Niko's Hot Rod Garage

[W-409]

I make one thread, where I post all of my Hot Rod builds. I have few clean and nice Hot Rods coming, and then some rusty Rat Rods...

First project, I'd like to share with you is '29 Ford Gasser. It's going to be 50's or 60's styled Drag Racer. I have shortened the bed a little and engine is going to be Ford Flathead, with blower. Tires and wheels are from Revell '53 Studebaker FC (Miss Deal). This body is painted and the top is already chopped. I will change that color and I'm not sure, but maybe I'll chop the top a bit more... I built my own intake manifold to that engine, because you don't see too often a correct manifold to Blower Flathead.

Test fit with original bed...

The second project is '34 Ford Pickup. It's Lindberg's kit. I chopped the top first, but this one needs some more sanding and filling before it's ready for primer. Engine is also Ford Flathead. This one will be very clean too and it's going to have fenders, but not the hood. It's going to be blue. It's going to be quite mild Hot Rod. It's pretty much in the starting point...

[W-409]

Next project is '32 Ford Bonneville Racer. This is bought as a glue bomb and now I'm restoring it to Salt Lake Racer... First thing, I chopped the top, now it's looking better when the frontend of it is bit lower, but rear is about same height as it was. I'm taking the grille from Revell '29 Ford, there is one aerodynamic front clip. My tires are Firestone and I'm using Full Moon capsels for this one... I sectioned the body also and made brackets to frame, which is channeled so it will fit in correct place. I also had to cut the gastank off and shorten the frame from the rear. I also sectioned the interior rear wall and built little support to that. Engine is going to be a Flat Four.

Frame brackets.

[W-409]

And the last project is '29 Ford Rat Rod. It's first painted silver, then semigloss red and then some rust. I have also removed the red paint from some spots, so in some places you can see the sheetmetal of the body. Engine is going to be Chevy 283" with some speedparts. The little bed is made out from styrene.

[stewart]

Looks like you've got some great projects going on.

STewart

[W-409]

Thank you, Stewart. Here you go, a little update to '29 Ford Rat Rod. I glued the frame on its place. It goes trough the body, because otherwise this thing would be way too high. I drilled two holes to the body, they are for the frame tubings. I built the frame from scratch... It's not ready yet, but it's getting close. I painted it satin black, and then some rust on it. From the rear, the frame is glued to the bed, from the front it aint glued yet, I'll glue the interior floor to the frame and body. Next step is building engine mounting brackets, and then I can test fit the interior floor and see, how much stuff I must cut off that it fits...

The windshield is just test fitted!

[Dr. Cranky]

Woah, interesting frame choice. Is that built with left-over sprue? I like it. Keep it going.

[W-409]

Thank you, Doctor ! The frame is built from parts trees. (Didn't understand, what the left over sprue means... My bad enghlish...) I think, that I have an update coming soon, so stay tuned.

[W-409]

Here is the update, I promised to you! I built very simple, but quite good engine mounting brackets. Engine sits now really nicely, but it's not glued yet, just some test fitting. Propeller shaft is from AMT Monkees Mobile, but I did shorten it over half on its size. Rear axle is painted and I sawed correct rear springs to this one. I test fitted them all, and they are fitting fine, so now some painting, and I'll be able to put rear axle and engine to their place.

[Terry Sumner]

Niko, may I make a suggestion? Read this thread.... http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=44595&st=0

[LAone]

niko, you have one busy garage. lols

keep on going and have fun. cause as long as your having fun, your doing it right.

and yes, sprue is the parts tree..

[Jantrix]

Some interesting projects. I'm seeing a lot of paint build up and you building on pre-painted bodies. There are ways of stripping old paint. Unless that's the look you were going for? Let me know if I can help out in any way.

[W-409]

Thank you for the comments...

Jantrix: I didn't strip the paint from this one, when I got this one, it was painted brown. I didn't sand the body at all, because it was looking good for a Rat Rod. I just ainted it silver, then some red and I removed the red paint from some spots, so it looks like that old paintjobs are possible to see. Then I added some rust.

I think, that I know the basics and I can make some custom modifications. I have buit for example this '32 Rat Rod, which is sectioned, channeled and windhield frame is made from scratch, I have built the trunk lid, frame 100% scratch, front axle made scratch etc, etc, etc...

Started as this:

[W-409]

A little update, I glued the trailing arms to their place. I have cast them from AMC Matador rear axle, they are bondo... But they look pretty good to me. I also built header for passenger's side... It's built from solder. I also glued the plug wires to cylinder heads, now they are easier to install when they are in that tricky place alredy, it would be hard to glue them under the header. Still needs to do the same thing for the other side, and I must install header flanges too.

[W-409]

It has been long time without no updates. This time I'm going to build this Rat Rod Pickup finished. It will take bit of time maybe, but no long breaks anymore. I built header for other side also, and installed spark plug wires. Glued the engine on its place and propeller shaft is glued too... Interior floor is built from some part from my parts box. I used bit of aluminium there. Glued the seats and pedals, which are scratchbuilt.

[Dr. Cranky]

Just three words: LONG LIVE RUST!

[W-409]

Also little update to the '32 Ford Bonneville Racer. I sectioned the door panels to fit with the sectioned body... They need still some more work, but this shows, where I am right now.

Edit: Dr. Cranky, rust is something, you can't get with money. I mean in 1:1. And it lives long time, if people are not stopping it.

Edited August 15, 2011 by W-409

[IceMan Collections]

Very nice looking foods. Looks like you have your hands full.

[W-409]

Thanks! Well, I have about 40-50 projects WIP, but some of them are not going forward at all. Maybe some day, when I can get these projects finished.... I'm meaning Super Bee, '69 Nova, '57 Chevy, and Pontiac FC. Also this Rat Rod is going to be finished soon, hopefully.

[retrobuilder]

Niko I like what you have done to your rat rod so far!! keep up the good work.

[W-409]

Thanks, Richard! Now I haven't found any dashboards for that Rat Rod. But I'm going to build it from styrene, then I can make it look like what I want. Also front axle needs to be built and also some other things to do before getting it on all four wheels, and close to finish.

[W-409]

Didn't find dashboard, so I built it from styrene. It's not perfect, but it could very well be homemade part. I drilled three holes there for cauges, but the owner hasn't got time to install them. So there are only those holes. Installed the windshield too and now it's starting to look like car, isn't it? Next I need to scratchbuilt that front axle system, stay tuned.

[nybuilder]

Love the black rat rod you did. And the 29 in the last few pics. at first I wasn't into it, but as I looked at each picture the more and more it grows on me. I love the headers. Did you make them out of solder also?

Edited September 14, 2011 by nybuilder

[W-409]

Thanks, Tim!

That black one is built with lots of time and work, this one is bit like faster build and it's just for fun, not going to be a show winner or something. I got this body for free, and idea was to build a Rat Rod of it. I know, I could build it better but then this project should be too large and it might never get finished. But it looks pretty good, I think, even if it's not so realistic as it could be.

Headers are from solder, I drilled holes to cylinder heads and glued those pipes with super glue. Then just I bended them to their shape, and glued together. I'm going to glue somekind of pipes where those headers end, so maybe they look more realistic then. (Hope you got it).

[Dr. Cranky]

You are clearly having a blast. It's addictive, the fun!

[W-409]

Yes, it's fun to build something different, like this, great way to relax and have fun. Now need to get a steering wheel and install that one. Well, there are lots of things to do but front axle is maybe the biggest one. I've scratchbuilt one from brass to that '32 Roadster, now need to make an other one.