1964 Pontiac Grand Prix

[peekay]

Love those hinges! A very elegant and realistic solution.

[ChrisBcritter]

The first time I looked at the hinge idea, it made me a bit wary of how the slotted pins would work - must be tough to give them just the right clearance so they can slide on and off without being wobbly or too tight, and then compensate for when they get painted. White-knuckle time!

I was wondering if you had thought about putting little hinges on the hinges (!) so they could stay on the hood but fold inward flat underneath it when it was closed - then no chance of losing them when you take it to shows. Only problem I could see is maybe they'd interfere with the firewall?

Edited May 6, 2020 by ChrisBcritter

[StevenGuthmiller]

13 hours ago, ChrisBcritter said:

The first time I looked at the hinge idea, it made me a bit wary of how the slotted pins would work - must be tough to give them just the right clearance so they can slide on and off without being wobbly or too tight, and then compensate for when they get painted. White-knuckle time!

I was wondering if you had thought about putting little hinges on the hinges (!) so they could stay on the hood but fold inward flat underneath it when it was closed - then no chance of losing them when you take it to shows. Only problem I could see is maybe they'd interfere with the firewall?

Clearance would probably be difficult with a folding hinge, either with the firewall or the engine.

Often times there is not a lot of extra room under the hood with the engine and items like the master cylinder installed

I have begun to rethink the mounting idea for the hinges onto the hood, but that might have to wait until the next project.

Instead of pins and slots, I think I might try a couple of brackets on the hood raised up with enough clearance under them to accept slipping in a thin plate attached to the hinge.

That might make the mounting system a little stronger with less danger of something breaking.

 

I'll get back to you on that one.

 

 

 

Steve

[Jantrix]

On 5/4/2020 at 9:07 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

Besides, I have not yet attended a show where someone has had the cohones to pick up or tip over someone else's model without permission!

That's a little like sitting on a Hell's Angels member's Harley!!

True but it does happen. Steve, brilliant work on the hinges. This looks terrific.

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

56 minutes ago, Jantrix said:

True but it does happen.

 

That's funny Rob!

 

I suppose anything could happen at a show, including someone who might just decide that they want to break something.

But there's really no way to guard against all possibilities.

I just have faith that most of the people present at a show are either modelers, or have spent enough time around models to be smart enough to keep their grubby little fingers to themselves.

 

 

 

Steve

[Tom Geiger]

4 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I suppose anything could happen at a show, including someone who might just decide that they want to break something.

But there's really no way to guard against all possibilities.

I just have faith that most of the people present at a show are either modelers, or have spent enough time around models to be smart enough to keep their grubby little fingers to themselves.

Which is why we have so many staff members in lime green shirts patrolling the display room at NNL East. The very last thing we want is to have someone’s model to be damaged or stolen.  We want people to be comfortable putting their projects on the display tables.

We do attract a pretty astute crowd so our problems are minimal.

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

Which is why we have so many staff members in lime green shirts patrolling the display room at NNL East. The very last thing we want is to have someone’s model to be damaged or stolen.  We want people to be comfortable putting their projects on the display tables.

We do attract a pretty astute crowd so our problems are minimal.

I agree.

Every show that I have attended to this point has been relatively free of morons.

 

 

 

Steve

Edited May 6, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller

[StevenGuthmiller]

Okay guys, some of your comments have convinced me to revisit the hinge attachment question.

 

I decided to try the channel technique instead.

This should be somewhat more stable, and paint thickness should actually benefit the fit.

As it sits now, the hinge slides into place extremely easily, a little paint on the hood and hinge should actually tighten up the fit a bit.

 

As I worked on this, I thought about the fact that in the future, this technique could be streamlined considerably by using some inverted pieces of Plastistruct "L" channel for the hood pieces.

The ideas sometimes evolve faster than I can keep up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

Well, not exactly an exact replica of a '64 Pontiac "Slim Jim" automatic transmission, but thanks to Keith Buckner for the donation of the transmission from the Johan '62 Olds Cutlass, I think this is about as close as I'm going to get.

 

Thanks again Keith!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

And of course, not being able to leave well enough alone, I started adding a few more details to the tranny.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Edited May 7, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller

[Bucky]

11 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

And of course, not being able to leave well enough alone, I started adding a few more details to the tranny.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Ya gotta make it yer own, dude! How about that dipstick? Ya gonna add that, too?

[mustang1989]

This is looking great so far Steven. 

In regards to shows...I did see once where a fella had brought his VERY NICELY BUILT 1/32nd scale HK B-17G to a show and a parent wasn't watching a kid close enough and those little fingers wandered over to one of the props and tried to give it a "flick" to spin the prop and away she went. I guess that's the risk that gets taken when we put our builds "out there" but it still hurts. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

46 minutes ago, Bucky said:

Ya gotta make it yer own, dude! How about that dipstick? Ya gonna add that, too?

Maybe.

But that would come later.

 

Thanks again for the Olds tranny Keith!!

Couldn't do much of anything without that!

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

5 hours ago, mustang1989 said:

This is looking great so far Steven. 

In regards to shows...I did see once where a fella had brought his VERY NICELY BUILT 1/32nd scale HK B-17G to a show and a parent wasn't watching a kid close enough and those little fingers wandered over to one of the props and tried to give it a "flick" to spin the prop and away she went. I guess that's the risk that gets taken when we put our builds "out there" but it still hurts. 

I hear you.

Last year at the NNL North show in Minnesota, as people were packing up after the show, one of the entrants knocked a model off of the table, and KABLOOEY!!!, parts scattered all over the floor!

Lucky for the rest of us, it was his own model.

 

 

 

 

Steve

Edited May 8, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller

[AmericanMuscleFan]

3 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

And of course, not being able to leave well enough alone, I started adding a few more details to the tranny.

I recognize you in me, never satisfied with a piece and always wanting to improve it!  However, an automatic transmission is not an easy part to work with but you made some good modifications to make it look like to the 64 Pontiac transmission.  Well done!

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

I recognize you in me, never satisfied with a piece and always wanting to improve it!  However, an automatic transmission is not an easy part to work with but you made some good modifications to make it look like to the 64 Pontiac transmission.  Well done!

Thanks Francis.

It will be as close as it really needs to be I suppose.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Bucky]

4 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Maybe.

But that would come later.

 

Thanks again for the Olds tranny Keith!!

Couldn't do much of anything without that!

 

 

 

Steve

You are most welcome, Steve. I'm happy to be a part of such a fantastic project!

[Bucky]

4 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I hear you.

Last year at the NNL North show in Minnesota, as people were packing up after the show, one of the entrants knock a model off of the table, and KABLOOEY!!!, parts scattered all over the floor!

Lucky for the rest of us, it was his own model.

 

 

 

 

Steve

Several years ago, a show I went to was packing up to go home. The fella that had just won the biggest award for that show couldn't find the model that he built. Everyone thinks it left with one of the spectators.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Bucky said:

Several years ago, a show I went to was packing up to go home. The fella that had just won the biggest award for that show couldn't find the model that he built. Everyone thinks it left with one of the spectators.

Pretty sad.

It's hard for me to comprehend why anyone would want to steal a built model that you had no hand in creating.

Takes a special kind of loser.

 

 

 

Steve

[AmericanMuscleFan]

11 hours ago, Bucky said:

Several years ago, a show I went to was packing up to go home. The fella that had just won the biggest award for that show couldn't find the model that he built. Everyone thinks it left with one of the spectators.

That's the kind of story that give me chills in the back, thinking that somebody is loose enough to steal by the blink of an eye the hard work of another person that have spent countless hours to make... unbelivable!

[Nazz]

Sorry to jump in on this unpleasant subject but I've seen it too. A buddy of mine lost a scratch built model at a show. I also watched as some person picked up my Dragula by the front wheels!  So I guess there are all kinds of people out there.

[Oldcarfan27]

On 4/29/2020 at 7:52 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

Just as screw posts under the hood have become something that I can't abide, large hinge slots cut into the firewall have become unsightly features that I really can't get past anymore.

Soooo, I guess a toothpick holding the hood up is out too?

[StevenGuthmiller]

4 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

Soooo, I guess a toothpick holding the hood up is out too?

 

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

Today I finished up the transmission, did a little scribing for added definition on the dash, added some defroster vents, and began some work on modifying the '62 Catalina steering wheel to more closely resemble the '64.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Very nice job on the transmission Steven, the added details pays off and it's now a really better match with the 64 Pontiac 1:1 transmission.  I really appreciate that you had taken the time to make the defrost openings on the dash... nice touch!   Is it a 3D printed steering wheel or an original kit part molded in clear styrene?