IHSS

Hi All. I haven’t had much real bench time lately so I decided to blow the dust off a project I started a few years ago. After kind of a nightmare situation that luckily ended happy with my 70 Formula build. I got inspired to do a shelf mate for it with a 79. I did a mock up to get an idea where I left off and snapped a couple pics. Thanks for looking.

What’s the back of the cab look like? The crack in the pic looks like it wouldn’t be to hard to fix.

That’s a great build of a very cool custom. And a fantastic tribute to Neil as well. When I first read the title I thought it was going to be one of Neil’s old builds. I read an article years ago that he was a huge car nut and avid model builder. IIRC he spent a lot of his touring down time building kits on the road.

Hey George. Sent the piece off this morning. You should get Monday.

I just finished doing the clean up on the under hood. It will be in the mail tomorrow morning. The 3d printing of some of the parts sounds really interesting George. Will you offer those parts separately. I might have to get some to check them out.

Got a little update. I found the original. It was attached to the hood on the model on the shelf. Looking at it, thought why not and grabbed an exacto knife. A couple of strategically placed pry’s and it popped right off. I just need to clean up a couple of spots then it’s in the mail. I should have it sent by the weekend.

No worries George. You were great too deal with the last time around with this project. I have to dig the piece out and I’ll get it sent your way in a couple days.

Hey George. I still have the original plastic under hood bracing piece. If that’s all that’s stopping Greg from doing another run I could send it to you to pass on to him.

Thanks Mike appreciate it. I started the same way with a pack of assorted sheet thicknesses. The technique I described previously is how I made the scopes also. The Formula was my first time trying anything like this. I used a lot of internet pics and just layered, carved and shaped until it looked right. I did experiment with a TA kit hood before doing the full Formula conversion. Like Ponche’s TA on CHIPs. And the 4spd conversion isn’t to hard either. I’m currently doing a Monogram 79 TA with a 4spd. Just a little filling and hole cutting. I have quit a few 2nd gen Firebird projects going on. Keep going with yours. It’s great to see another non TA being built and yours is looking great.

Don’t give up on the air cleaner. It’s not really that hard to make. I started with a parts box air cleaner that looked close to the oem lid shape. Cut off the snorkel so I had just the round part. Then found a pic on line of a real one for the snorkel angle and to use as a template. Then using flat sheet styrene I forgot the thickness. But I used four layers to make up the height of the housing. Next cut 6 pieces in the shape of the snorkel. Then 2 pieces the same shape but slightly larger to replicate the sheet metal lip the real one has. Next take 4 of the smaller piece and glue 2 together twice so there’s a pair of them. Drill the biggest hole possible through them once they dry. Glue the other small pieces on for the bottom of the snorkel and sand the seems smooth. Drill a hole that looks correct in the larger pieces and add them to the tops. For the thin bump on the top I just used some left over shavings that looked right. Add the snorkels to the main housing in the proper angle and it’s done.

Greg Wann was casting conversion kits for the Revell/Monogram kits. He does really nice castings.

Looks like there might be a fourth air cleaner. Possibly an oil bath kinda looks like it but I could be wrong. Oh and here’s a shot of the direction I’m going with it.

Here’s a few shots of some of the kit. The cab and related parts seem pretty standard for this series so I left them out.

Just got mine opened to check out the contents. Wow! There are a lot of parts. Lots of extras as well. 2 transmissions 2 intakes 3 air cleaners 3 mirror choices. 4x4 front axle and transfer case. I don’t think I have ever seen this many parts in one box.