FASTBACK340

I haven't seen that display base in YEARS! Nice to see it resurface again.

Nice job on the twin muffler and T bars. Is the Hurst shifter fabricated too? I had a `67 Cal Look back in the 80's. Sweet car, wish I had it now…..

OK, I'm shot. Here's the last shot for tonight, I threaded the wires into the looms. Ta-Da! G`night…… *

Home made spaghetti was awesome….. I installed the sump in the fuel tank finally. I also have the modified headers about 90% done… just need some spot-putty work. The engine & transmission mounts are done. The heads are on and we might route some wires soon. And I remembered I needed a driveshaft safety loop. A piece of round brass tube was cut to size, then I held it with 2 pairs of pliers and gently squeezed them until I got the shape I wanted. Then I soldered on the mounts. I'm ready to start painting chassis pieces, I still have to get a set of guitar strings for the e-brake cables, but we're rolling along. Now I get to detail the engine and soon we get to paint.

Gotcha Rich! I'll stop by Sam Ash tomorrow and go to the guitar tech station and dig through the garbage….. I'm taking a break as I'm getting some bad pain in my neck. I'm watching cross country skiing, which bores me to tear's. I think the Mrs. is getting ready to make the dough for some home-made spaghetti. I should be fortified good for tonights session. I made the fuel tank sump and am making the driveshaft safety loop now. Just trying to find my soldering iron…..after I rest. I'll be back.

That is absolutely SICK! Talk about cutting some plastic! Looks like a great idea taking shape, build on!

Today was much like yesterday. I spent hours sanding & trimming & aligning & test-fitting & sanding & trimming…….. If you had before & after shots all you would notice is plastic dust and shavings everywhere with no real visible difference in where I'm at. I've posted several updates with more description that example only because it's hard to show. When I spent 2 hours fitting, shimming, and securing the rear valance, it's hard to SEE what's involved as opposed to HOW involved "the little things" are in the finished product. This is where how-to's are useless…. patience and desire are impossible to impart. You have to find it in your ability. If it don't look right, it's not right. I was afraid this would happen when I tackled this project. When I restored the 1:1 car, all friends whom know me as a model builder all said "I can't wait to see what you do with the full size car after seeing your models". Now I'm trying to replicate a full size car I detailed like a model. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! But I'm a little determined and a little crazy, so….. This morning I made a test fit of all the brake and fuel lines. The idea here is to plan ahead. When attaching any plumbing to a chassis, the anchoring is almost as important as the shaping & routing. Doesn't matter how many high-end machined fittings & braided line or PE brackets and mounts you have. If its sloppy or poorly laid out it's just a huge detraction. Here I have the wrong material, but I can share some of what I'm talking about. Those brass tabs I mounted in the frame are going to be used for this, the E-brake cable. On my car the cable has sheathing that looks like guitar string, and exposed steel cable going to the bracket that pulls both rear cables at once. This is a .085 Bass string that is just a touch too big… I need a set of guitar strings for these cables. Pre-drilling all the anchor points now makes for a very clean assembly later. Back here the single cable coming back will connect to a bar that will have the two cables from each rear drum connecting here at the back bracket with the two holes. And here's the new wheels from Scale Equipment LTD. VERY nicely cast and detailed. I had to add a band around the perimeter to increase the diameter on the rears though.

And a TWO piece mechanical fuel pump. It is expensive, but it's soooo freakin nice! This is a Ross Gibson 440 done as a 413 long ram.

I usually try to get at least 2-3 nights a week where I can sit for at least 2 hours. I'm fortunate that's it's just myself & my Wife at home. Unfortunately, I hurt my neck this week and I'm off until I get straightened out as I can't turn my head. Never mind being able to do heavy lifting or crawl up under a dashboard, I'm home. Now I can go sit in the hobby room until I'm uncomfortable, then hit the recliner and post about it. Repeat if capable….. plenty of time all of a sudden. Be careful what you wish for. As for the `Cuda, today we're going to make the final engine mounts and positively locate it so I can finish the headers. Once the headers are done I can start assembling things. Now the Dart chassis get's assembled, and the body get's detailed. Sounds simple, huh?

Thanks Bob. I've got some down-time so I'm sure we'll see some progress. The body is almost prepped for primer. It's going fast.

Now please explain or provide a tutorial on doing that fantastic Carbon Fiber work. That seat and engine parts…..wow.

Your killing me…. that's the color of the one I wrecked when I was a kid.

Nice job Randy!

I have a Fotki account too. I'll have to fool with it as I'm still adapting to MAC after years of Windows.

I sure hope so. I don't want any "surprises" right now.

Oooh…. Weather Report. Jaco Pastorious is THE Bass-God and the time he was with Weather Report was incredible. The production on Heavy Weather (I think their best recording) is nothing short of perfect. And the composition "A Remark you Made" is probably one of my favorite melody's. The phrasing between Wayne's Sax & Jaco's frettless Bass is impeccable. And then there's Teen Town, Birdland, Havana, etc... 8:30 is a really good live album. My Wife got me a box set that included rare concert footage. Black Market is another choice piece. Great stuff….

You've been fooled in the Village, huh? <Shhh!> Before it gets stooopid

I have a few minor update pictures. I addressed the rear apron. I added the dual exhaust cut-out's in it and shimmed the edges so I could melt it all together with some ProWeld. I did the same thing with the front apron. I shimmed the edges and fused it on. I also had to repair the edge of the lower grill opening. Every one I've seen has been cracked on at least on side. I'll be re-enforcing this with some fiberglass as I did with the chassis splice. And finally, I trashed the original resin wheels and am using the more accurate ones from Scale Equip. LTD. I also changed out the front tires to a smaller size, but will re-use the dog dish hub caps and MT Drag Radials from Chief Joseph. More later…. time to start dinner soon.

The first time I heard Geddy Lee "sing" I laughed. But given the musicianship, I'll take his "voice" as part of the Rush sound. Now, if you want to talk good singer, Cory Taylor. Doesn't matter if it's Slipknot or Stone Sour, he's an amazing vocalist with incredible range. Mellow to anger in a breathe…. Say you'll haunt me- Stone Sour Incredible vocal delivery on a mainstream "pop" type rock song Wait & Bleed - Slipknot Incredible vocal delivery again, but he alternates between Mr. Mellow and an angry Cookie Monster in the same sentence. Amazing….

Spoke with my manager finally and he understands whats going on. I have an appointment on Tuesday. Hopefully I'll get in on Monday…. Age + Hurt = Bucket of suckness

Wow…. I've been at the bench for a little while and it's been tough. My neck is hurting pretty bad, but it hasn't stopped me from creating more work for myself. I've decided to change all the rims and front tires as I didn't like the originals….. I added the exhaust cut-out's missing from the rear valance. I (finally….) finished grinding and hacking the interior tub so it all fits. What a mess….. And I'm in the process of molding in the front & rear valances. At this point in time, all I have to do is fabricate the engine mounts, finish the headers, and do all the body lines and holes for handles/trim. Then I can assemble it like a (almost….) normal kit. I'll put up some pictures tonight as right now all I have to photograph is pieces of scrap & plastic dust.

Wow Mark…. so sorry to hear what happened to you. I take it you had no financial compensation from getting blasted? If thats the case, you really have my sympathy. I had an accident too, but not nearly the ordeal you described. Wow…. I feel like an ass for complaining, but there's some bad undercurrents at work right at the moment. Now is NOT a good time to be absent. This might be a headache for me. If the Dr.'s office ever calls back with the appointment I can at least justify the day off. Never mind what happens next….

No kidding! Tea bags may be the new interior fabric source? The weathering is just first-rate. Too many times weathered vehicles look like a glossary of every technique out the. Yours is soooo restrained & correct looking. Nice work!

I love the look you had with the original mock-up with those body colored wheels. Why the new body? The cowl hood looks a bit excessive to me, but is cool. The LS7 is a nice addition too. Really like what your doing here. And as for your English, I'm originally from Brooklyn, NY. I've been told I can't speak English to my face.

Since 1980 I've seen Rush 18 times. Geddy is a religious figure amongst Bassists. He plays keyboards with his right hand, hammers Bass notes on the neck with his left hand, and works a set of Taurus Bass synth pedals with his feet…. while singing.