Nostalgia Fuel Dragster--Blower Manifold (01/28/23)

[Straightliner59]

Here are the decal tags on the bellhousing and transformer. I also added a pair of Archer rivet decals to represent the screws that hold the top of the transformer on. I decided to turn a new filler cap for the fuel tank. It's since been finished with fine steel wool, rather than the polished finish, here. Questions, critiques and comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Pierre Rivard]

That transformer is mighty impressive and placing it on a coin puts it all in perspective. It's so small...what...what am I looking at? Can't see it, too small.

Seriously Daniel, make sure this thing has minimal bodywork. Don't cover up all that great stuff!

[Straightliner59]

17 hours ago, Pierre Rivard said:

That transformer is mighty impressive and placing it on a coin puts it all in perspective. It's so small...what...what am I looking at? Can't see it, too small.

Seriously Daniel, make sure this thing has minimal bodywork. Don't cover up all that great stuff!

Originally, I had planned--even built a full body for it. The original body was made from tooling aluminum, thus was too soft. The nose and tail section are hammered and soldered tin. Those will be retained. When I discovered the 5"X7" flashing, I began to teach myself how to work it, annealing, shaping, etc. The body for my Junior Fueler was my first use of a finished, completed model using the flashing. I left it unpainted, because I wanted it evident that it was aluminum--it had to be pretty much perfect! Fast forward to re-convening this project. I had decided that the new body would be from flashing, and that, excepting the nose, the only tin in front of the motor plate would be the panels beneath the engine, and whatever is necessary to work with the front wings. Here is essentially what it'll look like, except with the engine sitting back down, where it belongs, and the body in black. Thank you for your kind words, my friend!

[Straightliner59]

I did some more work to the dash panel. I had some mis-drilled holes. Rather than make a new gauge panel, I simply added a brushed aluminum faceplate for the kill switch, fuel shutoff, hi-lo, and hi-speed knobs (rather than the usual handles/levers). I also finally installed the data link for the driveshaft speed. I'll finish the dash. I'm still undecided on how to do the readout,whether although a dark face seems logical, if boring, compared to LED decals. Thoughts? Thanks for looking!

 

[bytownshaker]

I agree use  the LED decal. I imagine the read out panel has diagnostic etc capabilities when the car is not running.

The car looks fantastic, you see something new every time you study the pictures.

[Straightliner59]

4 hours ago, bytownshaker said:

I agree use  the LED decal. I imagine the read out panel has diagnostic etc capabilities when the car is not running.

The car looks fantastic, you see something new every time you study the pictures.

Thank you, Edgar. I appreciate your kind words. I also appreciate your feedback, regarding the panel. You're right, there would most likely be some mode that would illuminate the panel, without the car running. I will make some "LEDs" in different colors and print them.

[Straightliner59]

I made a decal for the face panel. It reads :"KERRANG! RACING" then, centered below that, "MAIN MENU" in the same font, but smaller. I used a LCD/LED styled font in light blue, on a deeper blue field. I made the buttons from a strip of Evergreen. I used a strip of thin brass sheet to create the indentations between the buttons. I also made a decal/label for the data recorder battery. I'm currently working on the harness for the data wiring. I'm also trying to figure out how to make "T'"-pulls for the fuel system controls, etc. I kind of like the way it looks in the blue! Your comments are always welcome. Thanks for looking!

[absmiami]

Yup

[Ian McLaren]

Great job on the dash and read out screen Daniel. 

[Straightliner59]

16 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

Great job on the dash and read out screen Daniel. 

Thanks, Ian. Although it's not apparent in the photos, looking at it in real life, it looks like it's illuminated! I guess it's just the blue I used. I started messing with the wiring. Colors are as per a schematic I found online...

Edited May 11, 2023 by Straightliner59

[AmericanMuscleFan]

The digital dashboard is awesome Daniel !

[Straightliner59]

4 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

The digital dashboard is awesome Daniel !

Thank you, Francis! It's been slow going, trying to sort out this thing's "nervous system" (data collection). I think I'm getting closer to being able to really start assembling it. It's been a lot of research. I even get ads for Racepak and other data collection systems on this message board, now.😂 I built a new box for the computer and battery, this time from styrene, as I never quite made myself happy, in four or five attempts from aluminum. I'll simply apply the same finish as the fuel tank, or perhaps some carbon fiber decal, when the time comes. It still needs a bit of cleanup. 

[Straightliner59]

I finally decided I have enough information to get started. Technically, the twisted bundle from the dash panel would just be a continuation of the same conduit as the black wire, from the computer box. I used twisted DM Detailing Wire because I think it's more interesting. The white wires will connect to the exhaust gas temp modules (one left, one right). I also will install "probes" for axle speed, clutch speed, output shaft speed, fuel pressure, oil pressure and RPM. I'll use some short bits of plug wire insulation for plug ends at the box. Probe ends will be set up, accordingly. I need to re-apply the decals to the top of the battery, as I decided I wasn't happy with them. As always, questions, comments and critiques are welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

I wanted to get an idea of what this will look like, so I cut some wire, and stuck it in some holes.😃 I kinda like the way it looks. It should look even better, once the box is painted. I have more colors of the .011" on the way, so I can replace the green and orange leads. The white leads will be for EGT, blue for axle speed. Green will handle oil pressure, yellow RPM and orange fuel pressure. Finally, red will tuck into the bellhousing for clutch RPM. I still need to make and wire the kill switch. Thanks for looking!

[absmiami]

Yup

[Ian McLaren]

Great job on this update, the box is a big step up. All those wires, I remember when the wiring harness consisted of a mag kill wire and switch.

[Straightliner59]

16 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

Great job on this update, the box is a big step up. All those wires, I remember when the wiring harness consisted of a mag kill wire and switch.

Thank you, Ian. No kidding--there used to be virtually no wiring on these things, besides the mag. I have since shot some black on the box. I also added a flange around the top, for the plastic cover. I'll have some photos in a couple of days. The Camaro is looking great!

[Straightliner59]

Still plugging away at the data collection system. The new box is painted. The computer is installed, and the power cable attached. I made a battery terminal clamp from aluminum wire. It still needs a little shaping; then it needs a twin. Once I've made a battery hold down, and the battery's installed, I can finish wiring the box. It looks like I'll be making a whole bunch of zip-ties! 😁 More as work progresses. Questions and comments are always appreciated. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

The battery's installed. I still need to make another terminal clamp, and install a ground wire. Decals don't like Delrin! I also need to paint the nuts on the hold-down bar. The tabs on the box will get filed, some, so that the box can more freely move forward between the rails. I'd like it to be about another .250" ahead of where it is, now. I plan to add a gasket, under the Plexiglas lid, and, of course, fasteners. Comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

Just a few more details, and a bit of paint left to do. I got the other battery clamp made and installed. I printed a "tile" of corkboard on plain paper, shot it with Krylon Matte Clear, glued two pieces of it back-to-back with diluted white glue (Alene's Tacky Glue), and carefully cut it out, to make a gasket for the top of the box. I'm really happy with this assembly! Next, I will be working on the "fasteners" for the plexiglas  top. Then, I can plug in some wires, and see if the stereo works!😁 The last two photos, here are with the cover on. Thanks for looking!

[Ian McLaren]

This electronics box embodies the true essence of scratch building, precision, attention to detail, multiple materials and the willingness to redo it "till it's right ". Not to mention a step by step  tutorial . Very inspiring. 

[Straightliner59]

15 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

This electronics box embodies the true essence of scratch building, precision, attention to detail, multiple materials and the willingness to redo it "till it's right ". Not to mention a step by step  tutorial . Very inspiring. 

Thank you, Ian. Yes, this thing has given me some fits. I'm really happy with the way it's turning out! I'll be happy to move on to the next step, but, I really do enjoy making parts, and adding little details!

[John B.]

Incredible work, sir - simply incredible!

[Straightliner59]

1 hour ago, John B. said:

Incredible work, sir - simply incredible!

Thanks, kindly, John. The electronics box is done! At least until I figure out what to do for a grey wire. I made a new gasket and lid for it. Long story. I also started laying out the paint scheme--or at least playing with designs. The areas covered with tape will be the "Ambergold" I mixed. I think this has potential. I'll have more in a day or two. I need to start drilling holes for the various sensors, etc., so that I'll have places to hook up all these wires!

[Straightliner59]

Desperately seeking opinions! Here's my first idea for the paint layout. Now that i have it all taped off, I can see areas I want to fine-tune. All areas covered with tape will be painted the gold pictured on the spoon. The rest will be, well...black! The gold will also be given the treatment with black Sign Painter's One Shot seen on the Ford hood. It will then be coated with Tamiya clear orange lacquer, as on the left end of the panel shown. At one point, I had decided to forego the red surrounds on the panels. I have since given them consideration, once again--more neatly than here, of course. I have one other "trim" I want to try on the tape, as well. It may better accentuate the body lines. 

My idea is to get a design I like, in tape. I will then lay that out on paper and scan it. I can then use AutoCAD to clean/straighten them up, and make duplications and mirrored images and save them as DXF files that I can import into Cricut software, then finally learn how to use the blasted thing to cut masks. So, what are your thoughts on this design? I should have my second idea done, pretty quickly, as it mainly involves slicing and removing tape from what's already on the car. Thanks for chiming in; Thanks for looking!

Edited May 28, 2023 by Straightliner59