Scale-Master

I'm not sure about that logic. Compare the '53 to the '63. Not much family resemblance between them. How about the '67 and '68? Compare either of those to the '84. It is an evolving design so who is to say what looks like and doesn't look like a Corvette? By that rationality the Corvette has not looked like one for about 50 years.

Most of those who don't like it would have never been in the market for it anyway. Face it, GM is designing for who they think are the target audience of buyers.

This was made from the Vette Agin as a semi dare. It was missing a few pieces so I built it as a curbside. The wheels came from the Polar Lights Coronet 500 as did the rear tires, the front tires are from the parts box. Testors Cream and Red were used and custom decals were made for the graphics. The #5s and roundels are 70’s vintage MPC items, and they cracked badly during application. Light weathering was done with baking soda and light gray paint. I was going for a faux salt racer look.

Well, Dave, I didn't take any pictures until I had a part. Maybe in a future job using that process...

Umm...My name isn't Jeff... But I have been called worse four letter names. (By people on this forum even.) Technically it is not Photo Etch because the image is not transfered via film (negative/positive) images. Nor is it outputed onto resist sheet using a laser printer. I use vinyl to make the resist. So it is acid cut or acid etched, but not PE. It is a process I am still fine tuning and also finding its limitations. Thanks for the compliments guys!

Princess Bride

Just out of curiosity, where does the 1000 hour time frame come from? I have built models that I have invested over 1000 hours in, but until they are finished I have no idea how long any project will actually take. Same thing with the paint. Just wondering how you know how long these tasks will take? And good luck!

I added some more pieces, nine to be exact, but they are just various sizes of brass tubing stock I soldered in to make the hub with the lug seats. This now bolts to the hubs I made earlier. Still cleaning up the edges of the spokes and anything else that needs it.

I decided to experiment with another approach to the wheels and took a run at making etch cut brass wheels. This time I chose a BBS style. Here is the spider I designed and cut from .030 brass. Then I bent it using sockets for dies. Also shown is the outer rim I cut for it. Then I soldered the two parts together… Here it is in the aluminum rim blank I made earlier with the extra tire. I still need to add to the back side of the hub area so the lugs have something to seat into and to make the offset correct as well as clean up the edges. Just like the aluminum five spoke wheel, this will be a master, not one of a set.

I can see both sides of it. While accuracy is a great goal to strive for, the mechanics of how to engineer something to be functioning also has its draw. I still think you should take the path that gives you the most enjoyment/challenge. Trying to please an unknown group of people who might want a copy should be second to making what you want, IMHO...

Tom is correct, you don't need a car. But the one time we relied on the airport shuttle we almost missed our flight... And we have become used to having a car there, (we drive out now, in about 12 hours). A lot less stress about the models getting damaged too. Come to think of it, I think we are the attendees that shuttle other modelers around. Met some of my closest friends that way...

I don't have the answer to your question; it depends on what a particular individual would want. To that end it is nearly impossible to please everyone. I would suggest you do it the way you want to, if that means concessions in scale (all models have them) to make a functioning model, go for it, I am sure there are many that would enjoy it. If you prefer to make an accurate as possible replica and forgo the action aspect, do that. You are in the driver’s seat. What would I want? Accuracy. But that is just me…

Using your math, I would opt for the driving. You'll likely want a car once you get there, so this way you don't need to rent. It is THE safest option listed for transporting your models. Maybe you can find a designated driver to go with you so you can imbibe on the way?

Yes, very cool, both the subject matter and the exercise.

Since I still had the measurements for the wheel handy, I decided to make the rotors and hubs. These are made to fit on the front, they’re directional too… Yes, the holes in the hubs are threaded to accept studs/bolts. These are the rear brake rotors and hubs… Same basic process as the fronts, but not the same hub proportions.

Violent Violet Volkswagen But is it actually a Roth?

Where do you see them?

Already did an orange one about six years ago:

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the compliments, especially from some of you guys that also impress me with your skills and workmanship. Before I cut the hole, I made ribs to add some rigidity to the hood and soldered them in. I also did a little more work to true up the fit to the cowl. Then I cut the hole. Still need to do some surface work, but it is stable now.

Doesn't mean I can't put a confederate flag, or at least a union jack on it... I made some intake horns with mounting flanges so I could mock up/measure the spacing and location of them and the carbs in relation to the hood and determine where to cut the hole in the side of the hood. The intake manifold and carbs are measurements I have, plus I have a few finished Sevens I can measure from too.

I keep going back and looking at those wheels! Wow, yeah, what everybody else said! I can't seem to find my own words for how cool those are.

The fact of the matter in regards to Drew’s story, (and that is just what it is, a story, not based on reality but on a tale in his mind), is after the awards presentation Drew came over to the builder of that model and chastised him for not weathering that car. The model was an OOB built pre-race presentation version of a Tamiya Formula One car and was presented as such on the accompanying notes. For the record, my wife, a couple friends and I witnessed this unfold firsthand. Drew’s adamant perspective at that time was that since he photographed for a dirt track magazine he thought all race cars needed to be dirty, and became very argumentative when the point was repeatedly made that it was ostensibly a model representative of a virgin show car. Then he started with the pot shots for not sending out the chrome roll bar for an Out-Of-The-Box build. What the heck difference did that make after the fact? The show was over and a judge is making an issue with an entry and entrant? Talk about petty. It was not a case of a modeler not satisfied with an award as Drew falsely claims, it was a case of Drew criticizing the model and the builder for not making it how he apparently thought it should have been done after the contest was over. Why? Whatever happened to building for yourself? Or was this before that was permitted? (For the record, just how would the builder know what “the score” was anyway if a judge didn’t tell them? Aren’t the awards just first, second and third?) Even my wife remembers how unhinged and mad Drew was then when I showed her this thread today. In fact Drew’s nasty and rude attitude towards that builder that afternoon is why we stopped going to the San Diego shows. No need to participate at a venue where the winners (or anyone for that matter) are attacked verbally by the judges (or in this case, one of them) for not building in their preferred style.

So then why ding the build for something that at the time was considered the right thing to do?

Square tube frame in brass, yes, that is the plan... But I have other parts I intend to make first.

Thanks guys! Here are some answers Well…, I have the degrees for cutting seven facets into round stock memorized… But as for each part, I decide what I am going to make, and how it will fit to the overall model. Then I determine what part(s) need to be made to be the “anchors”. In other terms, parts that can be measured off to make other parts that will fit later. While I have reference books for the real cars, I am not building this one to be one of them. Instead of building it as if it was a Caterham kit car, I am going for the initial Lotus mentality of making it to match the basic parameters of a Seven, but from raw and repurposed materials. The original Lotus Sevens were minimalist kit cars. The “kit” was basically a list of (mostly used) mechanical parts to acquire and the specs and directions to build your own frame and body with simple tools and inexpensive materials. The cam cover was made to fit a BDR head, so I matched the “footprint” and mounting points. When I make the head I’ll just meet those same requirements and make the bottom match the top of a BDR block. Since the mounting points are based on real car parts it should all fit together. I have no idea when it will be done and am not building it for anything other than my enjoyment and as a challenge to myself, (I guess both are kind of the same). So if I get it done in time for a GSL I don’t know which year it will be… I proudly use Sherline, and highly recommend their products. And now back to the program in progress: Before I could fully finish the shape of the rear of the hood, I needed a cowl piece to mate it to. The cowl is made from the same piece of brass as the hood. Here is the basic shape cut from the sheet. I hammered over the front edge and reinforced it with solder. Relief cuts were made into that flange to allow the shape to match the hood starting at the top center and working outward. Then a lip for the hood to sit on was formed and soldered on while shaping it to match the hood. Another arch was made of brass rod and set inside the lip with solder. Still a little more work fitting the cowl and hood together, but they are coming along…