1/16 Scale Army Vega Funny Car - Finished 10/14/2018

[Mooneyzs]

Man you are off the hook with this one brother. Loveing the work your doing and those body mounts ( WOW )

Hey Derrick... thanks buddy. I am trying to out do myself and improve my skills with this build. So far I have been quite pleased with myself. I am gonna jump back to this build right now so shortly I will have some pics up I have two different ways I am thinking of mounting the body mounts haven't quite figured out which way to go with it they will just be a different angles and see which flows better.

[baddgass]

Hey Derrick... thanks buddy. I am trying to out do myself and improve my skills with this build. So far I have been quite pleased with myself. I am gonna jump back to this build right now so shortly I will have some pics up I have two different ways I am thinking of mounting the body mounts haven't quite figured out which way to go with it they will just be a different angles and see which flows better.

Well your doing one hell of a job, please don't stop.

[Mooneyzs]

Derrick... Promise I won't...

 

 

Ok real quick mock up of the Body Mount Pivots. I go the rear holes drilled and tapped for the bolts. Now is where I want everyones opinon. I have set the body mount pivots at two different angles and wanted to see which everyone thought looked better. Not sure if either is a wrong way but trying to figure which looks best. Thanks for you input.....

 

 

Here is a quick teaser pic with Body Pivot Mounts:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is what I will call Angle #1:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Angle #2:

 

 

 

 

 

Which looks best in your opinion? #1 or #2? Thanks guys!!!!

Edited July 23, 2017 by Mooneyzs

[my80malibu]

My vote is for #2. it is more interesting. not sure if it would work any better than #1

[Dragracer]

All the work on the hinges payed off well Chris!. In my humble opinon, I think angle #2 might work better, looks like it gives you more room for the interior tin pieces.

[brett]

How well it functions (ease of removing or placement of the body) maybe more of a determining factor than looks Chris. The parts look fantastic but I don't think the look of the angle will have much impact if the body and tin don't sit right. I would leave this call til the tin work and body can be placed on, then make your call.

[Mooneyzs]

Gabriel, Richard and Brett.... Thanks for your opinions. I may keep it open until I figure out placement of the body as Brett mentioned. The only part of the body tin work i am planning on using is the piece that goes around the driver. The back mount portion is going to be made with brass rod and plastic pieces for the structure pieces as well as having them in the front which will dictate where the body sits on the chassis.

 

 

 

I did very little on this tonight. So only one updated pic for you guys.... I ended up just making tabs for my fuel hold down strap and getting them glued into place.

 

 

Here are the tabs that my Fuel hold down strap will attach to:

 

Edited July 23, 2017 by Mooneyzs

[stump]

Hey Chris, as other buds have said...this thing is OFF the hook !

The tabs to hold the fuel cell in place are a nice touch, much better than just "gluing" a strap in place. Coming along very nicely mate.

Oh, just tried to help out with a search for mounts....saw the one you found, plus a lot of other pics not worth a cracker.....

I'll throw a curved ball and say option #1 Seems to flow with the chassis better.....

But as you say, it will probably be a last minute call, once you have the body ready for testing purposes....

[Mooneyzs]

Greg... Thanks Mate! I was thinking that I needed that extra touch on the fuel tank straps. I also have some thoughts/plans to take some fine wire and bend it. then they will be glued to the back of the tabs to represent the Dzus faster spring. Thanks for your opinion on the Body Mount bracket, I think that one flows too but will probably make the choice as everyone one has mentioned after test fitting it and figuring which will work best.

[Mooneyzs]

I spent a little time tonight tinkering on this build. I was focusing on the headers and making them out of tubing. I was originally wanting to make them out of aluminum tube but was having issues when it came to bending the aluminum. so I then switched to brass tubing which will probably be a better bet since I will be able to Solder them together. Plus the fact that they will get painted anyway. I did a lot of test bending. till I finally found what I liked. Anyway I only have one pic to share tonight since this was all I was focused on.

 

Here are the tubes that I have bent:

 

 

 

I still need to make another set for the other side. I am planing on making a jig out of Balsa wood to hold the headers together during the soldering process.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Mooneyzs

[gasser59]

Every new post and every new picture just showcases your outstanding attention to all of the little details that make this build so dang kewl. Thanks for sharing all of your benchtime adventures.

I'm at the point of headers on my Fiat so I'm glad you're a day ahead of me so I can check out your work. I sure like that tubing bender, where'd you get that?

Edited August 31, 2011 by gasser59

[MicroNitro]

Were did you get that tubing bender? I have never seen one that small.

[Danno]

Whoa, Nelly ... fabulous work, Chris!

You and Brad are certainly driving up the bar for us mere mortals here on the local playing ground!!

Keep the creativity coming!!

[Pro Tech]

Chris, headers look great! much better than kit pcs. Did you have to insert rod etc. at bend point to keep tube from collapsing? Look forward to more.

Charlie

Pro Tech

[Mooneyzs]

I had picked up two of these tubing benders for different size tubing, one is for 1/8" O.D. tubing and one for 5/32" O.D. Tubing. They are made by Du-Bro and I picked them up from Hobby Linc. Here is the web page http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s8.cgi?str_s=Tubing+Benders

The 1/8" bender ran $8.39 and the 5/32" was $10.89..... In my option well worth the money

I was going round and round on trying to figure how I was going to bend this tubing. Did many tubing bender searches and ended up finding these. I ended up going with the 5/32" tubing for this build

Brad... Thanks for the kind words and for following along. I am really digging your Fiat build and can't wait to see more.

JIm... I had no idea what I was going to find because I had never seen them this small either. most of what I was finding was benders for wire where you had some sort of mandrel that you would put in a vice and bend around a pin.

Danno... Thanks bud... I am trying to keep up with everyone here . We have so many great builders on this site.

Charlie.... Thanks man... I started out by just bending some tubing that came with the benders, they gave about 4... 3" or 4" pieces and bent them to see the radius that they would give and had no problems with the tube collapsing and I believe that these pieces were .020" wall thickness. Well I bought a bunch of aluminum and brass tubing..... the wall thickness was .014 on these since it was the telescoping tubing. the first couple of pieces that I bend collapsed on me. So I ending up sliding brass tubing inside to see what it would do as well as solid rod. Last night I even tried packing the tubing with flour which didn't have much luck with but would like to try packing the tubing with sugar and seeing what it will do tonight if I get the chance. The tubes that I have bend there in the pic... I ended up puting some 1/8" Everygreen tubing inside the tubes so they would not collapse. then after cutting to size I went back and drilled out the styrene tubing as far as I could. once painted you probaly won't notice the tubing inside but I will try a few more things to see what I can do to hide the plastic tubing inside, Hoping that the sugar trick will work and I won't have to worry about drilling the tubing out. After messing around with all of this for a few hours, its actually really simple, It took more time figuring out the best way do do it

[MicroNitro]

I just ordered both benders Thanks for the info Chris.

[gasser59]

Chris - you may have better luck with fine grain sand. It won't fall apart like sugar under pressure and won't attrack ants. :-)

[Mooneyzs]

Jim. .... You are welcome. Glad i coukd help.

Brad... That is a much better idea.... I will have to try that. Thank you for that idea.

[Randy D]

Hi Chris, Thanks for posting the info on the benders! Keep up the great build you have going!!

Randy

[Nitrozilla]

Chris - you may have better luck with fine grain sand. It won't fall apart like sugar under pressure and won't attrack ants. :-)

Ya gotta love a hobby where somebody can tell you to pound sand and they tell you it's a great idea. lol. lol.

Brad that's hi IQ stuff. I was thinking powdered dilithium crystals from a decommisioned warp core, but you run the chance of getting your flux capacitor suspended in an unstable anti-quantum matrix. Who needs that? Oh, plus it attracts ants.......

Chris, please stop making me want to do a really big project 'cuz I'm thinking of doing an OCIR starting line tower diorama and I'm not certain if I'm insane enuff to attempt it.

Edited August 31, 2011 by Batzilla

[Romell R]

I use both of those benders Chris I even made one bigger by reaming it out with jewelers files. so know I have 3 different sizes. Good job on those header pipes bro keep up the excellent work.

[Dragracer]

The header looks good, as mentioned above, better then the Revell pieces. Keep up the great work & can't wait to see more!

[Mooneyzs]

Randy... Thanks for the props and you are welcome for the info on the benders.

Joe... You have to do a bigger scale project. You won't regret it. Once you do a 1/16th scale you will get hooked. .... Well thats how its been for me lol. I say go for the starting line tower, it would be awesome.

Rom.... Congrats on the Mod status. Right on that you made one of the benders bigger. I wish I could change the radius of the benders to get some tighter bends. Thanks on the props on the headers. I just hope they turn out like i am hoping for. I had bent these at 90 degrees and after looking at some pics i may need to bend a set between 65 & 85 degree's. I saw a pic of another one of Prudhomme's cars and the.headers didnt look like they weren't bent at 90 degree's. So now little confused what to go with.

Richard....thanks man. I was looking at the kit headers and told myself u had to do something that was better than them. So far i am happy with how it is going. Right niw its practice until u get them right and then i think i will have a good process for them. It will also help with yhe jig that i want to make to hold all of the pieces together when assembling them.

[hOLMS]

Hi Chris.

I just have to say your skills are tremendous, what a job you are doing to this Army car. All these fine details and craftmanship is legend, legend I say. I'm pulling for you and I would say good luck...but I'm learning how to make components from you, I don't think you need luck.....lol. You've got that special talent, so keep posting it all so I can keep learning as I appreciate you sharing. I do have a funny car build scheduled after I finish 3 P/M bodies, it will not be this detailed but I hope to execute as well as you are. This is still my fav build anywhere!!

[Mooneyzs]

Hey Jeff,

Thanks Brother! I really appreciate your kind words. I am glad you are able to take away some things and learn from it. I just want to be able to help others as I have learned from peolpe here. I will keep posting pics on this build like I have. That is awesome you have a funny car planned to build after your P/M bodies. Looking forward to seeing it and also them done. You have got some skills when it comes to cutting up and modding a body. Love following your threads. Can't wait to see when you start the chassis and rest of the car as well.

Sorry I haven't posted much on this since the middle of last week. I was actually out of town in California visiting family and just got back home last night. So hopefully I will be able to sit down and do a little more building tonight and will have some more pics and updates for you guys tonight or tomorrow. This week I will be receiving my Resin 426 "Elephant" Hemi from Mark Johnson and will be able to start diving into the build of the engine on this one. Trust me there is alot more to come on this build. Thanks for being patient with me and will have more updates for you soon.