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The Coffin Corner showrod board is having a group build for the recently-reissued Rommel's Rod kit, whereby you have to build a modified version of the kit. I had an idea in mind, and after I finished restoring an original a few weeks ago I was eager to get started on this second version. First up, hacking up the body. A LOT All I'll actually be using from the stock body is the cowl, but I wanted to use the remaining pieces to mock up what I had in my head before making it again from scratch. I'm thinking something like this: Not pretty, but enough to get me started with mocking stuff up anyway...my idea is to keep the long wheelbase of the original, but to have a stretched out front and that little tub body on the back, like so: I wanted to add some detail to the engine, but the kit block has most of that stuff molded in, so I scratchbuilt a new one from styrene sheet, along with a new oil pan: I picked out some wheels and tires so that I could start to make frame, and separated the kit trans so I could use that with my new block: I wanted to use the kit front wheels, but modify them to be skinny little drag style wheels, so I needed some tires: Found this pack of o-rings at the Chinese 99 cent store, which should work great! Then, I used my hacked-together body to make a tape template, which I transferred to brass: Bent it to shape over some round bar to get nice rounded corners: And then attached it to the kit cowl (which I wasn't about to attempt re-making with my limited brass-working skills): And that's about where we're at right now...more soon!