'65 Chevy Stepside

[NOBLNG]

This is my next victim, unless I get side-tracked onto something else. This will be an OOB build with a little detailing. This is my first attempt ever at wiring an engine.

[espo]

Good paint job on the engine, but you might want to rethink the routing of the plug wires. In the OEM application the plug wires would go from the distributer to a bracket on the back side of the heads and then run forward under and behind the exhaust manifolds. The sad part of wiring a Chevy V8 as your first try is that the plug wires are almost invisible unless viewed from underneath. In the real world it was a pain in the rear to put plug wires on such an engine and many would do it the way you are showing. To prevent the plug wires from getting burnt on the exhaust manifold they would use some universal brackets that would keep the plug wires somewhat off of the manifolds. This may be your best bet at this point since it look like everything is glued at this point.  You could use the bottom edge of the valve covers as a mounting point for the brackets just as they did.   A plan B would be if you have exhaust manifolds from say one of the Revell Nova small block kits. These have the manifolds that Chevy used in later years on passenger cars where the ports of the exhaust manifolds turned down and then exited to the rear and the plug wires were then routed just as you have already done. This is a great kit but one area you will want to pay attention to is the exhaust and the manifolds. The exhaust pipes are a little fiddly. But the biggest issue is if you retaining the kits manifolds as cast in the kit since the manifold almost sits on the frame and tying any type of custom exhaust to those manifolds you must keep that little kink that you see coming off the manifold to the exhaust pipes. If you should replace the exhaust manifolds from another kit and they exit toward the rear you will need to shorten and reshape the kits exhaust to meet the different manifolds.  Please don't let anything I have said discourage you from your build. I just finished the Suburban that shares the chassis and suspension with this kit and I had to make my own complete exhaust system to get what I wanted.   

[NOBLNG]

Thanks for the tips David. Being as this is my first wiring job, I am going to leave it as is. I am not too concerned with it looking factory original. I may try to get more accurate next time if I get my hands on some pre-wired distributors and/or some photo etched looms. What I like on a model is contrast that draws out little details, even if it means using improper colors or shades, yet still retaining a somewhat factory look.

I was wondering how the exhaust was going to hook up since there is no wye pipe to connect both manifolds to the single exhaust. I can't leave a big gap in the exhaust system. That just won't do! Do you have a pic of the Suburban undercarriage?

Thanks, Greg.

[426 pack]

12 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

I was wondering how the exhaust was going to hook up since there is no wye pipe to connect both manifolds to the single exhaust. I can't leave a big gap in the exhaust system. That just won't do! Do you have a pic of the Suburban undercarriage?

Here is a picture of the underside of the revell 1966 fleetside.

 

Edited April 10, 2018 by 426 pack

[NOBLNG]

Thanks for the exhaust pic Cale. I test fit mine after seeing yours and it will fit just fine. I was going to paint the bottom of the box body color, but I notice that you have it correct, it should be wood.

Edited April 10, 2018 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

I don't like the cheesy cast in visors so I made a set from .030 welding wire, masking tape, and an old gift card. I sealed the edges with a little liquid glue. Still need to paint them once I decide on an interior color. These visors work very well on this model because the roof is a double thickness.

Edited May 7, 2018 by NOBLNG
add pics

[Tom Geiger]

Here's my engine. As David said, I routed the wires under the manifolds and once in the truck, it's like I didn't need to bother wiring!  You cannot see a thing!

[NOBLNG]

Nice job on the weathering! I'm sure if anyone replaced the plug wires on a 1:1, they likely didn't follow the factory route.

[#1 model citizen]

Even tho they don't show, its much more realistic than draping the wiring over the valve covers. I don't much care for the look of most "wired" engines as they just don't look right with the wires draped over valve covers, and often the wire looks too thick for the scale, at least to my eye. Your engine looks very real the way you did it. Very nice!

[Mercuryman54]

Very nice so far!! But shouldn't this be in the truck section.

[NOBLNG]

19 minutes ago, Mercuryman54 said:

Very nice so far!! But shouldn't this be in the truck section.

Yes, sorry. Message sent.

[espo]

17 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

I don't like the cheesy cast in visors so I made a set from .030 welding wire, masking tape, and an old gift card. I sealed the edges with a little liquid glue. Still need to paint them once I decide on an interior color.

Well I see you got moved to the truck section. I like your visors and I don't recall seeing that done before. Consider your idea "stolen" on my next build. You mentioned wanting to see the exhaust system on my Suburban build. Since you're now in the truck section just drop down to the Under Glass section and look for Family Suburban and I have posted a shot of the chassis and the engine is wired but lots of luck finding the plug wires. Someone else questioned if anyone replacing the plug wires on a 1:1 in the same as OEM, I have the scar tissue on my hands to prove that it was how it was done way back when.  

[dieseldawg142]

.....

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by dieseldawg142

[ATHU]

Great work on the engine!

[NOBLNG]

Finished up the chassis today and also the dash.

[espo]

Nice looking chassis. I like the rear coil springs you made for this.

[NOBLNG]

They're on the front too. I went to Princess Auto and bought a huge bag of assorted springs for $6.00 and these fit perfect.

[Belugawrx]

Looking good!

Keep 'er going

[crazyjim]

Love those sun visors. Great idea. Can't wait to see progress.

[NOBLNG]

I got the interior finished today. The instrument panel came out better than I had hoped. When I first saw the fine, shallow detail on the panel, I expected to see a decal for the instruments. No such luck! So I used panel line accent around the gauge numbers and some thinned down paint for the more open areas of the gauge faces.

[NOBLNG]

I have been working on getting the tailgate to operate properly. I am using straight pins for hinges. After drilling the tailgate and the bed sides, the hinge pin holes in the bed side were too close to the back edge for my liking, so I beefed them up with a little chunk of sprue and some custom made stake pockets. Once everything is painted I can insert the hinge pins and the tail lights should hold them in place and hide them.

Edited May 7, 2018 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

I've got the basic paint job done. I still need to clear it and do the trim etc. I also re-painted the bottom of the cab section that was attached to the chassis. This paint is Testors Aztek opaque turquoise. It did not go on near as nice as the Aztek pearl on my firebird. I airbrushed the cab first and I needed a fair bit of pressure to get it to spray. When I got around to the box, I added a few drops of Windex to the airbrush cup and it seemed to go on a lot smoother.

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by NOBLNG
add pic

[KWT]

Nice job. I'm enjoying following along.

[NOBLNG]

Glass mouldings are done. I was debating whether to do them after the clear, since I want them to be matt. They will be better protected under the clear I think, and I can always give them a coat of flat clear later. I will let all this paint dry well before I attempt to clear it. 

[kelson]

Really enjoying your build so far,great choice for the color.