check out these: https://www.motortrend.com/features/crazy-world-sideways-sidewinder-dragsters/ I have pulled parts to build one, it will get done someday... -RRR

I'm going to have to pick "won" of these up.... -RRR

I'm sure once the manufacturer has a tooling done they look around to see haw many different variations they can make to amortize that investment. To me, the fun of building model cars: is there enough "raw material" available to modify to make what I want? The enjoyment and challenge for me is "can I put my vision into reality?". When I first got back into model building as a mid 30's aged adult after not building since I was a kid, I got frustrated that I didn't have the skills to bring my visions to reality, after being involved in the hobby for almost 40 years (yeah, I'm olde), I can build what I envision (for the most part). That makes the hobby really enjoyable for me. That's why I really like building hot rods is because there are no "rules" per se, each car/truck is an original statement of the builders concept and vision. Nostalgia drag is fun because there were so may crazy unique designs back then, shade tree mechanics cobbling parts together and hitting the strip. Admittedly, many of those cars were death traps. -RRR

You have the coolest job in the world.... -RRR

Good to see you back at it, I was digging all of the vinyl in that pic of your arm in the cast. I've got a lot of those 12" black discs here, too.... -RRR

I agree. I'm hoping I can change that with some deft cuts with the scale sawzall. I going to get started this weekend.... -RRR

Good to see you back on this one... -RRR

I'll snap some pix and post.... -RRR

I agree, they're not perfect, but it's what we have to work with, right? I ordered some Grumpy Jenkins "Grumpy's Toy" '72 Vega body and other parts on FleaBay. I'm waiting for parts to arrive to see if I can graft the '72 front end on the '76 body...AMT vs MPC, how close will the tolerances be? Stay tuned.... -RRR

Competition Resin has a Vega Kammback funny car body: https://ecsvr.com/cpr/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=2&subcat=2&cat=1970+funny+car I just prefer to make my own.... -RRR

That's cool! Thanks for sharing...-RRR

Here's my latest project. I bought two of the AMT '76 Vega Kammback kits and I'm going to stretch the hood and give the top a slight chop. The frames (will need a slight stretch, too) are from the Revell Gene Snow funny car. The third body will sacrifice it's wheel wells that will be grafted onto the Vega body. I'm still waiting for some parts to arrive via the post. I will source an elephant motor from somewhere...I'm sharpening up the Sawzall. Fun, fun, fun... --------------------------- I'm going for a body somewhat like this, but I'm not going to replicate the Wonderwagon. I've always loved these cutaway drawings... RRR

Just glue the bottle to the desk, epoxy works good for that, you'll never spill it again..... -RRR