THE FABULOUS EDSEL PACER

[customline]

Last call for the Fabulous Edsel Pacer ?

Finally reached the end of this adventure in model building. This last item is something most of y'all know about if you hang here a lot.   For those of us with mental deficiency and some uninitiated newbs, here's what I did for good radio reception.

The body is already "drilled" for a kit supplied aerial which, I think we would all agree, is out of scale.  It needed to be replaced with something closer to scale and detail.  I learned this nice little upgrade from an expert right here on this forum!

The first thing I did is add a block under the kit antenna hole.

This provides a good "bottom" for the mast.

Then I needed a mounting base for the mast. After rummaging through my "small round chrome" box, I found a nice pair of eeny-weeny chrome bullets intended for who knows what. I flattened the tip of one of them and started with my smallest surviving drill bit and, luckily, drilled it through very close to perfectly(?).

The hole was then drilled a bit larger to get a nice snug fit with the tubing.

The tubing is stainless steel hypodermic tubing. It can be found on eBay. It can be purchased in a single 12" length and you cut it with your Dremel cutting wheel, carefully!  

You may find something a bit better but all I have on hand for the telescoping smaller mast is the beading wire. A length of that, straightened out and topped with a dab of CA to replicate a ball. Does anyone know why they put that little ball on top of the antenna?  I do.  Anyone who worked in a car wash in the early '70s also knows.

 

I drilled the bullet for a good fit and did the same on the fender being careful to not go through the block on the underside. After that I sanded the bottom of the bullet to a good, flat surface and reducing the thickness of the bottom rim.  With a tiny bit of CA, inserted the assembled antenna, then worked out the upper mast. It looks OK with the bead wire but it's a loose fit. You will likely find a better top mast on your own. I will keep looking too. The main thing here is the hypodermic tubing. Smaller tubing may exist, I dunno, but this looks better than the plastic one in the kit, for sure ?

I hit the top of the bullet, where it was bare, with molotow and dipped the piece of bead wire in CA for the little ball and that's it. Slide it in and crank up the tunes!

I got it registered in Michigan.  I cut the decal out and stuck it on the kit plate with liquid tape.

The End.    Thanks for all your comments, questions, praise, snickering, lol-ing, etc...

[BK9300]

Great modification with the antenna, and with the whole car.  You put a lot of detail into this build and it really shows well.

[LennyB]

I'm sure Dagmar won't miss one of her bumpers, er bullets.

Nice clean job there Jim, we should be able tune in Wolfman Jack with that setup.

[Bullybeef]

Took you long enough! All kidding aside, looks proper. 

[espo]

Great attention to even the smallest little details.

[customline]

6 hours ago, BK9300 said:

Great modification with the antenna, and with the whole car.  You put a lot of detail into this build and it really shows well.

Thanks, Brian, it was a fairly enjoyable project and I highly recommend this kit for OOBs

[customline]

6 hours ago, LennyB said:

I'm sure Dagmar won't miss one of her bumpers, er bullets.

Nice clean job there Jim, we should be able tune in Wolfman Jack with that setup.

Who's Dagmar? She might want the other one back but I'm saving it for the Starliner.

[customline]

6 hours ago, Bullybeef said:

Took you long enough! All kidding aside, looks proper. 

Yeah, yeah. Gotta get on to what's next. Thanks, Bil.

[customline]

3 hours ago, espo said:

Great attention to even the smallest little details.

 Thanks, David.  What about those eeeeeeny-weeeeny ones, Dave? I might have missed a few of those ?.  

[David G.]

The antenna is a great finish to an excellent build Jim!

I use 17 gauge guitar string for my antennae. They don't telescope but I think they look alright.

Next time I'll have to find a better base for it. I like the idea you came up with.

=D-

[customline]

4 hours ago, David G. said:

The antenna is a great finish to an excellent build Jim!

I use 17 gauge guitar string for my antennae. They don't telescope but I think they look alright.

Next time I'll have to find a better base for it. I like the idea you came up with.

=D-

I have this compartmented, clear plastic box with all plated spare parts. I save everything including those eeeny-weeeeny unidentified "round things" . One time I used a '39 Ford tail light for a base. I hated doing that ?.

I'm going to see if I can do a bit better on the movable mast. I'm not happy with it. 

Thanks for sticking around, David!

[BK9300]

Might the smallest Albion aluminum tubing and rod combination work for you?  I don’t know how their smallest tube compares to the diameter of a needle.

[LennyB]

22 hours ago, customline said:

Who's Dagmar? She might want the other one back but I'm saving it for the Starliner.

Dagmar bumpers (also known as "bullet bumpers") is a slang term for chrome conical-shaped bumper guards that began to appear on the front bumper/grille assemblies of certain American automobiles following World War II. They reached their peak in the mid-1950s.

The term evokes the prominent bosom of Dagmar, a buxom early-1950s television personality featuring low-cut gowns and conical bra cups. She was amused by the tribute.

[Musclecarbuilder]

Very nice job on the Edsel! It turned out fantastic!

[NOBLNG]

She looks beautiful Jim!? Nice tip on the antenna too. That’s something that I tend to overlook.?

[customline]

4 hours ago, LennyB said:

Dagmar bumpers (also known as "bullet bumpers") is a slang term for chrome conical-shaped bumper guards that began to appear on the front bumper/grille assemblies of certain American automobiles following World War II. They reached their peak in the mid-1950s.

The term evokes the prominent bosom of Dagmar, a buxom early-1950s television personality featuring low-cut gowns and conical bra cups. She was amused by the tribute.

After that, there's nothing left to be said. Thank you, Lenny! ?

[customline]

3 hours ago, Musclecarbuilder said:

Very nice job on the Edsel! It turned out fantastic!

The paint could've been better, Will, but I'm OK with it. Thanks for your encouragement. 

[customline]

2 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

She looks beautiful Jim!? Nice tip on the antenna too. That’s something that I tend to overlook.?

Thanks, Greg, it was a fairly enjoyable build.