40 Willys Gasser

[TopherMcGinnis]

We've been bee-bopping around the New England area for the past week. On this trip I broke out the Coke Willys Gasser. This guy has required some time to make everything fit. I got the cab and hood to sit at a reasonable level by shimming the cab. I also put a length of .060 half round around the cab to give the interior tub a "stop". Ive got a stacked 572 I want to put in it-I think the horns peaking through the hood will be killer. I'm thinking about a Winfield style fade paint job-Pearl White with a Pearl Green "fade" and green accents. 

Now, is it me, or is the front axle too far back????

[Zippi]

Love the 40/41 Willys.  The front axle does look a little rearward and the rear axle looks a little forward.  Looking good.

 

[TopherMcGinnis]

Hmmm.....maybe not?????

[TopherMcGinnis]

I put the springs/axles in their locating spots. This side rear looks right, but the front axle looks too far rrearward.then, looking at some reference photos, it looks to be in the right-ish position. Could it be because of the high arch springs?

[DJMar]

I'm working on the coupe version of this kit. When I dropped the front end, the axle seemed a tad too far to the rear. I ended up moving it forward a smidge.

Edited October 31, 2024 by DJMar

[TopherMcGinnis]

I'm thinking the same thing. It'll have to wait until I'm back in the Plasti-Shak and have all of my tools within arms reach.

[dragcarz]

Very cool project…..

[Moparman18064]

I agree, cool subject, watching

[TopherMcGinnis]

Doing more research on the front axles placement. Maybe it's how the engineer designed it to look for the kit? I'm going to attempt a paint job similar to the gold one.

[Ace-Garageguy]

 

Cool build. Good luck with the paint.

Far as wheelbase goes...wheels belong in the center of wheel arches, period.

Lotsa real car builders get it wrong, and it always looks ridiculous.

Apparently the kit is flawed, as most of the builds of this and the coupe version have the wheels located as yours are.

Fixing it isn't hard, and I assure you, it will make the first impression of the finished model...at least to anyone who actually knows much about real cars...a lot more attractive.

Of all your reference photos, the green one is the only one that's even close to right.

These two cars show where the wheels should be relative to the arches...dead center.

Edited November 1, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[M W Elky]

Here’s a couple pictures of a Willy’s pickup in my neighborhood the wheels are centered in the wheel wells. This truck has a small block Chevy with a tunnel ram and is street driven eighborhood 

[TopherMcGinnis]

@Ace-Garageguy & @M W Elky 

Thank You for your reference photos. I'm not digging the "way back" position at all. I'll straighten this out when I'm back home. 

@Ace-Garageguy I'm looking forward to trying it. I was just watching a couple of videos on YouTube about gradient painting. This guy makes it look real easy.

https://youtu.be/WOds7UCdGuU?si=B_vcnO8P3AM7kjye

[TopherMcGinnis]

Much much better! The springs are setup to go on one way. The axles and spring perches have bosses to locate the axle one way. We'll, they're backwards from the way they should be. I sanded them out and flipped the axle around. I don't like the metal axles going across, so that will be eliminated. 

Edited November 9, 2024 by TopherMcGinnis
Misspelling

[Zippi]

That looks pretty good Topher.  Much better reversing the springs.

[dust collectors]

Looking Sharp!

[TarheelRick]

This and its many variations are my favorite kits. And yes, as the others have said the front axle is in the wrong place. As for the metal axle, when I built mine I put the wheels and tires on a I put drop of superglue where the axle comes through the brake plate, let it cure really well than snipped the axle out between the inner sides of the brake plate. Fairly simple fix and not noticeable when the model is finished.

[TopherMcGinnis]

3 hours ago, TarheelRick said:

This and its many variations are my favorite kits. And yes, as the others have said the front axle is in the wrong place. As for the metal axle, when I built mine I put the wheels and tires on a I put drop of superglue where the axle comes through the brake plate, let it cure really well than snipped the axle out between the inner sides of the brake plate. Fairly simple fix and not noticeable when the model is finished.

Good Looking build!

[Moparman18064]

I like what you did for the front axle placement, much better!