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Post by Oldtimer on Jul 12, 2019 18:26:07 GMT -8
Once again, working in 1/18 scale, trying to create models that never existed in this scale, and probably never will. Here are the donors: Body from Highway 61, chassis from Winged Warriors. Chassis To create this:
Lots of fabrication that I am not going to bore you with, but had a breakthrough moment over the past couple of days that I wanted to share. Among the issues, was that the original front cage hoop interfered with the front radiator bulkhead of the Belvedere, so I cut some of the diecast to get it to fit. But as I got deeper into the build, it was clear that I needed to replace the pieces of the bulkhead in order to have a "complete" chassis, so I used styrene angle to fabricate and top and bottom for the radiator opening.
Still had to cut the roll cage pieces, and will need to meld them eventually as I get closer to completion.
Plus, with the differences, I had to insert a piece of brass channel to fill the gap for the front roll cage supports. One other element that I didn't find on 1/24 scale plastic versions of this model was the vestigial rear spoiler. As you can see in the second, black and white photo, there was clearly a piece of aluminum (from my experience) angle riveted to the trunk. I duplicated that with brass angle. Clearly it was painted body color, so I did some primer testing tonight, to see what it looked like.
I think I have the rake of the body and the chassis pretty close.
Still to go: firewall and dash, rear package tray, fuel cell mounted into trunk, and detailing.
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Post by sam on Jul 12, 2019 18:29:17 GMT -8
Patiently waiting the reboot. π
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Post by Bernard Kron on Jul 12, 2019 18:37:10 GMT -8
Please, bore us with the fabrication! The Poetty Plymouths have always been a fave because they looked like both the stockers they were and the the race cars they truly were! Build on!
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Post by Oldtimer on Jul 12, 2019 18:49:19 GMT -8
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Post by Chris K. Hale on Jul 13, 2019 5:57:13 GMT -8
Great Stuff Jim,
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cc
Full Time Ride
Posts: 141
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Post by cc on Jul 13, 2019 8:39:56 GMT -8
Jim, Way to think out of the box. Please boar us with the details. Looks like you doing a great job.
CC π
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Post by pnance26 on Jul 13, 2019 10:02:05 GMT -8
Keep on boring me, PLEASE! The more photos the better! Great looking build!
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Post by Joel_W on Jul 13, 2019 12:42:01 GMT -8
Jim, Excellent fabrication to say the least. We're all modelers, so there's no chance you can bore us with as many details as possible.
Joel
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Post by Oldtimer on Jul 15, 2019 12:58:49 GMT -8
So here's the dilemma; you got two models, and they each have a component that serves a specific purpose, but they aren't exactly identical, so you have to either make a choice or dig really deep into fabrication. Firewall (already sanded vacuum lines, wiper motor, etc. off the Belvedere version)
Where the firewall goes. Dashboard Package Tray
Where the Package Tray goes. One admission of guilt: Belvedere package tray has already been removed from Belvedere trunk to allow this modification to proceed.
Like Arnold said in the Terminator: I'll be back!"
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Post by Oldtimer on Jul 22, 2019 8:19:13 GMT -8
Made some progress over the weekend. Let's start with the firewall. Here are the two pieces, one from the Belvedere, the other from the Superbird. The issue is to fill in the gaps and make them fit the other model, where appropriate. The Belvedere firewall interfered with the Superbird chassis, so I had to trim some at the bottom. I use a nipper that we used back when I was building race cars, as it has a very sharp bite, and takes a small 1/4 x 1/16 piece with each application.
And the revised piece looks like this. When applied back into place, we end up with a gap between the Belvedere firewall and the ends of the rollcage tubes in the engine compartment. I took the Superbird firewall and removed the ends (not a lot of detail to it to begin with) where the rollcage formerly matched up in the Superbird. I installed them onto the ends of the rollcage, and then when I inserted the Belvedere firewall, they close up the gap nicely. I'll chamfer the square edges so that the transition between the pieces isn't so abrupt, and then when it is all painted the same color, I think it makes a nice solution. Next, I attacked the dash, again with two pieces to choose from. Didn't take a lot of progress shots, but since the Belvedere dash will bolt nicely into the Belvedere body, but the Superbird dash, rudimentary as it is, looks kinda "racy", I just ground away the non-essential parts of both. And will put them together. Again, paint will help a lot to cover up some of the crudeness. One thing I did notice as I was closing up shop last night is that the Belvedere dash interferes with the A-posts of the Superbird cage, but a little bit of Dr. Dremel will cure that.
Rear package tray and trunk/fuel cell are next.
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Post by 2whl on Jul 22, 2019 9:46:56 GMT -8
I take it all of the pieces you are working with are white metal?
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Post by Oldtimer on Jul 22, 2019 10:26:02 GMT -8
I take it all of the pieces you are working with are white metal? Body is diecast, both firewalls and dashes were plastic. For this one, the donor chassis is also plastic, although that is not always the case.
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Post by Joel_W on Jul 22, 2019 11:43:43 GMT -8
I'd say you're doing an excellent job of making parts fit that were never intended for those purposes. Like you said, a little blending in, and then matching paint, and they'll look like they were molded that way.
Joel
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Post by Oldtimer on Jul 22, 2019 13:04:29 GMT -8
I'd say you're doing an excellent job of making parts fit that were never intended for those purposes. Like you said, a little blending in, and then matching paint, and they'll look like they were molded that way. Joel
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Post by Oldtimer on Jul 22, 2019 13:05:21 GMT -8
I'd say you're doing an excellent job of making parts fit that were never intended for those purposes. Like you said, a little blending in, and then matching paint, and they'll look like they were molded that way. Joel Or, in other words, "Hammer to Fit, Paint to Match!"
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