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


Mooneyzs

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Hey Steve.... Thanks man. The Valve Covers are from Mark Johnson. He does some Killer resin engines and I would recommend him to anyone looking for 1/16th scale engines. I was going to be painting the valve covers with Alclad. I have both the chrome and Polished aluminum. I will probably end up doing a spoon test and go with which looks like it matches my reference pics the best. I believe the real valve covers on the funny car are made from aluminum.

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Hey Bob... how's it going? You know I want to make it to the NNL's this year but I am not sure If I will be able to or not. But I know for sure I will bring it the following year since I will have it completed before then. I am shooting to have this done by the end of April at the moment.

Ok guys not much of an update but I have worked bondo on the spark plug boots and reprimered and even shot a coat of black to see how they would look..... here is the results

DP-Army-Vega2700-1_zps589fc32f.jpg

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Hey Bruce... Thanks for taking the time to go thru all 87 pages. I am sure it took a while. Thanks for the Kind words. I just wanted to be able to share with every one how I am doing the build process and if helps anyone in the process that is great.

So I have done a little more work today. Not done working on it for the night yet but I did get my fuel shut off lever drawn up in Solidworks and made it from aluminum sheet. Here is a few pics to show the process today....

I had first drawn up the lever in solidworks and then I started out by printing the drawing to scale. I cut it out of the paper and used a glue stick to hold it onto the aluminum so i cold cut it out:

DP-Army-Vega2710-1_zpsa872323b.jpg

Here is what it looks like after I had sanded and filed to shape as well as getting the mounting holes drilled into it:

DP-Army-Vega2715-1_zps8c78dc7a.jpg

Then I had to mock it up on the chassis and figure where it was going to mount and here is the location:

DP-Army-Vega2723-1_zps6634ae73.jpg

Well.... back to the workbench right after I have some dinner...Stay tuned

Edited by Mooneyzs
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Henry.... thanks man

Tom.... Thank you, a few of the chassis joints I need to add some bondo to but pretty happy with them do far

Hans... Thanks!! sorry to always keep the suspense up.

I was going to start working on scratch building the butterfly steering wheel last night but then I didn't feel like sitting at my computer so I started on sanding the primer on the chassis to start to prep it for paint. And let me tell you what a pain in the butt that it is. I started using my flexi file where I could then I actually started cutting thin strips of sand paper to use to get in all of the cracks. I swear I sanded for a couple of hours and I am still not done. Besides that I need to still add a little bondo to a few areas and then it will be ready for one last primer coat. which then I will go back and sand one more time (Yes I am nuts to have to re-sand it again) before paint, but its the only way to tell if it will look good once painted.

well gonna get to drawing up the steering wheel and then get back to sanding the chassis. Hope to have some pics up in a little bit for you.

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Excellent handle Chris. What size are drilled holes? Iknow what you mean about the sand, it is a pain but its worth it. Also I notice that you used solidworks to draw out you handle. What program is this Is it available and can anyone use it?

Edited by F/C NUT
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Gary.... haha... Thanks man I really appreciate the kind words about this build. I have to tell you that I am very proud of this build so far and will be the best build I have done to date when completed.

So I sorta worked on my Butterfly Steering Wheel Attempt #1 on and off for a few hours this evening and well it started out good but I was not happy with the outcome and didn't even try finishing it. I will have to start Attempt # 2 tomorrow night. The process I am doing works good, I just didn't get my cuts straight like I should have and aborted trying to save this piece and will attempt at another one. I would really like to get and try the micro marks photo etch do it at home set to try but little hesitant on it, Or I would like to learn how Mark (scale master) does his acid etch process. I think one of those two ways would be the best to get the part perfect.

Anyway here is the process and how far I got tonight....

I started out again drawing the part in my Solidworks CAD program, printed the part and glued the template to my .010" thick brass sheet:

DP-Army-Vega2731-1_zps07843116.jpg

Next I cut the part away from the sheet:

DP-Army-Vega2734-1_zpsf961d9a2.jpg

Here is How far I got with the cutting out process. I took the back of my xacto knife with a straight edge to scribe a guide line in. then I took my razor saw and slowly sawed away the pieces. I wasn't happy with the center section as I wasn't able to get it completely straight like I wanted, so the reason I will be redoing the part:

DP-Army-Vega2739-1_zpsfacb6566.jpg

Then for Giggles I decided to bend the steering wheel into shape to see what it would look like:

DP-Army-Vega2740-1_zps129f4689.jpg

Its not that bad but I wasn't 100% happy with this first try. so I will go back and redo it again.

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Excellent handle Chris. What size are drilled holes? Iknow what you mean about the sand, it is a pain but its worth it. Also I notice that you used solidworks to draw out you handle. What program is this Is it available and can anyone use it?

Hey Steve.... sorry about not answering your question earlier. the hole size I drilled in the fuel shut off lever was with a #78 drill bit which is .016" in diameter. yes the sanding can be a pain on tube chassis but your right its worth it. SolidWorks is a 3D CAD program. I have an old 2005 version. I really want a new one but they are quite pricey. There is a couple of free ones out there I believe. I know of a 2D CAD program called Draft Sight which is a sister program to the main SolidWorks and you can download DraftSight for free. I have heard of a few other people that have downloaded Google Sketch up for a 3D program and I believe that one is free too. I have been using CAD programs since College but I think anyone would be able to use it after going thru some tutorials and learning the basics of it. may take a little bit to get up to speed but can be done.

Hey Mike... thanks for the kind comments. I tried giving you a call today but didn't leave a message. was just wanting to catch up with ya.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well guys I just wanted to give a quick update even though I don't have pics to share I have been making progress. I have gotten some more primer on the front axle and spindles and it's getting closer to being ready for some Alclad. My biggest hurdle at the moment is sanding the chassis. I have been sanding the primer prepping it for one more coat of primer before paint and I have to tell you that it has been kicking my butt. I have been cutting thin strips of sandpaper to be able to sand every tube of the chassis. It's really time consuming and can't wait to have it done. Hoping to have some more photo updates for you soon.

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Sflam.... thanks man. I am sandind the primer on every tube of the chassis because it gives a better surface for the paint to lay down on.

Joe....thanks.... I can't tell you how bad i want to see this in paint myself. I am so ready and have been for a long. time to get the chassis painted. Once I do. I Will be able get it in a rolling chassis stage really quick. I am hoping to possibly have paint on this in a week to two weeks. This weekend is pretty much out for me working on it because I will be at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird and hoping to get alot more reference pics as well.

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