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

[Straightliner59]

Before the cowl can be painted, the windscreen needed to be riveted to the cowl. I marked the center hole, first, and drilled it. I then marked the windscreen, in the corresponding location, and drilled it. Next, I inserted a plastic model railroad rivet through the holes, and melted the inside end with a lick of flame from a lighter. I then did the holes on each end in the same manner, and riveted them. Now, the windscreen was secure, and the two "midway" rivets were easily done. These five "live" rivets will mount the screen. Any others will be just heads, attached to the body. Now that this is complete, I can cut the installed rivets, and remove the windscreen to prep and paint the cowl. The black area of the windscreen will be trimmed away. Questions, comments and critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

Edited August 14, 2023 by Straightliner59

[Straightliner59]

The paint is on the engine panels. You can see the difference in the gold, after the orange clear coat is applied. The dappling with the natural sponge looks as I'd hoped. I "taped" the panels off with Parafilm M. Andy Sapiro uses it for other things, but, it reminded me of an article I'd once read, regarding it being used as a masking medium. I like the way it's performed, so far. It creates a tight seal, with no lifting of paint. Cockpit side panels will be next...

[OldNYJim]

This is such a great thread - I’ve picked up so many tips, and the craftsmanship demonstrated here is really inspirational.

Im excited to see that paintjob come together too!

[Straightliner59]

46 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

This is such a great thread - I’ve picked up so many tips, and the craftsmanship demonstrated here is really inspirational.

Im excited to see that paintjob come together too!

Thank you, Jim! I am always happy when someone finds something useful in one of my posts! Thanks for saying so.

It's probably my most involved paint. job, so, I'm hoping I can pull it off. So far, so good.?

[Straightliner59]

So...I finally figured out that it would be simpler to put on the orange clear, before taping off, for the black! What a moron!? As you will see in these photos, I am currently waiting for the black to dry a day or two, before I tape it off to apply the orange clear coat. Even having painted the orange clear coat on the cowl and tail, tonight, using the Parafilm, I could do the black, now, if I choose to. I'm still figuring out exactly what I want to do with the cowl panel. I'm considering something shaped, to incorporate a name badge cowl art. I have a couple of ideas. It's coming along! Comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

I got some more paint work done. I still have the cowl and tail left to finish. Hoping for later, today. Once they're done, I'll let them sit and cure for a while, before I clear coat them. The One-Shot I used for the stippling takes some time, as it's meant to flow out. I got out the can of Kool Crimson, too, and practiced my hand-striping. I think I like the look too much, not to try it. Even if it's "controlled chaos"--a little wider, here, a little shaky, there. Nothing radical, just not perfect, because I have zero idea, as to how I'd pull that off! Although, since most of the lnes are straight, I could tape them, and freehand the curves. I guess I'll figure something out! Questions and comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by Straightliner59

[Straightliner59]

[Ian McLaren]

Just WOW!!!

[Tortuga Kustomz]

This project inspire me in so many levels man, i can't wait for me to do stuff like that

[Straightliner59]

4 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

Just WOW!!!

Thanks, Ian! It worked out as good as I could have hoped. I just need to let it cure a few days, and figure out the striping. I like how the orange goes from very subtle to reflective, depending on light.

2 hours ago, Tortuga Kustomz said:

This project inspire me in so many levels man, i can't wait for me to do stuff like that

Thank you, Marcos. You're well on your way! Wanting to, is the biggest part of it, I think.

Here are all the body panels, painted...

[Straightliner59]

Okay. I just had to!

[Straightliner59]

I started striping. I got these done, excluding some touchup. The cowl is bathing in lacquer thinner, at this moment, so I will fiddle with another aspect, until I decide that I'm ready to repaint the cowl, or red-outline the tail. Minor setback--at least it's easy to strip paint from aluminum!

[Straightliner59]

Not a lot to show. Stripping the cowl took a little of the wind from my sails, so I kind of took a break. I started striping the tail Saturday. Once the corners are dried on the last panel, I can tape the straight lines, and finish it up. Then, I will repaint the cowl. Then, I can let the long cure timer begin. I've also been fiddling with the headers, but, mostly just shortening the pipes I'd originally made. There's a lot to do, before those are finished. I also need to install fire suppression, which will consist of a knob next to the driver's right knee, to actuate it, and the lines and nozzles (once I figure out exactly where they go). Best I can gather, so far is two nozzles ahead of the headers, pointed at the engine, and two in the cockpit, one pointed toward the driver. I figure the bottles would be installed in the tail, which won't be coming off, therefore, they will only exist in the viewer's mind's eye. The lines will be represented by .010" braided beading wire. Anyway, even little progress is better than congress (they are opposites, right?!)? Your comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

I finally got all the borders done. I'm looking forward to getting some clear on it, and smoothing it out. The gold paint really has the reflective qualities of gold leaf, although lightly grainy, which leaf is not--and, now I'm really mad at myself--I just realized that I have everything I need to have done it with actual gold leaf! D'OH!? I've been wanting to use it on a project, too. I really like the gold, and I'm happy with the overall scheme. It's pretty eye-catching, I think! I want to incorporate some art into the cowl panel, but haven't decided on it, yet--just a couple of general ideas. Thanks for looking!

[Ian McLaren]

Looking great Daniel, I'm loving the paint. just one thing the twisted beading wire is going to look a lot like braided line, with is an absolute no no in fire systems ( the teflon liner in the hose melts causing the system to stop working. All fire systems have to use hard line. That being said at .010 it's going to be hard to tell but you have put so much effort into getting all of the details spot on .

 

[Straightliner59]

17 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

Looking great Daniel, I'm loving the paint. just one thing the twisted beading wire is going to look a lot like braided line, with is an absolute no no in fire systems ( the teflon liner in the hose melts causing the system to stop working. All fire systems have to use hard line. That being said at .010 it's going to be hard to tell but you have put so much effort into getting all of the details spot on .

 

I appreciate that, Ian. I thought that would be the case, but when I was looking at different systems, via Google, some of them had the braided lines. I surmise, now, that they were street systems, because hard lines only make sense. It would be no more or less difficult to install one over the other, anyway! I have plenty of wire. Now, I just need to find some photos of their installation. Thanks again, for your insight.

[Straightliner59]

I still haven't repainted the cowl. I did shoot some clear on the other panels, and the tail, to give me something to work with. I didn't think to thin the One-Shot, at first, thinking it would flow out, as it's designed to do--just not that much!?. I'm thinking it'll look pretty, once I'm done with it. Comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

Edited September 2, 2023 by Straightliner59

[Straightliner59]

I need to go through one more wet-sand/polish/clear cycle with one side of the tail, and a small area on one of the engine panels. Other than those two items, the body's painted (except the cowl...still)! Not bad for a hack painter, I think. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

I went ahead and sanded and re-sprayed all of these body components. I'm hopeful that one more go-'round will straighten out the right side of the tail. Everything else just needs buffing and polishing. I'm really happy with this paint job! It looks even slicker than the photos show.Thanks for looking!

[OldNYJim]

This is coming together beautifully!  I was just experimenting with gold leaf on a body this past weekend…actually, I’ve been messing with it for a year now, on and off, trying to figure out the best technique for applying it…still not quite there yet…it’s definitely something where you need to be prepared for failure when you attempt it

[Straightliner59]

6 hours ago, CabDriver said:

This is coming together beautifully!  I was just experimenting with gold leaf on a body this past weekend…actually, I’ve been messing with it for a year now, on and off, trying to figure out the best technique for applying it…still not quite there yet…it’s definitely something where you need to be prepared for failure when you attempt it

No doubt! Here's as far as I've gotten with it. My plan is to outline these with red One-Shot, although I might mix some orange. I did this years ago. As I recall, I cut the masks for it, then used them to apply the adhesive. I just rubbed the flake onto the adhesive, after that. This flake is several colors. I really wish I'd thought to use it on the dragster. I'd been waiting years for the right project to come along. Then, I simply whiffed, on it! Oh, well! The paint looks pretty decent. I think I can live with it! Thanks for looking in, Jim!

Edited September 6, 2023 by Straightliner59

[Straightliner59]

I've been working on the fire suppression system. I still need to install another nozzle, in the cockpit. I ended up having to "anodize" the nozzles after they were installed. I had them painted gunmetal, at first, but, they were so dark, they couldn't be seen. Not an ideal location for performing detail paintwork! I finally got all my printer issues sorted, so I was able to print my Nitronic Research decals, for the canards. They're .400" (10 scale inches), per the man who printed the real ones, back in the nostalgic years of nostalgia top fuel!? I'll call them a success, since you can read the URL, at the bottom, and it's maybe .010"(?). It's tiny!

Once the cockpit nozzle is installed, I can begin mounting the body panels! I still have to work the right side of tail, a little more, then clear it, again. But, everything else is ready--except the cowl. Once I've decided on a design for the cowl art, I'll be motivated to paint it. I already have the overall idea figured, just not the final design. Once the body's mounted, along with the tail, I think I can put it on the wheels. Well, maybe not, but that's not terribly far off. Questions, comments and critiques are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

Calling this a paint job! Is it perfect? No. But, it's my best, to date. And, my most complex, so far. That's what it's all about! Clear is Krylon Crystal Glaze, straight from the can. The final coat is untouched. I think it looks pretty slick. Thanks for looking!

[Pierre Rivard]

The most elaborate, crazy, beautiful paint job I've ever seen on such small parts!

[absmiami]

Yup