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Post by fordrodnkustom on May 30, 2018 16:40:30 GMT -5
Wow this is coming along great Bob. Those front wheels are brilliant. Can you show how you did them?
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Post by Bernard Kron on May 30, 2018 18:29:38 GMT -5
Cowabunga! The roll and push bars were always gonna be the "long pole in the tent" and you pulled them off with aplomb (or at least it looks like that from here, since none of us were in the room when you were doing it, LOL). I bought some aluminum rod once to do just this sort of work, but it was too soft to stay straight and smooth. I would think 3/32" is just about as thin as would work at all. What did you use?
BTW, I thought the Little Rod was as good as it gets, but somehow I think this one will be better. Maybe it's just my natural prejudice for racing machinery... Anyway, can't wait for more, more, more!!!!
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Post by TooOld on May 31, 2018 6:50:35 GMT -5
Wow this is coming along great Bob. Those front wheels are brilliant. Can you show how you did them? Some of the photos I took of the front wheels weren't very good but I'll post them here for you to see . Since the finished wheel is thicker than the Monogram tire I had to thin everything I could on my sanding pad . The chrome wheels from the '49 Merc were first . Sand to far and the lug nuts and center will fall out . . . I found out the hard way . I was able to poke thru the remaining plastic with a #11 blade to open the four slots .   The trim rings are the narrow ones from the Blue Bandito and the backing plate are from my parts box (Little "T" ?) , the backing plates were thinned as much as I could . I don't really like the backing plates but unless I can find some more trim rings I'll use them .  The lip on the I.D. of the Monogram tires had to be removed so the wheel would fit all the way into the tire , then the trim rings were glued in place . |
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Post by TooOld on May 31, 2018 7:06:35 GMT -5
Cowabunga! The roll and push bars were always gonna be the "long pole in the tent" and you pulled them off with aplomb (or at least it looks like that from here, since none of us were in the room when you were doing it, LOL). I bought some aluminum rod once to do just this sort of work, but it was too soft to stay straight and smooth. I would think 3/32" is just about as thin as would work at all. What did you use? BTW, I thought the Little Rod was as good as it gets, but somehow I think this one will be better. Maybe it's just my natural prejudice for racing machinery... Anyway, can't wait for more, more, more!!!! Thanks very much Bernard ! You must have bought Aluminum Welding Rod for TIG welding . I have some in 36" lengths and it is very soft but I like to use it for headers and exhaust instead of solder . For these bars I used KS Aluminum Rod from Hobbylinc , they sell 1/32" 1/16" and 3/32" diameters and it is a much harder alloy (6061 ?) . The 1/32" and 1/16" can still be bent by hand , but the 3/32" requires more effort . Being carefull it's still hard not to get tool marks in it ! I scaled down the photo of the Big Drag Race Set and used it as a template to bend the bars . It took a couple of attempts to get them right !  |
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Post by Jantrix on May 31, 2018 7:06:43 GMT -5
This is outstanding work. I appreciate the extensive parts search.
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Post by TooOld on May 31, 2018 12:54:33 GMT -5
This is outstanding work. I appreciate the extensive parts search. Thanks very much ! When I started this project with the Little Rod build I wanted them all to represent an accurately scaled version of the 1/8th models , not necessarily super detailed but more what Monogram might have done . With this Little Drag it was more difficult finding correct parts than it has been building it . |
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Post by fordrodnkustom on May 31, 2018 16:35:29 GMT -5
Wow this is coming along great Bob. Those front wheels are brilliant. Can you show how you did them? Some of the photos I took of the front wheels weren't very good but I'll post them here for you to see . Since the finished wheel is thicker than the Monogram tire I had to thin everything I could on my sanding pad . The chrome wheels from the '49 Merc were first . Sand to far and the lug nuts and center will fall out . . . I found out the hard way . I was able to poke thru the remaining plastic with a #11 blade to open the four slots . The trim rings are the narrow ones from the Blue Bandito and the backing plate are from my parts box (Little "T" ?) , the backing plates were thinned as much as I could . I don't really like the backing plates but unless I can find some more trim rings I'll use them . The lip on the I.D. of the Monogram tires had to be removed so the wheel would fit all the way into the tire , then the trim rings were glued in place . Thanks Bob! I will be using this technique in the future. |
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Post by TooOld on Jun 1, 2018 17:52:30 GMT -5
Installed all the goodies for the interior . I've got an aluminum knob for the hand brake but it's not glued on yet .  I couldn't resist slipping it into the body to see what it looks like !   |
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Post by TooOld on Jun 3, 2018 8:06:47 GMT -5
Moving right along now . I was moving the hand brake and broke it , figures . So I made a new one . . . this time with the knob . Also found a tach in the Chevelle Super Wagon kit .  I found more trim rings but the way I made the front wheels there is no way anything will fit so I made my own . I have some aluminum wire from Michaels that I wrapped around a socket and a plate from .010" sheet .  Before and after . The before was really butt ugly !  And the finished chassis !   |
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Post by fordrodnkustom on Jun 3, 2018 16:27:16 GMT -5
Looking just about perfect! Clever technique there for the trim rings!
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Post by jffj on Jun 3, 2018 19:48:12 GMT -5
Amazing work Bob! All the stuff you've made so big BIG, so that 1/8 Big Drag looks little 😄😄
Such clean and delicate work 😎👍👍
John
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Post by TooOld on Jun 3, 2018 19:48:53 GMT -5
Looking just about perfect! Clever technique there for the trim rings! Thanks ! Had to do something to finish the front wheels , I think this solution looks okay on the finished chassis . Just a couple of small details to work on and then finish the decal artwork ! |
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Post by TooOld on Jun 6, 2018 7:17:41 GMT -5
Everything is just about ready for final assembly .  Using the Big Drag decal scan as a guide I created artwork for my Little Drag . The few contingency decals needed I can get from existing decal sheets .  Next stop is the "Finished" section ! |
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Post by Bernard Kron on Jun 6, 2018 12:28:44 GMT -5
Impeccably done throughout! How are you handling the white decals?
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Post by TooOld on Jun 6, 2018 17:35:53 GMT -5
Impeccably done throughout! How are you handling the white decals? I'm experimenting some more with white decal paper , not real happy with the Evan Designs paper so it's the old standby white paper - color background - crossed fingers . It always seems to be "close but no cigar" so I'm trying a couple of ideas that hopefully will give better results . |
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