Crazy8 Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 So I have been working on my '32 ford for a bit of time now and want to push myself a little bit further than I did on my first model (Ferrari California). I need to drop the stance on my '32 and after the things I have tried I am thinking structurally I might be better off building a chassis. The current one is now becoming a bit of a mess and hedache. Building a chassis is not anything I have done nor do I know how to do it, or do it correctly for that matter but I am also very interested in learning. Based on some chassis I have seen I dont want it to have sharp corners everywhere, rather Id like to bend the plastic to fallow the same curves as and look much like the chassis that came in the kit minus some of the needed mods. 1. Can I "curve" the plastic to fit the shape of the current chassis? Perhaps by means of low heat? 2. For areas that I will have to glue, what glue works best? Im quickly getting sick of testors red label stuff. 3. When I go to pick up plastic to build my chassis what thicknesses do I need and what shapes? (1/24 scale) 4. Are the #11 Exacto blade and a razor saw the only two tools that come into play with making these kinds of things? 5. Are there any tools that might help to make things easier when building custom chassis? Any help on this would be much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Okay, I'm going to play the devils advocate here. There are ways of dropping your stance without scratching a new chassis. You could z-cut the existing chassis like they do in 1:1. You could trim the springs. I can totally sympathize with wanting to learn new techniques. However if I can impart the least little bit of wisdom I have gathered in the years I have been building is to take it slow and learn to build cleanly first. Jumping in on some heavy scratch-building on your second model is not something I'd advise. That's not to say don't look into it at the same time. There is a thread that still pops up from time to time that was just about scratch-building. Using the search function might find it for you. Lots of good info there for the aspiring scratcher. Seriously, jumping into advanced building techniques before your ready has been the downfall of many a young builder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy8 Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 Thank you very much for your gentle guidence and wisdom. So what exactly is "z-cutting"? I also know very little of real vehicles when it comes to rodding, and parts. Short of chaning oil, fuses, filters and maybe adding a little grease, im a car idiot. Over all my chassis is in ok condition.I will post a pic of my "destroyed" chassis just to show the ptoblems I am having after making the cuts I did, after I get off work tonight. Now im dropping it a bit so cutting the already tiny springs did not seem like it was going to get it as low as I would like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKcustoms Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 You could channel the body over the frame rails to drop it really low and still maintain the kit suspension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy8 Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 Any examples of this that you know of? I think I have seen what you're talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKcustoms Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Basically, you push the rails up inside the body instead of the body sitting on top of them and this allows the body to be low to the ground without lowering the frame also. http://farm1.staticflickr.com/138/324200114_77be560313_z.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy8 Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 Oh ok. Thats what I was figuring it was but just wanted to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW Dave Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) Here's a shot of my in-progress '32 roadster, with a channel of about 7" in scale: A '32 Ford frame is about 6" tall, as I'm told; that's where I get my guesstimate from. Compared to a 'box stock' stance on the left, you can see how much lower mine went with a channel job: Here's a link to the whole build so far, which might prove helpful(depending on the style of hot rod you're doing): http://public.fotki....el-surfer-32-f/ Edited March 20, 2012 by VW Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy8 Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 Well channeling might be the way to go but I am wondering if maybe its to lat for me to do that now, effectively. I still feel like I may have destroyed the chassis even though I gave it another shot last night to get things to stick right and not break off. So here are the pics of my mess I created... This shows where it broke and an idea of what I have done. I essentially cut through the original chassis and beefing up that spot with extra material so that I could file the spot where the rear axle sits and make the chassis drop more. An idea of what the front is supposed to look like when its glued. How the rear should look when done and glued. The whole chassis alltogether. Close up of what I did and one of the issues with getting it to not break after glued. Maybe I should see if someone has a spare '32 chassis that they would donate or sell. Then I have the opporunity to do the work I did to it up to this point and not make these mistakes again and to take the channeling approach. My fear right now is even if I get these peices to stick, after painting, and after everything is complete, I will be afraid to even touch it in fear of these peices breaking off or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Okay what you have effectively done is notched the frame, which is commonly done. To help hold the front together, you just add a gusset between the frame and the spring perch which will give you the strength you have lost in the cutting. I think you still have a save-able chassis there. In case you weren't sure what I mean by a gusset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62rebel Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 another tip: ditch the tube glue. use a solvent glue; my preference is straight Methyl Ethyl Ketone. you can buy it at Lowes, a quart can is about 9 bucks and it lasts forever.... BUT; DON'T try to use it straight from that can. use a large clean paint bottle or empty Liquid Cement bottle to hold your working supply. the fumes from it are bad, so don't leave the cap off. ANYWAY: what you've got already shouldn't be that difficult to finish the way you were going. add gussetting and "fish plates" to the joints, and give the solvent time to work. it welds the plastic chemically, so a small amount wicked into a joint will quickly "kick" and form a strong join. another trick i use on fragile or critical joints is to place a drop of superglue on the joint and work it all around and over it. superglue forms a very hard surface on the plastic, reacting to the styrene, and should be stronger than the original piece was. you could also use the frame you have now, and copy it in sheet styrene, laminated like plywood and sanded/filed to final shape. sheet styrene, if you don't have a hobby shop nearby, is as close as your neighborhood Wal-Mart. buy a few plastic "For Sale" signs in the hardware section; they're styrene and usually about equal to .020" sheet from Evergreen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy8 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thank you Jantrix and 62rebel for the additional help. I greatly appreciate it. Well maybe I will get some .020" Evergreen just to play with but I will also get some super glue and Methyl Ethyl Ketone and give that a shot. @Jantrix - I will try the gussest in combination with the suggested glue and see if I can create a nice strong joint. @62rebel - When I look for the Methyl Ethyl Ketone, should I be looking for it under a specifinc brand? I mean if I cant find the stuff at Lowes and need help what should I be asking the person to help me find? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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