Pile O' Parts RPU

[Modlbldr]

4 hours ago, Dann Tier said:

I would leave the tank exactly as you have it here!....there are PLENTY of hotrods out there that do things that arent really the best idea, but they sure do look cool!! ...love what you're doing here -keep up the GREAT work, Bud!!!

My thought exactly. Who said it needs to be practical? And if it was supposed to be safe, we would never have seen vehicles that do 300 MPH+ or motorcycles with V8's that are used for drag racing (or motorcycles, period). The fuel tank stays! Now, as far as whether this build belongs in this category?- that was just me not thinking when I started it. Lol.

Thanks for the fine comments everyone. I appreciate them. 

I started the work on the front suspension yesterday but didn't get anywhere. Can't wait to get back on it Monday and make some progress.

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[Modlbldr]

Ok. Got it temporarily up on wheels. I think it sits too high. Going to make a new attachment bracket for the front spring/spreader bar to lower it a bit and perhaps lower the spring mount on the front axle. I think I'll need to Z the frame in the rear. I had planned to channel the body just a bit over the frame. I think that will be a must now.

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[Sam I Am]

Tom, the cheap tickets are usually in the nose bleed section. ?

Gonna have to pay for the courtside. 

[Snake45]

On 4/15/2020 at 1:27 PM, Snake45 said:

Agree, and I have an even better idea. Put a hard cover on the bed and declare loudly and often that it's not a pickup bed anymore, IT'S NOW A FUEL TANK. This will keep your model from getting moved--either now, or when it goes Under Glass--down to the Truck section, where most of the car modelers will never see it. 

Tolja so! 

[Modlbldr]

2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Tolja so! 

So you did! I fingered it would happen. No surprise.?

 

2 hours ago, Sam I Am said:

Tom, the cheap tickets are usually in the nose bleed section. ?

Gonna have to pay for the courtside. 

Looks like I'm paying up.

Been trying to figure out a paint color and trying to decide whether to go flat or metallic.

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[Modlbldr]

Maybe a dark flat red or orange with cream frame and wheels.

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[Scott8950]

Tom this looks great, it is coming together nicely.

[Modlbldr]

Thanks Scott.

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[Modlbldr]

Got the front end lowered today before heading home. Made quite a difference. The front of the frame now sits below the centerline of the tire. Starting on lowering the rear tomorrow.

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[Modlbldr]

So, got the body and suspension lowered. Still not as low as I wanted but not going to mess with it any more. I now have to find an engine for this thing and figure out a color for it.

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[jeffinvt]

That looks much better, nice job on the adjustment. It has a nice stance without being slammed. Keep up the good work, i’ll Be watching this one come together. 

[Modlbldr]

I'm having a bear of a time coming up with an engine for this thing that is short enough to fit between the front frame cross member and the driveshaft. I want something that, I feel, is not the norm. I found the Pontiac 421 from the Parts Pack and I am going to splice on a tranny tailpiece from the parts box. I have to admit that the engines are the area that I have no experience in. I usually focus on the bodywork on builds and not on the running gear.

 I am going to post some photos of what I have in mind and I am looking for any advice as to whether it would work in 1:1. Would it be reasonable and feasible to remove the crossmember and replace it with something thinner? If I could do that, I could go with a couple other engine options.

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[Modlbldr]

So, here is the engine I am planning on using- Parts Pack Pontiac. I need a tranny tailpiece though. I am going to make my cut at the Xacto blade and attach the tail. That should make it short enough to fit. 

Second pic is the cross member. I am looking to remove a portion of it or all of it. If I remove all of it, my plan is to make a new one farther back, say, under the tranny. I'm sure in 1:1 it would need one as the spreader bar at the front would not be enough. Any thoughts? Photos of similar set ups or the right way to do it?

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[Modlbldr]

Like this...

Again, any comments or suggestions?

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[Sam I Am]

Engine and tranny look good. Instead of messing with the front crossmember,  maybe recess the firewall. 

[Modlbldr]

Not a bad idea Sam but I may not have to if I remove just the step down portion of the cross member. Should give enough room for everything. 

Later-

[Plowboy]

Don't know how I missed this one! I would cut the cross member loose, get rid of the brass rod, slide the cross member forward and then glue the spring mount to the cross member. If possible, trim away the recessed area on the rear of the cross member for extra clearance. I would also bob the frame horns off so the spring could come back a little.

[Modlbldr]

14 hours ago, Plowboy said:

Don't know how I missed this one! I would cut the cross member loose, get rid of the brass rod, slide the cross member forward and then glue the spring mount to the cross member. If possible, trim away the recessed area on the rear of the cross member for extra clearance. I would also bob the frame horns off so the spring could come back a little.

Funny that you mention this. That was actually my first thought when I started the front suspension. I thought having the spring mount attached to the brass spreader bar would be a little dicey in 1:1 but went with it. I think I might go back to that idea though. Makes more sense to me, structurally speaking.

Later-

[Plowboy]

Something I've done also Tom, is cut the cross member loose, turn it a quarter turn (bottom of the cross member will face forward instead of down) and glue it back to the frame. Then mount the spring inside the recess of the cross member. Hope this makes sense. 

[espo]

I think the suggestions you're getting in the front cross member and spreader bar are what I was looking at also. My thought would be to move the factory cross member forward just enough to mount your existing front spring mount to it. This would do way with the spreader bar and give the appearance of a well built suspension mount. This should also give you the clearance you need for the front dress of the engine. Should the front clearance still be an issue you could remove or notch the rear facing edge of the cross member. The Carbs seem strangely out of proportion on the engine. They appear more like an early Stromberg model that you would find on an early Ford Flathead engine. GM used the Carter 2 Jet style with larger throttle bodies. Might consider one of the later model Pontiac or Chevrolet kits that have the 3x2 setup to get a better idea on size and shapes. Other than all that your build is going great.    

[Modlbldr]

Roger and David,

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. I can't wait to get back to work tomorrow to make some changes on this build. 

Later-

[Modlbldr]

Been working on this today. Made some changes in the front suspension. Trying to figure out a color for the body. The chassis and such will be Wimbledon White but I am hung up on a color for the body and wheels. Here are my options. What do you think? I am leaning towards the second one from the left ( Testors Silver Blue Metallic) or the last one (Testors Lime Gold metal flake).

Later-

[espo]

Good looking color. What are the two end spoons color ?  

[Modlbldr]

17 hours ago, espo said:

Good looking color. What are the two end spoons color ?  

These are the paints on the ends.

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[Modlbldr]

I got the front suspension changed out and looking better. Wheels and body getting the first few coats of Silver blue metallic.

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Edited April 28, 2020 by Modlbldr