Badman C/A (ca. 1975)

[Ian McLaren]

Daniel the chassis looks great, the wheel and tire combo works very well and suits the era.  The stance is very believeable and just has that "right" look.   Excellent progress!

[Straightliner59]

18 hours ago, Zippi said:

That's looking pretty sweet there Daniel.  Love the stance and the wheels & tires fit the ole double nickel.  

Thanks, Bob! Glad the stance is good! The rear suspension is glued, now, so I can't adjust the height, any more.

12 hours ago, Rattlecan Dan said:

Wow! This thing is just chuck-full of realism. Scale accuracy is amazing. Keep up the good work, it's going to be great!

Appreciate it, Dan! I really enjoy doing little details--mostly because I have always liked that kind of stuff. As a kid, I remember just studying model train layouts, in hobby shops because I liked to find the little things that just added a bit more realism. Visual interest, I guess!? 

[Straightliner59]

8 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

Daniel the chassis looks great, the wheel and tire combo works very well and suits the era.  The stance is very believeable and just has that "right" look.   Excellent progress!

Thanks, my friend! It felt good, to get the wheels on it! I really like the look of those Firestone Supremes, on the front. I have a bit more work to do, under there, but, should be on to the interior in the next few days. Those headers for the FC are looking great!

[Tony Coomer]

The chassis is looking great, the stance is on point…

[Straightliner59]

Thanks, Tony! 

I've been working on the driveshaft configuration. I'm not worried about the details on this, as I don't really plan on the underside of this being seen. I used some 1/8" and 3/32" aluminum tube to make the driveshaft. The u-joints came from an MPC Multi-Maverick (I think). 1/16" aluminum tubing plugs into the differential and the transmission . Just to see how it would look, for future reference, I used straight knurls to make splines on the output shaft. I did some slight weathering on the chassis, but forgot to take pictures. I also got the pushbar/rear bumper installed, but don't have photos of it, either. I'll try to get to those, tomorrow. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

I did a little "wash and dust" to the chassis. The rear section of the driveshaft is cemented to the third member. The front section will just slip into place, once the engine and trans are installed. I also painted the trans in two different Testors Metalizer sprays. I'll do a bit of detail painting and light weathering on it, as well. There is no other reason for me to do any of this, than I feel like I need to do it!? It's kind of ridiculous. But, it's a helluva lot of fun! Your comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

Edited July 26, 2024 by Straightliner59

[dwc43]

I like it. I really like the dirty ladder bars. Makes it look like it's been worked on at the track making adjustment. Might want to dirty up that white drive shaft in a few places. Those things get pulled out quite regularly. I know the one my race car never stayed pristine white. lol 

[Speedpro]

Alot of great work going on here! Your effort in the details is paying off. This is going to be a very nice build when finished. 

One thing that you may want to fix is the driveshaft slip yoke that goes into the transmission. A slip yoke is smooth on the outside with the splines on the inside where it goes into the gear box.  With the driveshaft installed, you would not see any splines.

[Straightliner59]

16 hours ago, dwc43 said:

I like it. I really like the dirty ladder bars. Makes it look like it's been worked on at the track making adjustment. Might want to dirty up that white drive shaft in a few places. Those things get pulled out quite regularly. I know the one my race car never stayed pristine white. lol 

Thanks, DW! I haven't finished the weathering on the driveshaft, yet. That will have to wait until its final installation, since it telescopes. Once the engine and trans are in, it'll snuggle right up to the tail of the tranny. That way, I can get it applied kind of evenly. Maybe I'll paint on some oily smears, on the ends! I knew I should have cut those exhaust pipes out! ?

[Straightliner59]

14 hours ago, Speedpro said:

Alot of great work going on here! Your effort in the details is paying off. This is going to be a very nice build when finished. 

One thing that you may want to fix is the driveshaft slip yoke that goes into the transmission. A slip yoke is smooth on the outside with the splines on the inside where it goes into the gear box.  With the driveshaft installed, you would not see any splines.

Thank you, Paul. The driveshaft telescopes, once everything's permanently installed, that end will get pushed up to the transmission tail housing. I was playing around with my lathe, and wanted to see if I would be able to knurl the 1/16" tubing. It was finicky, so I became more determined! I didn't have any immediate use for it, so I just stuck it in the tranny. It will be a useful process, if I ever decide to build a hauler with spare gear, in it, or a car in a state of disassembly. Next time I pull it out, I'll take some photos of the tranny and the tailshaft. Thanks for your kind words, and your advice, because if I had been planning to leave it exposed, I would want to know that it wasn't correct!

[dwc43]

3 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Thanks, DW! I haven't finished the weathering on the driveshaft, yet. That will have to wait until its final installation, since it telescopes. Once the engine and trans are in, it'll snuggle right up to the tail of the tranny. That way, I can get it applied kind of evenly. Maybe I'll paint on some oily smears, on the ends! I knew I should have cut those exhaust pipes out! ?

That makes sense. It would be easier to dirty up once it's not moving around so much. Fingers and a thumb mark would be really cool looking. By the way, I broke a shaft in a dirt track car one night. Right in the middle and I thought it was going to come into the car with me. Right beside my seat at that. I got lucky. And you can see that white shaft laying on that red clay dirt too. 

[dwc43]

2 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Thank you, Paul. The driveshaft telescopes, once everything's permanently installed, that end will get pushed up to the transmission tail housing. I was playing around with my lathe, and wanted to see if I would be able to knurl the 1/16" tubing. It was finicky, so I became more determined! I didn't have any immediate use for it, so I just stuck it in the tranny. It will be a useful process, if I ever decide to build a hauler with spare gear, in it, or a car in a state of disassembly. Next time I pull it out, I'll take some photos of the tranny and the tailshaft. Thanks for your kind words, and your advice, because if I had been planning to leave it exposed, I would want to know that it wasn't correct!

Keep in mind that if you do a 4x4 or tow truck, many of those have one or two piece shafts that have sliding yokes on the shaft. 

 

 

[Straightliner59]

Thanks, DW. That would be a perfect place to use these! Here are some better photos.

I got a couple of more things done. I Installed printed gauges to the back side of the dash, and punched some discs of clear sheet, to fit into the drilled holes for the gauges. Finally, I cut some very short lengths of 1/8" aluminum tube, for bezels for the gauges. I also added bolts to the driveshaft loop. Thanks for looking!

[James2]

Lots of nice fab work going on here, very nice!

[Scott8950]

Impressive scratch building work..

[Straightliner59]

Thanks, guys!

[dwc43]

You are welcome. And love the dashboard. Just keeps getting better and better.

[Straightliner59]

2 hours ago, dwc43 said:

You are welcome. And love the dashboard. Just keeps getting better and better.

I'll be adding switches, either next, or soon, dependent on what I feel like doing, next!? I've just been working on little stuff, while I decide if I am done with the underside enough, to start installing interior panels.

[Bainford]

It's coming along very nicely Daniel. All the details are looking spot on, but then you know that. This is clearly right in your wheelhouse. I enjoy watching your race car projects come together. 

[Straightliner59]

9 hours ago, Bainford said:

It's coming along very nicely Daniel. All the details are looking spot on, but then you know that. This is clearly right in your wheelhouse. I enjoy watching your race car projects come together. 

I truly appreciate that, Trevor. Thank you!

I started work on the engine, today, by milling the exhaust ports off the heads and cementing the ports from the Revell '67 Corvette, in their place. The ports from the Monogram '70 Chevelle (where I got my BB) were wonky-looking. I shot some primer on the assembly, and will see if I can get it cleaned up and drilled for headers and plugs, before bed. I think it's best to get the long-block assembled, finished and installed, before the interior panels and firewall. 

[Straightliner59]

Here's the basic block assembly, with the aforementioned exhaust ports from the Revell '67 Corvette mounted to the milled-off heads from the old Monogram '66 Malibu. I think it worked out, pretty nicely. Got the Lakewood bellhousing painted red (of course!). I've since added the bolts to the pan rails. I have the bolts prepped and painted, for the timing cover. I punched some tooling aluminum discs, for the freeze plugs. They'll look good, once the wash is applied to the engine. Thanks for looking!

[David G.]

Amazing work on the chassis Daniel! The engine is looking good too, I can't wait to see what you do with that.

David G.

[Straightliner59]

22 hours ago, David G. said:

Amazing work on the chassis Daniel! The engine is looking good too, I can't wait to see what you do with that.

David G.

Thank you, David. Appreciate that! I should have some more engine photos in a bit, if I can finish up what I'm working on, tonight.

[Straightliner59]

Finally got around to some photos. I added the pan bolts, made from .030" Plastruct hex stock. I added bolts to the timing cover. Those are model RR hex "NBW" (Nut/Bolt/Washer) castings. While I was at the front cover, I gave the ribs a nice polish. I discovered that I have gotten ahead of myself--when I was "stripping" the kit block assembly of its molded-on oil pan, starter and oil filter, I decided that the oil filter was too skinny-looking for a 1/24th scale engine, ultimately scrapping the mounting assembly, because it was too small for the filter I plan to use (R&D Unique). I don't expect it to be at all difficult, it'll just take a little time. Once that's fixed, I should be able to fit the rear motor plate and cement it into place, followed by the bellhousing and transmission, and install the block assembly into the chassis. I'm sure I'll discover other details I'll want to add, or stuff that needs to be done, first, but, them's my current plans. Thanks for looking!

Edited August 3, 2024 by Straightliner59

[Pierre Rivard]

Just catching up with your beautiful build Daniel. You wrote that you don't plan on the underside to be seen but it more and more looks otherwise as you add  more details to it. The wash and dust on the chassis makes it look like it should. My stuff is much more basic in execution compared to your's but I always wash & dust the chassis if only to add a bit of realism.

Inspirational build for sure