Post by duffy on Jun 23, 2015 20:24:10 GMT -5
Those of you who regularly visit The Big Three modeling fora will already be familiar with this build, but I've noticed that the exposure on all the ones I participate in reaches a slightly different audience on each AND often nets some very useful comments and advice on one, that I can then share on the others! Sooo--
I began what I intended to be a "simple. quick" build, to satisfy the guidelines of one group's Build Challenge and also to provide me with another car for next season's Fantasy League Drags. I'd bought the AMT? Round2 Double Dragster kit some time back as kind of a parts-shelf thing, and so here I started thinking about adding a couple of other elements to the mix to sort of shake it up.
So here's Revell's Parts Paks '32 Bantam Roadster body and a Potvin-blown 283 Chevy, dechromed so I can play with the pallette a little. Why they ever chromed those mills is totally beyond me anyhow. In this shot, I'm still mulling over using the stock Fiat body, but I knew I'd want to set this motor in and needed to figure my spacing & all.
I used the AMT front & rear mount plates for convenience, trimming the rear mounts to go inside the rollbar brace as I knew I'd be shifting the engine back 8" or so. Also I like the welded-up look of that scattershield. The blower is remarkably larger on the Revell version, and I kinda tend to trust them more, but this engine was never intended for this short little chassis anyhow; i decided the "builder" might have faced off the end plates to get himself a little room up front, like 2"-3" worth. We'll still be hanging the fuel tank up over the front axle, but I think it'll work out okay.
I really dithered over using this body. For one thing, it's one of the rarer eBay finds and it's, well, Precious as a result. And the cockpit is forward of the wheel wells in such a way as to necessitate major surgery to use the stock frame, which I'd already committed to. On the other hand, the rearward position of the engine meant that I'd be cutting deep into the Topolino's door panel area ( and filling in the hood sides accordingly) to clear the headers, and it all just started getting more complicated. C'mon, commit to something and move forward.
But I didn't want that fat short tub sitting on this car. I sectioned it about 10" which brings the fenders just about right with the frame's wheel guards. Using Tamiya's masking tape in the 10mm (.394") size made this layout a breeze - I just moved the tape around until it lined up even, then scored along its outside edges with my X-Acto knife to get a straight crisp line to sand down to.
The frame's wheel guards needed trimming and beveling to fit the bantam's fenders, and I may cut them down more later to lower the set of the body even more, depending on how high the engine sits & what the top line looks like here. You can't see it in this pic but I removed the remainder of the spare wheel nest to make a port for the chute pack.
More in a couple days.
I began what I intended to be a "simple. quick" build, to satisfy the guidelines of one group's Build Challenge and also to provide me with another car for next season's Fantasy League Drags. I'd bought the AMT? Round2 Double Dragster kit some time back as kind of a parts-shelf thing, and so here I started thinking about adding a couple of other elements to the mix to sort of shake it up.
So here's Revell's Parts Paks '32 Bantam Roadster body and a Potvin-blown 283 Chevy, dechromed so I can play with the pallette a little. Why they ever chromed those mills is totally beyond me anyhow. In this shot, I'm still mulling over using the stock Fiat body, but I knew I'd want to set this motor in and needed to figure my spacing & all.
I used the AMT front & rear mount plates for convenience, trimming the rear mounts to go inside the rollbar brace as I knew I'd be shifting the engine back 8" or so. Also I like the welded-up look of that scattershield. The blower is remarkably larger on the Revell version, and I kinda tend to trust them more, but this engine was never intended for this short little chassis anyhow; i decided the "builder" might have faced off the end plates to get himself a little room up front, like 2"-3" worth. We'll still be hanging the fuel tank up over the front axle, but I think it'll work out okay.
I really dithered over using this body. For one thing, it's one of the rarer eBay finds and it's, well, Precious as a result. And the cockpit is forward of the wheel wells in such a way as to necessitate major surgery to use the stock frame, which I'd already committed to. On the other hand, the rearward position of the engine meant that I'd be cutting deep into the Topolino's door panel area ( and filling in the hood sides accordingly) to clear the headers, and it all just started getting more complicated. C'mon, commit to something and move forward.
But I didn't want that fat short tub sitting on this car. I sectioned it about 10" which brings the fenders just about right with the frame's wheel guards. Using Tamiya's masking tape in the 10mm (.394") size made this layout a breeze - I just moved the tape around until it lined up even, then scored along its outside edges with my X-Acto knife to get a straight crisp line to sand down to.
The frame's wheel guards needed trimming and beveling to fit the bantam's fenders, and I may cut them down more later to lower the set of the body even more, depending on how high the engine sits & what the top line looks like here. You can't see it in this pic but I removed the remainder of the spare wheel nest to make a port for the chute pack.
More in a couple days.
