Mooneyzs

Art... I completely uderstand having to put it aside to get projects done for GSL. Just promise to bring this work of art in progress to thr DSC. I am hoping to have the funny done for GSL but have a feeling its gonna be sitting on the under construction projects table... lol guess you can say I didnt plan things out too well.

Brad... any updated Brother.... I got Scout Truck on the brain!!

Art... Like Brad said... I have Hawk Midget on the brain. Hopefully you have been able to get some more bench time in.

Randy... I am super impressed with that steering rack. man that sure is nice. I may have to borrow your idea how you did it on my next build. I also hope you bring this to the DSC even if its not done I would love to see this incredible work in person. Every update just gets better.

I am totally digging this Nova. I have always liked this body style. Keep up the great work. Really like the blue. you gonna do a two tone on the car? Blue with a white roof??

Tyrone... you have been a busy man. Those resin weld decals turned out great. Everything is just killer. I can't believe how you crammed all of that plumbing in for the Turbo set up. I am digging it. Awesome Work as usual

Ok Guys I got a little work done its not much but I got the 2nd plate done for the bell housing. I think I made a total of 4 before I got it right...lol I kept messing up on the hole pattern and not getting them drilled in a straight line. Anyway here are a couple of shots of it: Here is the Trick Titanium Bell Housing I was using as reference material:

Bill... So I went and added a bunch of time into my excel spread sheet that I didn't put in for a while and as of tonight I have worked on this this build for a total of 446 days over the 4 years and currently have 1337.5 hours in this build so far. Dave... Thank you sir... you know me there will be more trial and error with the color on the tape. I just hope that I can get the color down in a few tries when I get the couple colors I ordered. I forgot to take some pics of the color chart against the pic of the tranny blanket. I will try to remember to show everyone. Brad.... I didn't realize that the printable fabric came on a card stock with a backing that is removed... Hmmm... maybe that might be a good solution if I can't get the color to match...lol

Brad... My plan as of right now is to paint the parts on thrusday. I need to get to the bench tonight and make a 2nd Plate that goes onto the bell housing and then add a hole for the reverser lever and at the same time fill two holes that TDR had on the reverser. I guess my question on the fabric paper is how it would wrap around the tranny if it would be rigid or sorta form to the mid section like the medical tape does. Ken... I will have to add more green to it. I did add a few different shades of green in a few of the samples but it was more like Olive Drab green. Its so hard to tell from the only pic I have of it if its a green. or if it has a hint of grey or a blue shade going on. But I will try to match it the best I can. I should show the colors that I am waiting to get here. I will see what I can do to show you guys.

Darryl... very nice job on this one. I Love it. The stance is just killer. Vant wait to see tour next build.

Bob... I normally color my medical tape with sharpies but since the colors werent standard shaprie colors. I didnt know if I could achive the colors by going over with different sharpie colora. As to why i decided to use some aceylic paints to mix colors similar to it and try to match it. Bill... I havr been keeping track of thr time on a chart that inhave made in excel. The last time I checked I was over 1200 hours into this build. I need to update my spreadsheet because I keep track on 3x5 cars and then input them to my excel file. And to be honest I probably have a couple months worth to put in. I will update it when I get home and give you a more accurate number later.

John... You continue to amaze me brother... Boy this is a beautiful build. I have been dying to see an update on any of your builds. Now I am ready for the next one... just don't let it be so long in between....lol. Your paint work is just Gorgeous.... TOP NOTCH my friend!!

So fellas... yesterday I spent some time trying to come up with some color combinations for the transmission blanket, most of what did was unsuccessful but wanted to show a few pics anyway. I actually have some other colors on order that I am hoping will be a little closer to what I was trying to come up with. I took some Vallejo colors and was tinting them with white and black to try to achieve the color I was looking for. Anyway Here are some of my failed attempts....lol So here are some test samples that I was trying with some different mixing ratios. Actually my first few attempts I wasn't keeping track so I though I should write some of it down once I got the right combo: Here I was placing some of the straps on a piece to see how it looked.... Still wasn't the right shade: Here is multiple other attempts at colors... LOL: So now I am waiting for some paint to show up. I found two colors that looked really close to the pic that I had to order and its supposed to be here Thursday but hoping they will get here sooner.

Mike... Thank you. Clayton... Thank you. I can't wait to have this tranny done hoping to get paint on it in the next few days.... maybe Thursday. I want to see it in color and together ....lol Ira... Thank you Sir. I still have plans to build a Deals Wheels fun build like you are always building. I love them. Tyrone... Thanks Brother! I am trying that's for sure...lol Martin... Thank you. The shifter plunger bracket isn't attached to the chome cross bar. I think that I messed up when I originally did the chassis I have the steering mount bracket a little farther back than it should be. It technically should be sitting a little closer to the mid plate. At the time I did it I didn't have any thoughts with where the shifter plunger was going to sit and too late for me to redo the chassis now....LOL

Tim... Thank you my friend. I am really getting excited about this Transmission. I have a few more minor things to do to it. I need get the reverse handle mounted. I need to re-drill the mounting holes because they weren't centered from TDR. Then I need to make a 2nd smaller cover plate for the bell housing that is mounted between the inspection plate and flange. the tranny blanket need a tad more work, trying to figure the best way for the latch and just need to match the colors of the blanket. Then I can can paint and believe it can be assembled and called done... I think...lol I am hoping to get some good progress today.

Ok so I have another quick teaser. I have been working on the tranny blanket sorta doing things as templates before I make the final one or if the pieces I am happy I may just use it. What you see here is two different medical tapes one was Johnson and Johnson and the other 3M. Now I colored the straps red for purposes of people being able to see them better for this mock up. I actually need to make them a little skinner so they will fit into the photoetch buckles that I am planning on adding to them for added detail. Now I need to be able to mix some paint colors up to match the only picture I have of the color of the tranny blanket: [/url Here are the Colors I need to match:

Clayton... Thank you. I am ready to jump back on to the body but I want to get this transmission set up completed now...lol Bob... Thank you. Its a small change but it will add that extra little detail.

Ok since I posted pics last night, I wasn't happy with the fact that I turned the bracket around for the shifter plunger and since that's not the way it should have been I decided to work on making my own plunger so I could get things fitted correctly. You wouldn't believe me but I spent around 2 to 2-1/2 hours on this stupid little detail. first trying to figure out what I would use and then a few trial and error's...lol. ok so I was taking a quick break from the build so I can grab some food then I will get back to it. Anyway here are a few teaser pics for ya.... What I have here is a new and improved spring plunger. which is made up of a 1/16" dia brass rod, a hex nut that I had to drill out and sand the thickness down, one of scale hardwares .5mm bolts and the TDR shapeways lever: Top view, which I had to cut a slot in the middle of the tube and did it by means of a razor saw.... took me a couple of tries and pieces to get it they way I liked it.... first one or two was off ceter...lol and then I had to drill a hole in the tube for the bolt: Another side view: Here is a view to show that I now have clearance between the lever and the steering gearbox support mount. Although I still need to solder the nut to the tube and when I do I will raise the tub just a tad up from what you see here:

Dave... Thank you and thanks for taking the time to catch up. Probably a lot of new things since you last saw it. I am glad it has inspired you to dust your builds off. Looking forward to some of your updates on it. Mike... Thank you. But you know me I have to try to make things better...lol Darryl... Thank you my friend. Now if I could just do a cool Diorama in 16th scale like you have done with many of your builds. It would be sweet. One of these days. I have an idea of doing some sort of garage or speed shop but before that happens I have this build and others I would like to finish....lol Ray... Thank you.

Danno... Oh I gotcha.... Maybe my dog can help out and hold something...lol Ok Fellas... so I got in some bench time tonight not as much as I was hoping and did a little more sanding to the Mid section of the Lenco Tranny. Also got some primer on it as well as started to look at how I was going to fabricate the tranny blanket for it.. Then I was seeing what I could use for the strap buckles and all. I will let the couple pics do the talking..... Here is the tranny all in primer now. Then I drilled out the hole to accept the shifter plunger from the TDR Shapeways kit: Here is a shot from the other side. I still need to add another small plate to the bell housing that I saw in pics of them. It will be a small plate with 6 bolts between the flange and inspection plate you see here: Now as I was messing with plunger linkage from TDR Shapeways, the size of the linkage made me start to think about the linkages that I need for the K-Style Barrel valve and for the injector hat and even the fuel shut off valve. I am going to have to draw a few up in Solidworks and have some printed. I was trying to figure out how I was going to make them and after seeing the size that TDR did for these they shouldn't be a problem to make: Well I decided to set the engine in the chassis to check for clearance on the shifter plunger linkage and found I may of ran into a little snag with the steering gearbox piece: So what I will most likely do is just mount the linkage like this instead. I had to fix it on the fly and this was the easiest solution: Here is a closer up shot from the opposite side showing that I now have clearance between the parts:

Brad... Isn't that the truth...lol I am curious as to when the rain will start. I was considering going out to wild horse pass raceway for the Top Alcohol dragsters and funny cars but I may be better off staying at home getting bench time in...lol Scott... Thank you so much. Joe... Thank you. That is very true that I need to start prepping those lines. Gotta get everything ready...lol Tim... I would love to get it painted so it get me one more step closer but if I can't paint no biggie it will allow me to get other things prepped and ready as well. I am actually anxious to see it painted and next to the block to give that over all picture of what it all looks like together. Sorta getting more and more exciting for me. seeing all of the hard work paying off now. Clayton... Thank you. Yeah once I get some color on it then I can start making the tranny blanket for it but not sure what I will jump to once I get this little portion done... maybe back to the body tin work. I have a slight modification and then I can do a final sand and have it ready for paint and I may jump back to some more body work on the body so I can get it primered. I can't wait til I get the body in primer. seeing it in plastic is getting old...LOL Danno... Thank you. you know that might not be a problem but how am I gonna hold the parts to paint if I have both hands full...hmmm lol

Bob... thank you. It will be another small milestone getting these parts into paint. Mike... you are welcome. I wished I could of got more done but hopefully tonight. Gabe... I will make sure and let you know when that happens, maybe at one of the moonlight meetings So my plan for tonight is to get the mid section of the lenco tranny finished up and in final primer so it can sit for a day or two and possibly paint it on sunday if its not raining here or I can wait and paint it tuesday. I have heard that we are supposed to get rain this weekend Bit we will see it is phoenix... lol

Ok so I have a very minor update. not a whole lot to share but I had to do some sanding from some bondo that I added to the gusset on the bell housing and a little more work to a few other tranny parts... Here is a few pics... Here is the bell housing pretty much all done all I need to do is a final sand for paint and I also need to drill 6 more holes for another plate that has to go on the bell housing. Then its time for paint: Here is the reverser section of the lenco tranny where I added material for the ribs, looks better after cleaning it up: another angle of it: And here is the inspection plate. When I last primed it I had gotten a heavy coat on it which it looked like it had some bubbles in a few areas so I had to sand it down and add a few light coats. It just needs a final sand and then it will see paint:

Clayton... you are welcome. Oh man I know what you mean about setting alarms off. My camino does it all the time to cars...lol Martin.... You are welcome on the Camino Pics. Thank you for the kind words on the build. I am enjoying the build but I will be honest I can't wait to start 2 or 3 other builds that I can't wait to share with everyone here. They will be fun Dave... Thank you very much. Tim... Thank you. I can't tell you how excited I am getting seeing little more done. I am so anxious to be able to paint the bell housing and tranny but I still have minor clean up work on them before they are ready. thank you for saying this build should be in a museum. To be honest not sure I would want to let it go...lol but it would be an honor if lets say it was on display at the Wally Parks NHRA museum in Pomona. Steve... Thank you on the kind words. Its still a model Ray... thank you on the Camino. Blue is my fav color Dave.... Thank you. Joe... Yes that is my plan anyway which I didn't get much bench time this week but going to try and make up for it this weekend. I want to get more of this motor done and I still have a few parts that I need to draw up and have 3D printed. I now can't wait to start putting some of the fittings and braided line on to really see it come together. Mike... Thank you. The races were nice. John... what can I say my Big Brother. Thank you. I don't know if it is perfect but I have done the best I could on some of the parts. Thanks for following along.

Art... I can not wait to see what you come up with for the birdcages. I am glad my idea possibly helped to get you in the right direction but with your talents I think you wouldn't have any problems getting it figured out. I sure enjoy your work. Keep at it Brother!