Dry-lakes scratchbashed '29 Ford/Ardun: Front 4-link, etc., Jan. 26

[dragzz]

its looking great so far

[bobthehobbyguy]

Nice work. Like the way you did the perch.

[slusher]

Nice work bill...

[Jeremy Jon]

Fantastic Bill, very cool subjects, and great workmanship as ever!

[Intmd8r]

Awesome build - keep up the good work!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks again for all the interest and kind comments. Today's project is getting the rear suspension under it.

[Phildaupho]

Very impressed with your progress so far especially your use of recycled parts. It is probably very similar to how the real car was built.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Very impressed with your progress so far especially your use of recycled parts. It is probably very similar to how the real car was built.

Yes sir. Hacking and whacking junk together, measure several times, try to cut only once.

I'm using a Halibrand quick-change rear end salvaged from another gluebomb. Ted Halibrand introduced his QC in 1948, so this would be pretty much state-of-the-art in '49 or so. The Halibrand QC came in 2 flavors..."Model A" and "V8". The V8 unit used '32 and later steel Ford axle bells bolted to the alloy center section. The V8 axle bells I have here had much too thick flanges to look like anything other than klugey toys, so I put a little effort into thinning them. The one attached to the center section is about right, while the loose one is still to be corrected.

It's pretty much standard practice to use a model A or T rear spring to clear a QC, so you have to use a crossmember that will work with those springs as well. Here's another gluebomb AMT '28 chassis with the right crossmember, and I was able to get the spring loose from it without breaking. I'm going to position the spring behind the axle. so I've made up 1/16" spacer blocks to stand in as mockups for new spring hangers.

The assembled QC gets installed in the A chassis to check the clearance between the axle ends and the crossmember.

Before I commit to the next step, I need to double check the ride height, and make sure the body will go back on the chassis in exactly the same place every time. I had Lefty sit in the car with the engine installed so I could see where his feet go. I'll be making a light weight tubular structure to hold up the body (and locate it positively, relative to to frame), so I need to see how much room I have to work with. Just exactly like building a real car.

[Dirty Dave]

Nicely bodged. HOw close are you figuring this? Allowing for paint thickness?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Everything is dead on, so I cut the crossmember out of the A chassis and "welded" it in place on the new chassis.

Everything went in right, and the frame sits level at the right height (measured at the mockup stage) to maintain the exact stance I'm after, while maintaining the wheelbase too.

While the suspension parts were setting up between stages, I went ahead and started the bodywork. I don't see how anyone could do this work with one-part putty...at least not this fast, with thick, sculptural fills.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

Nicely bodged. HOw close are you figuring this? Allowing for paint thickness?

Yes. There's actually plenty of clearance between the axle and the frame (especially as it's a straight-line car, intended to accelerate fairly slowly on a smooth surface) and there won't be much paint on the running gear anyway, as it's supposed to be something with minimal show-appeal. The body panels will have to be fitted with paint-thickness in mind, as I'm going for a well-turned-out, shiny look up top.

[cobraman]

Looking sweet Bill.

[jeffs396]

Neat Bill!

[exesivefire]

Glad to see you building again.. I always enjoy your builds.

Your moving fast too!

[1930fordpickup]

Looking good Bill , just about to the point of full coverage in primer .

[JTalmage]

I really enjoy this. Look great

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks again. I really DO appreciate you all's interest.

Looking good Bill , just about to the point of full coverage in primer .

It'll be a while yet. I still have to do the forward under-part of the bellypan, the entire rear bellypan, decide on where and cut the hood/nose into sections, cut holes in the hood sides for the exhausts, and make up a hard tonneau with a base for a curved, Indy-style windshield. Then 2K primer, molds and pull final parts from them. Plus smooth the '28 body shell and fill the rear wheel wells.

Whew. Then there are the floors, supports and bulkheads inside the car, more cleanup/filling to do on the frame rails, and a roll bar. And rear wishbones and brakes.

Gotta make a bomber seat, steering linkage, instrument panel, etc., plus a water tank to go in the tail, and all of the hoses and wiring details.

Kinda like eating an elephant.

[Dirty Dave]

Kinda like eating an elephant.

Ha!

[johnbuzzed]

I do agree, this is looking good. I'll be watching.

[crazyrichard]

ooh yes awsome

what stuff did you use exactly to fill the nose ? the pink stuff that look like great sandable bondo

[JTalmage]

That is what is called a finishing glaze. Super easy to sand and get final bodywork blocked out perfectly. Many companies make a finish glaze. That particular brand is bondo brand.

[Ace-Garageguy]

ooh yes awsome

what stuff did you use exactly to fill the nose ? the pink stuff that look like great sandable bondo

That is what is called a finishing glaze. Super easy to sand and get final bodywork blocked out perfectly. Many companies make a finish glaze. That particular brand is bondo brand.

Yes, Bondo #801 Professional finishing glaze. It's a 2-part polyester product, chemically identical to regular bondo, but with a much finer texture. As JTalmage says, there are many brands of similar product that work equally well. (Do NOT confuse it with Bondo # 907, which is a single-part lacquer putty.) 801 comes with its own hardener.

The advantage the Bondo product has in the US market is that it is available in small, modeler-friendly packaging, while most "professional" products come in larger amounts that will probably go bad before you use them up (unless you build a LOT of custom models).

The larger package is #391. Same exact stuff.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[JTalmage]

I'll block glaze all day long over duraglass! Lol!!

I was soo happy when my current project got to the finishing stages of body work. Replacing the rockers and cab corners on a 98 F150. My first really big job that isn't for myself. Thank goodness for finishing glaze and long durablocks.

[Ace-Garageguy]

For larger work on 1:1 jobs, I still prefer USC Icing, but for smaller jobs and models, the Bondo Professional can't be beat. It's thinner bodied than Icing and self-levels better, which is especially helpful on a model where you can keep the filled area parallel with the floor until it kicks. It's also the finest-grained of any spot-putty I've seen yet, except for maybe U-POL Dolphin Glaze.

The fact that it's a little on the runny side initially is good for modelers too, because as it drys out from sitting on the shelf after it's opened, it's still usable (though thicker) a year after first being unsealed. Many other glazing putties will really be too stiff to use on a model after having been opened for that long. (Once opened, even if tightly capped, they ALL will dry out and get stiff).

[southpier]

Ace-Garageguy, on 30 Dec 2014 - 11:05 PM, said:

.......putties will really be too stiff to use on a model after having been opened for that long. (Once opened, even if tightly capped, they ALL will dry out and get stiff).

I remember so well: