Early Modified build, Tobias DIRT Mustang

[bobss396]

I was at a kit seller's house last week and I got one of the Tobias Early Modified kits. This is the Mustang, has not been released for eons.

The body is multi piece but went together well. I pinned almost every joint on the chassis to give it strength.

I'll be using Ron Coon dirt tires that are smaller than the kit ones. I closed up the wheel wells by .120" per side.

This is about as far as I can go, I have parts coming from Ron Coon. Likely going with injectors. 

Next will be picking paint and decals.

[Shark]

Definitely will be following along on this one. Have a couple of the other bodied versions of this kit. Would debate building one, but the frame sort of scared me. Your assembly looks great, any tricks to putting it together.

[bobss396]

13 hours ago, Shark said:

Definitely will be following along on this one. Have a couple of the other bodied versions of this kit. Would debate building one, but the frame sort of scared me. Your assembly looks great, any tricks to putting it together.

I built one 20+ years ago and have a Gremlin that is in the BACK IN THE BOX! state. I looked for it yesterday with no luck.

The basic deburring of the frame is a nightmare. I did it all apart, assembled it and primed it. That shows what I missed. Having a flexi-file helps a lot.

Pieces #60, 61, 62 are straight .080" styrene, I find it easier to make them rather than mess with the kit ones.

The same goes with the J shaped pieces that support the side bars. These I made from .062" copper tube since I have a bunch of it.

Almost everything is pinned using .031" stainless steel pins, 1/8" and 3/16" long. 1/32" brass or even plastic works.

The horse shoe shaped interior piece, I made up ledges for it to sit on, inside the body from styrene angle stock. 

The interior tub wouldn't sit low enough, so I lopped off the thick horizontal pieces (about .050" thick) and used .020" styrene backed up with angle stock. I have to take more pictures.

The hood was too wide and unrealistic. I took the razor saw to that. I also have some resin ones I may consider.

I'm waiting for my Ron Coon parts, other wheels and tires and wheel backs, his W43 part number. Other parts are a nicer radiator, another seat, etc.

[Shark]

Bob, thanks for all the great information. I build mostly Monogram based Nascar's, so I have the materials and tools you mentioned. Just got the itch to build something different and challenging.

Is there a specific driver you are building this of? Where do you get decals for these cars?

Edited March 2 by Shark

[Volzfan59]

I’m going to follow your build closely @bobss396. I’ve got one of those in the closet patiently waiting it’s turn.

[bobss396]

4 hours ago, Shark said:

Bob, thanks for all the great information. I build mostly Monogram based Nascar's, so I have the materials and tools you mentioned. Just got the itch to build something different and challenging.

Is there a specific driver you are building this of? Where do you get decals for these cars?

I have a set of #4 Olympia Beer decals I got years back. Herschel McGriff tribute car.

A great source for modified decals is Polecat Decals. I have to take another look at the site.

[bobss396]

1 hour ago, Volzfan59 said:

I’m going to follow your build closely @bobss396. I’ve got one of those in the closet patiently waiting it’s turn.

Thanks. I've had the kit for a week now. The rear shocks are sort of sketchy to install. The rest is not bad so far.

I ran across a bag of sprint car parts, mostly tires, wheels and a wing. Nothing usable right now. A hood could be interesting.

Getting set to do the rub rails...

[bobss396]

Now I remember why I balk at building these. The rails are the worst part of it. Maybe I should have used the kit parts.

I put the rear trailing arms on with tacky glue. Or I have to grow 3 more hands.

The straight bars I scribbled down dimensions on my instructions. Easy to mix up #60, #61.

So I let this sit for a while. I'm still finding flash after 2nd primer coat...

Edited March 2 by bobss396
Rhjhd et u

[bobss396]

Rub rails are done. The copper tube ones needed a lot of fitting, I used the kit pieces. 

The chassis is in primer, tomorrow I start painting all those little parts...

[bobss396]

Got a pile of parts from Ron Coon and other vendors today.

One piece is a CAE in-out box. Correct or not. I'm gonna use it. I removed the starter too.

I'm going with Ron's 4C injectors. Supposedly the intake is made for this kit engine. Well, not really, the angle along the sides does not mate up well with the heads. About 2 hours later, it fits well.

I'd post more pictures, but I sliced my thumb and Jeopardy is on soon.

[dragcarz]

The longer I’m in this hobby, the more I realize the kit is just the starting point. Beautiful work Bob, looks great, I’ll be following!

[bobss396]

The intake needed a ghastly amount of work to make it look acceptable. I still have to try my hand at some plumbing for it. 

I did pick up a 3D printed chassis on Etsy, from WCF Motorsports. Definitely a time saver. It is 100% complete and different from the kit. On the rear, it uses bird-cages instead of the watts link.

I'll take more pix down the road. The top of the cage does have to come off to install an interior tub.

Edited March 4 by bobss396

[bobss396]

More work yesterday. I made up an alternate hood, have to see how it plays with the injectors. 

The radiator needed side pieces added, but fits very well. 

I have a T for the injectors plumbing, cast aluminum.

Jayes Model Car Garage supplied the oil cooler and fittings, which are quite nice.

[bobss396]

I made a magneto today. Materials are mostly aluminum tube. 

5/32" x .190" long

1/8" x .312" long

3/32" x .250" long

A craft nail, says 13 mm long, but should be a little longer. Diameter is about .055".

Wire is wire-wrap, 4 pcs about 4.25" long.

In the 1/8" tube, I drill a hole about 2 mm thru 1 wall, about 2 mm from the end, then slot the hole. Take all the burrs off.

Fold the wires in half, wrap them around the nail tight as possible.

Insert the nail/wires into the slotted tube. Slide the 3/32" tube into the 1/8" tube, secure with CA glue. 

Slide the 5/32" tube up over the 1/8" tube up to the wires, a little CA glue holds it.

[bobss396]

1 more shot.

[Karl LaFong]

Great start!   Not an easy kit to build (the chassis is a real PITA) and the tires are wrong for a dirt car, but it amazing that a company would take a chance on modeling East Coast modifieds.

[bobss396]

11 hours ago, Karl LaFong said:

Great start!   Not an easy kit to build (the chassis is a real PITA) and the tires are wrong for a dirt car, but it amazing that a company would take a chance on modeling East Coast modifieds.

I believe the kit had origins in 1985. The Mustang is an original, I have the '36 Plymouth also an original. Plus many more. I doubt they are still in production. 

The level of detail is pretty good. Guys like Ron Coon really come through with parts to up the game.

I'm still struggling with the magneto. For the 1/8" tube, I'm going to head out to the garage and slot the tube's on my mill. I hope I have a 5/64" end mill on hand. Just my luck that the 1st one went together very easily.

[bobss396]

I cut the kit starter out, also the molded in oil filter. The in-out box is on, so this car will be push start only. The oil filter is .125" styrene rod.

The hood is coming along.

The engine with the red wired magneto (which was bought) is for a Gremlin modified build. Another BACK IN THE BOX!! special.

[Volzfan59]

4 hours ago, bobss396 said:

I believe the kit had origins in 1985. The Mustang is an original, I have the '36 Plymouth also an original. Plus many more. I doubt they are still in production.

Great work on the Mustang @bobss396. You and @MarkJ are amazing with your scratch built parts and attention to detail! The AMT modified series was originally released in the ‘70’s. I built several of them while in high school. Round 2 recently released the Gremlin from the series. Assuming they experience good sales and they have the molds, I bet they release the other kits in the series. I’ve got all of the kits in the series waiting to be built

[bobss396]

6 hours ago, Volzfan59 said:

Great work on the Mustang @bobss396. You and @MarkJ are amazing with your scratch built parts and attention to detail! The AMT modified series was originally released in the ‘70’s. I built several of them while in high school. Round 2 recently released the Gremlin from the series. Assuming they experience good sales and they have the molds, I bet they release the other kits in the series. I’ve got all of the kits in the series waiting to be built

Thanks, I was out of models from 1974 to 1995 and missed a lot. 

I always liked the Mustang and finally bought one. I have a spare body for one. 

I have another Gremlin, some Plymouth and Chevy coupes, all total about 10 more. 

I got the hood sorted out and possibly in final primer. The body is close too.

The valve covers are on, not sure on the injector elements yet. I have to see if I have some white surgical tape.

[bobss396]

I decided that the Detail Master filter element paper looked like a-double-s. So I soaked it off, glued on with white glue.

I got out the razor saw, cut it all apart. I replaced the smaller tubing with 3/32" aluminum, sleeved inside with 1/16" tubing. Everything will be pinned with 1/32" brass rod.

I gave to figure out a rudimentary throttle block. It will be pretty much hidden since the injectors are close to the firewall.

[bobss396]

This is the printed modified chassis I mentioned. Really not that many pieces and they cleaned up well with a Flexi File and sanding sticks, also abrasive pads. I still have to go over it again before primer. 

The front push bar is spindly compared to the rear bumper. Otherwise I like it. No side rails, I have to make those up. I also have some sprint car bars to consider.

Headers... I have a BBC set from VCG Resins that are a good fit. Tons better than the kit ones. 

I picked up an OG '35 Chevy coach kit and cut the body up. It looks good on the kit and printed chassis.

I'll continue the Mustang with the kit chassis, may use the printed headers, I have more on order.

The printed chassisbill use with the coach or Gremlin I started (BACK IN THE BOX!!) a while back.

[Rattlecan Dan]

Awful lot of nice work going into this one. Looks super.

[bobss396]

I'm working on an older Gremlin... AND a '35 Chevy coach. I still have to decide if the Gremlin or the coach will go on the printed chassis.

The first 3 pictures are a Ron Coon radiator in the printed chassis. It is perfect for these kits. 

The last 2 are the Gremlin chassis. I never put the rub rails on it.

I had made up new "J" supports from 1/16" plastic rod, but 2 were not usable. I did have some made of copper tubing that almost went on the Mustang. They worked out and look decent.

I scrapped the sprint car bar option. I do have to make rails for the printed chassis today.

Edited March 12 by bobss396

[bobss396]

The 3D printed chassis will go with the '35 Chevy coach. 

I worked on the chassis late last night. I drilled 8 locating holes where I will pin the bars in place, a #65 drill which is .035".

Then I opened the lower ones to accept the .062" plastic and copper. The aluminum tubing is the "fish mouth" short pieces that mount to the plastic rails