Rockford

I've felt a little frustrated with this build because I haven't been able to make any progress with it. I felt in a Catch22 situation over the rear suspension and the engine, I couldn't see how to work out the ride height or a sequence to complete the engine. I've got over it though. I used plastic card to form plates for the rear axle and will simulate a simple 4 link rear end from rod. I fitted coilovers behind the axle and a strengthening box across the diff. On the engine I brushed Tamiya silver on. Then, again using plastic card, formed a front motor plate. I used the timing cover to guage the size and where I would have to drill holes for the locating pins on the timing cover into the block, then trimmed it so as not to interfere with the magneto mounts. It will require further fettling obviously but it felt good just seeing the engine and transmission in place at last. It's too high at the front but I don't care at this point. I can now make the engine one piece. Wire it up, and then set the final height. The headers that come with the Nova aren't too bad once built with the collectors. I'll have to use them because the rail just has Zoomies. I realized that I'm a right messy pig too, there's no room on my bench. Every time I move something, something else falls off the edge. Maybe I should just leave them on the floor. Can't tell you how hard this sort of work is with one eye!!! So hard to align stuff etc... I got that frustrated I decided to just build the engine that comes with the Nova, it's a poor rendition of a big block Chevy but plonked together nicely. Made me feel as if I can still do stuff. Actually got me moving again.

A Corvette for $1, can you imagine...? Bet they were big blocks too.

Not great progress but something. Built the short motor, drilled and wired the rocker covers. Cut the two speed off the scattershield and attached the Lenco transmission (less its scattershield). Mocked the engine up. I'm thinking of using a motor plate to mount it in the chassis. Repaired the mess I made of the trunk panel line. Removed the "Hatchback" script from the C-pillars. Started thinking about the interior. I'd love to fit a front bench seat but I'm not sure it will fit with a full cage. There's a simple roll bar that comes with the kit but it's too narrow. It's a start though, so I widened it using sprue. As it was thicker than the rollbar I made the cuts as close to the end as possible so that it looks like padding on the bars. I'll have to make door bars, a cross brace and connectors to the rear end.

Wow!

I'm speechless!

Very nice, very nice indeed!

A very credible build that sir!

Nice work, I really like the way you deleted the centre console! I like it when people show their methods, helps us all to improve.

You've knocked another cracker out! Love the colour scheme and the rich, red interior. I love the bold colours you could have in those days. I didn't know anyone ever made a kit of one of these. Well done.

How odd, but I suppose each to his own.

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Great to see such a forgotten car being remembered, these lost cars need their champions!

24hrs to build a kit, and do such a good job of it too! That's quite an endeavour. I can't seem to build a car in 24 months! You're doing a blistering job there!

Good use of "leftovers", looks great!

Thanks gents, it's a bit tatty at present but I'll be doing a lot more finessing before I get to the paint stage. The bigger window really does improve the look in my eyes. I wondered about getting the slicks further up into the body but the tubs are already at the lower edge of the side windows, so that's the ride height by the looks of it.

That paint job looks fantastic! I like the way you pulled the bumpers in, they really did stand well off the body because they were on shock absorbers for the 5mph impact law. Looks very sleek!

Not much to report today, cut the rear tubs out of the floorpan to give the slicks more room. Worked on shortening and strengthening the rear axle, cleaning up the tyres and roughing the rolling surface up. They had a terrible seam in them and took some filing but looked ok in the end. I'd love to have the tread of a set of Mickey Thompsons but beggars can't be choosers! Also opened the rear window up to the fixed coupe version size. I just scribed a line around the outside of the existing window trim and then cut it out, but it still needed filing down a little. The hatchback shut line is now the outside edge of the window trim. I needed to scribe a shut line for the front edge of the trunk lid immediately under the lower trim. When I was scribing it I slipped and made a pig's ear of it. I'll have to fill it and start again but you get the idea and it does look a lot better. I mocked it up again with the rear bumper and a front wheel I found in my parts box. Not sure if I want stinkbug or near normal stance and let the rear slicks and the blower do the talking. I was thinking of painting it the same colours as my car, even keeping the vinyl roof and adding the side trim on the waistline.

I was on the receiving end of Leyland trucks as a mechanic, the 500 fixed head and the Sherpa van!

Seems to fall together, looks a very well engineered kit. German engineering through and through! This was a thoroughbred car, just so perfectly engineered (reminds me of the Austin Allegro, a close second). Makes a great subject.

Nice interior, true to life.

Think of this way, the Astro will keep you busy for near a week whereas the Camaro would only been a day or so, the speed you work! ?

Oh that's a nice machine!

Don't worry about having a rant mate, it's one of the purposes of this site I feel, being understood by like minded people. I never knew they added alternative box art, only right they did though. A rerelease with the mods you said wouldn't be too much trouble, most could be drawn from current design stick too. Only the decals would be totally new. Mind you, you did promise in writing about when you hit the big one...

To get the tyres under the body I had to widen the wheel arches at the bottom. I want to keep the outer profile as stock as possible. I worked on one arch until a tyre would nestle up to the skin of the fender. Once I was happy I taped some paper behind the arch and traced the outline. I can then copy the profile on the other side of the car. I thinned the plastic around the arch too, it's quite thick (like myself) and squeezes the tyres as they go up into the body. I still had to shorten the axle but not by much. A quick mock-up and it looks meaty meaty meaty! All still roughly done at the moment but looks promising.

There's just not enough models of the 70s land yachts around. Well done on bringing them back to life!