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Posted (edited)

I’ve wanted to build a Midget for a while; I’ve got the really nice Revell kits with the trailers from a few years back, resin kits, 3d printed kits - but this is the first…Monogramā€˜s very first car kit, product number PC-1, recently reissued by Atlantis:

IMG_4720.jpeg.b63a10ca57d4cdd5a103b36fe8975de8.jpeg

It’s a pretty basic kit as kits go - engine detail but no frame, axle detail but one part wheels and tires, driver figure but no seat - definitely super simplified, as you’d expect for a kit issued in 1954 that was also given away by Kellogg’s at the same time as some kind of Corn Flakes promotion.

If this was an original 70-something year old kit I’d feel a LITTLE obliged to just build it as it was molded and not hack it all apart and change everything…but lucky for me this one is available in Joann fabrics right now for under $20

That said, I don’t want this thing to lose the SPIRIT of the original kit - I want to keep the ā€˜feel’ of the kit and not just change all the parts for printed stuff and shoot it with 2k. Ā So, first step, gathering supplies…

IMG_4729.jpeg.08064112b39a2ecdf896eaf0f87e25fc.jpeg

Pactra enamels for models were available when this kit was first issued, and while I don’t have good access Ā to those I did pick up some Testor’s gloss red, aluminum and flat black - figure it would be cool to use some period-correct finishes on this one…

First up though, biggest omission in this kit is the lack of a frame, and I figured brass is a more ā€˜correct’ way to go about making one for this build than just printing one. Ā Spent a straight week trying to find plans for a Kurtis Midget frame online, failed, draw a set using photos and a 1/25 Revell frame as reference and bent some rod and got a starting point together:

IMG_4732.jpeg.e00ed8dccccd75b9d773d3e45d35a675.jpeg

Then, the very same evening I finished the first round of soldering, photos of a set of Kurtis plans for sale showed up online. Ā Luckily, I was pretty close to right with my basic dimensions and now I have some decent info for all the brackets and bars and whatnots I need to add to this still…more on that as I get to it.

Other major thing I want to address on this build is the one-part wheels and tires. Ā I like the distinctive blocky tread pattern in particular, but I’d like to add some detail to the wheels and make them separate pieces…

IMG_2860.jpeg.cbf7ac127c506296be9fef23f43cec43.jpeg

My original plan was to glue the halves, clean them up, make a mold, make a little metal-tube dam and resin cast just the tires and just the wheels and paint and detail accordingly. Ā Unfortunately, and I’m not sure if this is only true of the recent issue of the kit or older versions too, the distinctive square-block tread pattern doesn’t QUITE line up right when you mate the two wheel halves, no matter what you do. Ā 

I messed with the parts I have from 3 of these kits for a couple of hours and picked the ones the seemed to work best but I never got a PERFECT set…then I tried re-scribing the tread pattern into one of them and it wasn’t really coming together. Ā SOOOOO, first instance of non-period-correct building techniques was to model some ā€˜blanks’ of the tires and print a bunch:

IMG_4755.jpeg.8ab0e175c7f3f10b39d331b678e2b0b8.jpeg

Now, I’m not ANTI using modern tricks on this build at all - I don’t want to not use the best tool in my arsenal if that’s the best route…my plan is to use these kinda blocky too-square tires as a starting point to sand in the natural bulges and curves that the kit parts have and then use THOSE as a master for casting a set.

I COULD model those bulging sidewalls and tapered treads in 3D, but I think it’s going to be way faster and easier to do it by hand with some good old fashioned sanding…

And…that’s about as far as I got so far - I did pull out a 3D printed (and much better detailed) 1/25 Offie to compare to the kit motor - there’s some fairly obvious differences. Ā 

Anyone know if the printed example would be correct for early to mid fifties? Ā More research needed…

Thanks for looking - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

Edited by CabDriver
  • Like 6
Posted
13 hours ago, bbowser said:

Pretty cool that Atlantis is releasing Monogram's very first car kit.Ā  Watching this with interest.

Thank you!

Continuing on yesterday’s progress, although I didn’t get much bench-time today…

Sanded and shaped my printed tires until I was happy with them (happier than I was with the kit parts anyway…) and broke out my hot-pink dollar-store boot-Legos to cast copies of them:

IMG_4756.jpeg.105fbb4c62a40ce913948337fa812f03.jpeg

I’m trying a different RTV rubber to the one I have used previously - this is the bright red stuff that Michael’s sells…going to let it set-up overnight then see where we’re at:

IMG_4768.jpeg.b28a0fc4061667a67acaa4776d28a3b5.jpeg

Interesting thing I noticed with this stuff that I don’t recall with other brands that I’ve used before - as it was starting to kick and set-up I could see little micro-bubbles forming on the surface…my pouring technique is usually pretty good and it’s rare that I get an air-bubble in a mold so I guess (hope) that’s just whatever chemical process happens with this stuff…

While that was going on, ran a test print of a 1/20 Offie…still didn’t research why this looks so different to the kit parts anyway, but I ran a print anyway so I can hold one on my hands:

IMG_4774.jpeg.6329967c3b3c7bbbb8a3ffd808811d9f.jpeg

And finally, I want to get the two body halves glued together so I can start separating the various parts that I want separate, but first I did future-me a favor and cleaned up the copyright info and filled a few ejector pin marks with my current favorite filler:

IMG_4769.jpeg.cfefcfc4d21c5be4cddb4e28567f0f93.jpeg

I feel like it’s going to take a little while to get everything made to get this thing on it’s wheels, and then it’ll all start to come together quickly…hopefully anyway…next project is a brass front axle and I’ll need to keep adding to the frame as I build more components and need to attach them.

Thanks for looking - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

  • Like 4
Posted (edited)

Another day, another hour of bench-time…got some resin casting done this evening.

Let my mold set overnight - was over-cautious with this material that I haven’t worked with before, but it was just fine and dandy:

IMG_4781.jpeg.bfcff7b75f1c56aaecb32c87cef97c55.jpeg

I was originally going to flip the mold and pour a second layer with some inlets, but I’m not sure I’ll need to…I tried to mount these things so the narrowest flat portion was on the base hoping I could get away with a one-part mold, and I think that’ll work for these.

This particular Alumilite resin kicks REALLY fast - way faster than other resins I’ve worked with previously…I didn’t believe the instructions when it said 1-2 minutes, but I guess they weren’t kidding - got 1.875 tires filled first time around before it catalyzed:

IMG_4784.jpeg.d96b57dffb2bde93ef7c6081a501f59e.jpeg

Pretty sloppy molding technique here, where it caught me unawares - didn’t get time to level out the mold on the left before it kicked, and the one on the right is a slight short-shot. Ā 

Second try was better, but still a little sloppy - worked fast to make sure the molds were filled and air bubbles worked out of there before it kicked but I’ll have a little sanding to do to get these ones perfect…

IMG_4791.jpeg.f408fb5c509d7fcecbc00a7a25343657.jpeg

Overall tho, and I know it’s hard to see in the pic, I’m pleased with how these improved parts look - just need to get a perfect set and I can move onto the wheels.

I WAS considering finding a good black flexible resin…but I think if the kit tires were solid I’d feel like I was cheating a little if I didn’t have to paint these too…just the weird way my brain makes me jump through hoops to feel like I did the work the right way…

Thanks for looking - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

Edited by CabDriver
  • Like 3
Posted

Oh, and before I forget…great news - turns out my Testor’s enamels are a period-correct choice!

Not sure how the 1954 version of their red compares to the 2025 version that I got in Michael’s…but I’d like to think it’s not TOO dissimilar…

Posted
5 hours ago, CabDriver said:

Oh, and before I forget…great news - turns out my Testor’s enamels are a period-correct choice!

Not sure how the 1954 version of their red compares to the 2025 version that I got in Michael’s…but I’d like to think it’s not TOO dissimilar…

I think the colors that remain are the same or similar. Testers has changed in some ways through the years, faster initial dryers, and to me anyway, a slightly thinner consistency in the bottle. Not to mention they aren't 10, 12 or 15 cents anymore ! Your red is probably as period correct as you will find.

Posted
13 hours ago, Dave G. said:

I think the colors that remain are the same or similar. Testers has changed in some ways through the years, faster initial dryers, and to me anyway, a slightly thinner consistency in the bottle. Not to mention they aren't 10, 12 or 15 cents anymore ! Your red is probably as period correct as you will find.

Interesting! Ā Thanks for the info! Ā The one bottle I picked up was actually LESS than 15 cents, because I had a $5 reward voucher they sent me šŸ˜‚. Ā Still walked out of there 80 bucks lighter though..


Tiny bit of progress tonight - and I’m posting regularly because if I save up all these little mini in-progress projects until they’re done it’ll be 2 months later and I won’t be able to find all the photos on my phone…

Modified one of my tire chucks that I use on my lathe so I could spin the blobby surface of the tires I cast nice and flat where it’s supposed to be. Ā 

I tested with a couple of the rougher resin casts that either had an air-bubble or a slight short-shot and then wondered if some sprue goo will work well to fix flaws in resin. Ā I figure it’ll sand about the same - and if it sticks ok then I discovered a new trick. Ā If it doesn’t work, I’m still trying to cast a perfect set with no ā€˜post processing’ anyway so no great loss.

IMG_4799.jpeg.1967b8bac594b1ab093b23945844f541.jpeg

Did some work smoothing out the inside of the body, while it’s still two pieces and easy to sand:

IMG_4796.jpeg.e029f0270bd4cd97a6da64c3aa65895f.jpeg

And then started some very early fab work on a front axle. Ā I drew it up in CAD, mixing the appearance of the kit part and some 1:1 reference pictures then started cutting and soldering brass rod to get this thing started. Ā The spindles are some prints right out of my CAD model…

I think I’d like to make these out of brass also, but it was going to be helpful to have some to hold in my hands and play with to check fit before messing with brass and trying to vertical-mill stuff on my lathe…

IMG_4804.jpeg.71fe0a640ef629fef785c22b36f5c52d.jpeg


Thanks for looking - more disjointed confusing progress tomorrow, hopefully! šŸ¤žĀ 

  • Like 1
Posted
13 hours ago, CabDriver said:

Interesting! Ā Thanks for the info! Ā The one bottle I picked up was actually LESS than 15 cents, because I had a $5 reward voucher they sent me šŸ˜‚. Ā Still walked out of there 80 bucks lighter though..


Tiny bit of progress tonight - and I’m posting regularly because if I save up all these little mini in-progress projects until they’re done it’ll be 2 months later and I won’t be able to find all the photos on my phone…

Modified one of my tire chucks that I use on my lathe so I could spin the blobby surface of the tires I cast nice and flat where it’s supposed to be. Ā 

I tested with a couple of the rougher resin casts that either had an air-bubble or a slight short-shot and then wondered if some sprue goo will work well to fix flaws in resin. Ā I figure it’ll sand about the same - and if it sticks ok then I discovered a new trick. Ā If it doesn’t work, I’m still trying to cast a perfect set with no ā€˜post processing’ anyway so no great loss.

IMG_4799.jpeg.1967b8bac594b1ab093b23945844f541.jpeg

Did some work smoothing out the inside of the body, while it’s still two pieces and easy to sand:

IMG_4796.jpeg.e029f0270bd4cd97a6da64c3aa65895f.jpeg

And then started some very early fab work on a front axle. Ā I drew it up in CAD, mixing the appearance of the kit part and some 1:1 reference pictures then started cutting and soldering brass rod to get this thing started. Ā The spindles are some prints right out of my CAD model…

I think I’d like to make these out of brass also, but it was going to be helpful to have some to hold in my hands and play with to check fit before messing with brass and trying to vertical-mill stuff on my lathe…

IMG_4804.jpeg.71fe0a640ef629fef785c22b36f5c52d.jpeg


Thanks for looking - more disjointed confusing progress tomorrow, hopefully! šŸ¤žĀ 

Well it's an interesting project at least !!

I often think of the Monogram #9 Indy car from back around 1960. I built one of those back then, even have considered picking up an old kit off EBay ( I don't think it's ever been re-kitted).. That kit was my first kit that decals came out decent on. Course there weren't a lot of them. But to me, Indy cars, in my heart, have never been the same since.

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
On 2/2/2025 at 11:35 PM, CabDriver said:

While that was going on, ran a test print of a 1/20 Offie…still didn’t research why this looks so different to the kit parts anyway, but I ran a print anyway so I can hold one on my hands...

Primarily because the engine was vastly simplified, there are several differences between different Offy engines, and concessions were made to simplify tooling and to get the parts out of the dies without sliding elements...like the angles and shapes of the cam covers.

All of which is why the old Monogram engine doesn't make a very good starting point for a much larger displacement Offy engine in 1/25 scale.Ā Ā :D

Way cool build, by the way. I have a bunch of the originals, even one of the very first run in wavy, warpy acetate.

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
Posted
10 hours ago, Dave G. said:

I often think of the Monogram #9 Indy car from back around 1960. I built one of those back then, even have considered picking up an old kit off EBay ( I don't think it's ever been re-kitted)..

I’m not familiar with that particular kit…but it would be a fun follow-up to this one! Ā Thanks for the heads up that it exists! Ā 

Sounds like the kind of tooling Atlantis could have in their stash, if it made it long enough to end up with them…

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Primarily because the engine was vastly simplified, there are several differences between different Offy engines, and concessions were made to simplify tooling and to get the parts out of the dies without sliding elements...like the angles and shapes of the cam covers.

All of which is why the old Monogram engine doesn't make a very good starting point for a much larger displacement Offy engine in 1/25 scale.Ā Ā :D

Way cool build, by the way. I have a bunch of the originals, even one of the very first run in wavy, warpy acetate.

That’s about what I figured, thank you sir! Ā It’s hard to tell with some of these older parts if they’re supposed to represent something from way back that I can’t find a photo of…or if they just aren’t a very accurate representation!

I got lucky on the engine, what with having a good printer file for it, but a 50s in-out box in 1/20 scale is going to be a scratchbuilding project I think. Ā Need to find some good reference photos so I can tackle that. Ā Thanks for the info shared - incredibly helpful as always!

Ā 

Tiny bit of progress this evening - a little work on the swingarms for the front axle. Ā Yesterday I checked my design (which was based on some 1:1 reference pics) with some quickie prints, and it seemed like I got my numbers right, so today I made the parts themselves out of some brass square tube.

I had ONE tiny piece of this particular size of tube in stock, and was hoping I didn’t mess either side up and end my own fun for the evening, but I got lucky:

IMG_4808.jpeg.4109c717adffd4def2e9e912d41a173c.jpeg

Need to make the steering arms and linkages soon as I find some nice thick (but narrow, maybe 1/16ā€) brass strip to bend up, but it functions like it should and will allow possible steering.

IMG_4814.jpeg.76f00f6b9ea9f592c424d8c75f95b702.jpeg

The stack of round things to the right is some tiny magnets I found on Amazon - I’d like to have at least a couple of removable wheels on this project, and I THINK these are strong enough to hold everything together when they need to, but allow the wheels to be easily removable. Ā I need to experiment, but they seem like they’ll do the trick ok, and be small enough to hide inside the hubs that I’ll make without being visible.

And that’s it for another hour at the bench - more baby-steps tomorrow! Ā Thanks for looking!

Posted

Oh, I forgot to ask - @Ace-GarageguyĀ - are your earliest examples of this kit molded in red, or yellow? Ā I’ve seen conflicting reports on which color the very first run was molded in.

I’m 90% certain I want to paint this one red anyway, to match the original box art, but a yellow version would probably look cool too…

Posted
3 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

Oh, I forgot to ask - @Ace-GarageguyĀ - are your earliest examples of this kit molded in red, or yellow? Ā I’ve seen conflicting reports on which color the very first run was molded in.

My earliest one is red, and it's definitely, positively acetate...but not badly warped...yet.

I don't know if there were earlier yellow ones or not.Ā Ā 

  • Like 1
Posted

Ā I'm a huge fan of old Monogram race car kits and working on their very first one must feel very special. Wonderful to see how you use various build techniques and materials to augment & detail this kit. This is a cool project!

Posted
18 hours ago, CabDriver said:

I’m not familiar with that particular kit…but it would be a fun follow-up to this one! Ā Thanks for the heads up that it exists! Ā 

VINTAGE MONOGRAM INDIANAPOLIS RACER #9 SPECIAL BUILT KIT - Picture 1 of 6

Nice work going on here JimĀ šŸ‘

This one is Ebay right now for $20 USD.......just sayin'

Posted
58 minutes ago, Belugawrx said:

VINTAGE MONOGRAM INDIANAPOLIS RACER #9 SPECIAL BUILT KIT - Picture 1 of 6

Nice work going on here JimĀ šŸ‘

This one is Ebay right now for $20 USD.......just sayin'

That kit has be re-popped numerous times and should be readily available. With a few modifications it can be built as the 1955 Indy 500 winning Zink Special Kurtis-Kraft.

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
On 2/5/2025 at 11:21 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

You might enjoy this 2-parter on assembling an Offy midget engine. There are some shots of the nekkid chassis in the background as well.

Ā 

Actually, that whole CHANNEL is GOLD when it comes to Midget stuff that’s hard to find online…I only dug into a couple of these this evening (and the accents are a little tough in places) but there’s all kinds of useful reference in those videos that I hadn’t found elsewhere. Ā THANK YOU!

I didn’t know that each Kurtis Kraft build had a little brass plaque on the dash with a serial number, for example - and there’s some great shots of the in-out box that will be helpful in trying to replicate that. Ā What a goldmine of useful info! Ā 
Ā 

19 hours ago, Belugawrx said:

VINTAGE MONOGRAM INDIANAPOLIS RACER #9 SPECIAL BUILT KIT - Picture 1 of 6

Nice work going on here JimĀ šŸ‘

This one is Ebay right now for $20 USD.......just sayin'

Ā 

18 hours ago, RancheroSteve said:

That kit has be re-popped numerous times and should be readily available. With a few modifications it can be built as the 1955 Indy 500 winning Zink Special Kurtis-Kraft.

I researched these a tiny bit in my lunch break today - looks a very similar parts layout to this kit (probably unsurprisingly):

IMG_3287.jpeg.7536955715967ae5b856a8ee75ef1066.jpeg

I’m sure one of these will end up on my shelf before too long - thanks for the heads up on these kits! Ā I almost want to get one now so I can see that trans in more detail, just to see how it looks…


Barely any progress tonight - my first evening working on this one with a couple of failures. Ā First project was drawing up a front spring in CAD; something I did for those hubs I was working on this week too. Ā 

The goal of the CAD part isn’t always because I’m planning on printing it, but to figure out the measurements and whatnot when I’m trying to copy a part from photos. Ā Then, my plan was to replicate that part in brass, but I was having a tough time getting individual leafs that were as nice as I was happy with.

I need to go check the local Ace to see if they stock any K&S brass strip that I can work with (which would be easier than trying to cut strips from the sheet I have - I don’t have the best tools here for working with metal compared to styrene)…of course, I could just print some from the 3D model I made already but that’s too easy 🤪

I also did a little research into nickel plating - I would be interesting in a nice beginner-friendly process to turn these brass parts that I’m making to something shiny and silver rather than Alclading them. Ā It LOOKS like it would be in my capabilities, but I guess until I try I wont know…

Finally this evening I decided I needed to achieve SOMETHING, so I spun up some 3/4ā€ apparently-styrene rod (which I think actually is ABS) that I got from Amazon on the lathe and found some aluminum rod in my stash ready to start piecing together a rear axle. Ā I think the kit part is supposed to represent a banjo rear end? Ā As usual, more research required…

IMG_4816.jpeg.4d1bcf02cae3416360be050f8345f2bf.jpeg

And that’s my no-progress for today - more soon, soon as I’ve done something! Ā Ha! Ā Thanks for looking!

Edited by CabDriver
  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

Ok, a little more progress…

Fabbed up a mount for leaf spring and got it attached to the frame, and then decided a 3d printed spring wasn’t as cool as masking one:

IMG_4823.jpeg.39779cd7eb16cbd6d79e29426c2dcd34.jpeg

Had two or three tries at getting a leaf spring fabricated from brass, and myĀ efforts were kinda ok-ish, but I was looking at some Revell Parts Pack springs in my stash and liked the look of those better. Ā Even in 1/20, it’s tough to get the scale fidelity as nice as a well done pantographed kit part. Ā Obviously, those Revell parts packs are 1/25, but a Midget is pretty small and the part scaled right out to the size I would’ve made one:

IMG_4826.jpeg.749a0e5eb94d90dad77feb546b3c07d4.jpeg

Problem is, now those hairpins look kinda clunky - plus they’re half-round, presumably due to limitations in injection molding at the time, possibly because they didn’t think that some guy 70 years in the future would be nit-picking the accuracy of their very first kit apart…but here we are 🤪

Made some brass ones instead:

IMG_4835.jpeg.99c3c01e8da7c7dc2eef9c04f370c779.jpeg

IMG_4843.jpeg.69cc4ac63d99fee8862f61e17addfdbe.jpeg

Next job on these is to fabricate the trapezoidal brackets that a real Kurtis frame has to mount the hairpins to:

IMG_3324.jpeg.6a4424139c9c7e490e6c968e065359bd.jpeg

And as you can see from the zoomed-out plans, I’ve still got plenty to do on the frame to make it look like a real one:

IMG_3324.jpeg.ee50b253c025ac051a7efb5d59b274a7.jpeg

Thanks for looking - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

Edited by CabDriver
  • Like 2
Posted

Happy Sunday y’all! Ā Another couple of hours at the bench…

First job today was to lay out a rod end to match some reference pics that I had collected, plus a tab for it to lock into like the 1:1 frame shown in the post above. Ā I felt a LITTLE like I should’ve made these out of brass, but with the tools I’ve got in my little home shop it would’ve taken more effort than it was worth for no real benefit when the build is done….

3D model of the parts:

IMG_3426.jpeg.16928b9337c7623a308edb59b547d566.jpeg

2 hours later, the parts:

IMG_4867.jpeg.84a6ca049d05f3f4f708c429f1298f69.jpeg

Now, before can lock those little trapezoid blocks onto the frame, I need to lock the frame to the body so I can make sure the front axle will line up right. Ā BUT, I’ll need to modify the tracknose for it to fit, so I separated that from the body as a whole…

IMG_4844.jpeg.55fea10e2740d7ec5609b912945109a1.jpeg

…and then, so I don’t have to play ship-in-a-bottle come assembly time, I removed the belly pan and made it it’s own piece also:

IMG_4857.jpeg.08156e8ea8c8519e0681b61b65806f56.jpeg

Plan is to make mounts for the belly pan so the frame mounts to it easily and repeatably, then everything else around it:

IMG_4861.jpeg.6c3c2840b2520cac8181882eb35b2c4f.jpeg

Sure is taking me a long time to build this 15-part kit 🤪

Thanks for looking - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

  • Like 3
Posted

I never tire of watching the talent displayed by those of you who can work with brass at this scale - wonderfully intricate fabrications on an already small car - marvelous!

Posted
13 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Really inspiring seeing all these different new and old scratchbuilding techniques combined in another project of yours.Ā  Ā :D

Thank you very much Sir!

10 hours ago, BK9300 said:

I never tire of watching the talent displayed by those of you who can work with brass at this scale - wonderfully intricate fabrications on an already small car - marvelous!

Oh, I’m a total hack at brass…I can solder wires just fine, but this is definitely tougher…but thank you!! Ā 

Ā 

Tiny update for this evening…I want to finish up the front axle (mostly the linkages are the last part on that), but I can’t finish that without mounting the tracknose and modifying it some to clear the parts that were omitted on the original kit. Ā But, I can’t mount the tracknose without locking the belly pan in place, and I can’t lock the belly pan in place without finishing those hairpins and their mounts…so, that was tonight’s project:

IMG_4882.jpeg.7f9352f0d59aa08c18a5ae0c0611d4d3.jpeg

All that was really required on this step was to add some styrene strip to the belly pan to suspend the frame at the right height, and then notch out a spot for the hairpins to meet the mounts on the frame. Ā Not super interesting, but important to make sure the hacked-apart body still fits back together and aligns right. Ā 

I WAS considering magnets for all the panels to make them removable, but I’m reconsidering that now…almost everything on this car will be easily visible even with the body, nose and belly pan in place, so I’m not sure if it’s worth trying to complicate matters…

It WOULD be nice to show off the cool little gas tanks these cars often ran in the tail…

IMG_3396.jpeg.cbcf0bfb15378bf8eb770b26ce787a8c.jpeg

…which is a good reason to maybe make the body removable, but there’s nothing that the belly pan would hide other than the underside of the engine and frame, and everything forward of the radiator is just…the front of the radiator šŸ˜‚

Still plenty of time to change my mind, but those are tonight’s ponderings…thanks for your patience šŸ˜‚

  • Like 1
Posted

Another few days at the bench, another few little bits of progress…

I decided that the next piece that I needed to tackle that I hadn’t already was mocking up a radiator. Ā I’ll probably actually end up modeling this in 3D and painting it, mostly because my skillset currently with brass isn’t good enough to make it as well as I can draw or print it…

Irony is, a lot of these rads WERE brass so that would actually be a good material to use for this one. Ā Fun challenge to make one of the few not-brass pieces look like brass with paint though, good chance to text my faux-metal painting skills…

Here’s a real one - they have that distinctive extremely-protruding upper portion that I want to replicate:

IMG_3470.jpeg.7cd771c639e3c2cb2946c79373b6a394.jpeg

I used some prototyping foam to approximate the curve of the upper tank, plus some styrene sheet and bar:

IMG_4886.jpeg.2ba26c6f40bdc91ca3380243f7a1f498.jpeg

IMG_4891.jpeg.424280172a18aa29c3909a255b5394e5.jpeg

I’m really using the piece as a physical prototype to make sure everything fits ok before I design a MUCH more detailed version in CAD:

IMG_4894.jpeg.9a1f39832131a419e04bcb90661831fe.jpeg
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More on that as I get to it, but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to run out of room. Ā A real Offie is longer than the simplified kit piece so I lost probably 1/8ā€ or more with my to-scale version so I needed a physical piece to play with to make sure I can make this work still.

Modified the tracknose a little so the leaf spring will fit:

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And while I was messing with the front end, I cleaned up the front nerf bar and made some mounts for it:

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Now, mounting it to the front axle didn’t really sit super well with me…that is how it is on the kit, but I figured that was for simplicity of molding’s sake. Ā Did some research and found a bunch of earlier cars where they did exactly this. Ā 

I guess the contact (and cars) would be light enough and the old Ford/steel tube/ whatever axle is strong enough that the uprights or nerf bar itself would bend before hurting the axle too much. Ā That said, seems like this practise went away as you got into the 60s and they’d mount with a more complicated arrangement, but for the sake of mirroring the kit design and keeping things simple I think I can live with it. Ā I’d hate to take any more slices out of that tracknose than I have to…

Finally, wheels and tires. Ā Had a little time to work on those today. Ā I have a bunch of these kits to build, and I want a solution to replace the one-piece wheels and tires on all of them so I cheated again and modeled them in CAD so I could print some test pieces and easily make more in future:

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Left is front, right is rear (still need to make knock-offs for it though) and the center is a front with no lugs, for an experiment. Ā Probably need to lose the domed center from the middle one, come to think of it…need to research 50s Midget wheels and hubs

Thanks for looking all - more soon, soon as I’ve done more!

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