Fat Rat Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 I like the skull shifter knob. The interior looks very nice so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 look at the bubble in the photo chuck! Yep, that cemented the bubble top idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) successfully resisted using a bubble top but now that november is here and the harvest is in and all, i have some time to get back to this austin. there has been a bunch of fitting and fiddling and figuring but mostly sitting as usual. i plan on one more coat of clear tomorrow or sunday and then it will be near ready for final assembly! here are some progress photos that strangely resemble all the other photos in this thread, but i am now very glad i stripped the paint and started over. one big improvement will be the door lines because previously the door were glued unevenly and that was leaving an uneven door line; now they should be much better leaving them loose through the paint stages. so, i am looking for this sort of rake: something like this: lookin pretty kool so far if you ask me! i hope to get this wrapped up pretty soon here so stay tuned, comments always welcome so chime in! Edited November 12, 2011 by jbwelda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 hmmm seems we cant post as many pics as we used to. well only one way around that one: a look at the left side, sans wheels but with interior and motor in place. motor has all the accessories added as it will be. and heres a traditional hot rod monster motif for the grille with spun aluminum moon tank out front: motor with full equipment: dash with banjo steering wheel: and finally a shot of finished interior: thanks again for looking and watch for some completion sometime soon! lookin pretty kool so far if you ask me! i hope to get this wrapped up pretty soon here so stay tuned, comments always welcome so chime in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Lovin' this lil' thing from across the pond. Nicely done on all counts. The color combination looks great. Really looking forward to you getting this buttoned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Really good to see something different like this, kind of reminds me of this Can't wait to see it done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Loving it. Andrew, this last pic is a wonderful reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfjunke Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) What a cool build! Great Idea & very unique. Very clean work. That's some real dirty paint! Just like dropping fresh painted parts on a rug! The bubble top douse look pretty wild, though. Edited November 12, 2011 by surfjunke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Sweet looking build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaymcminn Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 This is too cool. I had a similar idea to build this kit using the Revell Midget Offy motor but realized what a pain that would be and dropped it. Your build makes me simultaneously glad I gave it up and curious as to how it would have turned out, although I suspect it wouldn't have turned out as nice as yours. Now hurry up and finish it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertw Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Great job it's hard to believe that your build is based on that old Heller/Revell AG kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 thanks for your comments and interest everyone! tonite i hoped to address an issue that has bothered me ever since i epoxied the differential/rear axle into place: the wheel/tires were sitting too far back in the wheel wells. my hoped for solution was quick and simple (not to mention dirty): drill the brake drum holes oblong so i can move the wheel forward without disturbing the axle itself. then i plan on using epoxy mixed with india ink to bond and meld the axle/brake drum together unobtrusively. who is ever to know? well except those who read it here! anyway here are a couple pics of the chassis jigged up and the wheels in place. you cant tell from the photos but the wheels are sitting just about 1/16th forward of center, and that is all it takes to make them a lot more balanced looking in the body wheel wells. when i get them epoxied down i will put the chassis and body together for a shot to show what i mean. Shot at 2011-11-12 Shot at 2011-11-12 that magnetic chassis jig i got from micro mark continues to be of constant use! heres a shot of this portion of my work area: all austin including the surfite motor you might see there! no, i dont mean the dremel!!! see my next post for a poll i would like to see some response to! thanks again for looking and any and all comments are welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) aright heres the thing: along the way somewhere i decided i would like a bit of a "yellow jacket" look to this car, and i decided a simple lengthened hoop style rollbar like the old monogram model the yellow jacket had would look kool. so i drilled some holes and of course they came out just slightly, but enuff for me to notice, off center. i had also liked the folded top that came with the kit and painted it up and it still fits over the holes for the rollbar when you take the rollbar off (i still havent figured out how to make the rollbar temporary enough to remove easily but still in there well enough to find its own center and stay there but that will come with enough blue tac or something). so here are photos of both in place...what do you think? and if you would like to expand beyond a simple choice of one or the other, by all means do... remember there will be a chopped down windscreen on this one, basically the stock windscreen chopped by half. the kinda rock and roll hoodlum look with the rollbar in place: or the more professorial folded top look: again thanks for looking! Edited November 13, 2011 by jbwelda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I like the rollbar AND the boot- I'd say make them both removable so you could display it either way. And yeah- I just used the 'oblong' tire mounting hole trick on a project I just finished- it was that or have the right front tire about three scale inches up in the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FASTBACK340 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Sorry for the old blurry pictures taken with an ancient 1.8 MP digital, but you get the idea. I built this about 10 yrs. ago. This is the Heller BMW "Dixie" done as a street rod. The engine is a cut-down 392 Hemi made into a V-6 w/ fuel injection from the AMT S-10 kit. Completed with an outrageous tub job...... Yours is turning out MUCH nicer than mine though! I just had to share since it's not everyday you see a similar build on an off-beat subject! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Lectro Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 It's a tough call, but I think I like the folded-top look just a little bit better. I am loving your work on this one! I think the Lotus 4 is an excellent match for the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 john: thanks for posting those pics of your similar build. youre right: not often you see a similar build of such an off beat subject...great minds think alike! love that hemi V6 too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaymcminn Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Definitely the roll bar. It just makes it look that much tougher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 hey john, can i ask you a couple questions of your build of the Dixi? your doors...looks like you hinged them? did you get them to close nicely? happen to have any photos of it with the doors closed? i really like how your tires only stick out of the wheel wells a bit in the rear...mine are going to stick out further than that and they arent even half the width of yours! killer tub job by the way! looks like you cut out your grille from the shell too? and what do you have behind it, just a solid inlay? and you tunnelled your license plate and the rear lights? looks great back there. i am still puzzled over what i am using for headlamps, maybe some small Lucas flamethrowers on a stalk. my taillights i got covered; i am going to draw a further parallel to my other austin, built on a tweedy pie platform though pretty heavily modified, by using the tweedy pie rear bumper (thats what the holes on the lower rear deck are for) and it has molded in taillamps i just painted tamiya clear red. will post a pic with the bumper on next time... any other photos of your build (or anyones for that matter!) or stories would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I toyed with hinging the doors on my Datsun variant, but, well.... I didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FASTBACK340 Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 hey john, can i ask you a couple questions of your build of the Dixi? I'm home with a sick dog and a flood in my basement. Perfect Monday so far...... But I tell ya what, after the Vet & Plumber, I'll dig out the Dixie and snap a few good clear shots for you. It was a fun build. IIRC, I used the frame from the Fiat double dragster as a base.... I'll get back later with more..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FASTBACK340 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 (edited) hey john, can i ask you a couple questions of your build of the Dixi? your doors...looks like you hinged them? did you get them to close nicely? happen to have any photos of it with the doors closed? i really like how your tires only stick out of the wheel wells a bit in the rear...mine are going to stick out further than that and they arent even half the width of yours! killer tub job by the way! looks like you cut out your grille from the shell too? and what do you have behind it, just a solid inlay? and you tunnelled your license plate and the rear lights? looks great back there. i am still puzzled over what i am using for headlamps, maybe some small Lucas flamethrowers on a stalk. my taillights i got covered; i am going to draw a further parallel to my other austin, built on a tweedy pie platform though pretty heavily modified, by using the tweedy pie rear bumper (thats what the holes on the lower rear deck are for) and it has molded in taillamps i just painted tamiya clear red. will post a pic with the bumper on next time... any other photos of your build (or anyones for that matter!) or stories would be appreciated! What a day.... Dog is fine ($400+ at the Vet....) , sewer was snaked (###### tree in front of my house.....) and everything cleaned up. Add in a lost day of commission at work, and.... OUCH! As for your questions: The doors fit horribly.... I should have allowed more room for paint. Thanks on the compliment with the tubbing. I used a quick change Halibrand rear for it's narrowness. I opened up the radiator shell & put some pipe screen behind it. Thanks again on the rear deck mods. I don't remember where the headlights came from. I built this thing over 10 yrs. ago..... And as for photos...... Edited November 15, 2011 by FASTBACK340 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 thanks for the pics john...as a coincidence, i hit a dog on the way home from work tonite. a big dog. my car got the best of it but still got smashed up a bit but i feel sorry for the dog. i like that exhaust system you did there too. great stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FASTBACK340 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 So sorry to hear about the dog.... As a pet owner that's my biggest fear. Having my guy loose his mind chasing a squirrel and getting nailed. I hit a dog myself many years ago and I still feel bad about it. Thanks for the compliments on my build, but don't look too closely. There's no suspension, steering, etc.... and those flocked seats look like ____! But it was a quick, fun build. Now, let's get back to that little pearl your building! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 alright then, heres a couple shots of the tweedy pie rear bumper set in place along with a general view of how things are coming along, with the rear wheels epoxied to the axle and aligned: the rear wheels are pretty well centered in the wheel arches; in this shot unfortunately the body is sitting slightly too far to the rear, crowding the front of the tire. i checked and its really much better centered when adjusted a bit: so here is something i have puzzled with: how to attach the front axle. you can see the front of the tube subframe I made but there is no provision to actually mount the axle. what i am thinking is to mount the axle inside the grille shell and then mount the grille shell/axle to the front of the frame. this is going to require that i glue on the front wheels to the axle which i dont like because it makes it harder to get all four wheels flat on the ground if you are off any on your various alignments. aw what the heck: just white glue it together so hopefully we can better judge whats gonna work: comments or criticisms or ideas even cheerfully considered! meanwhile, i had this idea of hanging a moon tank out in front of the radiator shell but now that i have them assembled, i think it might look way too busy. besides i cant really decide if it would look better up high, blocking view of the shell insert, or further down and then it would be a matter of whether it was high enough off the ground. thats another reason to try to white glue stuff together so i can get a realistic mock up going on. hopefully i will spare us all photos of that session! i dunno...just looks a little cluttered out there. maybe it will appeal to me more when it is mocked up for reals. the alternative would be to mount a cap on the rear deck generally where i did on the original, not a bad concept but i had my heart set on something more radical... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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