Scale-Master

Very creative and cool. Nicely balanced and it really captures the moment.

I have built several of those multi piece body Fords, (even some for box art...). Just take the time to fit and true up the body parts. The rest is basic modeling skills. I do prefer to use CA and kicker to lessen the chances of the parts shifting while drying. And I agree with Ranchero Steve's perspective. Those kits can make you a better builder.

The intake manifold is coming along. Brass and styrene construction …

The headers were made from leftovers out of the AMT ’70 Camaro. Here is what I started with: A new section was added to the left header and one pipe on each header was cut off from the flange all the way to the collector. The right side (cylinder #2) pipe had to be shortened. The flanges were cut off and pins were set into them to help locate them to the heads. The headers were then fitted to the engine in the car and measured and cut to the required length. A set of PE flanges were used on both the headers and the exhaust pipes I bent out of solder. Brass was used to make the brackets.

Once the paint dried it was just a matter of attaching all the little parts that I had already prepared… The kit is the 1/43rd white metal SMTS with decals I created to replace the poorly rendered and yellowed kit supplied ones. Paint is Tamiya TS-36 Fluorescent Red. WIP: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42947

I don't see why not...

The heads were cleaned up, trued up and resized. Holes were drilled for the exhaust mounting pins (to be addressed when the headers are made). You can see the beginning of the intake manifold in this picture too.

First I'd make/use smaller seats. That could allow the use of the kit's factory correct part. Otherwise I would scratchbuild what fits from sheet styrene or brass tubing depending on the shape.

The rear axle was beefed up with a truss. The drive shaft was removed from the front of the differential.

The transmission also had to be lowered so I cut a section of the chassis out and made a new cross member. A driveshaft safety loop was needed since the tunnel was removed...

The seats take up more space than the stock drive shaft tunnel allows. I cut off part of it to make room for the seats. First I drew the cut line. And then used a PE saw to make the cuts.

The passenger side foot well bulk head has been re-installed on the right side and the motor mount receivers have been lowered to allow the larger engine to fit under the hood. Bosses were added on the bottom to provide depth to lower the motor mounts. They will be thinned out once the location is finalized.

That is slick! Very cool, and well done!

The basic drive train is mocked up here. I am replacing the 1300cc four-banger with a Buick V6. The donor is a very bland AMT unit from the Opel GT. The block has been modified to accept the Lotus engine mounts and transmission, and the oil pan from the four cylinder engine was modified to fit the V6 and make it sit lower in the car. The transmissions were cut off both engines and I am using the Seven’s trans.

I already have a plan for that, widening would not fit the theme of this one. But a driveshaft loop/cage like we discussed will work.

A seat from the parts box (don’t know what it came from, but I think it was a Tamiya kit) was modified for the driver’s seat…

The cowl needs considerable modifications to be converted to left hand drive. This is the stock part: Here is the converted cowl/firewall and the modified for LHD pedal mount assembly. The battery and support will likely be replaced with scratch-built items.

Thanks, yes, it is an old Starter 1/43rd. Age is probably the cause of the decals cracking.

It’s time for another Super 7... This time in 1/24th using the perennial Tamiya Lotus kit. The first task is to convert it from right hand drive to left hand drive. Here are pictures of the stock kit body: The foot well was excised from the right side and the side wall of it was removed using a PE saw. A wedge was cut from the new body side part of the foot well and cemented to the inboard compensate for the angle from when it was on the right side. The side was cemented back on and the foot well was filed true and is ready for installation…

The orange decals cracked as they were being applied, and continued to crack as they dried. Fortunately, it was an easy color to match...

Looks like you are off to a great start.

Thanks guys, I've always thought it was boringly ugly. I understand and appreciate the cars' acheivement, but the scheme does not do it for me, maybe a Gulf scheme...?

Decals were a real bear on this one. Cracked like dry desert river bed. Found a good match for the fluorescent red/orange, but I had to mix the the blues to touch it all up.

Got some clear on it over the weekend... Once it is cured it is on to final assembly...