charlie libby 1935 indy style road car

[Kingslug]

Amazing how you can machine such small parts...coming out Awesome!

[charlie libby]

hi ira, thanks for looking and your kind comments. i hope to have more pictures this week. i am working on the rear shocks and the rear wheels. 

[Art Laski]

Wow, Charlie! Model making at it's finest. A pleasure to watch.

[charlie libby]

nice to here from you art. i have been figuring out how to machine the inner wheel parts and i have made the inside half that butts to the hub on the axle. pin drive with center nut. the outer half is going to be almost the same with as the inner half with a smaller center. i am trying to decide if i should polish the rim and anodize the centers black or try to polish the whole wheel . opinions welcome,please. i dont know what color the car will be yet.that could make a differents.i took the idea for these wheels from the bugatti t-35 ,one of my favorite cars of all time. i am also trying to decide on makin fenders or having side mounted fuel tanks like the lancia d-50 another favorite. all that is a little further down the road. here is a few pictures. the axles and the cv joints have a 1/4 inch ball on each end and the 2 half of the cv half half of the 1/4 ball cut into them so they can rotate and travel up and down.

[absmiami]

Also consider raw metal finish - no polish ….

[absmiami]

Speaking of Bugatti wheels …

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Wheels are absolutely superb Charles!

I would keep them in bare aluminum because I think a black anodized center would give the wheels a more modern look and I don't think that's the direction you chose for your project?

[charlie libby]

thanks francis,nice to hear from you. hi andrew glad you are still looking. i haven't made up my mind because i have modernized the engine ,the 5 speed  transmission and the rearend,  so the car is more suppose to be a modern version of an old car. the wheels are also modern just made in to somewhat look like the t35 wheel and they sure are wider. the rear is 18by 10 and the fronts will be 17 by 9. when i make the tires they will be fairly tall , not supper low profile.  i have polished one  and it looks pretty nice. the centers are a press fit so i haven't and can't press them together until i decide . i am making the fronts now and i have plenty to do so they can be set aside for a while. i can anodize one to see what it looks like and very easily strip it. something to think about ,no hurry. any comments on fenders or not?

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Again, the wheels are absolutely beautiful Charlie, maybe the black will make the spokes less visible, you'll see.  This is your build, so your decision will be the right one, I'm sure!

I don't think I'd be a good advisor on fenders, as I prefer cars with fenders.  I love the hot rod versions of this era with wide tires and fenders in the back but not necessarily in the front, so you can see more easily all the details of the steering and suspension elements.   I'm not familiar with the Indy style so maybe fenders are not common in this type of vehicle?

Question: Do you use the degreaser method like Easy-Off or do you have another way to remove the anodization, I have never tried it?

[charlie libby]

easyoff seem to work fine. i watched a video using rust and stain remover for laundry,looked like it worked well also. i fill a small container enough to submerge the part completely,let it soak about 10 minutes.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

16 hours ago, charlie libby said:

easyoff seem to work fine. i watched a video using rust and stain remover for laundry,looked like it worked well also. i fill a small container enough to submerge the part completely,let it soak about 10 minutes.

Thanks for the reply Charlie, I think we have seen the same video (Easy-Off) but I have never tried it.  However, I don't know if a stripped part can be anodized again?

[Claude Thibodeau]

Hi Sir! 

Tremendous mastery of metal working, with all materials. Truly world class, bravo! 

I went trought the whole thread, and all I can add is... Good for the soul!

Regards,

CT 

[charlie libby]

hello claude. nice to hear from you ,thank very much. i hope you continue to enjoy. i think i have all the wheel parts made. had to strip and reanodize some.i will try to assemble them this week.i left them just aluminum but clear anodized for protection. got the shocks made and could not work out a proper way to do them in a laydown position so i mounted them vertical.i think they look alright. rear sway bar next. 

[Claude Thibodeau]

Hi Charles!

I look at the precision machining of your wheels, and the suspension's outboard upright so finely executed, and I can't help to think that the great, late Lil' John Buttera would be impressed by your skills. Ditto for Boyd Coddington, as they share the same cloud. 

On a different note, I envy the palm trees and crystal blue skies that fill your panoramic windows. Must be hard to stay at the bench sometimes...

CT 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

I love the way you have mounted the rear shocks and their details as well, all this build is simply fantastic!!! ?

You'll have to open a museum, all this beautiful work must be seen by the largest possible number of fans of model cars and real racing vehicles! ?

[Codi]

Loving the creativeness Charlie.  The wheels and how you made them are fantastic.  Glad to get caught up on your build, always learn things from you too!   Cheers, tim

[Oldmopars]

Stunning work. It’s always enjoyable to watch a master at work. 

[landman]

On 6/10/2021 at 9:52 PM, misterNNL said:

Another display of incredible craftsmanship. The ability to analyze what needs to be done then render it accurately in scale with these methods is amazing.

I totally agree with this. If I were to go back and learn a trade, this would be it.

[charlie libby]

doing some plating and anodizing to try and put together a few larger assemblies, the rear is went together well .  just finished plating some parts. anodized alot of engine parts this week, mostly clear. the transmission and bell housing is assembled including the hydraulic throwout bearing. still have to do a shifter. started taking the old paint off the chassis. almost finished with the alternator and mounts.hi Tim thanks for your comments, your brakes are awesome. hi Pat thanks for looking. nice to hear from you Scott. Francis tied a couple of new things in my anodizing and nickel. some were better some i found know difference.

 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Superb job on the finishing on every parts Charlie!   I really like the alternator, I made one for my '70 Plymouth GTX using pretty much the same technique but mine was all aluminum.  I need to make one for my Dodge D100 pickup and you just put a lot of pressure on me to make it look as good as yours!  You inspire me my friend! ?

[absmiami]

Wait

wait a minute, Francis …

your Dodge is in 25th sc …

this - I gotta see !

[absmiami]

Fun with eye phones …

which do you like ??

 

[Straightliner59]

Charlie, your work is impeccable! When I see the work that you, and Francis and Tim are doing on the mill, I am inspired to push myself to try new things with mine. I am nowhere near the machinist that you guys are, but, you've helped me to expand my horizons, and, thanks to that inspiration, I have accomplished things I wouldn't have tried, before. Thank you!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 11/23/2021 at 2:13 PM, absmiami said:

Wait

wait a minute, Francis …

your Dodge is in 25th sc …

this - I gotta see !

It is certain that at this scale, it is difficult to make as beautiful as what Charlie offered us but I will do my best!

I don't know if I'll get a nice "eye phones" picture too! ?

[absmiami]

Ya never know …