AMT 1932 Ford Phaeton

[Zippi]

Pretty kewl looking glass house and the ole 32 is coming along nicely there Chris.  

[David G.]

That is just so cool!

You haven't just built a model or diorama, you've built a little world!

David G.

[Chris B]

So I pulled the phaeton out of the display cabinet this rainy afternoon to discover that the rear wheels have a huge amount of negative caster. I guess the resin has maybe not cured strong enough to hold the weight of the model itself for an extended period of time. The axle seems quite firm and was originally cured under a uv lamp.

I don't feel much like making another one even though I do have the mold. After a quick cup of coffee I decided to cut the axle tubes from the center section.

I am going to drill a hole through the center of the center section an slide a length of styrene tube with a piece of wire up the center of it for strength and move on.
I have never been 100% happy with the look of this axle, to my way of thinking it lacks a little in detail around the center section so I may attempt to add some more detail as well. I'll see how I feel about this once I have sorted the bent axle issue.

 

[FoMoCo66]

Ive never resin cast but I have heard that imbeding pice of hard wire through them when you cast them will make it stronger. Also glad that you decided to get back in this one.

[Chris B]

Well after spending a little bit of time modifying this axle this afternoon I've decided I really don't like the results. I stumbled upon a chrome center section just randomly laying on a shelf in my display cab net. i have no idea where it came from or what kit it came out of but I played around a bit with it and decided I liked the look. I stuck it in a shot glass of bleach and stripped the chrome from it split it into two halves and gave it a good cleanup, I glued the two halves bvack together and drilled it out to accept the axle tube and I have decided to stick with the enclosed torque tube for a drive shaft.
I think I'm liking the results so far, what do you think?

 

[Chris B]

Trimmed things up a little and drilled some holes for the pins I have used to secure the transverse spring to the axle tubes and it all looks like it fits pretty good.

 

 

         

 

Next up will be shock absorbers. I haven't been able to find anything suitable in the parts stash so these at this stage will be scratch built also.

 

 

 

Edited August 31 by Chris B

[sidcharles]

apply some NB castings and call it a banjo.

[Chris B]

On 8/31/2025 at 10:47 PM, sidcharles said:

apply some NB castings and call it a banjo.

Tell me more what are these NB castings?

[sidcharles]

i am not sure if he was the originator, but for years the industry standard of Nut/ Bolt & Nut, Bolt, Washer styrene castings was Cliff Grandt, d.b.a Grandt Line Products. finest HO scale window castings & architectural details, too.

he passed away and subsequently the line was purchased by Tichy, now Tichy Train Group. they may have scooped up a couple of other manufacturers on the wane.

the castings, available in a plethora of sizes & styles,  just need a steady hand & hole to plug in to. a dab of adhesive (depending on what's being detailed but always styrene compatible) and on to the next one. expect some loss to the dreaded carpet monster, but that's half the fun.

other companies make them. i believe RMCM has some, and oodles of military model manufactures. some are just the heads on a sheet of styrene and you slice them off with no hole needed for application. you can also make your own nuts & washers separately using Plastruct rod (hex, round, rod in graduated size) by bologna slicing and stacking, but i'm too old for such shenanigans.

if you've mucho dinero, go for tiny brass.

check out some videos:

 

  

 

[Chris B]

2 hours ago, sidcharles said:

i am not sure if he was the originator, but for years the industry standard of Nut/ Bolt & Nut, Bolt, Washer styrene castings was Cliff Grandt, d.b.a Grandt Line Products. finest HO scale window castings & architectural details, too.

he passed away and subsequently the line was purchased by Tichy, now Tichy Train Group. they may have scooped up a couple of other manufacturers on the wane.

the castings, available in a plethora of sizes & styles,  just need a steady hand & hole to plug in to. a dab of adhesive (depending on what's being detailed but always styrene compatible) and on to the next one. expect some loss to the dreaded carpet monster, but that's half the fun.

other companies make them. i believe RMCM has some, and oodles of military model manufactures. some are just the heads on a sheet of styrene and you slice them off with no hole needed for application. you can also make your own nuts & washers separately using Plastruct rod (hex, round, rod in graduated size) by bologna slicing and stacking, but i'm too old for such shenanigans.

if you've mucho dinero, go for tiny brass.

check out some videos:

 

 

 

Ah thanks for the info

[stavanzer]

On 8/31/2025 at 2:50 AM, Chris B said:

Trimmed things up a little and drilled some holes for the pins I have used to secure the transverse spring to the axle tubes and it all looks like it fits pretty good.

 

 

         

 

Next up will be shock absorbers. I haven't been able to find anything suitable in the parts stash so these at this stage will be scratch built also.

 

 

 

Looks Top Rank!

I like it.

[Chris B]

A little more work tonight

Unfortunately my medical issues are catching up with me again.  After having surgery to remove the infection from my left foot, the time I spent struggling to walk has affected the osteoarthritis in my right hip and I have been having issues with it dislocating when I'm sitting down and intense pain. in the last six months it has really affected life in general not to mention work.
It has been a struggle to sit at the building bench and I tend to sleep a lot in the evenings because of the large dosages of meds I am on for the pain.  After an X ray showed earlier this week that the ball has collapsed the specialist has final acknowledged the need for surgery and that is now happening early in October thank goodness.

I have been continuing to work on the new diff assembly and have so far constructed one shock mount that I have attached to the axle tube and have begun constructing some shock absorbers from scratch out of styrene stock

 

I was a little concerned originally that they may have been a little large, out of scale but after looking around at some photos of other models and 1 to 1 vehicles I am happy that they are fine.

I have drilled some holes in the floor boards and glued some styrene rod in at an angle to simulate a mounting tube that the upper shock stem passes through. it is my intention to also create a washer and rubber mount to fit over the stem for added realism. I'm also going to add some nuts and washers to the lower  eye.

Edited Wednesday at 09:41 AM by Chris B