70 Plymouth HEMI GTX 1/25 Scale

[AmericanMuscleFan]

4 hours ago, charlie libby said:

what kind of tubing did use for your headers?

I did used soft aluminum craft wire. It's not as flexible as electrical solder wire but the gauge of 0.080" is perfect for 1/25 big block engine (2.00" in real life).

3 hours ago, charlie libby said:

you r amazing ,I got nuthin for ya!wow again

Thanks for your sentiments about my build Charles but you have nothing to be embarrassed based on what I saw from your current project!   Take care, Francis

[Miss-Mopar]

Its not too far to suggest that if you add fuel to the tank, it would fire right up and take down the competition!!! AMAZING

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 7/21/2020 at 10:39 AM, Miss-Mopar said:

Its not too far to suggest that if you add fuel to the tank, it would fire right up and take down the competition!!! AMAZING

Thanks Keven, I am very honored to see that my GTX has this effect on you!  You are more than welcome.  Take care, Francis

[GeeDub]

You have set the bar so high with that build, I doubt anyone could ever top it.

I like every item on this car. However, my favorite is the steering wheel.  For some reason, it always makes me take a second and third look.

This car is master craftsmanship at its finest!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

23 hours ago, GeeDub said:

You have set the bar so high with that build, I doubt anyone could ever top it.

I like every item on this car. However, my favorite is the steering wheel.  For some reason, it always makes me take a second and third look.

This car is master craftsmanship at its finest!

Thanks for your kind and encouraging words Glenn!

There is no denying it, there is something for everyone in this hobby and you prove it to me with your appreciation for the steering wheel... it was without a doubt the easiest part to make of all this project!  As they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

I try to push myself a little harder with each new build so even if it's a more complex project, I will try to improve many aspects of my build with my Dodge D100 pickup so I hope you'll like it too...

Take care, Francis

[charlie libby]

 i cant stop looking at your pictures francis. trying to learn from them.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 8/2/2020 at 7:27 PM, charlie libby said:

 i cant stop looking at your pictures francis. trying to learn from them.

Thanks for the kind comments Charles!   I'm very honored, however, I don't think I have much to teach you from what I've seen on your 1/12 Corvette so far!   Take care, Francis

[Smitty]

On 1/11/2020 at 9:34 PM, magicmustang said:

Stunning!!! You sir, are in a class by yourself. Your model is more realistic than the car I drive.

That's hilarious!

My reaction to the photos of your model was to start laughing (quietly), because I don't think I could quite believe my eyes!  Just amazing. Thanks for posting it!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

14 hours ago, Smitty said:

That's hilarious!

My reaction to the photos of your model was to start laughing (quietly), because I don't think I could quite believe my eyes!  Just amazing. Thanks for posting it!

Thanks Eric!   Glad to know that my GTX made you laugh for the reason you explained and not the other reason...  I spent a lot of hours on this car so I am happy you liked it!

Take care, Francis

[Art Laski]

Hi Francis, I'm so glad you put this link in your footer, as I missed this until now. What a magnificent build! Gives a great idea of what to expect as you get closer to completing your truck. Again, beautiful build!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

7 hours ago, Art Laski said:

Hi Francis, I'm so glad you put this link in your footer, as I missed this until now. What a magnificent build! Gives a great idea of what to expect as you get closer to completing your truck. Again, beautiful build!

Thanks for the kind words Art!   There is a lot of great stuff all over this forum and I have to admit that I found quite a few of it almost by luck with this feature.  It's sad that we can't include more...

Take care, Francis

[modelcarbuildermag.com]

Please contact me about doing a feature on this model: HOTCARSmag@att.net

[AmericanMuscleFan]

4 hours ago, modelcarbuildermag.com said:

Please contact me about doing a feature on this model: HOTCARSmag@att.net

PM sent to the specified email address.

[Misha]

Francis, your work and artistry just blows me away! Wonderful to see the photos all together, please do continue to display your other builds. All these years I have marvelled at the machining skills and equipment required and even now in my late 60s the thought comes up of trying to have a go at it.

Merci & Cheers Misha

[foghorn62]

5 hours ago, modelcarbuildermag.com said:

Please contact me about doing a feature on this model: HOTCARSmag@att.net

YES YES YES!  Roy, I am excited to see that you are reaching out to this extremely talented builder!!  If you like this build, you will be amazed at what he is working on now!!  Francis, I don’t know if you are familiar with Roy, or his fine magazine yet, but if not, you owe it to yourself to order a few copies.  Roy is one talented builder himself, and he obviously puts the same passion into his magazine.  Bravo to all!!!

Tim Slesak

[Evil Appetite]

Thats just wicked. Your builds never cease to impress. Question though. You don't have to answer but I've been dying to know for years. When it's all completed, how much money have you spent on the aluminum and after market details.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 3/24/2021 at 10:51 AM, Misha said:

Francis, your work and artistry just blows me away! Wonderful to see the photos all together, please do continue to display your other builds. All these years I have marvelled at the machining skills and equipment required and even now in my late 60s the thought comes up of trying to have a go at it.

Merci & Cheers Misha

Thanks Misha!  I try to find a balance between my job, housework, a little exercise and my favorite hobby but be sure that I will do more of my previous constructions when time permits.  It is never too late to learn about the pleasure of making parts in aluminum, brass and even styrene and be sure that I will be available (in all modesty) if you need advice my friend!

Francis

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 3/24/2021 at 11:04 AM, foghorn62 said:

YES YES YES!  Roy, I am excited to see that you are reaching out to this extremely talented builder!!  If you like this build, you will be amazed at what he is working on now!!  Francis, I don’t know if you are familiar with Roy, or his fine magazine yet, but if not, you owe it to yourself to order a few copies.  Roy is one talented builder himself, and he obviously puts the same passion into his magazine.  Bravo to all!!!

Tim Slesak

Thanks for your kind words Tim!  Unfortunately I do not know him or his publications because I spent too much time alone in my basement making my models. I have only just started to know all these talented modelers (of which you are a part) since I joined this forum.  I haven't heard back from him yet but I imagine he's a pretty busy man...  Anyway, I'm curious to know more about his magazine so I'll probably do some research on this.

Francis

[AmericanMuscleFan]

5 hours ago, Evil Appetite said:

Thats just wicked. Your builds never cease to impress. Question though. You don't have to answer but I've been dying to know for years. When it's all completed, how much money have you spent on the aluminum and after market details.

Thanks a lot for you kind comments Mike!  Basically the cost of the parts I make is insignificant as I mostly use scraps that machine shops get rid of because the material is too small for them, I often pay less than the price of the metal at the pound.  What costs the most are the bolts and nuts that I do not make myself and I use very few after market parts despite having a large inventory (from another era...).  I'm going to have to do a warehouse sale...?   Fortunately the Johan's promo body had been in my collection for decades so it didn't cost me much but that would be another story today!  I could tell it probably costs me over $100 worth of small bolts depending on the project.  On the other hand, I could not put a price on the hours invested, the model would probably cost more than a real one... even at minimum wage... ?

Francis

[MR. Macabre]

On 1/11/2020 at 10:10 AM, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Hello All!

Following the requests of some fellow members I will start a new threads of some of my completed models starting by the most recent.

On this thread I will present my drag version of a ’70 Plymouth Hemi GTX 1/25 scale. I started making plastic models as a youngster in the mid seventies so I just build 1/25 scale and not 1/24 since they were not existing back then. I also want to be able to put my models side by side and don’t want to see any unrealistic proportions between them (I’m kind of purist…).

I will go in outline because there are too many details to list and must save my time for my current project (remaining pictures should speak by them self).

Using a promo JoHan body, I open-up the hood and trunk with a panel scriber and the back of an Xacto blade. I reproduced all the shapes and reinforcements with various thickness of styrene strips based on pictures found on internet. I also thinned the hood on my milling to make it more realistic. It was roughly 0.080’’ thick without detail since it was molded shut on the promo body. I grafted the underhood section of a newer Revell ’69 Charger Pro Modeler body since it was a perfect match for this project. I also used the floor pan because the JoHan original one was not acceptable for this kind of build. I removed the molded in gas tank and reconstructed the trunk floor with Evergreen styrene sheets. I also tried to recreate all the trunk’s details and embossings of the real car using references found on internet.

On the interior, I salvaged the dash of the Charger but I was forced to create all the door panels using styrene (the cup style of the GTX promo was useless and the Charger was too different). I also used thin aluminum sheets to create a drag car interior. I pushed the realism by recreating the instrument cluster gauges with a professional drawing software (Adobe Illustrator). I found pictures of the gauges on internet and used them as template on my computer to exactly recreate them and print in high resolution (2400 DPI) on negative film (pretty crazy…). I also machined all bezels around the gauges, all dash knobs and a radio delete plate (a lot of hours spent in the interior).

I machined all the engine components including the block mostly with 6061-T6 aluminum and some brass parts including the oil pan. The Dominator carb itself took me probably 80 hours to build and counts more than 50 parts including the bolts from RB Motion and Scale Hardware. The transmission is a Liberty 4 speed from Futurattraction and I machined a mounting plate for the shifter. I also machined the rear end housing, the Dana 60 cover and a full functional drive shaft including the yokes.

I machined my own set of American Racing slot mag wheels with aluminum and they are mounted on wheel hubs with threaded studs and nuts from Scale Hardware. I made all direction components and rods with brass tubes, aluminum rods and RB Motion rod ends.
I made the radiator including upper and lower tanks (machined) and photo etch mesh grille (we can see through).

Plumbing and wiring as well plus a mirror finish EK2 Go Mango paint job with black accents. Hand made front grille support and machined headlight bezels along with front flashers and rear backup lights bezels. All glasses are made with 0.010’’ clear Evergreen styrene and embedded to the body shell for a more in scale look. Bare Metal done on all body trims including the GTX logo on the side rear fenders.

The list can go on and on for hours so take the time to check every pics and judge by yourself… I surprise myself by finding details that I forgot when I look at it after some time on the shelf!

I spent around 2000 hours (I’m slower than a turtle…) on a 5 years span working on and off from early 2013 to May 2018 on this build. Unfortunately, I lost most of the construction pictures after a computer crash during an OS update but you should have a good idea with the remaining pics posted. I just taken new pics of the completed model but I really think that they can’t do justice like seen in person.

I will be more precautious in the future with frequent backup on USB key as I currently do for the ’64 D100 Pickup I’m building.

Dana rear housing in progress

Gas tank in milling vise

Gas tank final

Valve covers unpolished

Engine block in progress

Engine block front view details

Intake in progress

Water pump in progress

Oil pan installed

Spinles and brake calipers

Engine exploded view

Engine final. The blurry part near the headers is the clutch linkage

Engine front details

Alternator and brackets closer view.

Resin Liberty transmission, aluminum support and aluminum Bellhousing

I hand drilled all the holes (around 1000) in the honeycomb pattern promo grille using a 0.018’’ drill bit (I know I’m crazy…).

Fuel pump, brass straps for gas tank and hand made housing stoppers

Cool can, electric gaz pump, Optima battery and kill switch (you can see some of the trunk floor details)

Dash bezels and knobs

Cluster gauges installed (I put a flashlight behind to show all the gauges details)

Interior in progress

Interior with dash and panels in place (hand made Tuff steering wheel)

Interior back panel details (all aluminum)

Front bumper details including brackets

Final view

Final view showing mag wheels and wheelie bar

Under view front

Under view back

Front grill details

Engine bay final

Trunk view final

Front bumper closer view

This build is unreal, and puts my HEMI GTX to shame. 

[HankinWisconsin]

I've completely run out of superlatives, I'll just say I'm totally blown away by your builds Francis!