Psychographic

Hopefully I only have one more pass with the filler and the body will be ready for paint. While I'm waiting for the primer to dry thoroughly on the Woody, I figured I'd try to see what I could do with a recent find. I don't find this car particularly attractive, but I did see a lot potential. After a little thought and a couple of hours of cutting and fitting, this is what I came up with.

The wheels are from a Monogram 39 Chevy Sedan Delivery, the tires are from a Monogram 94 Mustang.

A slow night, some nerve wracking sanding followed up by making a master cylinder, battery, battery tray and starter solenoid (the piece hanging on the wire). Getting close to paint. Engine compartment details.

If you ask me, they suck.

Sorry to be late with the answer Scott. I try to cold bend the rod using just my fingers. I bend a little, let it rest a second, bend some more and repeat that process until I have a little more band than I need. The rod will want to spring back some, so that's why I go a little "over". If, like in the case of this header, it will hold it's shape when assembled, I leave it alone.If it is not part of an assembly and won't hold it's shape, I'll cold bend it, then hit it with a lighter just long enough to hold it's shape. It takes way less heat to get it to set after it's bent, than to use heat to make the bend. Hope that made sense.

I know at least one member who used these on a build, unfortunately I cant remember who. Is anyone familiar with them? I understand the transparent design, but is it pressure sensitive printed on clear, a printed design on a carrier that is removed, a waterslide?

It's finally hit what I consider the "Sweet Spot" of the build. It's when the major components snap into place when your fitting them. With that, I felt confident in making some final pieces. First was the filler panel above the radiator. The interior tailgate panel. I also made my first round with the filler on the main body. I only broke one joint tonight !

Thanks again everyone for the positive comments. I do appreciate them. I'm still wracking my brain trying to figure out how this thing wound up sitting so high, it was laid out in mock up. How she sits tonight. The above mentioned exhaust.

HEY!!!! You leave my big ball out of this. Yes, it is ridiculously large, but for some reason I like that grapefruit sized monstrosity. I think it's the fact that it's the perfect color.

Two birds, one stone. The idea of a car laid out on airbags sitting this high is ridiculous. So I decided to add some skirts to lower the body. The rounder rear fender bottoms will give it more shape and modern feel. The plus side of this, I get to brace the weakest link in the body. Lower and stronger, I like it.

Other than the tailgate, the interior is done. I won't be making the tailgate piece until the body is mounted, I need to know clearances.

Yes I did, thank you. What I was hoping for was a pic of the stock engine from the Monogram kit.

I think this is your best CARtoon ever.

I'm pretty disappointed with the stance, it should be about an 1/8" lower. No going back now, so I'll live with it. I managed to sand the body a little without breaking anything. I must be learning!

Those of you who are following this have not seen a lot of shots of the body. I have been looking at this body for so long that it looks perfectly in proportion. I can no longer imagine it longer and taller. The original body looks like a Greyhound bus now.

Like I said before, there are clearance issues at each joint, be it glass, rear window or floorpan. If I tape the tailgate in place it gives the back a lot more strength, and then like I said, I'll have to be careful.

Thanks for the suggestions, but I doubt if anything other than being really careful from here on out will work. If you look at the 4 arrows, you will see how small each joint is and how fragile those areas of the body are.

The glue joints. I usually cement in braces when I cut something up this much. Unfortunately any bracing would be in the way of fitting the interior and floorpan, there was a lot of test fitting to get everything to fit. As I said, I can't back the joints up with anything too thick as the windows wouldn't fit.

I think this is the first time since I cut this body up that it's been back to one piece. Filling and sanding this body is going to be a very delicate process, if you look there are four, 1/8" or less strips that are glued together that hold the body in one piece. I've tried backing it up with .010, but that broke too. Anything thicker and I'll run into problems with the glass. I just have to remember where to hold and more importantly, where NOT to hold. . A couple subtle changes you might not have noticed, the guards are gone from the rear fendes along with the front turn signals, the front wheelwells have been reshaped, the headlight buckets are frenched, and the bottom of the grille are has been reshaped. More noticeable, the rather large hole in the front fender for the exhaust, and the frenched holes in the back fenders for the tailights.

I really like your color choice and it looks like you laid it down real smooth.. The rest of build is equally impressive.

Thank you for the comments everyone, I'm glad you are enjoying this build. It feels weird to get this far on a build, weird, but good! News flash, broke the body twice today. I'm actually surprised that I haven't lost it yet and smashed it to bits, must be that old age creeping in. I started reshaping the inner fenders and once the primer dries a bit more. I'll put the first coat of filler on it. The recess in the firewall for the engine. Right side, the front cutout is for the alternator the back cut out is for the header. Left side, the notch is to clear the front suspension.

The frame and interior are one piece. I have to paint the front calipers, and button up a few lines and the underside is done. Now to touch up the flocking and a few spots on the interior. I'm dreading trying to finish the body. Without exaggeration, I bet I've broke the doors and top of the body at least 20 times so far.

I took the easy way out and used the ones from the Wagon Rod.

The floorpan is cleared, if it looks blue, it's the idiot behind the camera. I can't get the proper color without editing the pic. I started running brake and airlines. I had the rear done, but it was done out of the frame and didn't clear things properly. I almost gave up on doing it in the car from lack of patience, but I got it. I still need to paint the brake line coupler and the airline manifold/solenoids.

I apply several thin coats giving each ample flash time, so the solvents evaporate out fast. It usually only takes about 2-4 hours, overnight to be safe.