41 Plymouth gasser build thread

[wayne swayze]

You're doing a great job on this gasser! I'm joining the peanut gallery to watch this get built.

[modelfink]

I had some bench time over the long weekend and made more progress on the gasser. I got the frame painted and weathered, wheels and tires are painted. Pictured in the top left are the rear slicks before and after black pastel weathering. I made a roll bar, removed a section of the stock dash and replaced it with sheet styrene. The tunnel mods can also be seen in the interior bucket pic. I made some fender well headers out of 16 gauge coated electrical wire and styrene flanges and collectors. It was my first time making headers and they went together pretty easy. everything fits snug without glue. I made risers for the seats. Seats are from the Hurst Hairy Olds kit. The last pic shows the Hemi block mocked up in the finished frame. You can also see the aluminum painted interior bucket. 

In retrospect I'm not too happy with my motor mounts. But the headers should cover them up. Always learning for the next build.

 

 

Edited September 6, 2016 by modelfink

[426-Hemi]

I'm joining in too, The Gasser I never quite understood, BUT its has grown on me,and being a Mopar guy, the '41 Plymouth is a GREAT "Gasser" candidate!

I like the work I see here the frame work, yeah I'd keep that cross member (remember, thy had these issues in real life building these cars), and yes the strength was needed for the frame, so I'd keep it!

I LOVE the engine choice too! Fits right in! Thats the 392 Hemi out of the '57 Chrysler 300C. I know because of the heads you posted, I built one of them for in the Chrysler 300C, that has twin Turbo, and Hillborn injection! 

Question tho, whats the deal with the headers? Those kit made, or are they something you made?

[modelfink]

I'm joining in too, The Gasser I never quite understood, BUT its has grown on me,and being a Mopar guy, the '41 Plymouth is a GREAT "Gasser" candidate!

I like the work I see here the frame work, yeah I'd keep that cross member (remember, thy had these issues in real life building these cars), and yes the strength was needed for the frame, so I'd keep it!

I LOVE the engine choice too! Fits right in! Thats the 392 Hemi out of the '57 Chrysler 300C. I know because of the heads you posted, I built one of them for in the Chrysler 300C, that has twin Turbo, and Hillborn injection! 

Question tho, whats the deal with the headers? Those kit made, or are they something you made?

Thanks john,

I made those headers out of 16 gauge electrical wire I found at Lowes. It's coated copper wire so it holds it's shape when bent. I drilled 4 holes in a strip of styrene to use as a flange, bet them into shape and used a styrene tube to collect them at the end. 

The Hemi is from the Winged Express kit. It's a great motor, I would love another one. The valve and piston detail is great for something that gets covered up! It's my first Hemi build so I'm educating myself. I have some reference pics. I think I'm going with this set up: blown using 2 carbs. Electric fuel pump and water pump. (most of the southeast gassers are using electric pumps) water inlets in the block and outlets in the front of the heads. Radiator in the stock position. 

My thought is that a shade tree guy would be able to throw a blower kit on and keep his carbs without forking over the big bucks on fuel injection. 

[modelfink]

A little progress has been made. I built a magneto, radiator/moon tank assembly, scratch built a front cover with water inlets, did a little carb details and scratch built a mailbox style scoop. The last pic shows the engine mocked up with the headers installed. My original configuration of the headers did not match up so I had to bend them in place which caused them to pop off the heads and get a little crusty from handling. Still not 100% satisfied w/ the headers but they will work for a shade tree gasser. The engine will get some touch up paint before other components are added. Lesson learned: make sure everything is mocked up and fits before paint. 

[426-Hemi]

Again, NICE work! Lookin' gooooooood keep it comin'!

[mod3l Lover]

    Travis,

   This is really looking cool, I'm glad your

staying the course here!

  Keep up the wonderful work.

 

    David S.

[dragcarz]

I like it, great work!

[modelfink]

Lots of progress this weekend. Engine is wired, plumbed and mounted, interior is detailed and mounted to the frame. Engine weathered. Next step is getting the body painted, windows, lights, etc. and it should be ready for the strip....er, I mean Atlanta. 

 

 

 

Edited September 26, 2016 by modelfink

[Intmd8r]

This build is really starting to take shape!

[426-Hemi]

Travis,

16 gauge wire with the insulation removed? They look GREAT for the headers!

The whole car as you last pictured it looks GREAT!!!!

[modelfink]

Travis,

16 gauge wire with the insulation removed? They look GREAT for the headers!

The whole car as you last pictured it looks GREAT!!!!

Thanks John, 

The headers are 16 gauge wire with the white insulation left on. I would recommend painting them after you are 100% sure of their shape. I reshaped them after paint and they flaked which adds to the worn look, but may not be desirable in all cases. 16 gauge is a little thick to be in scale but for this project it seemed to work out. 

[bismarck]

OOHHH I'm liking this!!!  You have my full attention.

[GaryR]

The Plymouth is a natural for the gas classes. I'm partial to 60's cars myself, but you are really getting the right look! Stance is everything, don't jack it up too much! NICE WORK!

[modelfink]

The Plymouth is a natural for the gas classes. I'm partial to 60's cars myself, but you are really getting the right look! Stance is everything, don't jack it up too much! NICE WORK!

Thanks Gary,

She's raised but sits level. I think the stance will be period correct 

[Dogfish_7]

I'm really enjoying every aspect of your build so far.

[426-Hemi]

Thanks John, 

The headers are 16 gauge wire with the white insulation left on. I would recommend painting them after you are 100% sure of their shape. I reshaped them after paint and they flaked which adds to the worn look, but may not be desirable in all cases. 16 gauge is a little thick to be in scale but for this project it seemed to work out. 

Your welcome man, and thanks for answering on my question, I would say that yeah, wait to paint till you know the shape is right..... And for what its worth, on a build like this, you want the machine to breathe so the larger exhaust pipe & large tube diameter headers "wire" makes it look the part!

[modelfink]

Slow and steady progress on the gasser. Just working on the body details, front window is in, headlights, tail lights, weathered the bottom with black charcoal to simulate burnt rubber from burnouts. The rest of the windows, hood and decals should be all thats left before final assembly. 

[426-Hemi]

Lookin' good!!!!! Nice job on the drilling for the trim mounts!

[Dogfish_7]

[grayghost]

Great build.

The picture at the begging of the post reminded me of a old movie I saw.

It had a primer gray gasser in it.They blew up the motor and stole one on from

some where.Dang I can't remember where or the name of the movie.

This will be a good one when your done.I wish I could think of the movie

so you could watch it.

 

[modelfink]

Great build.

The picture at the begging of the post reminded me of a old movie I saw.

It had a primer gray gasser in it.They blew up the motor and stole one on from

some where.Dang I can't remember where or the name of the movie.

This will be a good one when your done.I wish I could think of the movie

so you could watch it.

 

Was it this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUQWLKpcg0w

The Car in the beginning of the thread belongs to Tony Turner. He runs it with the Southeast Gassers. If you can catch one of their races you totally should. Old school straight axle gassers. 

 

[crazyrichard]

nice !

[vintagercr]

Sweet!

[grayghost]

Was it this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUQWLKpcg0w

The Car in the beginning of the thread belongs to Tony Turner. He runs it with the Southeast Gassers. If you can catch one of their races you totally should. Old school straight axle gassers. 

 

Sounds good I love the gassers.

I was thinking about that movie.It was a primerd up willys coupe.And they were at the drag strip.Im going back to find the rest of the movie you posted the link to.But that wasn't it.