CabDriver Posted December 2, 2022 Share Posted December 2, 2022 I’ve been thinking, inspired by this thread, that it would be a fun annual tradition to work on some kind of parts-box build and use up a bunch of stuff I have sitting around that might otherwise just keep gathering dust. It’s not like I don’t have a bunch of in-progress projects already, but I did promise myself I’d do this this year, so here goes… Didn’t really have any clear idea of what I was going to build; I’ve got a bunch of 30s Ford bodies sitting around and various Impalas and whatnot - but whilst digging through my stash I found this Flintstone cutdown Lincoln hot rod body that I didn’t have a particular plan for: Found some piecrust slicks, some Impala wheels and some Mustang tires - just the kind of junk (I mean, quality parts) someone might have lying around… I’d like bigger rear tires and smaller fronts ideally, but I’m resisting the urge to immediately fire up my 3D printer and make some… the idea is to USE existing parts, not create preciously un-existing ones… They’re not bad tho - might find some different front tires. Also found a spare Atlantis/Revell front axle and a rear axle from a….??? Next I went looking for engines - I was gonna use the (somewhat inaccurate) Lincoln engine from the AMT 25 T kits but it was too large…but I’ve got probably ten Revell SBCs sitting here. I’d kinda like something more interesting…but I’ve got some blower parts to play with: I know I said I wasn’t gonna print any parts, but I had some extra Vette valve covers left from another build so I’ll likely use those: Found a lonely single AMT custom seat, and a decent sized radiator to cut down (not sure what this is from, but I have probably twenty of them…) And with the addition of a parts box battery, a little racing steering wheel from something and one of those Revell fuel cells that isn’t worth installing in your 29/30 build because you can’t see it I’ve got a decent starting point for SOMETHING! I’m thinking I’ll scratchbuild a frame, figure out some air suspension so it can sit in the dirt without me feeling bad that it wouldn’t work in real life and have a wonderful Christmastime playing with styrene! More soon, soon as I’ve done more! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarkmucker Posted December 2, 2022 Share Posted December 2, 2022 Looking good, Jim. I was hoping to get some pics of my stuff tonight but I just kicked over a plastic organizer filled with all sorts of small parts and decided to call it a night. Back at it tomorrow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredo84 Posted December 2, 2022 Share Posted December 2, 2022 Neat idea !! Love it !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted December 2, 2022 Share Posted December 2, 2022 Jim, neat idea for a build. I could see you building a parts box Rat Rod.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted December 3, 2022 Author Share Posted December 3, 2022 23 hours ago, Tarkmucker said: Looking good, Jim. I was hoping to get some pics of my stuff tonight but I just kicked over a plastic organizer filled with all sorts of small parts and decided to call it a night. Back at it tomorrow My carpet is SATURATED with model parts 😫😂 23 hours ago, fredo84 said: Neat idea !! Love it !! Thank you! 22 hours ago, slusher said: Jim, neat idea for a build. I could see you building a parts box Rat Rod.. I really like the extreme proportions of a lot of rat rods - but I always think “imagine if it had a nice paintjob too!” This will probably be like that. My wife managed to break her 1:1 today which threw my evening into chaos, but got a start on a frame. If this was a more ‘serious’ project I would’ve tried making a birdcage-style tubular frame (and actually, that’s on my to-do list for next year), but for this project I went with plain old scale-2” square bar Plenty of work to go, but I’ve got it where the body slips right over it and you can’t see any of the frame - next job will a few more bars and then hanging all the stuff off it! TGI the weekend! More soon! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted December 5, 2022 Author Share Posted December 5, 2022 Progress! I was trying to find a solution to wanting airbags on the rear axle, and then my brain said “Revell 32 Ford…duh! Use THAT axle” - so I did! The front axle works pretty well too, as it happens… Found some trailing arms in my spares stash - no idea where they came from but they worked PERFECTLY! Need to find something short and stubby for the front too… Note I’m building this as tho the airbags are in their ‘deflated’ state, so I can justify having this thing sit on the deck and have it still be SOMEWHAT feasible, hence the uncomfortable driveshaft angle. Still need to find a good spot for a gas tank, battery and radiator…. Oh, and I started some bodywork - just a little smoothing-out and cleaning-up before primer: I’m having a blast with this one! More parts-box-raiding soon! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cool Hand Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Shaping up to be a cool little hot rod, Could almost call it a show rod as it has that styling to it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjshaffer25 Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 This is such a cool idea, what material do you use for your frames? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 I used that resin for a body a few years ago ( pics around here somewhere ) you are doing a far better job than I did. I think I just made a flat pan for mine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted December 12, 2022 Author Share Posted December 12, 2022 Thanks fellas! On 12/5/2022 at 5:35 PM, Cool Hand said: Shaping up to be a cool little hot rod, Could almost call it a show rod as it has that styling to it I’m down! Love me a showrod! On 12/9/2022 at 4:44 PM, cjshaffer25 said: This is such a cool idea, what material do you use for your frames? Just plain ol’ styrene bar! This frame isn’t particularly realistic or detailed, but you’ll barely see most of it when this thing’s sitting on the shelf… On 12/9/2022 at 6:44 PM, cobraman said: I used that resin for a body a few years ago ( pics around here somewhere ) you are doing a far better job than I did. I think I just made a flat pan for mine. I would love to see that! I’ll do some digging… Had a busy week - been finishing up some stuff I was building as Christmas gifts, but got a little more done…most interesting of which was some headers. I wanted to have them shoot forward, out of the (redundant) wheel arches and then wrap around the lip and back again. They look kinda weird without the body in place tho…also dissected a spare Revell 29 floorboard, inverted, for a floor for the interior: I’d got far along enough with the frame that I was confident I wouldn’t have to modify the body any, so getting some paint started was today’s project. First up, sandable primer (took a couple or three coats before I got the body as flat and nice as I wanted…) Then black enamel… I let that set up a while, then polished it, and then shot some Alclad: Then, Tamiya clear orange: Was going for a kinda Hot Wheels Spectraflame effect with the candy over the metal finish - I think I like it! Got some more paintwork to do still, but it’ll get a coat of intercoat tomorrow and then I can do the next part. Just a little progress, but I always enjoy when the body’s in color - more soon! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepp Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 Wowee! This is a clever idea with excellent workmanship. I like your chassis engineering combined with a goofy body and the beginnings of a beautiful paint job. Keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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