Ace-Garageguy

Only time I bother with primer on chassis or interior parts is if I've done some mods, like shaving interior door handles, or filling sinks in a chassis rail. Then primer is mandatory, as well as sanding and re-priming the areas as necessary. If parts have no mods, I scrub them with Comet and an old toothbrush (especially inside corners), carefully dry, and paint away. No problems so far in the 5 years I've been back in the hobby.

Sorry, but due to the economic downturn, the 5000 Post Commerative Watch program has been discontinued., along with the value of your retirement program, and any health benefits you thought you might be eligible to receive. Furthermore, as the cost of everything else is up, there will be a charge of .$25 for each post in the future.

I really love the lines on this thing. Great looking build across the board.

This really is a knockout build, Bernard. The stance, proportions, color, parts choices and details all work perfectly. Fine, fine job.

My somewhat educated guess is that the Moebius '55 Chrysler 300 chassis would be the closest-to-accurate doner. In '57, Mopar went to torsion-bar front suspension. Both the AMT '57 300C and the AMT Plymouth '58 Belvedere have torsion bars, and the chassis are close to identical other than wheelbase. I don't have the Moebius kit in stock, but it has the coil-spring front suspension and chassis design that would be a good across-the-model-line representation for all the '53-'56 Mopars.

It's interesting you mentioned the coupe, Bernard. One of the decision points that has become a sticking point here is whether to use the cowl and quarters as stressed panels in true monocoque style, or to just make them un-stressed skins, in order to be able the remove them to show the chassis work, and also to, in pretend 1:1, allow coupe body styles to be interchanged.

4X4s are not my sphere of expertise, but I've seen a lot of guys around here put spacers between the frame and the body on 1:1s. I've never understood the reasoning, as it does nothing to increase the ground clearance at the frame, but it does get more of the lifted look, easily. Maybe that's why they do it.

Beautiful illustration. And thank you, thank you for taking the time and effort to post your tutorials on using Photoshop. I've never done any computer illustration whatsoever, but thanks to your tutorial, I may slowly be able to develop a new skill.

Thanks guys. I've been looking at this one more, and if I can just stop from getting carried away with stuff that won't show and finish the bodywork, it should go pretty quick from here.

I really have to take my hat off to a parent who would let his offspring paint his hand purple. Great job, both of you.

Thank you for the interest, gentlemen. Danno, the windshield is from the Aluma-Coupe snap kit, which is smoked plastic. The top came in with a bunch of mystery parts, and I don't know what it's from. One clue is that I have an identical one molded in clear / translucent plastic. Both windshield and top are too wide by a good bit to fit the '32 shell, and will have to be narrowed. Bartster, I get stumped a lot, and swich projects until the answer bubbles out of my subconscious. The cut-fit cut-fit method is sorta like doing a jigsaw puzzle where you don't have a picture of what it's supposed to look like when it's finished, and only 1/3 of the pieces are fully cut out.

I'm not familiar with the "pinhead and a glass of wine" technique. Could you post a tutorial on that?

I beg your pardon sir, but it mose certainly is. You are confusing styrene (monomer) and polystyrene. Styrene monomer (liquid) is used as a diluent to alter viscosity of polyester resin, (thermoset) and as such the EPA has very specific guidelines about "styrene emissions" from open-molding processes. Styrene monomers (liquid) are also the base for polystyrene (thermoplastic solid). I've only been in the composites industry for 40 years, but don't believe me. Google it, or just go to this site. http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/pdf/polyester/StyMon.pdf Don't ever burn polyurethane either, because IT RELEASES HYDROGEN CYANIDE.

Interesting thing is that styrene emissions aren't always regulated by OSHA or EPA. A few years back, I went to work running a small producer of polyester fiberglass aftermarket parts for aircraft. They were made in open molds, which is still a valid production method for small companies. Concerned that, as we were in a semi-residential area, we'd get hit by EPA at some point, I thought a little pre-emptive cleanup would be in order. I called my local EPA office and explained the situation. They said "has anyone complained?". I said "no". They said "don't worry about it then". Just gives you a warm fuzzy feeling all over, doesn't it?

Just for the record, most plastics, once they're in the SOLID form, exhibit NO health risks whatsoever. Or at least no more than wearing polyester pants. For instance, there is a specific hardener for an aviation epoxy I've used for years that will cause sensitization over time, and initiates bleeding from the skin in some people on first contact. It is really mean stuff. Once it's mixed with the resin however, and POLYMERIZES, it's absolutely and totally inert. Safe. You could grind it up and eat it, and it would just come out the other end. Same thing goes for POLYSTYRENE, which is what everyone calls "styrene". Liquid styrene is a component of POLYESTER based fiberglass resin as well, but once it POLYMERIZES, the resultant solid is also inert. BURNING polystyrene at low temperatures, like outdoors in a trash fire or barrel, of almost any kind WILL release highly toxic chemicals. HIGHLY. See Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) Also see: http://www.wecf.eu/cms/download/2004-2005/homeburning_plastics.pdf It's about the dangerous health effects of home burning of plastics. Something EVERYONE should know about. NEVER BURN PVC. It releases dioxin.

What everyone else said, and more. Another truly inspiring piece of work.

GREAT project, coming along very nicely. Love to see you bringing that old truck back.

A while back, I got on this '32 gluebomb thing, and I bought a lot of them on ebay. I was getting a lot of ideas for different looks for the old iconic Deuce, trying to come up with things that hadn't been done before. Of course that's pretty near impossible with the '32. The idea was to have a ready supply of body shells and frames to mock-up ideas as they hit, and to re-use salvageable kits instead of springing more $$ for new ones. This one wasn't too bad really, just dusty and unloved. The idea here is a sports-car/ Deuce hybrid. Drawing is a rough sketch of the general chassis design. I've been involved with aviation structures for a long time, and about 10 or 11 years ago started thinking about the possibilities for an all-composite, semi- or full-monocoque chassis for a hot rod, so this build is an exploration of that major theme. Mocked-up........ It's taking a lot of scale-engineering and cut-fit-cut-fit, but it's still moving slowly forward..

Man, you've got some great ideas. Like the guys said, the engine looks killer. The pancaked hood and that through-the-quarter exhaust dump are really interesting too.

Though I'm not a fan of the Shakotan and Hippari styles with extreme camber, I do really like the look you're coming up with on this Porsche. It's an interesting and original combination of genres, and your proportions are looking good.

Great looking project, Ryan. The colors really make this one pop. That Willys in the background looks pretty radical and interesting too.

Really looking forward to seeing that. ZO6 and Corvair probably have never even been in the same sentence before. I'll be watching for it.

Beautiful builds all, and very fine conversion work on the first one. I've always loved the big Healeys, especially the engine sound from the driver's seat.

Kewl interior and details. I assume no scale leopards were harmed during the making of this model. The actual sunlight makes the car look really great too. Photographed with an exterior background, it would look 1:1 at first and second glance.

The Cragars, wide whites, shaved hood and mesh grill insert all work to make a nice, coherent low-key custom. Looks good.. Is the continental wheel-cover kicked back to clear the opening deckild?