landman Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 11 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said: Thanks for the wink Tim! ? Hello everyone, After some testing I realized that the pair of shocks I made for the front suspension a few months ago was not the best choice, so I decided to make a pair of coil over shock in order to also have a functional front suspension as at the rear. The front suspension is now functional but would require ball joint to be perfect. I don't want to venture into making such details, but I have a plan to make them (I think ...) so I'll try to test my idea when time permits. I only have pictures of the front suspension tonight but I will put the rear suspension back on tomorrow and take some pictures with the frame on its four wheels. Take care, FrancisC You mean you actually made a mistake......Sheeesh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Magnificent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 16, 2020 Author Share Posted December 16, 2020 11 hours ago, Russell C said: When you get to the machined dots between the numbers on the tach and other dash gauges, you're gonna need a bigger dime! ? Thanks for the advice Russell I do appreciate! Gauge faces including RPM are already done and are high resolution (3000 dpi printed on an Agfa Imagesetter) negative films made with Adobe Illustrator software and you can even read the mileage on the odometer. I have to turn the RPM body and make the aluminum panel for the cluster so I will show you the result in the weeks or months to come... Maybe I could change the dime for 25 cents? ? Take care, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 16, 2020 Author Share Posted December 16, 2020 10 hours ago, Tortuga Kustomz said: Amazing detail work, love it Thanks Marcos, I do appreciate your comments! Take care, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 16, 2020 Author Share Posted December 16, 2020 2 hours ago, landman said: You mean you actually made a mistake......Sheeesh... Thank you for your trust and feeling about my build Pat but you have no idea how many times I had to modify the frame to make it happen (and it continues...), so yes I definitely make mistakes! I'll try to post pictures of the frame with all four wheels mounted this afternoon before heading out for the night shift. Take care, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 16, 2020 Author Share Posted December 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Bainford said: Magnificent! Thanks Trevor, your comment is very appreciated sir! Take care, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang1989 Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foghorn62 Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Francis, your A arms are super clean, your spindles are gorgeous, and your coil overs are pure sweetness. How are you managing to have any suspension travel without ball joints? With your close machine tolerances, I would think it would be too tight unless you just leave the king pins a little loose. I’ve run into this myself on IFS and I’m curious to see how you solve it. Tim S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorne Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Francis, I'm shaking my head on this build!!!!! and in total denial that you scratch build this stuff!! Of course I told you I'm a detail freak!! So,.... i wait for parts, look high and low, inquire all over the web looking for parts, thinking how much $$$$ do I spend, changing my build ideas a million times cause "i can't find the parts" - "do you know what Im getting at"???? IF EVER , IF EVER you decide to machine and "offer" a product line of parts?? MAN LET ME KNOW!! In the mean time your killing me with this build WOW!!! Western Canuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 That suspension, like all your work, is a work of art in itself. Stunning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 17, 2020 Author Share Posted December 17, 2020 17 hours ago, mustang1989 said: Thanks Joe, I do really appreciate your support my friend! 16 hours ago, foghorn62 said: Francis, your A arms are super clean, your spindles are gorgeous, and your coil overs are pure sweetness. How are you managing to have any suspension travel without ball joints? With your close machine tolerances, I would think it would be too tight unless you just leave the king pins a little loose. I’ve run into this myself on IFS and I’m curious to see how you solve it. Tim S. Thanks for the kind words Tim! That's exactly it, I've tried to find the best of both worlds with just enough play on the king pins and the ABS bushings (fake ball joints) do the rest. However, even though the front suspension is functional, it does not operate as freely as the rear suspension of course. Pics of the frame on it's four wheels are comming my friend, hope you like them! 4 hours ago, Lorne said: Francis, I'm shaking my head on this build!!!!! and in total denial that you scratch build this stuff!! Of course I told you I'm a detail freak!! So,.... i wait for parts, look high and low, inquire all over the web looking for parts, thinking how much $$$$ do I spend, changing my build ideas a million times cause "i can't find the parts" - "do you know what Im getting at"???? IF EVER , IF EVER you decide to machine and "offer" a product line of parts?? MAN LET ME KNOW!! In the mean time your killing me with this build WOW!!! Western Canuck Thanks for your trust and feeling about my build Lorne! I understand exactly what your talking about and it's the reason why I decided to make my own custom parts. There are some great quality parts available on the market but I have always been a bit disappointed that they did not fit my needs perfectly, so I decided to take the "bull by the horns" I would say and d 'be as self-sufficient as possible. 2 hours ago, CabDriver said: That suspension, like all your work, is a work of art in itself. Stunning! Thanks Jim! I am honored and I take your comments with great humility my friend! Take care of you guys, I'm back with new pics in a few minutes. Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 17, 2020 Author Share Posted December 17, 2020 Helo everyone! Sorry for the delay guys, but I was a bit busy yesterday afternoon and finally didn't have time to upload the planned pics. I was working on some interior cabin components and didn't check the clock then it was time to go to work. I have to say I'm very happy with the stance although I would be even happier if the front end was even closer to the ground. I will keep it that way for now as the engine will be quite heavy since it is made of aluminum and brass so the front will drop a little more. Furthermore, I have planned that the oil pan will be lower than the K member (I love drag racing cars with the oil pan close to the ground) and the front wheels will be posable so I must keep some room for all these reasons. I might have to remove a few thousandths of brass on the oil pan if it's too close ... Comments are welcome and really appreciated! Take care, Francis HE IS ALIVE... or temporarily on his feet I should say! So far so good... Different view. All four wheels are straight and well aligned. This thing will need brakes, maybe even rolls too freely... I wouldn't want to see it fall to the ground! I love these fat tires! With the cab just dropped to its approximate position on the frame. Different view (sorry for the messy background...). I am very happy with how close the bed is to the rear tires, I will try to keep about 1 inch at scale of clearance. I'll finish the inner fenders later when it's all final. With the hood in place just fof fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Looks great. Nice stance, though I agree a tad lower in the front would look pretty tasty. The rear wheels are sweet in those wheel well. The bare chassis shot is a thing of beauty. Rock on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang1989 Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Man.....you could almost stop right there and it would still look great Francis. This is going to be one build for the books right here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian McLaren Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I just spent the last few hours catching up on your project. There is nothing new I can add to what has already been said about your skills and dedication. I can however, add my admiration and respect for a exceptional modeler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James2 Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Amazing dedication to detail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 22 hours ago, Bainford said: Looks great. Nice stance, though I agree a tad lower in the front would look pretty tasty. The rear wheels are sweet in those wheel well. The bare chassis shot is a thing of beauty. Rock on. Thanks for the comments Trevor! With all the work done so far and it continues... I won't hesitate to make any adjustments necessary (machining new spindels?) to get the look I'm looking for. However, the front fender wheels openings are higher than the ones on the bed on this truck model, so it's hard to fight the visual illusion without having to lower the front end down to the ground... 22 hours ago, mustang1989 said: Man.....you could almost stop right there and it would still look great Francis. This is going to be one build for the books right here. Thanks again Joe! You might be right, but I still have some stuff up my sleeve for this project, so I'll do my best to keep you entertained my friend! 1 hour ago, Ian McLaren said: I just spent the last few hours catching up on your project. There is nothing new I can add to what has already been said about your skills and dedication. I can however, add my admiration and respect for a exceptional modeler. Thank you very much Ian, I appreciate your support and your kind words, these are fuel for my gas tank! 1 hour ago, James2 said: Amazing dedication to detail! Thank you James (Rooster)! Your continued support is greatly appreciated and keeps me fully motivated to carry this project through to the finish line! Take care to all of you, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foghorn62 Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 Oh my, that is just so pretty with all of the suspensions assembled and wearing shoes! I have to ask though Francis, why after all of this gorgeous machine work are you still using a plastic frame? Isn’t it fairly fragile with the weight of the suspensions, wheels and tires on it? Why haven’t you gone to a brass frame? I know you have the technology to do it and it would be a thing of beauty, not to mention much stronger and more suitable for the rest of your parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 19, 2020 Author Share Posted December 19, 2020 18 hours ago, foghorn62 said: Oh my, that is just so pretty with all of the suspensions assembled and wearing shoes! I have to ask though Francis, why after all of this gorgeous machine work are you still using a plastic frame? Isn’t it fairly fragile with the weight of the suspensions, wheels and tires on it? Why haven’t you gone to a brass frame? I know you have the technology to do it and it would be a thing of beauty, not to mention much stronger and more suitable for the rest of your parts. Thanks for the kind comments and your suggestion Tim! There are many reasons why I made the frame with styrene but the main ones are my limited experience with brass, the lack of raw material (brass seems to be as rare as gold here in my area) and the fact that I did not have reliable measurements to create the frame. I have to admit that I really enjoy working with styrene and it's easier to make changes along the way. The frame is actually very solid (certainly not as strong as if it would be brass) despite the fact that I have probably made over a dozen major modifications since the start. I don't want to bother people with updates for every change, so I haven't shown every one of these. I might have more to do by the end and it's easier to cut styrene than to do major surgery on brass... I am gaining experience with each piece made, I might be more confident to embark on this kind of adventure in a future build (if I can find the supplies) but I am old school, born with the styrene kits, so I still have a lot of respect for that and I like to call them multimedia kit! More update to come soon. Take care, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 Hi Francis! Wow, this thing is impressive on the four wheels. Bravo! It looks strangely like a 1/1 1970 Mustang Pro-Touring that I was building a frame for in my garage last spring... Goes to say how realistic your work is! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codi Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 Stunning Francis.........I truly mean that. My one and only reservation if it were my build is the fact it's a true roller and has working suspension. I would be so concerned that someone would think it's a "plaything" and would venture to handle it after the fact (and thus break it perhaps)..........well, you get the idea. I do know WHY you did it though, it's because you CAN! I always applaud those that at least try, let alone succeed. A big fan, tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 4 hours ago, Codi said: Stunning Francis.........I truly mean that. My one and only reservation if it were my build is the fact it's a true roller and has working suspension. I would be so concerned that someone would think it's a "plaything" and would venture to handle it after the fact (and thus break it perhaps)..........well, you get the idea. I do know WHY you did it though, it's because you CAN! I always applaud those that at least try, let alone succeed. A big fan, tim I wouldn’t be surprised if Francis adds a working hand brake!! Francis my friend, this is over the top. I have been waiting to see this beast with a body on it... WOW! Love everything, huge rear boots, low stance, (although, as I guy who likes low.... maybe a pinch lower at the front?) it looks simply amazing. Can’t wait to see that crazy motor you built in the engine bay. Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Kustomz Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 Awesome scratch build man, love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 20, 2020 Author Share Posted December 20, 2020 18 hours ago, Claude Thibodeau said: Hi Francis! Wow, this thing is impressive on the four wheels. Bravo! It looks strangely like a 1/1 1970 Mustang Pro-Touring that I was building a frame for in my garage last spring... Goes to say how realistic your work is! CT Thanks Claude, Maybe I'll still have a few tweaks to make to it, but considering the time I've invested in it and the changes I've made so far, I can say I'm pretty happy with it. I can say without a doubt that your comparison with the real one you did is certainly a mark of confidence that I appreciate considering your vast experience in the field! Take care, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted December 20, 2020 Author Share Posted December 20, 2020 18 hours ago, Codi said: Stunning Francis.........I truly mean that. My one and only reservation if it were my build is the fact it's a true roller and has working suspension. I would be so concerned that someone would think it's a "plaything" and would venture to handle it after the fact (and thus break it perhaps)..........well, you get the idea. I do know WHY you did it though, it's because you CAN! I always applaud those that at least try, let alone succeed. A big fan, tim Thanks for your comments and your feeling on my build Tim! I think (and hope) that when the brake calipers are installed, the slight friction of those will do what they are supposed to do... I still want to build this truck as a complete unit with all of its parts in place, but I might have to change plans along the way if the challenge is too much, it's just a toy after all...! Your comments are great motivation, I appreciate them! Take care, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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