My aunt got me my first Revell kit when I was about 10 years old, a 57 Nomad. I was used to building AMT 3in1 kits. The Nomad had me flustered with all the small parts, boy did I F that one up!
I had it on upside down at first, but thought it might catch more bugs like it is now. I think one just landed. You're quite welcome.
Thanks very much guys for viewing and liking, time to move on. Keep building and collecting and above all, bash the heck out of them! It's been great. Mike..
High praise indeed @quick85. Thank you very much. As for my project BlackStar, I think you blokes will be stuck with my rantings about it for some time to come. Progress is slow, and I have a ways to go. Lighting, sound, interior, details, paint, weathering, etc. etc. / plus framing the design blueprint, which will become part of the final display. We could easily be well into hot weather again here in Oklahoma before I can call this one done. I don't think I'll be a one hit wonder on this thread, but it might be awhile before I have something else H.A.M.B. appropriate to post. My problem (or advantage depending on your point of view), is my modeling interests are so many and varied, that I won't live anywhere near long enough to make reality from even half my day dreaming musings. If I live to be 100, that will only be 92 years of modeling... My three biggest areas of modeling interests are: Vintage Race Cars (my 1/12 project BlackStar will fit into that pigeon hole), 1/12 scale Model Trains (I'm constructing a new garden railway which I'll be laboring on later today), and Vintage Aircraft (most recently my 1/28th scale replica of my dad's B-24) I have other modeling interests, but these three make up the vast majority. So after project Black Star, I might be in the H.A.M.B. modelers' spectator section for awhile. We'll see. So much CA glue, so little time... Cheers, David PS: I hope to have something accomplished on project BlackStar that's worth posting before the weekend's out.
Another new kit due out before Christmas... This is an amt 3n1 kit or better.... It contains what looks like an old U-Haul trailer, a 392 hemi with 5 different induction setups and an inline 6 for the wagon... I plan on nabbing one of these... Oh, yeah... It also comes with one of those classic amt engine display stands.....
This was such a good idea quick, I've taken your advice to heart. I just quite my job. I told my mortgage company that you would be making payments for me going forward. Same with gas, electric, water, CC's, etc. etc. Where shall I have them send all of these pesky bills. Oh and one more thing... "A duplex and checks would be swell"... It's so nice to have a benefactor such as you that understands what's truly important. I'll have this project done in no-time now quick. Maybe in time for Christmas!
The specific year of project BlackStar is 1954, when (in my little fiction) it ostensibly ran at Bonneville. I came across this website featuring that very year at Bonneville. https://selvedgeyard.com/2009/06/06/flat-out-on-the-salt-flats-the-1954-bonneville-hot-rod-meet/ Certainly lots of modeling fodder here...
Mike I just saw your note.........and it figures at a time that I never thought about it really happening....it is happening and I can't think of the words to say....Mike I have enjoyed your presence here so much and the time I spent doing research and collecting the photos for your builds ...if you wanted them or not....hopefully they were of some help....either way I felt like I had a purpose and it give me something to do. You will be missed my friend. Thank you Terry (Rudestude)
Got a nice orig. '59 Cadillac. Thought about making it a two door, two seater. Assembled a plastic model I shortened. Decided no-go. Not right. Sell '59 Cadillac asap. See pix.
Oh it would look great ...but not when you start with a 4dr...because that's what you get ,a car that looks like a old 4dr...now short out of proportion 2dr. You need to start with a 2dr Ht. leave the wheel base alone ....just shuffle the cock pit tub around ...moving the cowl back stretch the hood , modify the doors the back edge by using the back edge of a 4dr door......no problem. I started this model a few years back... The cock pit is going to be a two seater , bucket seats and a console running back and up between the seats to a smooth deck , like the early Corvettes the part that flipped up to access the top. I was also playing around with a retractable hard top idea. Anyways I think it would be a very cool car if done correctly....but the old method of shorting a 4dr to get a 2dr just doesn't look right.......now if you were to use 2dr ht doors and adjust the wheel base to match you could pull it off..... Just drop the old Cadillac on the ground ,put a bones "Greatful Dead" sticker in the back window and drive the hell out of it.
Rudestude, I like they way you think. You are dead on. I did have a 55 Chevy wagon 2-dr "Shorty" made from a 4-dr. Drove it about 8 yrs every day, even to Mexico, Yosemiti, Oregon. Then, stretched the wheelbase another 6" and made my own quarter panels. Then. drove it another three years. It made a big difference in handling. Drove it a total of 215,000 miles. In retrospect, wish I had used the longer 2dr sedan doors as you mentioned. See pix. Looking forward to you finishing the radicalized Cadillac model and posting pix.
Ok....its not really my business....But its out there...and I don't really understand the use of them various smiley faces and other things to speak for ya...so...Did you really quit your job? , and all that other stuff?...and come on if that really took place you no damn well you still wouldn't get it done for Christmas ....because if your getting a free ride and don't have a job you have to go to.....you definitely aren't going to be just sitting at home building models. No smiley needed...for entertainment only.
I was able to make some more progress this weekend. Unfortunately the light had faded by the time I was ready to take progress photos, but as a consolation, here's a couple of holiday "mood" images. I'll post some better ones soon. The hood top is nearly complete, and I fabbed up a Fordson inspired gas tank with mounts. Happy Sunday Modeling! David
I'm thinking about doing an engine turned dash for project BlackStar. I've been trying to find a how-to on line (for scale models) without any luck. Another option is a brushed aluminum dash which I'm confident I can pull off. Any ideas about replicating the look an engine turned dash? I'd appreciate any advice gents. Attached are a few inspiration photos...
Check these out: How to Hot Rod Engine Turn Panel Made EZ with Cratex sticks - YouTube Engine Turning - YouTube How To Burnish Engine Turning Finish In Aluminum Aircraft Panels - YouTube
I've used the Cratex sticks. They could be cut down to scale. What ever you end up using be sure it doesn't load up with material and diminish the "cut" as you proceed with the work.
Thanks for the engine turning tips guys. Very much appreciated. I've got some experimenting to do to get a technique to work to this scale. At 1/12 scale, the diameter of a 1-1/2" turned circle is (.125") 1/8". I think that's a bit on the big side in the 1:1 world, but if it looks good, it is good. The good thing about bigger scales like 1/12th: Lots of detail. The bad thing about bigger scales like 1/12th: Lots of detail. I'll play around with this and let you gent's know what happens... David
One of the things I'm enjoying about this project is that it's built, to a large degree, using long forgotten stuff from my junk box. I have a habit of saving junk that I think has an interesting shape, without any idea how or when I might use it. Case in point: The air intake blister is from an old flip phone case. I saved this no less than 10 years ago, and here it is now (finally) finding a new life. I've finished the hood top with second layer of .020" styrene and the addition of the blister. I also added a blister for the cowl steering arm. I just figured out the small straight pins (meant for satin fabric) look pretty good as smaller 1/12th scale rivets. No more modeling for me today. The long overdue garage hoe-out is on the docket instead, as we're having 75 degree (December in San Diego) weather today in OKC. Cheers, David PS: I mocked up the LED lights as a preview of coming attractions. I'll need to build headlight and taillight buckets...
Thanks for the nice compliment @rc57. Very much appreciated. I do have a question I'm hoping you guys can help me with... I'm my little fiction, this car ran at Bonneville in 1954. So I'm trying to confirm what the class designation would have been. In theory;, it's running a naturally aspirated 230 c.i. flathead Chrysler in-line six, burning gasoline. It's obviously a roadster. So I think if it was running today it would be classified as E/GR (E= between 184 & 260.99 c.i. / G = gasoline / R = roadster). I don't think it would classified as a MR (modified roadster), as it will be tagged and supposedly street legal as the two main headlights have just been removed for racing, and the center (aircraft landing light) left place within the track nose. Would the SCTA classification have been any different in 1954, and/or do I have anything wrong on how it would be classified today? I would appreciate the straight scoop on this guys...
The Jalopy Journal
