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AmericanMuscleFan

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Everything posted by AmericanMuscleFan

  1. Thanks Daniel, the next updates should be, I dare say, a little more substantial...LOL. I am slowly but surely approaching the fabrication of the mechanical elements. I just have a few body parts left to complete before moving on to the calculator and digital caliper! ?
  2. Very nice work Anton, unusual subject but great display of talent, this will be a killer car! ?
  3. Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've done two updates in the same week but I have more time available this week so why not take advantage of it. ? Now that the hidden parts are done and installed, it's time to add the visible part, the headlights. Basically the process for making these is almost the same as for the headlight buckets, while the measurements are still fresh in my head so here they are. These are quite small pieces so I will certainly have something more substantial to offer you for the future (and there is still a lot to do). I still have a few days free before returning to work so I'm having fun! ? Francis Instead of styrene, the base material is aluminum, so I won't have to paint them to a chrome color. After shaping on the lathe, the base pieces were turned to the other side and I machined the seat for the lenses and kept the outline to simulate the chrome rings. Back on the milling machine, I used a ball end mill to create the parabolic shape. I then drilled holes for the wiring in the back (NO, I don't plan on adding a tungsten bulb in the hole ?). The lenses are resin and were too big, I filed them down slowly until they fit perfectly. I had made a template to monitor the shaping progress on the lathe, so they fit the headlight buckets like a glove. Close view. I'm quite happy with the position of the headlights in the grille openings. This could be considered an insignificant detail but nothing can detract from the real appearance than poorly positioned headlights, you just have to think about the front headlights on the 73/74 Barracuda kit. There are details that cannot be overlooked!
  4. Thanks Daniel, don't worry, I owe you several too. ?
  5. Thanks for your questions Bill. I don't know if you checked all the pages in the thread but the grille is completely scratch built, you can see how I made it on pages 6 and 7 of this WIP thread. For the K member I used a reference image as a guide and you can see it as I started making this one on page 15. This is a "Chris Alston" kit and I have no measurements to guide me other than the size of the frame rails which are 3" x 2" and which I reproduced to scale. I used them for proportion to make the rest of the elements and I think I'm not far off from the reference image. I simulated the position of the front wheel in the front fender opening and it makes sense so I will see at the end if I need to adjust it, that's the beauty of styrene, we can take off the part, adjust it and glue it back together, I have had to do this several times on my Dodge D100. Thank you for your constructive comments and concern about my mental state, I appreciate it! ? Francis
  6. Thanks Keith! I realized over time that it takes a lot of different sizes and shapes of bits and cutters to make all of these things. It's very frustrating not to be able to make the part you want when you don't have the required tool. I've bought so many, I have to use them to justify the purchase. ? I still have a lot to do so come back whenever you want !
  7. Thanks Rich! It's funny because I was thinking exactly that and I had thought about mounting the supports with small bolts (to simulate the adjustment screws) but I told myself that I was pushing the note a little too much and I feared for the rigidity of the assembly. Let's say that reason won over madness... ? Francis
  8. Hello everyone, I am taking advantage of the opportunity offered by the short vacation of the end-of-year celebrations to have a little more time at the bench. I then decided to do something that I have never done or not at this level if I may say so by making the front headlight bucket supports (I don't know if that's the right name). I had made something like this for the D100 but I wanted to improve the recipe if I can put it that way. I know these will be hard to see in the final product, but I needed something to mount the headlights and didn't want to just stick them behind the openings in the grille. In the meantime, I think it gives an interesting look to the body under construction knowing that it will remain in this state for quite a while. I will now make the headlights and try to find the best depth to create a realistic effect. Francis I started by carving a bowl shape using a ball nose end mill. I then went on the lathe, the outer rounded shape was carved with a small file and sandpaper by rotating the lathe at low speed. I made notches on the milling machine for the mounting brackets. I glued pieces of styrene L-shape for the mounting tabs. I also drilled holes in the bottom of the bowl shape for the headlight connectors. I used the front grille to glued them at the right position. In close-up, I like their look, it gives a look of a car under construction, what do you think? It's even better with the grille in place, I wonder if I'll put headlights... ? A little last one to show you the alignment.
  9. Very realistic Daniel, this project is going in the right direction so as not to make a pun! ?
  10. Superb work Ian, I agree with Daniel, the steering rack is a beauty no matter what technique you used to make it, the result speaks for itself. ?
  11. Great job Dennis, the bands on the bed look like real metal and the assembly is very clean. ?
  12. Great job Dennis, all you have done are real improvements, you are taking this kit to another level and it is a pleasure to see! ?
  13. Hello Mike! It is always with great pleasure that I take your rare and precious visits, my friend. Time passes quickly and our free time must be used well when we are still on the job market like I am currently. I have a few days off over the holidays and hope to have a few extra hours on the bench to move this project forward. I know you won't be coming back anytime soon, so I want to express my gratitude for your visit and I hope you have found a renewed passion with your new hobby, I'm sure brass is used in abundance! Thank you for your valuable advice, I have taken notes and there will be no more sharp corners on my parts in the future! ? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year if we don't speak again! Francis
  14. Thanks for the kind comments Keith! I will not hide that I have given myself the goal of improving (with the tools that I have) any styrene kit on which I work or will work as long as my abilities allow me. My hours on the bench are limited and I want to make the most of them and get as much enjoyment out of them as possible. It's a pleasure to share my passion with anyone who loves the same subjects as me, knowing that we don't all take our hobby so crazy, if I can put it that way. I will be back in a few days with more progress. Thank you for your support and Merry Christmas! Francis
  15. Thanks Scott and Merry Christmas! Francis Thanks Bob! You have to be well equipped to get started with a tribute car and information is critical to get there. I will just reproduce the body parts to the best of my abilities because it seems that I have a preference for rare subjects and good references are just as rare. Merry Christmas, Francis
  16. Thanks Rich, I am not there yet, I will need smaller end mills ! ? Merry Christmas! ? Francis
  17. Hi Claude! Knowing your talent, I am sure that the OEM parts of this superb Challenger were improved by your nimble and precise hands. I would have loved to be one of those "poor guys" working in a factory making Cudas and Challengers, imagine all those nice new parts! It's different from the rusty parts that I had to repair on my '74 Cuda at a time when even reproduction parts were almost non-existent. Other times, other customs as they say, fortunately, styrene does not rust! ? Have a great holiday my friend! ? Francis
  18. Thanks Mike! These beautiful Sherline equipment can do great things, you just have to get started and experiment, an unsatisfactory part is just experience to make a better one! As for plastic (styrene) I use Evergreen or Plastruct and I buy online on eBay or at model shows when some sellers dare to bring some but unfortunately they are quite rare on this side of the border. Thanks Bob! As soon as I finish a part, I realize that I have to do another one that I hadn't planned. It's not easy to find pictures showing all the parts and from all angles, so sometimes I have to guess. As long as the result is plausible, it will be fine ! ? Francis
  19. Thanks Daniel, your “Wow” means a lot to me because I know how detail-oriented you are my friend! Thank you Roger, it’s always a pleasure to have your visit my friend! Thanks Rich ! I see that you joined the forum recently, so I would like to welcome you and I hope that you will share the photos of your Demon project when you get started. Everyone takes the hobby in their own way and the goal is to have a good time, I don't have all the time available that I would like to have so I decided to make the most of it. Nice '72 Dodge Demon by the way, the new Round 2 kit comes at the right time for you! Francis
  20. Your construction methods are truly excellent and your great attention to detail is paying off Dennis ! ? You have a lot of talent and fun, it shows! Sorry for joining the parade so late but I'll come back to see what happens next.
  21. Hello guys, The fabrication of detail elements for the front part of the body continues with the hood latch support. This was quite a difficult piece to make because it has many folds and angles as well as being rather small. The part must find its place between the radiator support and the grille in addition to connecting to the front fenders. The bracket is also bolted the lower section of the radiator support, I will add this detail (2 bolts) at the final assembly. I noticed in photos that even the front valance is bolted to it, so I will be working on that to finish most of the front end details, this will be another "interesting" part to make. Questions and comments are welcome. See you soon, Francis I didn't take photos of the fabrication steps, it would have taken me 4 hands... ? Maybe not perfect but definitely better than the non-existent part of the original kit. The part fits pretty well, I forgot to mention that the support will also attached to the top of the front grille, I will add thin slices of round styrene rods to simulate the rivets. The bracket will be bolted to the lower part of the radiator support. View from a different angle.
  22. Very cool project Bob! This little delivery panel with this monster engine will create a real scary drag car but there are many drivers who are not afraid on the race track and it makes quite a show to make it to the finish line. Resin kits are often the coolest subjects but the extra work produces results that are worth the effort, it just takes a little more elbow grease! ?
  23. Thanks Daniel, It's up to everyone in their own way when there is no plan, the goal is to be satisfied as you say so well ! ? Thanks Bob, I would like to use more brass to create these kinds of parts but the downside (at least what I have experienced) is that the joints become very fragile when you clean up the excess solder to have a super precise part. Once painted, I think it will be good. Francis
  24. By adding more and more details, we become critical, don’t we? ?
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