Hypermung

This is going to be showroom stock, as new condition (sorry Doc, I'm not going to crankify it. I have warped original Johan issues for that someday). I'm still pondering if I should build it as a Coronet or a Custom Royal ? I also have some correct twin air cleaners & manifold from a Johan 1960 Desoto that I could build a MEGA rare 'Super D-500' if I want to. Same 383 engine with the twin 4 BBL carbys. Hmmmm ?. Dunno yet how it's going to go, or even the colour, but it will be fully detailed throughout.

Attention turns to the basic engine. The 58 Plymouth's engine seems to be a curious mix between an early Mopar 350 big block, & a later 318 poly engine? Perhaps Revell used something that was already modeled previously? Anyway, this is going to be a model of the rare D-500 option which used the (as then) NEW 383cu big block. I sourced a few kits for a '383' & found a couple of nice examples, but decided to go for the Revell 68 R/T Charger kit as this one comes with both a Hemi & a 440 big block. The 440 is almost identical to a 383 externally, so I decided to go with this & modify the 440 to emulate the 383 (& then I've still got a Hemi to complete the 68 R/T someday). The 58 Plymouth's engine was cut from the Torque Flite transmission, & the 383 (440) was mated to the tranny. The sump from the 58 Belvy was also used so the engine / trans combination will fit the front crossmember correctly. Then we can test fit the whole package for the first time.

Here I've test fitted the engine bay to the chassis. The engine bay itself is going to need a lot of sanding in the appropriate area to get it fitting under the body nicely.. Early days yet.

Two issues I had to deal with straight away, were the firewall & chassis. The 58 uses a different heater box. Similar, but different. So I cut the motor part off the end & the other end got shaved as well, then used some model putty to rough out a correct 59 heater box. It still needs heaps more work, but at least it's sort of the right shape. Now the chassis. The AMT Plymouth has wonderful chassis detail almost identical in every way to a 59 Dodge, except the Plymouth has a 118" wheelbase, & the Dodge uses a 122" wheelbase. So I cut the chassis & floor pan just before the rear wheel humps & spring perches, & extended the chassis to 122" (scale). More putty to finish the chassis join nicely.

I know you Fins & Swedes & Danes LOVE your Forward Lookers Hertsi. I also frequent 'The Forward Look Net' & I've seen many fine examples of Virgil Exner's designs go over the big pond over the years. Hey,I done it myself. I imported my life long dream from South Carolina last year (see my avitar). I guess you couldn't have helped taking notice, coming from 'Fin Land" & all...... lol

Hi Guys. Now I (sort of) know how to post pix, I'm going to share the progress on a build I've been collecting bits for, for a few years now & only recently started. Please excuse me if the text is a bit fragmented, but I'm still learnin!. There's upteen threads on Mustangs, Chevys, Batmobiles, dozens of General Lee's, etc, etc, but I've only seen 1 other thread on a 59 Dodge & that was a very nice wagon in April last year, so I thought I'd get you all 'Forward Looking' & show you what I consider to be one of Virgil Exner's best designs. The 1959 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer body is not an original Johan issue (that are prone to warpage issues), but the later 80's Excell re-issue kit with the better plastic throughout. As this is only a kerbside kit & I want total detail throughout, the first order is to open the hood up. Easier said than done though as the plastic towards the bend of the hood is at least 1/4" thick (they must have hung them by the back or something?)Noticed the AMT 58 Plymouth in the background?. Well, the Dodge needs an engine bay & chassis detail, & as I haven't found a 59 Mopar with under hood detail, a 58 will have to do (not quite 'correct', but near enough). I'll modify it to suit the 59.

It needs a bigger engine...

Thanks for the pic Mikey. That R&M arsenal looks perfect for what I want. Are they resin or plastic? Is that Glen Burnie address on the pack current? Now to work out how to get 2 sets?.......

Ok then..SWEET.. This is the 80's Excell re-issue of the Johan 59 Dodge in white styrene & was manufactured as a curbside kit, but I want to open the hood & show some engine detail. So?... Cut the hood out ... Then there's no engine bay to speak of.......... SOLUTION?...................................Take 1 58 plymouth kit & cut the detail you want out. Shouldn't be too hard to modify it to fit correctly

AND Forward Look too.....

I'd like to be in also Nick. Though mine won't be a Plymouth. I'm thinking 1959 Dodge 2Dr HT. ........................... Still lots of fins though

Would any members know a good source of 1/25th weapons, either resin or styrene?. I'm thinking of old muskets, double barrel shotguns, hunting rifles, BB guns, or whatever?

This would be the rarest one (to an Aussie anyway )also have a couple of unbuilt Johan 1959Dodge re-issues & a couple of factory built re-issues

I have a backlog of kits that I will attend to one day. Not just cars either. Many bikes, an Aeroplane or two, a BIG ship (2.5' long) & quite a few cars.

Double spacing?. Do you mean 2 full lines of space first & after?.

I like the 'Wood' idea, on the side pillars, but I reckon it would (wood) REALLY stand out if it was done like a bamboo finish (somehow?).

I may as well use this thread as my 'Test' area I suppose. I'll try to use the Control C & Control V to paste this time.. . Then I'm going to do it again. . The text is still fragmented, but at least I can get some images happening. I suppose the phrase 'Practice makes perfect' is totaly correct here.

.HALLELUJAH... Thanks Guys. BUT I still have a few issues that I may overcome with a bit of practice. I've seen you all post a photo, then write something, then post another photo, write something etc etc. When I've just written something first, then try to post a pic, when I right click to paste, all the text I've just written disappears & is replaced with the link code ?. Also you can see how my text is fragmented... Any ideas?

.......... Hopefully it worked this time.

I can paste the link as above, but thats using the toolbar link @ the top of the page. Still no pix in the thread though. When I click on the IMG code line in photobucket it dosen't seem to do anything. Left click does nothing, & right click opens a small box that says 'about Adobe flash player 10'. Normally when I cut/paste I left click to highlight the selection in blue, right click to bring up the copy option, right click to copy, then right click to bring up the paste option, then left click to paste. I just can't seem to get this right.

http://s741.photobuc...gebeforecut.jpg

Thanks Guys. I get thru the tutorial up to the part down the bottom where the heading says 'Click the IMG code line & it will copy itself' but thats as far as I can get. It dosen't seem to copy therefore unable to paste?. I must still be doing something wrong

My main problem is attaching nice photos like you guys do. I used the 'Attach Files' box @ the bottom of the reply page (like I do on other car forums) & they only came thru as thumbnails (VERY annoying). Now I can't even post thumbnails anymore because next to the ' Attach this file' box it now says 'Used 1.95MB of your 1.95MB global upload quota.' & rejects anything I try to attach. I realize I'm probably doing it wrong, but I'd love to be able to post some WIP pix occasionally. I'm not sure how to do the photo bucket thing & would hate to start screwing up an otherwise good thread with my feeble attempts to post a decent picture... That's why I thought a 'Test' area could be a good thing.

I don't know about anyone else, but I reckon the MCM forum needs a new subheading (if that;s what it's called). I'd like to see a 'Test' section under the 'General' title where us newer members can try our pix, or posts, or whatever to get them right before we try to inflict our mishaps & garbage in the general topics in any section. I'm a user at a few other forums on the net (not related to model cars), & even the most experienced users on those sites post some 'tests' in the appropriate section to get their pix / whatever correct before they try to include something into a thread. I know from personal experience that it can be frustrating when your'e trying to post something, & it turns out like some garbage from an illiterate moron. Just my 2c worth.

Why don't you try to use the rear part of the body you cut off ?