edboys

Hans, I do make the 4-hole Hilborn available in resin as well as the BBC engine. Shipping to the Netherlands could be pricey and I would have to check on that. Send me an email offline at mjaafd1@msn.com and we can talk more.

Thanks guys. Unfortunately, this will continue to be slow going. There are so many projects that back-burn this build. Chris - you are so fortunate to have access to photos or better yet, could view Snake's car in person if you had the opportunity, but with the Jewel T there are no reference pix of the altered's interior or rear suspension. Even the builder, Wes Ingram, didn't take any photos while building the car and works from memory with me. I'm making a lot of decisions blind, based on common practices of those days.

Been a while since I posted on this build. Made some improvements on some of the BBC engine parts. Just didn't like the valve covers I had done earlier. Here's the improved valve cover for this build. Hoping to get back to this project. Very busy updating most of my resin engines.

Here's the pic I wanted to share earlier. These are right out of the molds. The can in front is the one that would have saved you some time, it is basic like the one you already had and the other behind it is one that I do with all the details in place. With your building skills you got the basic one so you could add those details yourself.

Chris, you should have given me a shout cause I would have sent you another clutch can that is shaped like that. You did a wonderful job transforming the chamfered type anyway. Photobucket is down at the moment so I can't forward a pic, maybe later.

Chris - No real progress on any of my personal builds. You know I had a post here on MCM for the Jewel T altered build, but like so many of my builds get back-burned for other efforts. Resin parts production is at the top right now. Keep up your great effort on this project.

Chris, you use a Badger 200 single action to paint with? Been using that gun for over 15 yrs, most reliable gun out there - cheap too! Worn out one gun and replaced it two more. Don't get me wrong as I also have Paasche & Iawata dual action guns too. That Badger is a real work horse though. Are your House of Color paints catalyzed? My experience with HOC paints isn't good and I think it is the thinner I've used, too hot. Local auto supplier sold me some acrylic lacquer thinner that I have yet to use. What do you think? Oh, almost forgot...great progress.

Just amazing work!! This kind of talent goes way beyond even an experienced modeler. DOES ANYONE BUILD USING PLASTIC ANYMORE!!!! LOL.

The Ramchargers dragster you have shown in the pic is a Woody Gilmore chassis digger. With that said, there is no kit in 1/25 - 1/24th scale that uses a Woody chassis. Most of the kits done in those scales are all reflective of a Don Long type chassis. Garlits created his own chassis so to call his a Don Long would be wrong as well. What was done by the model manufacturers was to do one chassis and then do other versions using the original production chassis with different decals. Here's the most recognizable difference: Woody Gilmore chassis characteristics - dual chassis support tubes behind the drivers seat as the bottom frame rails bend upwards to meet the upper frame hoop that is formed behind the drivers seat. There are only two radius rods, one on each side, connecting the front axle to the frame. A bell crank is used to connect the front wheels, so the steering link runs parallel all the way down the body to the nose where the bell crank located. Don Long chassis characteristics - Single support tube behind the drivers seat connecting the upper and lower frame rail hoops. Four radius rods at the front axle, two on each side and the steering link usually runs parallel to the body until it angles off to the left front wheel for steering the wheels. These are very distinct differences. Differences that should be observed more closely if you want to accomplish a close to accurate replication. I hope these pix help. example of Don Long Chassis front axle configuration. example of Don Long chassis drivers cockpit configuration example of Woody Gilmore Chassis front axle configuration example of Woody Gilmore drivers cockpit configuration

That would be great. Just send them over once you get 'em. I'm finally getting your new 417 manifold done and then a new mold can be completed. This summer has been so busy I look forward to the fall and colder weather. You can take the credit for my effort to work with Scott on the photoetch pieces as it was Scott who informed me that he worked with you to size the butterflies for the Enderle bugcatcher on your request. Once I get the new bugcatcher finished I wanted to send you the new part to use. Your build is the ultimate inspiration to anyone who follows the progress. I'm just glad that you chose to use one of my engines for the build.

Chris, the earlier posts stating that the body was too narrow pointed out the only flaw I noticed. You made a great first attempt and a second try will correct the problem. Just wondering? - with the amount of time you have invested doing the drawing, and then waiting for TDR to return product to you, how many times could you redo these parts before you get what you want? I run into that problem all the time. I so want to do a master set of those myself. You get a real good idea on how wide/tall the body should be by comparing them sitting on the valve covers. The spacing between the spark plug holes gives you great relationship to observe for size. Your build looks great by the way!

Shove the end of a tapered toothpick into the black tubing and twist to create enough friction to heat it up and expanding the end, then insert the yellow wire. This trick works for other types of wire in different colors. Hope it helps.

It was indeed a real treat to meet with Brad. I really do need to get back on the Jewel T project. I'm very busy with engine orders right now as well as trying to finish up some new & modified parts. Some of those parts are going towards Chris Sobak's order. Scott Popham and I are collaborating on some photoetch pieces that will fit with some of the parts I offer too. Here I thought my summer would be less busy.

I don't know the exact cost between a new tooled large scale kit and that of a smaller scaled kit. Regardless of size that figure is still in the 6-figure range. One cost that can kill a kit quick is licensing. Payment for licensing fees can be higher for race subject matter because of all the sponsors that may be on the car. If you haven't noticed there aren't any tires being done anymore with manufacturer names on them because of licensing fees. Import fees play a role too, as they can increase the cost of kits compared to domestic manufacturers. The bottom line is that large scale kits just don't sell as well as smaller kits. The emphasis should be on pushing the manufacturers to include updated parts/features into existing tooling whenever possible. Better than good sales must prevail to justify the expense of even doing new wheels for instance. Cutting new wheels and tires into the existing molding is still $$$ tooling. One example would be the newly re-released AMT 1/16th 64 1/2 Mustang hardtop kit; just how much of an effort would it have taken to re-cut the mold to make the car a fastback '65 with some killer wheels? I already have 4 of the kits from various issues and would have purchased more had there been some updating. Another straight re-issue doesn't interest me and I hope the kit does well for Round 2's sake.

David - I've had some input with Ed Sexton at Revell with some of the 1/16th drag racing subjects in the past 10 years and had many conversations with him as well. I do know that any new tool can cost in the 6-figure category no matter what scale. So, that means there has to be a positive return on investment. Model companies do produce a dog kit once in a while, but can't afford to do so in this economy. That is why we see so many re-issues. Tried and true sellers help their bottom line as they go forward with any new tooling. Jeff - you mentioned the 1/32 Tamiya Corsair kit and there are many other aircraft kits that have been released in the past 5 years that have so much more detail than has been seen previously, not to mention that most of these new kits are all in 1/32nd scale. Airplanes in 1/32nd scale are large kits. The 1/12th scale Camaro kit is great example of how a re-issue with new parts would be a great place to start. I would agree with you that if the 1/12th Mustang kit would have been vintage fast back version it would have been a better seller. Overall, the most subject matter exists in 1/16th, then 1/12th and finally 1/8th so with that in mind I generally discuss 1/16th scale with Ed Sexton. As for anyone who would want to pursue the effort to send info to the manufacturers about producing new large scale subject matter it will be a long process that may appear to have little if no result. I remember the first time I met Ed Sexton and began down that road trying to bend his ear. I felt like my requests fell on deaf ears for a long time, but continued to be congenial whenever we would meet/talk and now he contacts me for some questions concerning those drag race cars that Revell did back in the early-mid seventies. I continue to push him towards doing something new in that series, either a new body for the existing kit tooling or an entirely new tool. I'm still waiting, but he does listen. I had real input with the new tires and wheels when Revell re-released the 1/16th Hawaiian FC kit recently, sending him some of my resin products for review.

So far the list of desired kits is as varied as the people on this forum. What I haven't seen is any mention of a writing campaign to the manufacturers to express the need for new subject matter in large scale(s). Without any input from us modelers stating our wants in subject matter this thread is nothing more than wishful thinking. Unless we tell the manufacturers what we want they will continue to think that their marketing information is correct in assuming that all is well. Of course there is the financial aspect of tooling up any new kit these days and I hate to say this but large scale kits do not sell as well as the regular (1/25) scale market does, so it is a very hard sell to convince the manufacturers to any new subjects in larger scales. Price of a large scale kit is getting prohibitive as well no matter what kind of car it may be. Hope is still out there for us modelers though, if anyone has noticed, there has been an ever increasing interest in making larger kits in other model venues such as aircraft/military models and some sci-fi. The manufacturers know that most active modeling enthusiasts are getting older and our eyes are following that trend. The best bet at the moment is to get them to re-release some of the existing tooled kits with some new parts. Even then, the sales will have to be strong in order to convince them to continue on with the possibility of a newly tooled kit. In my honest opinion, we should center on an existing kit series that has seen great success and that is the 32 Ford from Revell. If that kit was tooled in 1/16th it would sell very well and with that said I hope cynacism doesn't squash the thought I have placed forth here on the forum. So, who wants to start an effort to influence the manufacturers to listen to us large scale modelers? Not a one time email or letter, but an ongoing barrage of shouts until we are heard.

I will be attending. I'm going to bring some resin 1/16th scale drag engines in case anyone is interested - look forward to seeing friends in attendance.

So glad I ventured over here at MCM to look at your build. So far you have made a lot of great progress and I look forward to keeping tabs on this one.

Chris, great to see how you are dealing with the engine. All the refinements you have made makes me want to re-think the product a bit. Look forward to seeing the engine in completed form.

It was nice to visit with friends again at the Heartland Nats as well as meet new ones too. Had a great time as always, lots of great looking entries and as always not enough money to purchase more of what I wanted. Brad and Chris - all you have to do is give me shout out for some parts. Anyone who visits here on the site can inquire into what I have available. Bill - again, good to talk to you, I always learn things from fellow modelers at these events. Our talks always get me that much closer to entertaining the thought of purchasing a lathe/mill. Your cuda is going to be killer when done! Scott - Our discussions are always enlightening and the parts you are producing will keep me looking at your website regularly. I will be putting the parts I got from you to good use. The brackets we talked about will become a priority to me in order to get the info back to you. In general, thanks for all the kind words from everyone who has commented.

The mold for the 12-spoke wheels was successful and this is what they look like in completed form. Two halves together, twisted for the offset and these are fitted in the Revell tire without any mount surface adjustment. Some minor sanding may be done before they are glued together though.

Scott, I'm planning on being there, but this project will only be on display in-progress form. I'm trying to get it on wheels as a rolling chassis at least. If time permits I will have the driveline together and in place too, but don't count on it. See you there on Sunday. Dave and Michael - Thanks for the kind words.

Working up the 12-spoke wheels and have the first half completed. Created a master spoke, then did a mold to get six exact copies and prepped a Revell dragster front wheel rim to accept the spokes. I still have to cut off the back side of the rim and then size the half wheel before doing yet another mold. Putting two halves together will yield the 12-spoke I'm after.

More progress getting the rear end assembly done. Once the rod ends were complete the mount plates could be developed. I wanted the rear end mount brackets to be folded or supported and this is how they look, done on one side. Next pix will show the rear end in position.

Molds are complete and here are the resin parts for the rear end. Also included are the wheels I developed and with some mods will be using them for this build. Next step is to add the attachment ears to the rear end so the ladder bars can be properly placed on the frame. This will help me locate the rest of the uprights for the frame. Drum & backing plate placed in the wheel. Fit up of the wheels to rear end assembly. Wheels and rear end assembly