Peking to Paris CBP 2022

[Pete J.]

Boring work cutting open doors with little photoetched saws.  I will be replacing the "B" pillar with .025" brass.  Already have the piece made, but since I am doing suicide doors, I need to figure out the hinges next.  

[Erik Smith]

6 hours ago, Pete J. said:

Boring work cutting open doors with little photoetched saws.  I will be replacing the "B" pillar with .025" brass.  Already have the piece made, but since I am doing suicide doors, I need to figure out the hinges next.  

That’s some fine cutting, Pete. Should be a cool way to display your contents. 

[tim08]

Very nice work Pete. I haven't drummed up the guts to cut doors and trunk lids open yet.  This is a bit of inspiration to maybe try on the Plymouth. This is kind of the direction I'm going at the moment. Gonna go with some thinner tires for the spares and fashion some kind of rack for the roof. Got the steelies out of a 57 Ford kit. Did the letters on the tires with a sharpie paint pen a while back, was experimenting so figured why not use them now? Need to set the rear up a bit for the trip.

Trying a few more new things on this. Panel line wash and assembling a little before paint. See how it goes.

 

 

[Pete J.]

5 hours ago, Tim08 said:

Very nice work Pete. I haven't drummed up the guts to cut doors and trunk lids open yet.  This is a bit of inspiration to maybe try on the Plymouth. This is kind of the direction I'm going at the moment. Gonna go with some thinner tires for the spares and fashion some kind of rack for the roof. Got the steelies out of a 57 Ford kit. Did the letters on the tires with a sharpie paint pen a while back, was experimenting so figured why not use them now? Need to set the rear up a bit for the trip.

Trying a few more new things on this. Panel line wash and assembling a little before paint. See how it goes.

 

 

Looking good Tim!  Cutting things open is almost therapeutic for me. It takes a good hour with the photoetched saw to get them out.  Lots of intense concentration.  Not much room in my mind for anything else!  ?

[Erik Smith]

Baby projects toward the whole…

Minilites are close to done - need to add some valve stems and dust. 
 

The Cologne V6 is getting more parts added - somehow I lost one of the valve covers, but had a spare, so it’s in the paint “shop” now. 

[Pete J.]

20 hours ago, Erik Smith said:

Baby projects toward the whole…

Minilites are close to done - need to add some valve stems and dust. 
 

The Cologne V6 is getting more parts added - somehow I lost one of the valve covers, but had a spare, so it’s in the paint “shop” now. 

I like the chipping on the rims.  It will add a nice detail for the weathering.

[Erik Smith]

On to some interior work. Seats will be Recaro from Clearly Scale with 6 point belts. Will configure a roll bar too, since I would like a roof rack. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Erik Smith

[MeatMan]

Awesome work all around!

[Erik Smith]

Roll bar roughed in. And more paint on the chassis/engine bay. 

[Erik Smith]

Chassis and engine bay, sans engine. Still need to weather the surfaces more.

The ride height didn’t need much adjustment, I wanted a little tail drag, and the kit was close. The track width needs to be narrowed about 6 inches to fit the new wheels and tires - the rear is close to done and I still need to work on the front. 
 

I have to say, this style build is addictive. I’ve always really liked the look of this style car. I’ve got about 4 others I’ve been brainstorming…

Edited February 25, 2022 by Erik Smith

[Pete J.]

Making progress.  Working on the roll cage.  After looking at the photo, the tubing looks too big!  But then it is a tiny car so it may be right.   It just doesn't look that big in person.   What is the normal diameter of roll cage tubing?  

Edited February 28, 2022 by Pete J.

[Erik Smith]

7 hours ago, Pete J. said:

What is the normal diameter of roll cage tubi

1.5 - 1.75” or so, I think. Yours does look a little thick, but nice brass work! Might also look big because of the little car it’s in. Might also fade in size appearance when painted. 

[Pete J.]

2 hours ago, Erik Smith said:

1.5 - 1.75” or so, I think. Yours does look a little thick, but nice brass work! Might also look big because of the little car it’s in. Might also fade in size appearance when painted. 

After doing the math, I can see that it is too big.  That is 1/8" tubing which specs out to 3" tubes.  I just ordered the some 3/32" which calculates to 2 1/4".  You wouldn't think that 1/32" would do that much visually but I am going to try it.  Next step down would be 1/16" but I tried that it it looks way to small even though it specs out at 1 1/2".  Time to try again.   Photos are really great for catching errors. 

Yes, it is a tiny car and that probably has a lot to do with it.  With all the work so far, I just want it to look right.  Thanks for the compliment on the brass work.  My soldering skills are a little rusty, but I am regaining some of my old skills.  It also helps that I just got a new 250 watt power head for my resistance soldering unit.  The old 100 watt unit was fine for photoetched but a little under powered for tubing this size. 

[Erik Smith]

Here is my major update for today. Kit supplied shifter on bottom, scratch made one on top. Looks better. 

[Pete J.]

11 hours ago, Erik Smith said:

Here is my major update for today. Kit supplied shifter on bottom, scratch made one on top. Looks better. 

Yup, huge improvement.  Nice work!

[Erik Smith]

Fresh coat of Tamiya French Blue on the body. 
 

The hood has some gravel/rock chips sustained from following a truck in Mongolia too close among other cross continent hazards.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Erik Smith

[Pete J.]

On 2/27/2022 at 9:13 PM, Pete J. said:

Making progress.  Working on the roll cage.  After looking at the photo, the tubing looks too big!  But then it is a tiny car so it may be right.   It just doesn't look that big in person.   What is the normal diameter of roll cage tubing?  

Ok, now this looks better!  Some of the discoloration of the brass is from the annealing so I could bend it easily.  I have a lot of cross bracing yet to do, but this is a much better base to begin with.  

[Erik Smith]

10 hours ago, Pete J. said:

Ok, now this looks better!  Some of the discoloration of the brass is from the annealing so I could bend it easily.  I have a lot of cross bracing yet to do, but this is a much better base to begin with.  

Looks good Pete. That’s quite a cage for a 0-45 in 45 seconds car!  

[Pete J.]

2 hours ago, Erik Smith said:

Looks good Pete. That’s quite a cage for a 0-45 in 45 seconds car!  

Well, it is a drive across Mongolia. So it's not about crashing at 45 mph.   You never know when a lonely bull yak may decide to make a little car it's love interest.  It better be a sturdy cage.  ?

Edited March 6, 2022 by Pete J.

[Erik Smith]

Some of the painted body. We “borrowed” some parts from other Capris and thought painting to match was a waste of time. 

[Erik Smith]

I liked Pete’s little boxes for interior fodder - so I’ve been constructing some too!

Edited March 14, 2022 by Erik Smith

[Erik Smith]

Filling up the back with essentials:

[fivesuns]

Here is my finished 1954 Hudson Hornet (AKA The Green Hornet).....comments always welcome.    

[Jantrix]

Some great work guys. I'm still in this too. My hobby room has been dismantled and moved to another bedroom. I need to get the baseboards down and finish painting before I start putting the room together.

[MeatMan]

10 hours ago, fivesuns said:

Here is my finished 1954 Hudson Hornet (AKA The Green Hornet).....comments always welcome.    

Very well done!