31 Ford Steam Punk Rod

[talon63]

The body from this kit, and maybe a few more parts, are the basis of the next build. Mostly going to be scratch built, and in the vein of Steam Punk, will be steam powered.

These are some of the bits and pieces I'm starting with. The frame in the picture will be used to donate cross members.

The first thing I'm tackling is the Steam Engine, to be mounted directly to the rear end.

This is the initial roughing out of the steam engine.

These are views of what will be the bottom of the engine. The only detail on the top is a square raised area with a slightly domed cover between the cylinders. The top half (Piston cylinders) will be steel or black, the bottom (housing for the Stephenson gears) will be clad in copper. the tie-in to the rear end and axle is the bit resting on the mat. The horizontal black and white bit represents the steam feed from the boiler, which be located in the engine bay. Still a lot of clean up on this piece, and several detail pieces to complete.

The interior will be kitted out with plenty of dials, gauges and levers.

I look forward to your feedback as this experiment progresses.

Edited December 2, 2015 by talon63

[Renegade]

Great idea. Nice start.

[Mattsteel85]

Sweet idea I'll b following

[mod3l Lover]

Very cool indeed!  I have seen some cool stuff

built in that build genre.

   David S.

[Mattsteel85]

Can't wait to see the results

[Ridge Rider]

I like the idea, look forward to more.

[cobraman]

Interesting.

[talon63]

Minor update - work on the steam engine progresses. 

need to add a linkage arm to piece sticking up at the top, and a couple of other detail pieces. Then will create the copper plumbing to run up to the boiler. Also starting work on the new frame.

[Karl LaFong]

Cool project!  Keep up the good work - steam rules!

[talon63]

The boiler is coming along nicely, as is the frame.

Also started work on the body color scheme. Satin Nickel over Oil Rubbed Bronze.

The top is just temporary at this point, but will be black when done.

Still working on creating a bunch of copper and brass parts to round out the build.

 

[mod3l Lover]

    Allen, all those colors look real great together.

      David S.

[misterNNL]

Finally.Someone else building a steam punk rod!I will certainly be watching this build get up a full head of steam.What are you using for your heat source?

[talon63]

Finally.Someone else building a steam punk rod!I will certainly be watching this build get up a full head of steam.What are you using for your heat source?

I was considering either a liquid fuel system, or replacing the fuel tank with a battery bank for an immersion element type system, since there will be an axle driven generator (like the Stanley) for the electrics that could also recharge the batteries. The immersion system should allow for the initial steam build-up to occur a lot faster than a burner-type boiler.The radiator, and the return lines from the engine, become a condensate system to recycle the steam back into water to feed back into the boiler, hopefully minimizing water top-offs and extending range. The more I work on this, the greater a plumbing challenge it becomes to build a more efficient, but still theoretically practical, system.  That's the plan anyway  

[misterNNL]

I remember finding more and more neat little details to add to my two steam punk rods as the builds progressed.Yours is looking really cool and well planned.Thanks for sharing your imagination!

[talon63]

Small update to the ongoing construction. Color scheme of the dash, just need to do the gauges.

got the window frames and the transition line between the nickel and the pewter done in brass, as well as the portaled visor.

And finally, tidying up the boiler build with the hinge and latches.

The copper clock hour hands will form part of the boiler mount to the frame. The more ornate minute hands will also be utilized in the construction of the front suspension, which I hope to start soon, so I can the frame kitted out with the boiler and the steam engine, and it's plumbing.

More to come....

 

 

Edited December 10, 2015 by talon63

[Belugawrx]

Looks A Proper copper pot she does...

Well done Allen

Cheers

[crazyrichard]

whell you got my attention i love steampunk stuff...

Maybe a cool idea >?> make a steering rod that ataches to the outside of the cab and make like gears to make the rod turn ....??

[topher5150]

I think that is the first "Steam Punk" thing that I've seen that actually steam powered.

[Karl LaFong]

Small update to the ongoing construction. Color scheme of the dash, just need to do the gauges.

got the window frames and the transition line between the nickel and the pewter done in brass, as well as the portaled visor.

And finally, tidying up the boiler build with the hinge and latches.

The copper clock hour hands will form part of the boiler mount to the frame. The more ornate minute hands will also be utilized in the construction of the front suspension, which I hope to start soon, so I can the frame kitted out with the boiler and the steam engine, and it's plumbing.

More to come....

 

 

Outstanding!  Really nice work so far.

[Karl LaFong]

I think that is the first "Steam Punk" thing that I've seen that actually steam powered.

I don't want to brag, but...

[talon63]

1906-1909 Coffin nosed Stanley 606?   That's a beaut! I hope mine comes out a tenth that good.

[talon63]

whell you got my attention i love steampunk stuff...

Maybe a cool idea >?> make a steering rod that ataches to the outside of the cab and make like gears to make the rod turn ....??

Working on adding something along those lines. Took some fiddling, but I've got the front steering functional, and working on the drag link and Pitman arm hook up for the cab.

And fitting up the plumbing for install once the chassis is complete. 

Edited December 13, 2015 by talon63

[misterNNL]

Boiler is very cool my freind.There is steam powered...then there is steam PUNK. The concepts are very different.

[cobraman]

Cool project !

[talon63]

Boiler is very cool my freind.There is steam powered...then there is steam PUNK. The concepts are very different.

Thanks for the compliment on the boiler. Fortunately, I had a good resource to consult.

Steam Punk was a re-envisioning of the Victorian Era Industrial Revolution technologies, taking the approach that steam power continued to evolve into modern or even future timelines. It may even be combined with digital technology, and in that way may be different from the Retrofuturistic genre. While a `31 Ford may be not as stylistically or aesthetically pleasing as a more Art Deco-type vehicle, I think it still fits within the scope of the genre.