Mike Williams

Simply superb. So many questions to ask, I'll just enjoy the view. I like that you added other metals, this just enhances and makes for even more realism. Mike..

@DonW, that's hilarious! I agree, might be better with front tires. I'll work on it. Thanks for commenting, love it! Scott, much appreciated, thank you.

The motor was finished up last evening. Not much left to do with this project. Seat belts and fuel lines to the tank are all that's left. Sure is a quick finish when you don't have to paint the body. Mike..

Hi Charlie, this is an exceptionally clean build, wonderful work! It appears as if everything is there and where it should be. QUESTION: The seat belt hardware, is this your product? They look perfect! Mike..

Francis, I would like to make a suggestion here, and this time I will try to be more gentle than a few years back, when a member here on this forum did not take my criticism very well. I'm sure the fellow is looking. Funny, a few days later he changed it accordingly. We're talking precision milling of metal here. I have been doing small scale milling for more than 40 years, just in a different region. I would like to suggest to round off the sharp edges of the finished parts, for instance the manifold outer edges. A soft rubber wheel will work wonders here, and in my opinion soften up the view. I have little knowledge of your technique, but I look at the result. Indeed, 1:25 is very small. Sensational work here. Respect. Mike..

A fellow member wrote, as many do, they cannot wait to see a project finished. I always feel saddened when a project ends. Francis, you mentioned my "pushing 70"...yes, this is true, 10 months to go yet. But age will let you enjoy the moment more, more than even the result. Times change. I just thought at this time to add perhaps an interesting observation from an older modeler. Your updates, as well as your comments are excellent. I will write though....man, can't wait to see the intake....lol! Mike..

Scott, thanks for dropping by, appreciated. CT, thank you. Those are 3mm aluminum tubes. A cut was made halfway through the tube, which made a void. Then the tube was just bent over till the void was closed. The outside surface is still round and intact. Since the bottom of the tube is angled, to adapt to the head, I do believe the the tube appears to be more rounded, or bent, than it actually is. A slight mark is visible where the cut was made. For this reason the whole tube was somewhat roughed out with a diamond bur, this helped also to hide the cut mark. The metal is soft and blends easily. Larry, many thanks. Mike..

Members, I find it irritating that we can't edit our own project build sequences, so I'll just post a new topic. Here a few shots of the stack injection setup as completed today. Fuel lines are scale and will remain blank metal. The magneto is for sure not an early Gen 2 Hemi, but I like the way it's going anyway. For now it's just dangling there, not attached yet. Next up is starting the throttle linkage, but I'll have to take several deep breaths first. This is a real pita. This manifold with induction will have more than 100 single parts. But a simple car design would like a nice motor. The right side run of the fuel lines is not so good, this needs some attention. Mike..

I thank you for looking Mike, much appreciated.

Yes! Very big smile now. Ahem, anyone can grind some aluminum to a smooth surface. Adjust the bit accordingly, turn the machine on and let it go. Let the machine and bit do the work. Just, setting things up has difficulties to be masterfully accomplished. Experience necessary. Do the same for the other side! Experience needed. Thank you for adding a color dimension to this masterpiece. Sensational expertise visible here. Wonderful and a joy to view. Mike..

Ray, you crossed the line on this project. You won too! Well thought out and finished, great job.

@CT, yes I understand about the simplicity, and agree. These dragsters before 1970 were uniquely simple. Also, they are a thrill to build, and with the lack of regulated safety features the uncluttered appearance makes for very nice models on the shelf. But I'll have to write here, the real metal helps the view immensely. @Francis, many thanks for your appreciative support. I just had a peel at the valve covers! Excellent. @Charlie, ProTech, thanks for dropping by, yes, the era makes for some nice model building. I feel this car will look just fine sitting alongside The Old Master car. @Larry, thanks for looking. I took a few days off, this build is going too quickly, what a shame. Now the injection is being sorted out and will soon be shown. Not much left to do here.... Thanks guys. Mike..

Oh my, superb! I can easily write now to have enjoyed seeing the preliminary cuts for the valve covers. But a HUGE smile came across my face while viewing the scripting work. Sensational, I love it. Could you offer a source information concerning the nuts and bolts you'll be using for the motor? I have a wonderful source for all sizes in threaded as well as dummies, the best I've ever seen, and very affordable as well. Brass, stainless steel and also blackened. Just saying for general information. Excellent work Francis, an absolute treat to view! Mike..

Job well done, I like it. Good luck too with your finger injury. Gosh....!! I haven't seen a screw in chassis in decades! Old AMT kit for sure. Back then they must have released a new model every other week. Hardly had Detroit put a new one on the street, AMT had a model on the shelf. Good stuff. Mike..

Monsieur Claude, always a pleasure to read your comments. Thank you sincerely. La beauté de la langue française ..."délicieuse simplicité. My goodness, the "delicious simplicity" of a FED design. Saying these words just melt on the tongue, because they are so true. Yes, this is what drives me. These cars from the 60's have no electronic plague to deal with and safety rules were fairly unknown to these cars, but introduced soon in the early 70's. Just build the basic car as a precise scale model, make a great detailed, but simple motor, and add fuel. Right foot pressed firmly forward. Merci. Mike..

Oh my...yep, this is looking like a serious Dyno Don race car. Excellent work, and also the scratch building is wonderful. I like it! Mike..

Excellent idea, and well carried out....great job Ray. I like it. Mike..

Nice clean build, good that you're using your own parts, they look great. I like too that you do some scratch building on another Florida boy's car....Don Garlits. Jax here. Mike..

UPDATE: the body is finished, no paint this time for the car. Chassis will be painted though. The zoomies are finished too, just need some paint. Next up is the motor, not much left to do with project. Mike..

Jim King, sure, sheet of styrene would be fine, no reason this direction wouldn't work. I'd suggest 1mm thickness, thicker will get you problems with tire to wheel fitment. Still, I'd rather go with a finished size, as the circle is already at hand, all that's needed are thin slices. By the way, I found an 18mm source. It's the neck nozzle of a plastic pump spray bottle. I'd really like to try out a laced wheel using non-metals. More on this later on... Thanks for your interest, I hope you have success with this deal. Mike..

GoatGuy, I appreciate your encouraging comment. Hey, next time take lots of photos at such an event, you might like them when you choose to build a vintage FED. Every single close up photo of these old cars might answer any question that comes up. I have tons of photos, but still have to ask about details. It's all part of our wonderful hobby! Thanks. Len Woodruff, thanks for your enthusiasm! Hey, these cars are built fairly quick. Here and there some special detail comes up that needs attention, this takes time to figure out. Likewise for instance with the laced wire wheels. Gathered up though, these models can be built quickly, I like this. Heck, used to say time is money, nowadays, time is TIME. Not cheap when you're pushing 70. Scott8950, thanks for this. Agreed, small things can make a model really pop, and these real wire wheels on the shelf are just special. Best is though, you did it yourself. Much appreciated. Claude Thibodeau, CT, thank you for viewing and your praise. Some things can be so easy to accomplish once the difficulties have been minimized. Just as in life, how can one go wrong when you know the easy way? Salut. CT, I heard from a French friend today this, "Les allemands amassent du papier toilette, vin rouge et préservatifs français. Oui, good to be safe. Ian McLaren, I can't say from here exactly what the results show. Which soldering iron? Small tip, good so for our small scale cars. You have to clean the tip constantly while it's hot, after every joint, beforehand and afterwards as well, wipe it clean with some kind of kitchen "steel wool" pot cleraner, my wife has wonderful things available, yours too. The tip has to be blank and clean! Clean metal, liquid flux on the joint, touch the clean tip to a solder wire, touch the joint with this small ball of solder on the end of the tip and this should flow like melted butter! By the way, welcome to the forum! Thanks guys, Mike..

Thank you Francis for visiting. I agree, the vintage dragster cars appear to be so clean and proportionate, every detail is visible. Plus, the rules allowed for creative development. Yes, I'm hooked on the late 60's Altered and dragster cars. Hey, and I don't have to smell glue with brass building. Looking forward to your valve cover update....sensational milling technique! I milled small metal things for decades, but can only do freehand now. Mike..

Ace-Garageguy, you're quite welcome. It works, I've played with this for a while now, this is the best and the easiest method to date. No special tools needed. grodudulle77, thank you for the kind comment, a good thing that you approve. Khils, genial things are often so simple. I've spent a lot of time trying to make a better wheel for our kits. The visual difference with the car sitting on the shelf is worth a try! CabDriver, I wish I knew of a hard plastic tube that has 18mm diameter. This would simplify the method immensely. I'd even use plastic and fishing line if I could find the correct source to slice off thin rims. Maybe some kind of plastic tube to be found in a drugstore? I have at home a vitamin-magnesium tablet, comes in a thin plastic tube, but has 20mm diameter, close, but something along these lines. Then fly-fishing line attached with CA, a touch of Alclad and you have a wheel like you haven't seen yet on a dragster model. After a couple of trial runs, I do feel that you can agree. I'd say after the rims are made and trimmed to size, about 15 minutes per wheel. !! Cost? A couple of cents. PappyD340, thanks for looking and the decent comment. The method works. Mike..

UPDATE: Today the cowl is finished, and the fuel tank, plus a few more shots of the 40 spoke fronts. The axle isn't attached yet, this will be done when all other units are installed. This car will keep the unpainted aluminum body. This one is a natural. Next up are the side panels and a few other needful things. Mike..

Well thank you Francis, much appreciated. I believe many fellows might be interested in this technique. After several attempts a while ago, this seems to be the easiest method. Mike..