AmericanMuscleFan

You are absolutely right my friend! What happens most of the time for many enthusiasts is that they accumulate a lot of kit thinking they will have time to put it all together over the years. I am one of them and I realize today that at the speed I am working I will have to start making choices one day and give up what was an unrealistic ambition! Doing less but doing better is my motivation, the pleasure of making or materializing my vision outweighs the desire to have a copy of everything that is or has been offered over the years. ? Is this what we call the beginning of wisdom... ? Francis

Great details Daniel, your talent is always evident with each update and your explanations very helpful. For me, you really embody the obvious fun and resourcefulness, I know I'm repeating myself but I can't help it! Everyone takes this hobby to their own level or limits but if someone wants to go beyond what a kit offers, your tips are the perfect example of what can be done without breaking the bank! ?

Thanks Ian, the body modifications are less spectacular (if I may say so) but sometimes, all these little things are well appreciated by the more specialized connoisseurs. As far as my face is concerned, all tastes are in nature as we say around here but the years are slowly starting to take effect. I hope that my hands, my eyes and my brain will take their time before giving me the signal to put my tools away! Francis

Thanks Marcos, I have to admit that making and modifying are my favorite aspects of this hobby. Francis

Thanks Daniel, I can give myself without restraint and without guilt with the modifications (or improvements...), this old body was sleeping in a box and would probably never have been used. I think I can only take it to a better level... ? Francis

Hello everyone, Progress resumed on the bodywork and I concentrated on correcting (at the front) and improving (at the rear) the wheel openings. It looks pretty easy to do but I had to be very careful not to touch the subtle straight line that simulates the center fold of the body. The rear fenders needed the small lip at the top of the fender softened and rounded, but the front openings needed more work. I enlarged the opening by about the same thickness as the styrene strip I added (to keep the original size), and this was used to recreate the lip after correcting the shape of the top. I also corrected the rear shape to be more angular and closer to the door rather than going down in an almost straight line. For those who are familiar with this body model, I hope that my corrections will pass the test, it is not easy to recreate exactly because the body is more curved towards the inside than the scale model which must be able to be ejected from the mold. Comments and suggestions are welcome, as usual, and work on the body and its components continues. Francis The modified back fenders. From a different angle. The target for the front fender shape. The original body before modification. I first removed the same thickness of plastic as the styrene strip I added and sanded (filed) at an angle to create the shape between the center fold and the wheel opening. You can see more clearly (I hope...) the shape I have made between the lip and the center fold. From this angle you can see the corrected shape on the back between the wheel opening and the door. I corrected the front where the valance will be attached. I also engraved a line to simulate the front fender extension.

Thank you Charlie but rest assured that your exploits are still of great interest to me, I just need to find a way to replicate your wonders at the scale of my project. Unfortunately there are limits to the smallness of what I can make so I'll have a look at your page! ? Francis

Great job Daniel, I love the seat, it fits perfectly in the cage. I was wondering to know what is the thickness of the flashing you used for the canards and the wing? This material is probably easy to get at the hardware store, but I have some old .005" offset printing plates and I know that .007" plates from larger presses are available, do you think this is a material that would also do the trick?

WOW!!! The engine block and the clutch system are fantastic Charlie, good thing you are not motivated.... ?

I really like it !!! ? Thanks for your explanation for the floor and I'm sure your solution to fixing it in place will be the right one!

Thanks Ian! Don't worry my friend, it's never too late to stop by and your comments are always appreciated, your own current project is absolutely fantastic! Francis Thanks for your kind words Keith! I can see by your profile picture that you love the Dodge Demon and I can only promise that I will do my best to improve the flaws in the original MPC kit body and convert it as best I can into a '72 that will be convincing. I should be taking action with the grille in the next few days (or weeks...) so come back and check in from time to time. I don't know if you have a real Demon but feel free to point me in the right direction if what I'm doing doesn't respect the original, I make everything from photos found on the internet. Francis

You're headed in the right direction Daniel ! ? Note that you could make the flange by gluing a thin sheet of aluminum under the valve cover and then drilling the holes for the bolts.

WOW, that's great Ian! So the floor will be made of thin steel sheet, will you weld it to the brass frame or will it be held in place with some kind of rivets?

Thanks to all you guys for taking the time to comment on my latest update. I know this isn't the most difficult or spectacular part I've done so far, but I thought it was relevant to show how the tail lights would be mounted. I'm moving slowly but I'm trying to anticipate the next steps by not making elements too hastily that would have to be redone later in the build. This has happened to me several times with my pickup and it has delayed my progress not to mention the risk of ruining other components attached to it. I also take the time to evaluate the pros and cons of using plastic or soft metal (brass or aluminum) for certain parts to get the best detail, knowing that most of these parts will be painted over in the end. I have made good progress with the rear part of the vehicle and I intend to start working on the front, including modifying the wheel opening, making front valance and the grille. I've been thinking about a way to make the grille for a long time and I can't wait to take action and make it happen. I hope to be back soon with new and more substantial progress. Francis

Hello Everyone, The last two weeks were not very productive due to the holiday season, and the fact that I worked because the plant was not closed. I still found some time to do a few things and today I'm going to show you the brackets I made for the rear light bezel. I chose brass in order to have thin and rigid parts since 0.010" Styrene would have been too fragile. Plus, it will appeal to fans of this material so there will definitely be some brass in this project! ? I'll be back soon with more stuff and a happy new year to all ! Francis The part I tried to reproduce. I made the opening and soldered to a brass strip to simulate the fold. Both pieces are fabricated but need a little sanding. The brackets are spot welded on the real car, but I made mine to fit between the 2 Styrene strips. View from under. This picture is a little less blurry I think. With the bezels in place. I will drill holes in the brackets to add small bolts to hold the bezels to them.

That's freaking cool Dave!!! Everything is so well done and put together. Fortunately, your workspace is there to make us realize that this is not a real car! ?

All this shiny stuff is cool and everything is really well made like you used to. Your experience in the racing world is obvious! ?

Happy New Year Daniel, I see you don't waste time to bring us great tips, the solution for Dzus fasteners is just great. I really like your ingenuity my friend, it's only January and you still have plenty of time to impress us! ?

Thanks Tim! As I mentioned in a previous post, the direction of the project is not yet final. I have a ton of work to do on the body so you'll definitely see more updates and I'll try to post as many photos as possible, especially for the more difficult parts to create. I look forward to seeing more updates on your own spectacular project, it will certainly benefit mine too! ? Francis

I'm glad to see you back at this ambitious and cool build Scott. An impressive number of hours have been invested so far and I'm sure your friend Louie will be impressed with the high quality of your work. ?

Hey Joe, welcome and thank you for witnessing my new obsession, my friend! ? I don't know how it will turn out, but I know that all my past tricks and new ones will be needed to bring this project to life. Almost everything will have to be created from scratch, so the project could change during the build, but it will definitely have a lot of horsepower and big tires. ? Francis

Thanks Ron, it would be hard to say that you don't like Dusters... I like them too but I chose a Demon for its rarity. Francis

Thanks Claude! I feel lazy and I think I'm going to take a shortcut by using LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs, I have a lot of other details to make and I don't want to spend too much time on hidden details. ? Joyeuses fêtes à vous aussi mon ami ! Francis

I am glad to know that another member is working on a similar project Mike. Do you have a Styrene or resin kit for your project? Have you started a thread or do you plan to post the final product when it is finished? As for the final look of mine, I'm far from it and not sure yet because I have hundreds of hours before me to create all the details of the body so I have plenty of time to think about it and change my mind several times... ? Thank you for your visit and come back anytime. Francis

I just want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and may you be safe with your families and friends. ? The holiday season has been particularly difficult for the past 2 years and the weather is acting up this year (in addition to the endless viruses in circulation), so we must appreciate every good moment that life brings us! Francis