89AKurt

Thanks! Tweaked the side that bugged me. Finished the little details, but not the anti-sway bar and shocks. Decided to mount the shocks inside the frame, the brackets on the axle are finalized. Driveshaft will be lengthened soon. The "new" tires mocked up to see how it looks. After all the measuring and jig work, I still have missed the correct wheelbase look, the rear is too far back. The simplest fix would be to change the fender arc to sweep back. ?

It's a good thing I'm not so much into Aston Martins to *have to* get this kit. I've seen the prices, ridiculous. It is a nice looking sports tourer, and Tamiya quality is worth it.

Thank you, so that's what the wood block thingie is called. Fabricated the back springs. Since I'm rushing this, not happy with the shackle angle on the left side..... OCD is a terrible thing. ? Need to do the aluminum keeper thingies, add to the standoff blocks on the axle, U-bolts, then both ends will be done to the same stage. Need to think about anti-sway bars, the kit has them but the front part is warped, and they are ####, have fabricated them on cars before. Shocks are the next detail to obsess over, most trucks have bellows, was looking at a client's Jeep with the fancy separate reservoir units that also had coil springs. The front will get more stuff too.

typical vacuum salesman

I can't participate in this, but if it helps, will post a link to my WIP Mongrel. I addressed the windshield, inside door detail, lights, that could be used on a normal build.

? Thank you. Back bumper is done, other than tweaking to get level. First thing to do was add screws, a 0.1" sheet styrene brace is glued to the body, which the bed floor will sit on. I modified the spring form, have cut the strips, and revised the drawing. But thought the spring perches should be done first. I'm not duplicating the real thing, just making it look viable, and workable for assembling. I have also been modifying the jig with the crosscut saw. Next session, drilling holes. Then the springs.

Mind lost was foundered in the Drivers Ed film Red Asphalt.

Thank you. Horrible engineering if it was real, really bad for a kit that kids would be starting the hobby with, and being turned off. Want to thank stavanzer (Alan) for volunteering a set of tires/wheels from his stash. As you can see, the plastic is white for the inside rim. What I did not expect, the tires are the proper size! I posted earlier about needing to modify the rims, now I'll just use these tires, and the narrower for the spare. Undecided about having 2 spares. Used the Dremel to remove the center cap and lug nuts, and hollowed the back so there is realistic thickness of the wheel. Used successively larger drill bits in the drill press to open up the center hole. Reduced the width of the outside rim by 1 MM. Also marked then drilled the lug nut holes, before sanding the center down. Since the chrome is so bad, I should strip and then paint with the AK Interactive chrome. (I know Revell just released a spray paint, I don't do rattle cans) Also removed the inside of the inner rim. After doing this, I believe the wheel is incorrect. The center would not be offset from the spokes, I almost ruined this wheel by cutting through a little, doesn't show up from the outside face, so not worried about it. Next thing to think about, how to mount in the bed.

Foundered my mind lost. ?

It's a pet peeve of mine too. I wouldn't attempt with a drill bit, a round tip Dremel bit would be the best choice. Getting headlight lenses is the challenge, I got an aftermarket set that apparently has been discontinued. I posted this some time ago, some kits have clear lenses but flat reflector.

Too many excuses

Attitude adjustment in dealing the the freaking building department is easier said that done.

that's for sale

Appreciate your help. Thank you! Where to start, pinning down dimensions in space is a bit tough. First step was to make a cardboard template. Used the kit's length for a start. Glued on wood blocks for the frame elevation, lowered the frame 3 MM (believe it or not ?) Eyeballed the height to make sure the tires fit the rear arch, I'm planning to make the front arch larger. Nasty flat springs were cut off, where they met the axle was kept. Figured out which end of the spring is fixed, the other end will have shackles. Used an ancient drafting tool called a french curve to draw the arc on a piece of Corian®. Drew the ends, and axle lines on the block, with permanent marker pen. The front of the form has beveled ends so I could keep track. Used the ancient drafting board to cut the spring strips from 0.02" styrene, taped down the sheet over cardboard, used a new #11 blade. The vintage compass was used to mark each cut, which is the width of the kit's spring. Used the classic mechanical pencil to draw each length of spring, and numbered each layer. I drew a diagonal line to determine the step down length. Used aluminum tape to hold down the first spring. Shoot, forgot to take pictures in the wood shop, I used the table saw, cross cut saw, and bench disk sander to make the form. Used a sanding stick to chamfer the edges, then steel wool. The first to glue on was held with a clothes pin, but that's not really needed with superglue. Used the drawing to mark where the end of each layer started. Next time I'm drawing lines on the form for that too. Don't know what the keeper things are called, made from newspaper printing plate. Used an offcut spring for a form, had a sequence of what tweezers and pliers to use bending. The ends are Plastruct tubing, use a toothpick to sand the cut square. The end of the spring is sanded at a sharp bevel, also sanded the tube flat where it's glued to the spring. The final bend, I cut the excess right on the spring, then glued there. Brass wire at the ends. Grant Line bolts at the shackle to frame, half depth for each side, tried to not get glue on the shackle so it could move. This looks 1000% better that the **** the kit provided. Took a break, bought a car, got dinner. Got the other side done. This is why I made the frame blocks. Held the back end in place with a clamp. Glued the springs to the axle and held in place. Used copper wire for the U-bolts. I had taken the axle with springs out of the jig, made the plate the bolts go into. Wire insulation to mimic nuts. Everything is friction fit, so I can remove the axle assembly. This was the first time I built a solid axle like this, it was sort of fun! Have the shocks, sway bar, stabilizer, steering box with linkage to do still. But my goal was to get the front bumper mounts on, and mock up the brush guard/winch. Used the GMC bumper splash pan (part behind the bumper) for the mount. Researched pictures for how the Studebaker looked, so I made that splash pan. Such a cool hood ornament. Yea, that looks tough! ? Gonna fix those blind headlights. ?

I'm resigned to having to redo at least the front springs. At the minimum, doing the front end will show up better, than the rear. Until my OCD kicks in....

like fighter planes

I had that and other first edition How Wheels, which ended up in the crusher or sold at a High School band trip to Disneyland funding drive. Story of my life. Anyway, cool project!

Thanks! Thanks! The rear perches are going away, will do like my neighbor's Blazer. The front is totally messed up, debating about doing arched springs, and then I would have to make something that looks like steering, which could lead to ...... Something I noticed was some warp in the body. Considering the hot wire doesn't cut the 3D plastic, I was wondering if hot water would do anything. Since I was doing dishes (yes I never had a dish washer) and had hot water, found out you can finesse as needed. Made the wood block to keep the rest of the body straight. Thought I would take more pictures of the process of changing the fenders. First step was Dremel grinding off the lower sections. Used the hot-wire to cut up the other door panel, the arm rest area was really thick, no way to cut with a knife, and awkward with a saw. First pieces were the continuation of the bed sides. Next was gluing on triangular pieces for the fender. It's always tricky to get the other half to match, I don't have any tricks, just trial and error. Glued the other bed inside panel in. Cut with the hot-wire, the bed floor from Plastistruct ribbed siding that is close to the GM bed floor. Aluminum tape to temporarily hold in place. Yea, much better. ?

Thanks! Shoulda coulda woulda.

Despite getting a couple of distractions by life this morning, made progress in the mating of chassis to body. First was to add the missing floor on the chassis, which led to adding to the front of the bed, and a support plate in the cab. After refining the revised fender, which included grinding the inside somewhat to shape, added the bed inside panel. Then I fabricated the firewall, which is a blend of the GMC floor, and what the Studebaker looks like, which luckily is flat panels. Then made the glovebox using newspaper printing plate over the top. I have two screws to hold the chassis to the body, for now that seems to be enough, but I'm sure two more at the end of the frame to bed will be needed.

bribe important people

I'm determined to make noticeable progress this weekend. What to do next? Bumpers, hollowed the back, starting with the Dremel, then Xacto, scrapers, and sanding sticks. Forgot to get the #0000 steel wool in the picture. Started on the rear fenders. Cut up a door panel, goober superglued with baking soda pieces on. Roughed to shape with the Dremel.

Thought I saw you do that. Yea, the front spring mounts really need improvement, and the flat springs are bugging me. Thinking about body color. Was thinking Tuscan Tan, with rear fenders being different. Rusty patina no matter what.

Hope their gold chains knocked their teeth out.

I see it happening in the consucktion industry. All my builder clients complain about finding guys worthy of being called a carpenter. One said he was a journeyman, Contractor looked at a simple job he worked on and was immediately fired, had to be redone by the Contractor. Same goes for Engineers, not many people coming out of universities to begin with, and the recent one who worked on one of my jobs screwed up pretty good, I'm still waiting for the principal to stamp my drawings so I can jump to submitting for permit. Don't get me going about the freaking building departments, I'm so wanting to walk away because they are ....... I better stop my rant here. ?