Adding detail to a chassis?

[Sport Suburban]

I was wondering if anyone here adds extra detail to a chassis like brake lines and fuel lines. If so what do you use and how do you attach it? Any photo references would be helpful.

More specifically, my project is a 70 GTO. I swapped in the chassis from the AMT 69 Olds 442 and a 400 engine from the Revell 68 Firebird. I'm wiring and plumbing the motor and plan battery cables. I have never added the hard brake lines before and am thinking of doing that too. Any tips would be helpful.

[MrObsessive]

Raoul, one of the first things I try to do is find some good pics of the underside of the car if I'm planning to go that route. You can check on the 'net at places such as eBay Motors for instance. The more expensive the car (particularly from a dealer), the more likely there will be shots of the chassis. I've gone so far however and used shop manuals to give me a reference as to where things should go.

Here is a pic from the assembly manual I used when I built my '57 Corvette............

OK, some of the things I use for lines and such-------bead wire in various sizes from the craft store. Some bead wire is already "chromed" which I find nice for fuel lines on the engine......really dresses things up.

For emergency brake lines, I've used nylon thread as it has a coil effect which you see on those types of lines.

Here are a few pics to show...............

For the hangars and such for the lines, I've used thin aluminum (or brass) sheet cut into very thin strips, holes drilled, and then pinned to the chassis with tiny bolts. Tedious for sure, but adds to the realism IMO.

This might be a bit much, but I hope this gives you some ideas!

[gtx6970]

I've used guitar string ( fyi,,,its very tough to bend though )  But looks great done.Especially  for park brake cables.  I've also used beading wire from Micheals .

As for attaching it to the chassis I use pieces of a smaller gauge beading wire

[Craig Irwin]

Get some .023 welding wire, anyone with a MIG should be glad to give you a few feet.

[MeatMan]

Michaels has different gauges of bead wire that can be used.  It bends well and is pretty inexpensive.  You just have to know what gauge you need.  The 50% off coupon is good until the end of the day too!

[Sport Suburban]

Get some .023 welding wire, anyone with a MIG should be glad to give you a few feet.

Never thought of that and I have a MIG. Have both .023 and .030 wire!

[Sport Suburban]

I'm having trouble working with the welding wire. It does not bend well in tight areas. I'll have to get some bead wire and try that next. Thanks again.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm having trouble working with the welding wire. It does not bend well in tight areas. I'll have to get some bead wire and try that next. Thanks again.

Yeah, welding wire is pretty stiff. Any hardware store will have soft, shiny plated tie-wire in about the same diameter, and as noted above, craft stores have beading wire in a variety of diameters...but you have to know what diameter you need in the scale you're working in to approximate the look of the lines you're modeling correctly.