Scale-Master

Hmmm… What will this be…?

The parking brake lever was at the wrong angle for a LHD application so I cut it off the boot and machined a new one. The handle is rubber.

It wasn't until after I painted the upper frame (after converting it to left-hand drive) I noticed the Tamiya BDR factory build I cannibalized was built with the JPE version part that has a big boss to mount an overflow tank in the middle of the forward X brace. Keeping the Ford over GM (Vauxhall) theme I filled, whittled and filed the "error" into a correct configuration.

Finished the dash. Machined all the switches and warning lights in aluminum.

Textured and painted…

Thank you David! It still is being worked on... But I was in the mood to make something else. The master cylinder needed to be converted to left-hand drive too, but it instead of modifying the existing part I made a new one from brass, aluminum and resin. I had a leftover resin copy I made years ago; I cut the reservoir off and fitted it to a hand filed and cut brass cylinder body. The flange was milled from aluminum.

The gauges are installed in the dash…

I used SMS C/F decal for the dash, but it was too light and a bit coarse/high contrast for the look I wanted. So I tinted it with Tamiya Smoke and Clear Blue lacquers before clear coating it.

Lookin' really good! I like the way the finish came out.

Key switch for the ignition is done.

I started machining the switches for lights, blinkers, key, starter and windshield wipers.

The gauges are done for now and loosely fitted to the dash.

Thanks guys! The reset knob for the trip odometer. Three pieces. The largest part of it is .030 in diameter and has the ribs machined into it.

These are the gauge faces. I machined the parts and drew the art and printed them out. The needles are mounted to shafts (like real ones).

These are the lenses I made for the gauges. The one for the vacuum gauge lens is already installed. The hole in the one is for the reset knob for the trip meter.

Thank you David. This was an attempt at making the needles more accurate than my previous ones. Each time I learn a little more... At least I try to.

I made the needles for each gauge. They are different sizes and proportions because the gauges are three different sizes and two of the mid-sized ones are electrical and two are mechanical. (They are really small.)

Thanks Peter. Non-functioning, but hopefully realistic looking is the plan. The water temp, oil pressure, volts and fuel housings were roughed out next…

The gauges will be Auto Meter brand. I started off with the tach and speedo and a small vacuum gauge. They are milled so the lenses will mount from the inside like the real ones.

Thanks for the kind words everyone! The tires are old Tamiya items, (not sure what kit they came from). They were Michelin TRXs, but the tread was more like second generation BFG Radial T/As, which I had on it at one time. So I sanded the Michelin lettering off the sidewalls. They were the only tires I could find with the right sizes for this project. Here's the real car.

After Swiss cheesing the dash I reinforced it on the back (front?) with .020 x .070 thick strips before risking a fracture.

I decided on three different sizes of Auto Meter gauges.

I started the dash when I did the basic conversion to left-hand drive. It was intended to be just a blank place holder but I decided to use it anyway. First I trimmed out the bottom edges and then I started making the holes for the gauges.

It's done!

This is a replica of my real car with all the visible features that make it unique. I bought it 35 years ago this month, but it didn't look like this back then; this is how it looks currently. It is a '73 Rally Sport with a healthy '70 Camaro engine I put in it. It has the original LT-1 manifold and a Holley 750. It also has aluminum heads and cast valve covers. I put a 700R4 transmission from an IROC in it back in '86 and a C4 Corvette monoleaf front suspension in it in '88. Oversized sway bars, sub-frame connectors and custom made traction bars are just like on the real car too. The interior is appointed exactly like the big one down to the driver's seat & harnesses, Wink mirror and fire extinguisher and "modernized" to '73 factory passenger seats (with patterned velour), and console (with Hurst shifter and graphic equalizer). Floor mats and Auto Meter gauges were made to match as well. The paint is the same GS Admiral Blue (toned by undercoat to look more correct in scale) and the stripes are decals I made to match. The wheels have the proper offset and knock offs.