Mike Holland

OK. I've been using such thin discs with a hand held micro motor for 50 years (dental). The 3D medium is new to me, I agree though the disc is overkill. I had no idea the thin sprue leads were so temp sensitive. My plan is now is to snip off the leads as far as I can get into the object, then start a slow dipping procedure in relative warm water and slowly start twisting the object around. Starting with the hood, which seems quite thick. Thinking step by step to get the feel of things. This is all new to me, thanks much for your input! Mike..

@Elliot, thanks for the interesting presentation. I haven't a clue about 3D printing but love your short video..

Hello Chris. Thanks for the info. There being still, a void along the bottom of the body where the running board would be, left side, just in front of the rear 'fender area'. Not a problem, I can fix this up. Now I understand about the warm water deal, thanks much for the info. Also the clarification concerning shipping/packaging issues. Now I get it. After paying $100 for this stuff, was not expecting the delivered project to be like this!! I have small clippers. Also, I like my trusty, diamond-coated separating disc, 1.2 " wide, quite thin, mounted in my hand held micro-motor. At 20k RPM, will slice through like butter. Chris, like many things in modelling, if you don't know, just ask. But geez....so much cash for such an object, has me wondering? However, the 2nd load of the same caliber, has the fenders and a chassis, plus a Ford 9" rearend housing. So, hoping to have not been severely ripped off. OK, I'm in Europe, so guessing am supposed to be wealthy? Laughing myself now. Thank you for your input. Mike..

Thank you, Les. How hot the water? Like from the faucet? Which, in my kitchen, can't touch it. Will this be enough? Or, rather a pot of water, real hot, like cooking noodles? Please excuse, having knowledge about 3D motors and such, just never have dealt with the sprue leads like this before. Hence, having zero knowledge with this degree of unknowns. Thanks much for your help, immensely appreciated. Mike..

Hello folks, Just received this one in the mail. Not my 1st, 3d body from this fellow, just 1st time receiving 3d body/parts like this! Needing oxygen and stress relief after viewing the quite expensive contents. The designer was not the printer, another fellow did the printing. Granted, having countless 3d parts, motors and such, haven't received one like this, yet. Oh boy, some serious hacking needed here. Also in the box, the custom fenders, chassis and Ford 9" rearend. Plan is a very low riding custom car/drag car. Not building this one yet, will be my next project. One at a time. Thoughts? How do YOU clean this mess up? Mike..

Hello Robert, I think you built just fine after a 45-year stretch! Let me write, before my Uncle Sam days, a childhood buddy got me a job at a local Mopar dealership. First having a Dart Swinger (340, 4spd) then going with the Duster, 340 automatic car. Red, white interior bucket seats and AC! Bought it at cost! The 340 was a very nice motor! The boys in the shop did their magic, carb & ignition work, plus paying some extra for the trans work, shifting much quicker! They used to tune the 440s, Highway patrol cars. This sweety was quick for a small block car. The Chevy guys will not like me writing it being quicker than BB Chevelles, but just a fact. The Olds 442s were another story, though. A 4 spd. Olds did not hook well with street tires. The automatics were very torquey, but still being able to inch these out in real 1/4 mile, although the Olds top end were higher. Tons of fun in a lightweight Mopar....gotta love it! Mike..

Very much appreciated, Kelly. This was a very intense project and I'm utterly grateful for the support from the real Pacers Race Team. Even the original builder, the father, and a couple of his original team offered encouragement. How good is that for a modeller's heart? Thanks for commenting! Mike..

Hello Lee, you got my attention, that you build 1:12. I checked out your profile. Rookies don't build 1:12 stuff. More than likely, we'll learn from you. However, soon I'll show a wheel, wire lacing, short tutorial that may be of interest. Thanks for dropping by.... Mike.. There you go! Get that Porsche done soon. We need some surfers over here on the Drag Racing forum. Honestly, I was thinking about modelling that car, just did not feel to have the momentum to do another replica car so soon. I need a phantom project, just showing the basics. Hello Mark, I agree, the FEDs in my opinion just scream out..do it. I like not having to glue in windows and effing up BMF. Give me FAs and FEDs! Open cars rule!

Bill, reading back many entries, no way this car would have WW tires, especially with probably cheater slicks or similar. No way! This was not a higher quality model from 1962. Zero white walls on this pearl. Very interest being, the original invoice, gotta love having a cigar lighter for less than $4 in your car. Myself, I'm from Jax., Florida. Before obliging Uncle Sam, a neighborhood buddy got me a job working at the very same Dodge dealership that supplied Don Garlits many parts from his earlier days. You can read about the dealership on his '63 Dodge from back then. The boys in the shop were well acquainted with Mr. Garlits. I'm surely a Mopar guy. Had the pure pleasure of selling a year old Plym, 383 Roadrunner for dirt cheap, to my own brother. lol. He got a great deal! Mopars never had good, comfort qualities, the exception being the upper class models. The basic Mopars mostly, cheap materials, but well built. And they were quick for not much money. For us younger boys back then, what's not to love? My fave was a 340 Dart, 4 spd. Bought it dirt cheap with employees discount. Like $2300. The boys in the shop did their magic, ignition and carb tuning.....mercy. The sweetie ran circles around BB Chevelles and such. The Olds 442 were tough, especially with automatic trans. They hooked well and had tons of torque. My Dart would spin tires at launch. So, street racing, only a rolling start with a 442 Olds. Olds are cool. My absolute favorite Mopar from 1970, would be the 340 Duster. You could order things like, a white interior w/ bucket seats and actual real gauges in the instrument panel! For cheap, Mopars were a thrill. Even AC was possible! Bill, please excuse my ratchet jaw here. Just slipping in some real Mopar stories from back in the day. I just like to communicate, which may be a problem for some. Mike..

Ian, essentially, there you have it. Form and function, no frills. Nothing else here to offer. Time machines in an era long gone. My opinion, these make for wonderful models and look sensational on the shelf. Kits don't offer the same view. Do it your own way. Am happy you're here. Mike..

Hello Ian. You know well yourself about the old school FEDs! Happy to see you! Mike..

Thank you very much, Chuck. About keeping up, man, at times this has become easier said than done. But all is OK now and am back at the bench. Thank you sincerely for commenting, means a lot to me. Mike.. Dear Carl, thank you for remembering. You are a fine man and a wonderful soul. This was the last model finished before my long pause, now 5 years ago. One finished this year last spring, another active now on the bench. Do your best and go for it! Mike..

I hear that! Daniel, I remember well your superb aluminum FED from a while back. Scratch built. Good that we freely communicate nowadays. I’m the same, just slower these days, but that's OK. My bench is fired up, supplies and parts aren't lacking, let's build an old school FED! Mike..

Yep, that would be the stuff. Solvent for styrene as well as glue. Nice and smelly! Hey, if it doesn't smell (like paint) it won't work! lol.

Fiats are just crazy! I love 'em!

UPDATE; some motor works. Prepping the heads with brass tubes to accept the brass zoomies coming up, which just slide over these tubes. 3D material is so brittle, needing to beef up the pipe connection. The red material around the tubes is a homemade concoction, using ethyl acetate as a medium to melt red sprue leads to desired thickness to apply with a toothpick. The 'soup' dries quickly. Also getting the manifold detailed for fuel lines. The nozzles are movable so that adjustment later on is easier. Thanks for your interest. Mike..

Thanks Jimmy, hoping things work out as planned. Hi Elliot, yep, down low with the tilted down motor....they just kill me. Mike.. Very kind of you, Francis. I'm still at it, the best part is taking the time, piece by piece. Do it once is best. After finding out a new method of lacing wheels without solder has made things much easier. More later about this.

Daniel, great fix there. QUESTION; 'sprue gloo', is that a trade name, or your own concoction? I make my own liquid filler. The reducer for styrene is ethyl acetate. Using a small jar, cut a mess of sprue leads, like maybe 1.5" altogether. Pour in just covering the styrene bits, wait 20 minutes, then you have applicable goop. Is quickly thinned out if needed, immediately. Apply with a toothpick, works great. Dries in 30 minutes max. But, I just looked online, the stuff in the US is very expensive. Germany is famous for chemicals, so a quart of the stuff is super cheap here. I know of no other liquid filler for styrene, hence the question. Looking good.

Thanks much, Larry. Also for your comments on the WIP page. Mike.. Thank you sincerely, Carl. This means a lot to me. Mike..

Looking great, Daniel. I agree fully what others mentioned, combining different materials to reach an inspiring result. Especially in this scale. Respect. Mike..

Hello guys, this one is a current WIP. 145" wheelbase, started this past spring, vintage 1965 car. Nothing fancy, just what I really like about the mid 60s, lack of chrome, down low and dirty with huge motors sitting way back!. No frills. Also shown are the 'studs' at bottom of chassis, thus keeping the ride height set throughout the entire build. These are removed after painting, after completion. The bare block sits, drive line established with motor dump, firewall. The car will show minimum of 3" to pavement. More soon. Mike..

Very much appreciated, and thanks for the approval, Bruce. Mike.. Thanks Rich! Every time I finish a brass chassis, same thought comes up....a shame to paint it! This one though, only polished. Just different. Mike.. Thank you, Brian. Mike.. Hello Robert. I agree, the FAs do it for me as well. Although the FEDs are a very, very close 2nd. If you are on Facebook, this fellow allowed me to use his chassis for this model. The all steel Fiat project was very well documented, really a treat to view. Finished last spring, now up and running well. FB, right here: https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/noquarterfuelaltered Hi Mike! Am very happy to build once again, just a little slower these days. Thanks for dropping by! Mike.. Appreciated, thank you Bill. Mike..

Time to show the finished Fiat. Paint is House of Kolors, blue candy over gold base = nice, deep green. Clear coat has intensive green modifier to add depth. Blower hat has only clear w/ modifier. Many, many coats here. Thanks for viewing. Mike..

UPDATE: Moving forward, a few odds and ends, polished chassis, clear coat. The tank cleared the hood just fine, but for such a short wheelbase, things get really tight up front. Polished chassis. 3d zoomies.. Motor sits.... OK. Only a few things to add, then paint. I'm moving this now to the 'Under Glass' section. Thanks to all who commented and liked. The car was finished in time for my74th birthday, earlier this year. Greetings, Mike..

Thanks Daniel, was thinking the older Hemi suits the car better. Thanks Rich! I decided to just clean up the solder joints more, polish the bare brass and clear it. Been wanting to do it this way for years!