Bernard Kron Posted April 6, 2010 Posted April 6, 2010 (edited) Having expropriated virtually the entire chassis, except for the roll cage and steering rack, from the AMT Double Dragster Fiat Altered for my recently completed AMT Parts Pack T-Bucket Altered, I had to scratch together a new chassis to build the Fiat. It's made from 1/8" Evergreen tubing (3 1/8" scale OD) which closely matches the kit roll cage diameter. I used the kit roll cage and steering rack and matched the bracket positions, wheelbase, width and overall length dimensions from the Fiat's kit frame. Front suspension will be from the dragster setup from the extra chrome tree in the Round2 tin and the rear axle is from a Revell '32, narrowed and "welded" directly to mounting brackets in the same position as the kit frame. Not sure about paint except that it'll be fairly plain and purposeful to sit alonsgide the T-Bucket Altered and be from roughly the same period. No whitewalls on this one. The engine will be the kit blown Chrysler. Thanx for lookin', B. Edited May 5, 2010 by gbk1 Quote
Raul_Perez Posted April 7, 2010 Posted April 7, 2010 Look at you go!! Now you're scratch building frames!! Jerry better watch out...at this rate you'll be building a brass chassis with working suspension by the end of the year!! Later, Quote
Bernard Kron Posted April 7, 2010 Author Posted April 7, 2010 (edited) ...Now you're scratch building frames!! ... Jerry better watch out...at this rate you'll be building a brass chassis with working suspension by the end of the year!! ... Dont' tempt me!!! - Building frames is probably my favorite part of any build. Edited April 7, 2010 by gbk1 Quote
Raul_Perez Posted April 7, 2010 Posted April 7, 2010 Dont' tempt me!!! - Building frames is probably my favorite part of any build. Well...someone has to keep him on his toes! Quote
Bernard Kron Posted April 10, 2010 Author Posted April 10, 2010 (edited) This project is moving right along. Making your own chassis almost inevitably means the car will start to drift away from an out-of-the-box build. In addition I've set myself the goal of seeing if I can get 4 cars out of the tin box, taking advantage of the extra chrome tree. Of course this means things like sourcing extra engines, bodies and even chassis. In any case I decided to use a non standard front axle and chose the dropped axle from the AMT '32 Phaeton. I also changed out the kit front tires for a slimmer and slightly smaller set of Gooyears from the Revell Beatnik Bandit kit. The standard tires have always looked too tall and fat to my eyes. The result is a significantly different stance than the kit chassis would give it. It sits somewhat lower overall and is more raked, emphasizing the stretched nose from Walt's Puffer. Tomorrow I'll build the kit Chrysler up and see what mods need to be made to fit it to the new frame. Otherwise most parts are painted except for the main body parts. Here are pics of a rough mockup showing the raked stance. I can't decide if I should remove the front apron below and on either side of the grill area (I don't think I'll run the chrome grill). What do you guys think? Thanx for lookin', B. Edited April 10, 2010 by gbk1 Quote
Dragline Posted April 10, 2010 Posted April 10, 2010 I'm thinking it ROCKS!!! The apron seems fine to me. Your frame is looking good so keep going with your own vision on it. Color choice? Sponsorship perhaps? I'll be watching. Bob Quote
Bernard Kron Posted April 10, 2010 Author Posted April 10, 2010 (edited) ...Color choice? Sponsorship perhaps?... Thanx Bob. I had selected a bright "sea breeze blue", kind of like the blue seen on 50's two tone paint jobs on the Packard Caribbean or some Fords, but it was way too bright and too 90's Smooth Billet Rod looking. I'm thinking some sort of subdued color, perhaps even something as toned down as pale dove gray. The frame rails and roll cage will be finished in a contrasting color, perhaps a bright yellow. The decals will follow from the body color,of course. Sponsorship I'm thinking will be from a speed shop of some sort, the guys who built the hemi. The hemi itself has been stripped of all chrome and the block and heads finished in stock Chrysler factory colors for the period (aluminum paint on the block, heads and pan and gold paint on the valve covers). Obviously the speed shop is just getting on its feet and the guys are concentrating on power and winning... I'm going cruising for paint this afternoon and hope to have the body and frame in color late this weekend. Decals will take a little longer. Glad you like it so far, B. Edited April 10, 2010 by gbk1 Quote
Raul_Perez Posted April 10, 2010 Posted April 10, 2010 It looks like you're off to another good start, Bernard!! Would you believe that I haven't even taken the shrink-wrap off of mine, yet? They're both sitting on the display case with the Roth kits and the new 2 in 1 '25 T kit that came in the mail this morning. Unfortunately, the T was a replacement for the Salt Shaker deal that didn't pan out. The guy had, (and sent me), the Salt Shaker box, but someone had replaced the contents with a standard '39 Chevy Stovebolt kit, instructions and all. Oh well, my quest for the holy grail continues...but that's another story for a different day... Keep up the GREAT work!! Later, Quote
Bernard Kron Posted April 10, 2010 Author Posted April 10, 2010 ...Would you believe that I haven't even taken the shrink-wrap off of mine, yet? They're both sitting on the display case with the Roth kits and the new 2 in 1 '25 T kit that came in the mail this morning. Unfortunately, the T was a replacement for the Salt Shaker deal that didn't pan out. The guy had, (and sent me), the Salt Shaker box, but someone had replaced the contents with a standard '39 Chevy Stovebolt kit, instructions and all. ... Bummer! Now you have two different thoroughly Old School AMT kits to deal with!!!! "Sherman, set the WABAC machine to 1961!"... Quote
Raul_Perez Posted April 10, 2010 Posted April 10, 2010 Bummer! Now you have two different thoroughly Old School AMT kits to deal with!!!! "Sherman, set the WABAC machine to 1961!"... Yeah...the tragedy!! But, I really do want the Salt Shaker. Oh well, I guess that I'll just have to keep looking... WOW!! I'm so old!! I remember Sherman, Mr. Peabody and the time machine like it was yesterday!! Later, Quote
Bernard Kron Posted April 11, 2010 Author Posted April 11, 2010 ...WOW!! I'm so old!! I remember Sherman, Mr. Peabody and the time machine like it was yesterday!!... Yeah, but do you remember Crusader Rabbit? Now that's old! Quote
Bernard Kron Posted April 14, 2010 Author Posted April 14, 2010 (edited) More progress has been made, sort of jumping around from one part of the build to another. Most all parts are painted including the body. The body color is DupliColor Crème. The paint went down smoothly enough so I'm leaving it unpolished as you see it for that Early Era drag car finish. This is another fantasy build so the entrants/sponsor are fictitious. I designed decals for the doors and grill area. The grill decal was made by tracing the back of the kit grill on to paper, scanning the shape into the computer and then using Photoshop to generate the grill-shaped stripe and the lettering, which was carried over from the door decals which I did first. The car is the "famous" Henderson Bros. & Jack's car from 1961. The back story is the Henderson Brothers built the car with both of them trading off on the driving chores. Jack's Automotive (now a giant national parts chain) was just getting started and they built the Chrysler hemi. The paint scheme for the engine is1957 Chrysler stock factory colors: Aluminum paint on the block, pan and heads with gold valve covers. The pictures below are all mocked up with very few parts glued together. The graphics on the front ¾ view were laid in using Photoshop. The kit's red-tinted glass has been cut up so that the area aft of the door windows isn't covered in red plastic allowing me to leave the roof panel removable for an interior view. Next up is detailing and finishing up the engine and completion of the front suspension and steering. Then print and apply the decals and she'll be done. Thanx for lookin', B. Edited April 14, 2010 by gbk1 Quote
Foxer Posted April 14, 2010 Posted April 14, 2010 Coming along nicely. I really like that decal job on the altered. Quote
oldscool Posted April 14, 2010 Posted April 14, 2010 Man that looks great! I love these kits and especially that "mailbox" scoop. oldscool Quote
Raul_Perez Posted April 15, 2010 Posted April 15, 2010 The yellow frame with the cream colored body looks GREAT!! The decal colors go well with the tinted glass and the seat. Keep up the GREAT work!! Later, Quote
Bernard Kron Posted April 15, 2010 Author Posted April 15, 2010 Thanx guys! Those decals are a high-risk proposition. Hopefully they'll fit properly and not contrast too greatly with the unpolished paint. But I had to do something to give it some punch. You can only go so far with Old Skool funk... The mailbox scoop is certainly the signature piece of this kit. The one thing I did do to it is thin the front edges. The original kit version is at least 1 scale inch thick! B. Quote
Bernard Kron Posted May 3, 2010 Author Posted May 3, 2010 (edited) The Fiat is almost done. I hit a brief patch of builder's block but got started again earlier this week, aiming for Model Car Sunday, a long running show (this is #21)here in the Seattle area put on by PSAMA (Puget Sound Auto Modelers Association) and the IPMS. I didn't quite get things completed in time for the show. But I was close enough to stick it together with Ambroid Tac N Place and but her on the table anyway. The decals came out incredibly close to the Photoshop mockup. I was amazed! I also added some nice hairpins from the Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit. Here are some pics showing the completed engine, the decals (this time for real) and the hairpins, as well as a coupla shots of the Fiat on the table at the show. You'll notice the Tac N Place isn't holding up real well the bellypan is starting to fall away from the body and the hood is sliding forward. Oh well… Final steps are to put everything away for real, add some contingency decals and make the rear 'chute more interesting and believable. Then it's off to the photo studio for some "beauty shots" and then Under Glass. Thanx, for lookin', B. Edited May 3, 2010 by gbk1 Quote
Raul_Perez Posted May 3, 2010 Posted May 3, 2010 Go Bernard, go!! Each one looks better than the last!! The engine detail looks great, including the fule lines up to the injectors!! Don't stop now!! You're almost there!! Later, Quote
Bernard Kron Posted May 5, 2010 Author Posted May 5, 2010 Here are a few final “beauty shots†of the Fiat. More pics can be seen Under Glass. Not too much to report on except an epic battle with old decals from my parts stash which kept refusing to stick, cracking into pieces, and finding their way on to the floor. Most of the surviving ones are from the Double Dragster kit or some recent Slixx Nostalgia Drag contingency sheets. One thing that jumped out at me in these more formal shots is that the dropped front axle sure does improve the stance. Thanx for following along! Quote
curt raitz Posted May 6, 2010 Posted May 6, 2010 I must been asleep at the wheel...just now picked up this Very nice job Bernard, you really have a handle on these cars yeah, I remember Mr. Peabody and FrostBite Falls, Minnesota as well... Quote
Bernard Kron Posted May 6, 2010 Author Posted May 6, 2010 Thanx Curt. Building these things really is like stepping in the Waybac Machine! More pics Under Glass if you're curious... B. Quote
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