Shadowbox Coupe - Final Update before Completion

[Fletch]

Got the color on the body yesterday, all I can say is you've got to love Tamiya paint. It may be a bit more expensive but it's worth every penny!! After 2 coats of Tamiya TS-6 Matt Black:

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Guess it's time to get the Evergreen out and get to building the chassis.

More to come. thanks for looking as always comments and suggestions are always welcome.

[Foxer]

simply gorgeous!

[Fletch]

I figured being the Pacific NW NNL Model Car Fest is 5 weeks away I might as well get this thing finished. The biggest obstacle to getting this project completed is getting started on the frame. As can be seen in the original photo the chassis is far from the stock Model 'A' frame.

The frame rails for this build are .080X.125 Evergreen Styrene rectangular stock, which is aprox 2"X3" in scale. The front cross member is .156 Evergreen "C" channel stacked back to back to produce a shallow "H" beam. Any bracing has been done using .060 Evergreen Angle. The frame out riggers are .020X.125 (still need to be cut to length) which will support .040 square stock which the floor will be attached to. The Monogram rear spring hanger was retained for use in the build, it is mounted in the frame so the rear end will mount in front of the spring as in later model Ford products.

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Stay Tuned.

[Raul_Perez]

The frame is looking pretty good, Dave!!

Can you finish it in 5 weeks? It takes me that long to get the shrink wrap off of the box!!

Later,

[Bernard Kron]

That frame is very cool, Dave. Love the idea of the outriggers for the floor. I assume you'll be doing a shallow channel. Is the front z'd section hidden inside the cowl?

I'm thinking of coming down again this year for the PNW NNL. I look forward to seeing it there. It should look awesome!

B.

[Mooneyzs]

this is looking great so far. Keep up the good work and Keep adding pics for us to see.

[Fletch]

That frame is very cool, Dave. Love the idea of the outriggers for the floor. I assume you'll be doing a shallow channel. Is the front z'd section hidden inside the cowl?

I'm thinking of coming down again this year for the PNW NNL. I look forward to seeing it there. It should look awesome!

B.

Bernard, the front Z will sit about 4" past the body, so it will sit almost even with the firewall. The channel has the bottom frame rail sitting close to 2" up inside the body. The bellhousing and the transmission tailshaft will sit high in the interior and dissect the seat bottom but it will have a full width seat back.

I am hoping to have it completed for the Spring Classic NNL down in Coburg, OR March 13th, but will certainly have it completed by the PNW NNL March 27th.

Hope to see you down for the NNL

[Fletch]

Got the remainder of the work on the chassis completed today. Added the stringers for the floor, the center X-Member and the motor and transmission mounts in place.

The rear end for this build is from the Revell '50 Ford Pickup. It was chosen for a couple of reasons the first being it has the track width needed for the build and second because there are probably 20 of those kits floating around the garage, so 1 missing a rear end wasn't going to be the end of the world. The tires and wheels are a combination of slicks from an AMT '40 Ford Sedan, wheels from the Revell '50 Ford Pickup. The front tires and wheels are from the '50 Ford Pickup.

So here it is the long awaited first official mock-up of the Shadow Box Coupe.

Hosted on Fotki

For mock-up purposes the drop axle from a Revell '32 was used, but it will give way to the poseable steering drop axle from a Revell '29 pickup or '31 Sedan.

Major tasks yet to be completed, build the front fenders and mounts, convert and trim down the '37 pickup grille to that of a '35/'36 pickup. Seeing how I have no idea what dash may have been in the coupe when the original photo was taken, I'm going to take a bit of artistic license and trim down a '40 Ford dash. I'm planning on using K&S sheet Aluminum for the floor boards, transmission hump and drive shaft tunnel. The interior panels from the Monogram kit will be cut down and used to complete the interior.

Stay Tuned, more to come soon.

[weasel]

i really diggin this build!!

that chassis is way cool...

how much 'kick' is in the rear??

i like how you did the front 'kick', briliant!!

[Raul_Perez]

The frame looks GREAT, Dave!!

I know how much work is involved in getting something like that designed and built square!! You're doing an awesome job!!

Later,

[MADmodelDOCTOR]

Everything is looking great! Keep it going.

later,

[Fletch]

i really diggin this build!!

that chassis is way cool...

how much 'kick' is in the rear??

i like how you did the front 'kick', briliant!!

Dick, the kick-up on the rear of the frame is an actual 1/2". Seeing how the body is 1/24th scale that would make the kick-up 1 scale foot. The front 'Z' is the depth of the .080X.125 Evergreen plus a piece of .040X.080 glued in between the main frame rail pieces. In scale that comes out to aprox. 4 scale inches.

The frame looks GREAT, Dave!!

I know how much work is involved in getting something like that designed and built square!! You're doing an awesome job!!

Later,

Raul, you are correct it is a fair amount of work but it is something that I think most of us are more then capable of doing with the bare minimum of tools. For this I used 3"X4" square, a couple of sanding sticks, a scalpel to score the styrene and a good quality styrene cement. The toughest part of building this frame was convincing myself that I could do it. Once I got started I wondered why I ever doubted myself in the first place. After all, it's just plastic, if you screw it up you just get out another piece and start over.

Hoping to get paint on the frame over the weekend and get the interior side panels cut down and basic floor laid down in the next couple of days.

Stay tuned.

[Sixties Sam]

Dave, that is lookin' GOOD! I like it! It will be a rod with real character. Nice work!

Sam

[Mooneyzs]

Great work on that chassis.... that thing looks great.

[Dennis Lacy]

This is an absolutely awesome build Dave! I love the frame you made for it, very nice work. There's only one problem; The frame on the real car was probably no-where near as nice. In fact, it was probably a total butcher job!

[MikeMc]

I love this ....the frame may not be orig...but it should!!

[Fletch]

This is an absolutely awesome build Dave! I love the frame you made for it, very nice work. There's only one problem; The frame on the real car was probably no-where near as nice. In fact, it was probably a total butcher job!

Dennis, I suspect that you are right about the chassis from the original build being a butcher job. Unfortunately, all I have to go off of is the single photo and documentation about the Coupe at all. So, that left me to my own idea of what would be needed to support that big chunk of iron and not twist in half when the driver stepped on the loud pedal and dumped all the Hi-Test down into the cylinders.

[Fletch]

Not a productive weekend for the Shadowbox Coupe Project. Better know as nothing got accomplished. Today however, back to working on the build.

The drop axle from a Revell '31 Sedan was added to the Coupe's frame. The spring hanger was reduced in height by aprox .060 or a scale 1.5 inches. The next bit of upgrade in the axle was to replace the plastic nubs (king pins) that allows this axle to have poseable steering. The centers of the nubs were located then opened up with a #73 drill bit. Pieces of .022" brass wire were then added to the axle to provide years of steering without failure.

The spindle/backing plate assy were epoxied to the steering arms with the tie-rod then attached. The assembly was set aside to cure for the better part of an hour.

Attention was then turned to the interior panels and seat. The door panels were shortened by aprox 1/8th of an inch using the bottom of the center cast in panel. The upper is the modified while the lower is a stock kit piece.

The bench seat also had a similar 1/8 inch piece removed from the bottom of it as well.

Once the interior floor pans, transmission cover and driveshaft tunnel are in place, couple of the ribs in the center of the seat will be removed and the back of the seat will be cut to match the driveshaft tunnel contour.

Poseable steering in place, it does clear the Hemi's oil pan when turned full left or right. If I have time before the NNL, I will most likely replace the plastic tie-rod with one made from brass.

Since the last post the wheels from the Revell '50 Ford Pickup have given way to those from the AMT '62 Catalina as well as the rear tires. The Catalina wheels have better depth and the caps for the front sit better in the wheels as well.

Hosted on Fotki

That's it for today, come on the way soon. Thanks for looking.

[noname]

Doing a great job. Looks pretty mean , just the way it should.

[Bernard Kron]

The chassis layout works great! It's lookin' real tough. The front kickups peek out from body just the right amount. And the posable steering is sharp. Lookin' forward to seeing this on the tables at the PNW NNL! (I also dig the large supply of Tamiya Extra Thin in the background... In for the duration, eh Fletch?)

Edited March 3, 2010 by gbk1

[Raul_Perez]

The posable steering is looking good, Dave!!

Yeah...change those tie-rod ends to brass when you get time. Those stock Revell pieces are pretty fragile...

Later,

[Fletch]

The chassis layout works great! It's lookin' real tough. The front kickups peek out from body just the right amount. And the posable steering is sharp. Lookin' forward to seeing this on the tables at the PNW NNL! (I also dig the large supply of Tamiya Extra Thin in the background... In for the duration, eh Fletch?)

Yeah, B you caught me with the BIG supply of Tamiya Extra Thin. Actually, there is only about a bottle and a half of cement there the one bottle is my Tamiya/Evergreen styrene putty. All the finish filling work gets done with that, I changed from red spot putty last year and have ZERO regrets. It dries hard and has the advantage of melting into the kit plastic and not being something on the surface, I doubt that I will ever change back. I'll bring it to the NNL to show you what it's all about.

[Bernard Kron]

... the one bottle is my Tamiya/Evergreen styrene putty. ... I'll bring it to the NNL to show you what it's all about.

Hmmm... Now that's intriguing! Melted bits of styrene in a bottle of Extra Thin? Inquiring minds want to know - and must drive down to Portland on the 27th!

[Fletch]

Hmmm... Now that's intriguing! Melted bits of styrene in a bottle of Extra Thin? Inquiring minds want to know - and must drive down to Portland on the 27th!

All my scrap Evergreen goes into an almost empty bottle. Depending on the size of the scrap the styrene "putty" is ready to use in a couple of hours. As you add more scrap you have to add more cement to the mix as well or the process stalls. I apply it just as I would spot putty, it dries harder and with the Extra Thin as the solvent it melts into the plastic just like you were joining 2 pieces together.

I thank you Guys, for all the encouragement on the build of the coupe. It's turning into one of those spread your wings kind of projects. I've often avoided using the Revell pose able steering axles because of their fragile nature. Replacing the plastic nubs with wire was no big deal at all, just a matter of doing it. Same thing with the chassis, toughest part was getting started. As noted elsewhere, no fancy tools were required just a 3"X4" square, a scalpel, a few sanding sticks and Evergreen Styrene.

Very good chance the engine and wheels will get painted later today. They will be painted House of Kolor SG105 Blue Blood Red:

Hosted on Fotki

Hopefully, weather permitting there will be photos of them up later.

Edited March 4, 2010 by Fletch

[Alyn]

Neat little car, Dave. That picture of the original car is as real as it gets for a retro build. I'm definately relating to your inspiration of a single old photo as a springboard to a really cool project.

The matte black look is cool and certainly fits in with the original, but do you fear loosing the details in the darkness?