Vanishing Point Nova Wagon

[customline]

5 hours ago, espo said:

Great looking suspension. I noticed what looks like a frame cross member with a center section removed and a couple of knee braces added.  What's your plan on that?  

That's the motor mounts, Dave. I removed a good portion of the original Dodge mounts because I thought they looked too.....heavy? Wide? I dunno, I just needed less for motor mounts. The braces were an afterthought because I figured they needed to look stronger. If you look back, you'll see what I mean (though you may not agree ?.) Anyway, there's still a lot of stuff to do on the foundation of this build like a re-do of the frame attachments for the front springs' rear mounts.  Your questioning is making me re-think those braces, David.  I'm thinking " yeah, why do I need those?"  I tend to over-build things. I was a welder back in the day. Maybe just small gusset plates for reinforcement. When I do this sort of construction in styrene, I'm trying to do what I think I would do in steel on a 1:1 but I'm no expert. I'm going to revise some of this and I appreciate y'all helping. What do you think about connecting the two mounts with an under-the-pan span? That might look better, yeah?

 

 

[espo]

16 hours ago, customline said:

That's the motor mounts, Dave. I removed a good portion of the original Dodge mounts because I thought they looked too.....heavy? Wide? I dunno, I just needed less for motor mounts. The braces were an afterthought because I figured they needed to look stronger. If you look back, you'll see what I mean (though you may not agree ?.) Anyway, there's still a lot of stuff to do on the foundation of this build like a re-do of the frame attachments for the front springs' rear mounts.  Your questioning is making me re-think those braces, David.  I'm thinking " yeah, why do I need those?"  I tend to over-build things. I was a welder back in the day. Maybe just small gusset plates for reinforcement. When I do this sort of construction in styrene, I'm trying to do what I think I would do in steel on a 1:1 but I'm no expert. I'm going to revise some of this and I appreciate y'all helping. What do you think about connecting the two mounts with an under-the-pan span? That might look better, yeah?

 

 

Thanks for the update. I didn't realize these were motor mounts. Your idea of using gussets might be better, at least on a streetcar. You're running a blown engine and if racing the braces maybe stronger. I'm not an expert and would rely on pictures of real cars of the nature that you're building as a guide. Not to add to your work, but I have seen builders of 1:1 vehicles that rely on a mounting plate bolted to the front of the engine and mounts extending to the frame. May be a pain and not what you're wanting, but a thought on how to mount the engine without using up any more space in the engine room. 

[customline]

10 hours ago, espo said:

Thanks for the update. I didn't realize these were motor mounts. Your idea of using gussets might be better, at least on a streetcar. You're running a blown engine and if racing the braces maybe stronger. I'm not an expert and would rely on pictures of real cars of the nature that you're building as a guide. Not to add to your work, but I have seen builders of 1:1 vehicles that rely on a mounting plate bolted to the front of the engine and mounts extending to the frame. May be a pain and not what you're wanting, but a thought on how to mount the engine without using up any more space in the engine room.

Yeah, the front plate mount is a good idea, Dave, but you're right about "more work". The reality here is that the engine was taken from the '29 roadster kit. A street rod. The stock-type mounts is what was used in the kit  We could imagine the engine bolted solid to the crossmember with no rubber. Should be good enough. I just need to clean things up a bit. 

[customline]

Here's a mock-up.  Axle and engine mount/crossmember.  I will have more later, Google willing ?

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by customline

[customline]

A few more progress pix. Still some details to clean up yet but I've got to start thinking about the firewall and some engine bay stuff. I need to hook up a steering box and all that linkage.  I need a radiator and electric fan set-up and a Moon tank mounting idea (gotta have a Moon tank, right?) Also the interior, roll cage, seating, etc. Thanks for looking.

 

[customline]

 Moving right along....I started on the firewall, first in card stock (we have a $h1T-ton of that  around here) and then in .020 styrene. I have some .040, which would be more appropriate for this but .020 is much easier to work with (cut it with scissors). I braced it with some strip to stiffen it and give it a possible attachment point for whatever. I found a chassis in my junk yard with a nice big tyranny tunnel (no, not that kind) so I cut it out and it will be included, I hope, to set up a driveshaft tunnel, which is next. Im going with .005, which can be curled like ribbon. Gonna try it, anyway. But not tonight unless I can't sleep. ?

Making a template

Now plastic. The fitting process is tedious and repetitive. 

 I'm going for a very slight over-hang where the firewall and floorboard meet. When I resume work, I will tack the firewall to the body and do a full test fit and, if I've got it, run a bead and zip-kick it. Below is the transmission tunnel stolen from Dirty Donnie's Dodge. It will need some work to get a tight fit with the firewall.  

Guess where I was yesterday.....

Thanks for following.

[deuces wild]

Thank you James for posting them pictures...??

[slusher]

Real superb work Jim!

[customline]

Thanks Carl and Guido....

But there's more!  I did sleep but, before I did, I spent 2 hours at the bench and the result is below:

using .005 sheet, I curled a piece and attached a flange, 1/8" angle, and glued it down on one side. Using solvent on .005" styrene is not recommended for this sort of operation. I use CA and a kicker for most of this. 

after some manipulation and trimming, I glued down the other flange to the floor.

It became obvious at this point that Dirty Donnie's trans tunnel wasn't going to help me so I curled more .005" styrene for a trans hump. I must admit I was very pleased with myself when I tried a fit-up with the firewall ?.

here we see where I needed to trim the firewall slightly.  Getting the firewall and the hump to close up tightly is usually a hair-pulling situation but this time it practically fell together. I did a bit of sheet metal fabrication in my work life and it was good practice for my retirement work. ?.

I may as well use the Challenger seats. Maybe if my final flip-flop determines if this will be a street driver.  Otherwise a more "race oriented" seating choice to include a driver's shoulder harness will be used. Still thinking about it ?.

Mock-up time.....

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2023 by customline

[customline]

I added some floor material and toe boards. I decided to make it a street-legal gasser. I need to start painting stuff soon so I can finalize the sub-assemblies. This build has been great fun for me so far and I still have a lot to do. Thanks for checking in.

The primary goal while doing a construction like this is making everything fit together after the sub-assemblies are painted and I begin final assembly. So far, it all works.

 

I started playing around with a means of mounting the stock dash which may prove to be a waste of time.  I attached a structural member to facilitate the installation of the dash and a brake pedal.  I cut the tub apart but the door panel details is so faint I don't think it's worth bothering with. 

I'm going for a sort of spartan, utility-like interior with shop-fabricated looking elements and lots of aluminum diamond plate. 

 

[Zippi]

Nice work.  It's really taking shape.

[customline]

47 minutes ago, Zippi said:

Nice work.  It's really taking shape.

Thanks, Bob. The weather today looks good for painting. Hopefully, I can get some done. 

[customline]

I remembered shock absorbers but only after I painted everything ?. I fashioned bottom spring mounting plates from evergreen angle and found a pair of shocks that were a bit long but figured I'd make them work anyway. The brass rod is .020. The pictures tell the story. I still need to make upper mounts but that's easy enough.

The rear shock mounts were easier. Just some angle scraps. Thanks for looking.

[deuces wild]

??

[slusher]

Nice progress, Jim!  Really awesome scratch building!

[customline]

Thanks, Carl. There's something I am learning about scratch-building at this level. I need to plan better. The trouble is I tend to forget certain important components that need to be addressed before painting anything. I totally forgot about the front shocks and how they needed to be attached. Now I'm fighting paint. I've got it done now but it won't look as good as it could have no matter what I do to hide the mess that I created playing catch-up. 

oh, and I forgot the spring bands too. Bad goof, that one. Gotta clean up that mess somehow. 

I love building this stuff but I've got to get a handle on planning.   I need to plan better and stop running off half-cocked. I had a good painting day and wanted to take advantage of it and it resulted in the extra work I'm doing now. Thanks for listening ?

[atomicholiday]

For not planning very well (your words not mine), this project is mind blowing to me!?. Fantastic work.  I love seeing the creativity around here, and this ranks right up there.?

[customline]

3 hours ago, atomicholiday said:

For not planning very well (your words not mine), this project is mind blowing to me!?. Fantastic work.  I love seeing the creativity around here, and this ranks right up there.?

Well, it is an entertainment medium, Jeremy....thank you. I was bummed.

[bobss396]

I really paint nothing until all attaching parts are completed. I have guys in my model car club that do things like paint the body first... no test fitting of anything. One guy got to a final stage with some odd kit with a huge windshield and was stumped. I tend to tackle those obstacles first since the whole project hinges on how good the glass looks.

Lately I pin almost everything. I picked up some 1/32" stainless steel pins from McMaster-Carr, 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" long. I was cutting up brass rod. I still cut up 3/64" brass rod, no pins are available.

I use a small Palmgren vise to file the ends square and flush. I'll leave the brass exposed since it adds a coolness factor.

[customline]

59 minutes ago, bobss396 said:

I really paint nothing until all attaching parts are completed. I have guys in my model car club that do things like paint the body first... no test fitting of anything. One guy got to a final stage with some odd kit with a huge windshield and was stumped. I tend to tackle those obstacles first since the whole project hinges on how good the glass looks.

Lately I pin almost everything. I picked up some 1/32" stainless steel pins from McMaster-Carr, 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" long. I was cutting up brass rod. I still cut up 3/64" brass rod, no pins are available.

I use a small Palmgren vise to file the ends square and flush. I'll leave the brass exposed since it adds a coolness factor.

I hear you, Bob. I got excited when the RH went below 50% and got carried away. I have too many projects going, more than I can comfortably manage. ?. All of them are in some phase of paint. 

Stainless steel pins? ?

[espo]

Great looking fab work on the chassis and suspension. 

[customline]

Thanks, Dave, I appreciate it. Gotta move off this one for a while, the '62 T'Bird needs my love.?

[bobss396]

On 8/23/2023 at 9:20 AM, customline said:

I hear you, Bob. I got excited when the RH went below 50% and got carried away. I have too many projects going, more than I can comfortably manage. ?. All of them are in some phase of paint. 

Stainless steel pins? ?

Look at the 18-8 pins. Really a good deal buying 100 at a time.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/pins/dowel-pins~/diameter~1-32-1/

[ModelcarJR]

Jim, you're really doing a lot of nice detail work on this one! Good work! ??

[customline]

13 hours ago, bobss396 said:

Look at the 18-8 pins. Really a good deal buying 100 at a time.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/pins/dowel-pins~/diameter~1-32-1/

Bob, you don't think brass is much easier to work with? Stainless steel is quite hard (and corrosion resistance, I think ?, wouldn't be a consideration.) I won't even cut brass with my sprue cutter. I use a dedicated cutter for metal. Stainless needs a hardened blade to cut it. I kinda don't get why I  would use them when brass is more than adequate for the job. What am I missing? I now use .020 brass for 80% of pinning. 20% with .032. I love ALUMINUM. The tube. Soft. Eeeeeezeeeeeee to work with. Like styrene. Love it. ? Stainless? Naaah.?

BUT......I may find, in the future, a practical use for it so I'm not going to burn this bridge and dismiss it. Thanks for the tip, Bob, and I would like to know more on how you use them.