Oldmopars

I hope it is not an issue, but I was looking at my options and I have decided to switch from the Pontiac NASCAR as a donor to a Ford T-Bird NASCAR as a donor. The chassis is just better for my needs. Everything else remains the same.

You are 100% correct on the front spring perch. I know that from an engineering perspective it is not the best way to go. However with this being a super light car, I have seen it done this way. Again, I know if it was a race car, it would be totally wrong, but for a Rat Rod styled Bucket, it will due. I see some crazy stuff on Rat Rods and custom cars that really should never be done, but for a show car if it looks cool, it gets done. Many underslung Rods have the axle above the springs and the U bolts hold them down, same setup. In the rear I may flip the spring brackets to give a it more travel, but I plan on some questionable engineering back there too. I plan to swap the radius arms to go from the frame to the center of the diff. This will give a bit of a triangle setup. But because this would not allow the rear to track correctly I plan to add a panhard rod to keep the rear centered. However, I have never seen a T-Bucket that looked like it was safe enough to use even half of the power most have between the frame rails. Most of them look like they would fold up or twist into a pretzel if they ever really stomped on the throttle. Add to that the really bad handling you would get from having bicycle tires up front and big wide Mickey Thompson’s out back. T-Buckets are for shows and parades, not really for serious driving.

I got a little more done on these 2 kits. Mostly working on #2 as the weather is no good for painting and that is where I am at with #1. I wanted this to be low, really low. I redid the front spring hanger so that it hold the spring from the bottom, not the top. This gained at least 2 more inches of drop. I have been working on a Quick Change rear end. I have the center section finished, just some minor sanding to complete. I channeled the body a little bit more, but only a little. I scratched my head a lot on what to do in the rear. I thought about going underslung, but I just didn't have the parts to do it right. So, I Z'd the frame. I did a scale 12in Z. Even with 12in Z the car still have a little rack to the front, perfect. For the front axle, I will be dropping the trailing pivots down and putting them in the frame. Right now the Caster angle is wrong, that will fix it to have proper caster angle. I also scrapped the stock firewall in favor of a smooth one. It's coming along

I got more done on T #1 and started T#2. The kit seats that co e with the kit are junk. I wanted some bomber seats. I got some flashing and made some aluminum seats. I padded them with some thin foam. Painted the floor boards to look like aluminum. On #2 I started the channeling and front suspension drop. I dropped the front suspension 3. scale inches. I channeled the body the height of the frame so the frame is not seen under the body. This is the SBC I plan to install in #2. It is from a 78/82 Corvette. I’m thinking a new intake, maybe Hilborn injection or a big Holley.

Great start on a cool idea. BTW the axle should be a Dana 44(squared off cover) or AMC 20(round cover)and they are offset on the real truck. The way the transfer case was made the 2 drive shafts exited from the bottom on the same side. The later Cherokee and Wagoneers were the same.

So I am working on the Lindbergh 1/8 scale Big Red Rod. I have gotten onto this kit recently as they can be had cheap and provide lots of options to build some cool Hot Rods in a large scale. I know that Amazon is not always a great place to get kits, however there is a guy that has had these for $57 Prime free shipping. So after tax it is still only $65 per kit shipped. With he size of the kit, most retailers want close to that just for the shipping. As of right now I have 3 of these kits. This first one is going to be a mostly box stock build. However I will not be using any of the soft vinyl interior or top parts. I have made new floor panels out of diamond plate sheet and filled in where the seat goes. I will be making new seats. I have also added some details, ribs to the inside of the bucket to make it look like it is a fiberglass kit bucket. I added some detail to the generator and the starter, in the kit they are the same part and have no details. The next one I may start soon also. It will have a Z’d frame, channeled bucket, 32 Ford grill shell and a small block Chevy from the 78 Corvette kit. I have some tires on order for at least 2 of the kits. I will do my best not to use the bad kit tires. The second kit will also get a pick-up bed and maybe the body from the Monogram Big T. I am keeping my eyes on EBay to get some other parts, Jaguar Bucket seats and rear axle, other wheels, maybe Hot Canary grill and wheels. I would like to also find a 85 Corvette or IROC TPI engine. The turbo Trans Am engine looks fun too. Anyway, with 3 kits and a collection of parts I should be able to make 3 very different T-Buckets.

Same here, graduated in 1988, started school that fall. I thought I was really cool when I hung a miniature disco ball from the rear view, until I had to stop fast and the thing hit the windshield so hard it cracked it. In the 90's we switched to music CDs and then AOL CDs. Your girlfriends name on the back window of your mini-truck was also cool. Yep, I had a mini-truck in the late 80's-early 90's. I had to be cool. After I got married it was my wives garter from our wedding. I got the one she wore, she threw another one.

I love the 60 Chevy truck. The other stuff is cool too. With my ADD I always have projects that are waiting to be finished. Many are from 2018-19. I have kits that I have only a few parts glued together and they are sitting in the box. For me, its waiting on my fixation to shift to it and then I will do nothing till its done.

If you are talking about the Rustoleum 2X paint, it takes forever to dry. I have sprayed bodies and waited 2 weeks for them to cure before I did any sanding. It can give you a great paint job, and the color selection is great, but you must be able to wait a long time for the paint to be ready to work with. I have a dehydrator and it helps, but I have no temp control on it, so I have to be very careful. Even here in the desert where it is hot and dry, that stuff takes a while to cure before its ready to sand.

This is my basic plan for the Big Red Rod. I ant it to look like a Rod that a young guy in the 60's could have had. Mot parts painted, not much chrome, I may even build it a little rat rod style. The radiator shell needs to be brass anyway. Many of the parts that would be chrome, I would need to strip anyway, so this makes it easy. Right now I can get the Lindberg Big Red Rod for $60 free shipping. Any Monogram Rod will be $200+ shipping. I can work with the Lindberg for that money.

Yes, this is the Monogram 1/8th kit. I also have the IROC Camero and the 1982 Corvette from Monogram in 1/8th scale. And, yes, they are not cheap. Plan to spend over $100 for a started kit in a beat up box, and $200+ for a kit in a decent sealed box. Deals can be had, but this is a start. I recently found a Revell 3 in 1 1/8th scale 1932 Ford kit at an antique shop for $189. I thought that this a a lot of money. I then have been looking for them on E-Bay and they are all $300+. I may jut go get it a it is a fair price. For me, I look at them a an investment in my entertainment. They ill never be worth any real money once build, but I get a lot of enjoyment and spend many many hours working on them. I am also looking for any other 1/8th kits. I have the Lindberg Big Red Rod, but am looking for the Jaguar, 1978 and 1965 Corvettes, T-Buckets and 32 Fords, or anything else that I may not know about. I like some of the Pocher kit, but too rich for me, unless it is a smoking deal.

As I stray into the world of large scale car kits, I ran into Scalemates listing for the Lindberg and Monogram 1/8th scale kits. While it shows that their paths converge at one point, I don't know if that is true, is it? Was there ever any connection between the two 1/8th scale kits? I also see that the Lindberg is based off of a steel bodied 1915 Model T, while the Monogram seems to be based on a fiberglass 1923 body. The frames also are different as well and the front suspension. Also, if you know of any source of aftermarket part, mostly wheels and tires, please list them. I am thinking about building a couple more of these as they are available and cheap right now. Scalematesss listing: https://www.scalemates.com/products/product.php?id=222145&p=timeline

Thanks, I have always love the early versions. I as going to buy one a few years back, but it was a 93 and I jut did not like the interior. I really like the very 80's look and feel of the 84-89. I keep looking for the right one. Someday the right car at the right price will find me. My father restored Corvettes during the 80's and I think that is where my love affair with them started. He worked at a Chevrolet dealer when the 84 came out.

I have always loved the 1985 Corvette. Back in 1985 I got this kit, I was 15. I don't remember doing too much painting to it, I think I just built it. Well this time around I want to do it up right. I am working on adding details to it and trying to replicate the real thing as much as possible. I started with the engine. I added the A.I.R. pipes to the manifolds, fixed the A/C pump and added lines, added heater hoses and power steering hoses. I also fixed the poor P/S pump by adding a correct back to it. The kit, being 35 years old had some warpage, so I had to heat the hood and do some fine fitting to get it right. The engine is almost done, I am now working on the engine bay, adding details and fixing issues. This one is going to take me a while. I have lost count of the hours just into the engine.

Boiling water works, but a heat gun can also be used. You have to be very careful, but it let you heat only one area, not everything. I just used it to fix an 1:8th scale Corvette hood. It also would have required a really big pot, the hood is huge.

Thank you all. It is always fun and I look forward to next year.

I just got the Big Red Rod from Lindberg and when I opened it up, there was no chrome. I also found a reviewer on Amazon that said the same thing. When I looked at the instructions they call the sprues Grey, not chrome, they are grey. Anyone know why they are grey and not chromed? I had heard the chrome was rather poor, did they just give up and not bother? Is there 2 versions, one chrome and the other not? It is very strange to me. Its OK, as I had heard the chrome was not good anyway.

This years challenge has been harder for me. However, I think I have a plan for now. I reserve the right to change my mind, but for now I plan to use a #40 Pontiac NASCAR kit with a 1960 Chevrolet Impala, both are Revell/Monogram kits, one is 1/24 the other 1/25, but should work together just fine. The chassis on the Impala is started, but will not be used as part of the build. I will be using the body and all 400 chrome trim pieces. I am going to find a way to "Grove" the NASCAR tires so they have some tread. Otherwise it will get some aftermarket tire.

Thanks. I have Monograms 1/8th scale 1985 Corvette, 1982 Corvette, and IROC Z Camero. Lindbergs 1/8th scale Big Red Rod. In 1/16th scale I have finished the AMT 1957 Thunderbird. I also have the MPC 1/16th Firebird, and Lindberg/Piro 1/16th scale Serpent Show Rod and Bull Horn. I am keeping my eyes open for the Monogram 1978, 1965 Corvettes and the Firebird all in 1/8th scale, and maybe the big T-Bucket if the price is right. I will also be getting the other 1/16th scale 55 and 57 Chevy's very soon just released by R2. There are a few others I would like, and may venture into 1/12 scale soon.

I know nothing about NASCAR. I have watched and enjoyed it, but have never followed the races or drivers. So, I did not pick this car for any other reason than I found a bunch of NASCAR kits really cheap and decided to build one. I have 2 more in the stash to do also. It was a fun kit to build, however the decals are old and fought me a bit. Lots of Micro-sol and Micro-set was used to make the best of what I had. The paint is just Rustoleum Black and Red. A little panel line accent here and there and its a car.

In recent months I have been collecting and moving towards large scale kits, mostly 1:16 and 1:8 scale stuff. However I was in an Antique shop and found this little 1:32 kit and it was so cheap I just had to get it. It is an ARII kit and part of the 1:32 scale "Owners Club". I was impressed by the detail in such a small kit. It took me only 2 days to build, but it was a fun little diversion. The color is Dupli-Color Deep Jewel Green Metallic, a Ford color. I was going to go black and white, ass the kit is a "Patrol Car", but this seemed nicer. So, I made it a more upscale blue bird with chrome. All the chrome around the windows, grill, headlights, and side trim is BMF. There is no chrome in the kit, bumpers are painted. Anyway, not much else to say, it is curbside.

Looks great. BTW, a little trivia fact for you. The little crossed flags on the rear by the antenna was only used on the first 5 episodes of the show. Those episodes were also filmed in Georgia, after that they were filmed in LA and used some of the same roads and back drops as M.A.S.H. You did a great job on the General.

You did a great job on a lousy kit. I have built this one too, but I changed a lot of it because it was such a bad kit. I like the way yours turned out. Ass you can see from mine, I went a totally different direction:

Welcome to AMT Junk. However, at this point we are luck to have that. Not a lot of real new kits out there, everything is reissue of the old stuff from many years ago.

I have that kit new in the box, if you have any questions, let me know. I can take pictures and show you what things are supposed to look like. I may even be able to cast you a missing part if its small.