Chariots of Fire Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Now that the Mashpee rig is done I've gone back to a project that I introduced some time ago. It had me at a loss as to really go about rebuilding the casting because it was so poor. The time away from it gave me some added incentive to try again so here is the beginning. Here was the original casting. At this point the hood and fenders have been cut free and some modifications were begin on the location of the windshield. It was relocated more above the cowl and was given some V shape. To make a new windshield surround it was laid out on sheet brass, bent in the middle and a small strip of brass was soldered around the edge. The finished windshield surround is in the middle. The windshield was rough fit in the opening and then mounted securely with additional fitting and supergluing. Next was the lower cab sides. They were bowed in, very thin and not good to work with. So new sides were made up of plastic sheet stock and tubing. In the photo above the windshield has been opened up leaving in effect a brass angle completely around it. The angle will help hold the windshield glass in position. There are some relief sculpture lines on the cab but they are not quite as pronounced as what is in the photo. The lower ones need to be diminished quite a bit. The door panels have been filled in some and will be reshaped. The cowl is being reshaped with some putty and the fenders and hood have been roughed out. Renshape was used for the fenders and hood. It is great stuff to work with, having no grain, it sands and cuts easily in any direction but is very strong. I made paper templates of the hood and fenders and one of the fender templates is still in place on the right fender. The fenders were first cut out on a band saw and then sanded to the outer shape on a disk sander. The edges can be rounded by hand. The underside will be hollowed out using a Dremel and some sanding disks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 I always enjoy watching your work. This one looks like a real challenge. Fascinating, and inspirational. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flynlo Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 As always I will be following your incredible work. Thanks for sharing another masterpiece in progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 Not a lot going on today so there was more to do on the Reo. Hood was cut from Renshape the same as the fender blanks. The hood sides were also cut from that material which made it easy to shape the rounded front. Renshape is strong enough that I could cut out the grill area as well. The grill area was printed out on paper and glued to the nose. Then a cutting wheel was used to open up the slots. A small file was used to finish up the openings. There is still some fitting to do so that the cab and hood line up over the fenders. Next will be to round off the fenders on the outside and grind away the inner portion of the blanks to get the thinness of each fender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Amazing work. I have the greatest respect for those capable of this level of scratch building. Are you using templates to be consistent from side to side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 Yes to templates. It's easy to do once I have the drawing of one side. In the graphics program I can flip the image and it creates it automatically in the opposite view. That's what you see in the third picture up from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLMFAA1 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 loss for words to describe the work, You are like a diamond cutter. greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leafsprings Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 As others have said, amazing work! Thanks for doing another forgotten vehicle from "the golden age of trucking" , my favorite era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermann Kersten Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Ah nice, a new project to follow. The nose job look awesome. Hermann. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 Here's an update. Next is to round off the fenders and begin to final fit the three pieces together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Amazing work as always Charles! Are you going to make a Gold Comet inline 6 cylinder gas engine too? From what I understand, that is basically the same engine that White used in later years. I was hoping to try and make one for a 9000 White project myself some day. Looking forward to seeing more!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 That's my goal, Brian. I'm a long way from that as you can see. I have a ton of photos of the 6 in my files to work from. The more I see of the nose the more refining it needs. Little things that will set if off need to be done to really clean up edges and smooth it out. Fiddly stuff but in the end it pays off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 9 hours ago, Chariots of Fire said: That's my goal, Brian. I'm a long way from that as you can see. I have a ton of photos of the 6 in my files to work from. The more I see of the nose the more refining it needs. Little things that will set if off need to be done to really clean up edges and smooth it out. Fiddly stuff but in the end it pays off. I've gotten my notebook out! Class is now in session! I'm taking notes! You've got my attention!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldmopars Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 with all the time on my hands I found a video of a Reo getting pulled out of the weeds. However when I returned to your build I realized that the truck in the video is the same as the resin cab you cut off, not the one you are building. Oh Well. You might like it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 I watched the video. I really had my doubts that you were going to get that out of the woods with that little track machine. Like most things small there is persistence that pays off! Here's an update on the Reo. I know I said it is a 57 but it actually is a 53 that I am modeling. Not a lot of difference but it still should be accurate. Fenders are now hollowed out and rounded. Cab and hood fitting is coming along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 Again I say WOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneckrigger Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Beautiful work Charlie. You definitely have captured the "look" of that old girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbill Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 You sir are nothing short of amazing! This is coming together very nicely, I look forward to your progress. ’give me a roof, and I’ll build anything you want......’ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 I got some additional work done on the nose. Added the Gold Comet badge to the sides, did up the headlights and added the hood ornament. I found that the right side grill openings were just a bit off so the outside edges were extended a tad and that required moving the Comet badge back a smidge as well. Small parking lights have been added to the top of the headlight buckets. These were taken before I adjusted the right side grill openings and the parts have since been given an initial coat of primer. It does wonders to bring out the flaws that need attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggu Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 MASTER CLASS !!! Are you going to cast some resin cabs? I'd go for one ! This is gorgeous ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 Hi, Jeff. No I won't be casting the cabs but that doesn't mean that won't happen. Talking with someone else about doing that. But before I send it out I need to do some more work. Bumper, running boards, interior tub, seat, dashboard need to be made as well and that will take a little time. But stay tuned. I think it will happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKerry Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 Charles you don't build models in anyway shape or form!! Nope, no way... You build works of art!!! Said it before and I always will, awesome work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 Thank you Dr. K. Glad you are enjoying the builds. I find it a lot of fun to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotnitro? Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Outstanding work as always ! Building parts from a photo and turning them into detailed pieces is stunning. Looking at the fine lines on your grill and fenders is remarkable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89AKurt Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Wow..... ? Will be following this one. This triggered my fading memory, took a picture of this in my town and posted 2008: [/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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