Ace-Garageguy

Great looking Eldo. I didn't even realize it had been kitted. That body style was one of GM's best designs, IMHO.

Best looking Manx build I've seen so far, and I hope it brings in a ton of cash for the cause.

I end up trying to fix the problems, or changes I want to make, as they come up. I've set builds aside literally for years because something didn't work as I'd planned, or because something I was trying to accomplish was beyond my skill level at the time. 3 of the more ambitious builds I've got going at tme moment were set-asides, but now, after forcing myself to not give-up-and-move-on, all 3 of them are nearing completion, and I think I'll be pleased with the results. A lot of it has to do with what you want from the hobby. If it's purely for relaxation or passing time pleasantly, then the answer is pretty simple. If you're more of a perfectionist, as you say, only pushing your limits (which sometimes includes doing everything over) will build the skills where you hit the desired results the FIRST time. I'm currently doing major reworks of two projects that were pretty close to paint because I saw things I could have done better, or things I wanted to change the look of. If I had just gone ahead and finished the builds without making the changes, I never would have liked the finished products and really would have considered the time spent as wasted. But that's just me.

Finished several months back, and now for sale. Watch the video at the end. This was built by the shop where I currently work. I have no part of this build, but I think it's a smoking-hot little car. It's on a custom front-zeed rectangular steel-tube chassis that's the same wheelbase as a '32. Chevy 350 Mexican crate-motor with 3 Rochester 2bbls, S-10 5-speed, Ford 9" rear and repop '40 juice brakes all around. Also 16" repop Ford steelies, aluminum repop B-17 seats and a '32 grille shell. Very traditional car. And this is a hot-rod, not a rat rod. It will be gloss copper metallic, with a little chrome to dress it out. Josh Mills and his crew have done all of the work, and the welding is the nicest you can get, period. The quality of the top-chop is pretty much perfect.

This is what I'm starting with, a gluey AMT '32 5-window that I've already bugun to chop. Doesn't look too promising.........

So, here's the Model A rear crossmember cut out of the model A chassis, just like real.....The marks are where it will be trimmed to fit between the '32 rails. The reason the rear suspension complete with spring had to be built-up first is that it's ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL to know that the axle centerline and the ride height are the same as on the mockup when you glue in the crossmember, if you want to maintain the exact stance. I do, as it's a large part of the character of the car. I've seen well-respected pros get this wrong on 1:1 cars, and it looks really stupid if you blow it. Because the Halibrand quick-change is a different shape than the '37 or '40 rear that came out, I had to make up new rear floors and a tunnel extension to clear everything. All that's left now of the original AMT frame is the rails. Here's the assembled unit happily installed in the car, with everything fitting right.

Yes, pretty much. As far as size of material goes, a typical Art Morrison chassis is made of 2X4 inch rectangular steel tubing. Divide by whatever scale you're working in (divide by 25 for 1/25 scale, etc.) to figure the correct size stock. ALSO, Marcus Jones shows some of his great frame scratch-building work on this thread. It's worth looking at and studying........... http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58199&hl=%2Brevell+%2Bgearz+%2Bentry

And.....the Wagon Rod frame represents an Art Morrison unit fabricated from 2X4 rectangular steel tubing. That's a little small for a pickup, where the body and bed are separate and contribute little to torsional rigidity (in 1:1). A 2X6 or larger would be much better (and the frame COULD be beefed up by adding styrene strip to it to represent taller-section rails). Also, the Wagon Rod frame is about a 110.5 inch wheelbase, while the F1 is 114. You'd have to lengthen the frame the right amount, and it is still configured differently with more kickup over the rear axle, which would interfere with the bed. Are you trying to get independent front suspension under an F1?

That's a really good question, and as this thing evolves, I'm beginning to think seriously about saving the twin-blown Viper for something else and going to a little more conservative powerplant. This started out being a totally impractical showcar, but it seems to want to be something else, and it's already moving in a direction I haven't shown yet. The hood actually will go up enough in front to be able to slide it forward, so some arrangement like that COULD work, but it's kinda silly for a truck.

Anybody have any experience with or reviews of Ron Cash Resin products?

........."the Killer Years" ? What is this, sensational headlining like is so ridiculously prevalant everywhere today? " PEOPLE MAIMED, BLOOD RUNNING IN THE STREET>>>PICTURES AT 11:00 !!!!!!!!!!!" Racing STILL is dangerous, and has always been dangerous. Probably why so few actually DO it, and so many TALK about it. You want to see cars that took REAL nads to drive? Look at the stuff from the 19teens, '20s, '30s and '40s. No rollbars, no collapsible steering columns, no seatbelts, no real helmets, no fire-suits. Drivers impaled on steering columns. Drivers thrown from cars and then crushed when the car fell on them. Drivers burned to death slowly when fuel tanks ruptured. Yeah, the '60s and '70s were more dangerous than now as far as safety equipment and engineering of the cars, but the '60s -'70s cars were HUGELY safer than what went before, just as today's cars are hugely safer than the '60s-'70s, but there's STILL NO WAY to GUARANTEE survival from a sudden impact at 200mph. And another thing to remember.....no one held a gun to the head of any driver and made him risk his life to live fully and intensely. Those who were killed in the sport died doing something they loved. I can't think of a better way to go. THE KILLER YEARS !!!!!!!! OMG !!!!! OMG !!!!!!

That bed is really really beautiful, Mike. Great build so far.

Check out the Detail Master PE rad core material in this Midget build over on the 'workbench' forum..... http://www.modelcars...showtopic=62492 It looks like the real thing, much more real and correct than any screen. Screen DOES look great to represent screen, like shaker screens in front of radiators on dirt-trackers, in grille openings, etc, but they're two distinct looks.

I don't have the kit, but my guess is it's one of the first-design series of OHV Cad V8s from '49-'62. They were a popular swap, and they all look pretty much alike ('49-51, 331ci; '56-58 365ci; and '59-'62 390ci). I THINK the 331 had an extended bellhousing to allow a manual gearbox to be used, so that might be a clue. The excellent Revell parts pack Caddy engine is incorrectly labeled as a 354 (a Chrysler Hemi displacement) but actually represents the 331-390, so comparing it to the engine in the '49 Merc kit would be abother clue.

Great little car, perfect color for a fun off-roader. Does the kit come with the Corvair engine, or did you swao it?

Very nice. i've been fascinated by the Australian utes for a few years now....yours is a real beauty.

Nice job swapping in that rear crossmember to get the '40 Columbia 2-speed axle to work, too.

Taillights are back at post #67 on page 4........

I liked this idea so much, I just got a Pete 359 to hack into something very similar. I will definitely give you credit for the original idea and design.

Absofably beautimous. Impressive fabrication, as always.

I'm in. I've been stashing stuff for a chopped AMT 5-window build for a while. I've done a rough chop so far and that's it. This must be the time to get her going. I have a feeling this thread is going to get bumped to community-builds........

If the truck sat for a long time, there's a good chance you've just got a couple of stuck lifters that will free up as she circulates warm oil. 'Worn out' mechanical noises just don't start with no warning. They usually start very small and almost not-noticeable and get worse if ignored. A noise that wasn't there and begins suddenly one day when you start the vehicle, if it's a tapping or ticking as you describe, is very often just a STUCK lifter....nothing more....and it SHOULD clear up with some gentle running and warm up. I wouldn't bee ess you......I kinda know this stuff. Here's my website: https://ace-garage.com/ Feel free to PM me with questions.

Exactly. Stay tuned for the next installment..........

One of the best things to do, in my opinion, is to look at how it's done in the real world. For instance, here's a look at custom Art Morrison chassis for American iron. It's just kind of 'build what you see, in scale' from there. https://www.google.c...iw=1499&bih=718 And here are several completely different chassis designs to go under a 427 Cobra. https://www.google.c...iw=1499&bih=718 There are many different ways to get a frame under a car. In the old formula one days, they'd design the suspension, then lay out the location of the brackets that would hold it, and then connect the brackets with chassis tubes. Building a custom model chassis is similar. Decide on the wheelbase, and ride height. Decide on the suspension design. Mock that up, and start connecting things with chassis members, bearing in mind how 1:1 cars are done.

I'll get burned out on some of the longer projects, and often find it helpful to just start throwing wild ideas together, not necessarily anything that will ever get built. Sometimes though, they take on a life of their own and get added to the rotation. The creativity of doing something different is what gets me back in the build-mode.