"And the Oascar goes to..." Thanks for the West Coast how-to video. I'm always interested in seeing "how'd they do that" videos. I try and catch " How It's Made" episodes on TV, great entertainment. Thanks again Bill, for showing some of the final finish detail work. Me, being a visual person, I can better pick up on the process...RM

WOW Great videos!!!!

Thanks for your time & effort in posting these "how-to video". I'm always interested in seeing instructional videos. To repeat RM comment - Thanks again Bill, for showing some of the final finish detail work.
Your VIBS scream, sound so good & are so FAST!! Have to search for the tricks that make them fast. ..RL

Just because I use the high speed dremel (on it's lowest setting) doesnt mean YOU have too. You can slow things down to 1000 to 1500 rpm if the buzz saw makes you nervous. It just takes a little longer. On an average production run I might fully cut and rub 15 bodies in an afternoon, so I cant hang around waiting for the compound to cut. With repetition you should be able to set the RPM up. I prefer more rpm and less pressure. With less RPM comes the temptation to bear down and apply more pressure.

"And the Oascar goes to..." Thanks for the West Coast how-to video. I'm always interested in seeing "how'd they do that" videos. I try and catch " How It's Made" episodes on TV, great entertainment. Thanks again Bill, for showing some of the final finish detail work. Me, being a visual person, I can better pick up on the process...RM

Randy: VISUAL, Me too! From bubble gum to nuclear warheads I watch the "How they make its". I'm riveted to the tube when they come on.

U-joe: I practiced on junker bodies for a while. It's always prudent to get back in the groove after a lay off. While it may seem insignificant the fist vid of the tan Cobra was actually the warm up for buffing Bob's Grandammit. Gus sez it's best to warm up on a $20 car before ya pick up a #1 and burn a hole in it! He is both wise and furry and reminds me that I do my best work after a short nap. :thumbsup

RL: Vibes are extremly sensitive to tuning. They have so little "oompf" to begin with that it doesnt take much to upset them! LOL. Most all the vibe secrets have been out for some time. I have a checklist of the old tricks and a handfull of my own that can wake them up and at least get them around the track. I'll post them up at some point.

Just because I use the high speed dremel (on it's lowest setting) doesnt mean YOU have too. You can slow things down to 1000 to 1500 rpm if the buzz saw makes you nervous. It just takes a little longer. On an average production run I might fully cut and rub 15 bodies in an afternoon, so I cant hang around waiting for the compound to cut. With repetition you should be able to set the RPM up. I prefer more rpm and less pressure. With less RPM comes the temptation to bear down and apply more pressure.



Randy: VISUAL, Me too! From bubble gum to nuclear warheads I watch the "How they make its". I'm riveted to the tube when they come on.

U-joe: I practiced on junker bodies for a while. It's always prudent to get back in the groove after a lay off. While it may seem insignificant the fist vid of the tan Cobra was actually the warm up for buffing Bob's Grandammit. Gus sez it's best to warm up on a $20 car before ya pick up a #1 and burn a hole in it! He is both wise and furry and reminds me that I do my best work after a short nap. :thumbsup

RL: Vibes are extremly sensitive to tuning. They have so little "oompf" to begin with that it doesnt take much to upset them! LOL. Most all the vibe secrets have been out for some time. I have a checklist of the old tricks and a handfull of my own that can wake them up and at least get them around the track. I'll post them up at some point.

yeah I could tell that the RPM of the dremmel wouldn't change when you touched the body. I learned a bunch from that movie, I have almost thrown away my buffing wheel more than once. Now I will try again with much LESS pressure. Thanks for the tutorial.

Joez and Win requested a few laps by the Zoomboni last week. Although still as I left it last year the Boni works great as is. Either a stone block or abrasive rubber eraser can be used in the forward cab vacancy.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05147.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

Bill,

Love that creation and how it assembles nicely with a few pushes here and a tuck there. I can remeber how much fun we all had as you came up with this idea in Chat one night. :)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah so that is how the stone goes in. That Zoooooooooooomboni is Real Tight man!

Bob...slang for Sweeeeet...zilla

That is one cool critter, and there's no doubt it works like a charm!!! I want one!! It would solve half my track troubles!! The other half was my own fault and can't be resolved until my next table, unless I get lucky and can go routed next time!!:rolleyes: HO scale engineering at it's finest!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

UtherJoe

Bill,

Simply Amazing, the Zoomboni !!! It's not simply, very well engineered and it just snaps together! :thumbsup::thumbsup: ..RL

Incredible... can you see stuff flying off the track when you rev that up? No tailgating allowed, I'd bet a rear end collision would launch the offender, not to mention grind the paint off the bumper....

How do you top that? An ho scale lane striper?

Bill,

Love that creation and how it assembles nicely with a few pushes here and a tuck there. I can remeber how much fun we all had as you came up with this idea in Chat one night. :)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah so that is how the stone goes in. That Zoooooooooooomboni is Real Tight man!

Bob...slang for Sweeeeet...zilla

Thanks fellers! Most of the old guard saw the 'boni at the get go, but now I got video.

Bob's right! It was one of those dark and mysterious nights in the old black and white chat! We were all peewhining about the high cost of Oscars and Oscar parts. The age old dilemma of needing or wanting to use them but not wanting to wear them out. Coach was going on about shoving an eraser up the b... er back of the Hoover styled Chappy. Joez was pondering the uther potential uses for "T-jet monkey motion". I doodled the zoomboni out on a paper napkin fer giggles.

The US 1 platform has good torque and gross tonage to back it up. It was originally built as a lark; so regretably the body work was executed with the dykes...lil snip here and a lil snip there ....close enough!

After the lights go on and the slotcave is powered up the Zoomboni gets plopped on the track and set on auto pilot. I havent stoned or rubber blocked the track rails by hand since she was built. She just got her first service prior to shooting the video clip. LOL! The silly thing does such a good job I've sworn to the slot gods that the coachmanship will be revisited and cleaned up to reflect it's stellar performance.

1 ea Tyco dump truck -6.00
2 ea t-jet gear plate with idlers -6.00
and armature gears
1 ea t-jet screw and guide pin -1.00
2 ea PVT dune buggy slick -1.00
1 ea 1/8" x 1" vacuum hose -Freebie
2 ea wizzard axle shim, brass -.50
2 ea # 80 fine thread screw -.50
1 ea wifey's sponge hair roller -just yer pride :p

Never hand grinding yer rails again....PRICELESS! :thumbsup:

That track cleaner is cool !!! That's some sho nuff engineering!!! The gear drive even sounds good. aaaawhsuuuummmmm...RM

The Zoomboni is fantastic, Bill!
Thanks much for the vid! I have watched it several times already!
Man, had Aurora built that beautiful piece, the Oscar wouldn't have had a chance!

As far as the 1" hose is concerned, do you have that hidden inside the roller cover?

Gotta go see it again! :thumbsup:

Yuppers!

The 1/8" x 1" vacuum hose hides under the roller. It provides a flexible coupling between the out rigger plates. Slips right over the pinion gears and gives the roller something to bite on.

Joez and Win requested a few laps by the Zoomboni last week. Although still as I left it last year the Boni works great as is. Either a stone block or abrasive rubber eraser can be used in the forward cab vacancy.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05147.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

Man Bill, that Boni is SWEET!!!!!! Handy Dandy!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

That is the gnarliest track cleaner I ever saw. I agree tha tpoor ole Oscar has met his match. When is the production run starting? :thumbsup:

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05182.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

Here's a short expose' of my Land HO collection. For those of you who have never snagged a car built by Nuther Dave (aka tjd241) here's a quick visual. His cars are always eerily smooth inside and out. You wont find a booger in the future finish or a burr on a moving part. They come few and far between (usually during HOHT auctions) and you'll have to bid accordingly. We'll get some track video up eventually.:thumbsup:

This is a car was built and then hand delivered by Win 43. I took a few liberties with the A-dub chassis. I cant help myself. LOL! The factory playdoh driven cluster is replaced with a nine tooth t-jet setup, crown gear and axles. While I was at it the new setup was lapped into submission.

The nine tooth is the only way to fly with the A-dubs on short tracks. This one is as smooth and quiet as any cherry t-jet. The added bonus being nice linear acceleration. This one is flat fun to run!

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05185.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

Nuther's car's are awesome!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup: Mechanically and visually!! They are top notch all around! Now Win's cop car, sounds sweet too, looks awesome, and of course has to be faster than the fastest hot rods!! :thumbsup::thumbsup: He'd never make his quota if it wasn't!! :lol: I hope coach gives me enough warning on the next auction!! I better start pinching my pennies!!

UtherJoe

The links will not work for me... I can't see!
(I wonder why...?)
Opps, have to get ready for work... *sigh*

Great stuff Bill. Love the movies of the "how to". Whose aluminum wheels are those on 'nuther Dave's cars? They look very sharp.

Keep the tutorials coming, Teach.

Jim

Jim,

To the best of my knowledge Nuther uses JW's double flange aluminums of the press on variety.

Scott, sorry for the difficulties....is it you ...or is it me? Must be you I can see them just fine! LOL

...but I'm only a tad more than a one trick pony....Bill is correct. For cars I send out to live at others' homes, I almost always use JW's. Over the years I got tired of laboring over wonky old stock plastic hubs. For the home team here at Land HO, I am in the process of swapping out all my stock hubs for JW's DF Aluminums. I use the stock thin width on the front and the slightly wider (PVT or Thunderslick size) on the rear. I also am a big believer in JW spacers too. The wheels have an appearance not too dissimilar from stock, but they're laser straight. The price is not too prohibitive for hooking up a bunch of cars either. Function over form I guess. I went kicking and screaming when I had to buy a wheel press and puller to install them too. BUT... the first set I tried??... well let's just say I'm still picking up pieces of my dropped jaw. :eek: Night and Day!!... I was like "How could I have not tried these sooner?". Remember the first time you tried a pair of silicones on a tjet instead of stock rubbers?... The difference is that big. The Sand Crab Coupe is shoed with the JW Hot Rod size equivalent and this being the first set I tried of those... I couldn't be more pleased. I do have other wheels on certain cars and I love them too, but the JW's are my bread'n butter. nd

BTW Bill.... How's dem hogs run'in anyhow??

They run great Nuther! Vid soon ...LOL....maybe not so soon, Photobucket uses snail load for video!

Ok guys I'm gonna try something here so bear with me!

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05192.jpg

Here's a post that was split and porked shown filled with vent hole. I just poke the hole in a few hours after the post is filled. This speeds curing time and provides a pilot for the pin vise.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05193.jpg

I like the dual vise. I drill the small size to center the hole and follow with the 1/16th to complete the screw hole.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05194.jpg

The face/seat of the screw post is flat filed. Some cars have recessed posts so you have to sneak in through the wells. Sometimes it helps to put a tape guard in the well opening. Gotta be patient here! Note that the driving finger prevents the file from sliding over and gerfing the well

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05198.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

When I can get over them I use a post profiler. Reverse rolled sandpaper around a stub mandrel held with tape ...220 in this case. A few gentle zings to smooth it horizontally...no need to go bonkers....keep the speed down!

Then the same profiler is used by hand to smooth the post vertically. Pinpoint control verses the bazooka! LOL.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05199.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

With both posts roughed out it's time to glaze the exposed plastic and seal it up. This step also will highlight flaws. Clear testors is used to carefully shine the work area. Less is more here. One can always add more however slogging to much can send you down sloppy a road you dont wanna go.

Sheep Happens

The light striation is a super glue inclusion that didnt get fully gouged out initially and reared it's ugly head. No panic! We just have to back up and and blend a repair in.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05200.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

After roughing it out with the blade it is smoothed with a file. Then the area is prewet and some high solids goop is used to fill the wallow. Diltued goop is used to float the edges of the repair down and blend it into the entire post uniformly.... after some practice you can feather it right out. It's self leveling! ....up to a point.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05201.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

Bill,
Great videos. Love the soundtrack. ;) Dave

Bill,

That was a very neat way to do the body post. I learned something here and will try that soon.

Bob...now send it to me to paint...zilla :rolleyes:

Bill,
Great videos. Love the soundtrack. ;) Dave

Sorry bout that soundtrack debacle! Gus was supposed to be editing the audio but he was far to busy napping at the switch. The elvator jazz and classic rock stations are one click apart...when the classic rock channel starts banging my head about how great they are and how they invented the Who....I bump the knob to jazz...then NPR comes on and starts attempting to empty my wallet via my bleeding heart so it gets bumped back. I'm far too lazy to go in the other room and load a coupla discs... LOL!

Keeping in color

I like to stay in color once I have a mess going on the bench. This vette had it's front tooth knocked out (bumper bracket). We'll warm up on the scagged up rear bracket. In this case the area is first wetted to activate the plastic. Then a brushload of high solids goop is slammed on, thinned and floated out right on the workpiece. Generally how I do large areas. The rear bump had been reglued using a fire hose so the area was first gouged clean with the 'Zacto and rough filed. A little knock with 220 gets it close enough. Might seem picky to fuss a hidden area...but thats how it goes around here. Notice how the workpiece is constantly shifted to use the light. This helps me see areas where the surface tension is not uniform. You'll only have just under a minute to float the area or you'll have to re-pool/puddle the area and start over. Ideally it will look as smooth as glass when properly applied.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05202.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

Think ahead! The replacement bracket was cut from another vette, but many Aurora bumper brackets are the same. Sometimes I have to hand carve them from a hood or a door. Got lucky and snifed this one from cull stock. This one had a few touches of goop added a coupla days ago....it had soldering iron burns from a cromagnon front bumper re-install. Just rough the lil bugger out!

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05203.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

From the box of the unworthy comes an old ratty bumper which is used to check fit. Depth into the body and height into the hood apron are double checked ....ya only get one shot. Bracket needed a little off the top...cam dammera doesnt show it but the bumper was low. We took a smidgen off with the file. I also have another olive Vette going so a quick comparo is always nice.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05204.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

This may not seem like much but it is significant in two ways. A huge time saver! It's a sanding fan! Seems moronic but having your sandpaper stacked up by grit allows you to smooth and shape little parts quickly with out constant paper shuffling. It's held together with a clothes pin so one can quick change paper when it's huffed. A quick scuffing across some 1200 gets the bracket close enough for a factory appearance after gooping.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05206.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

The bracket is tacked in with the loose bumper using "goop light". The gooping vid was mostly my fat fingers (couldnt get the angle) so it was left in the editing room floor. One more double check while things can still be adjusted.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05207.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

After a few minutes the bumper is wiggled away and the entire repair area is filled and floated off similar to the rear area; however unlike the rear where quite a bit of material was removed, goop light is used in this case to keep the build down. Again using the light to watch the surface tension, goop is added until a uniform sheen is established. Towards the end you'll note that I quickly twirl the brush off on the blue towel. Then rinse the brush to a damp state. What the camera barely shows is a run fixin' to get away. With quick action it can be wicked up with a damp or dry brush technique. If ya didnt mop things like that up it would be a goober that you would have to sand out...or leave it....which is unacceptable to most all collectors. Additionally you may notice that I also wick up a strand between the post and bracket before it becomes an issue. All part of the process! Learning the removal of excess is certainly as important as the initial application.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05208.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

While we are at it the little knickey poo on the fender needs a dab. It WILL show. Base goop is used here and teased into a rough facsimilie of what you want. We'll finish it during touchups. Again it's a matter of using surface tension to control the shape. It's teased away into what will be the edge or corner and once it's flashed it is rolled over with the brush. This is probably the hardest part of liquid plastic repair to learn. Base goop can be rather uncooperative and saggy. The trick is to allow flash time and let it cure properly.

http://s44.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/MOV05209.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1

The final bit of the last clip shows the comparison between original and a model murdering transplant. Undoubtedly there will be some minor sanding and touch ups in the form of glazing. None the less the rough stuff is over. The model murdering victim is on the left, denoted by the smooth bracket without wiggle and pry marks from bumper removal.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05210.jpg

Behind the scenes you'll see this. A bottle of base Olive. Clean testors for blending with base. The two far left jugs are for brush cleaning after I've wiped the brush on the towel. This keeps contaminents from becoming inclusions in your work. While not absolutely necessary and total overkill I cant have inclusions in my production work. I only do it this way to expidite the process. The flash window for the plastic is quite tight so the less time spent farting around cleaning brushes ...the better! If you take anything away from the vids it should be that you have to be organized and keep moving.

Amazing work, Bill!
Your attention to detail is inspiring, too!
Thank you so much for taking the time to record and post these vids!
I am learning alot and the process is getting a lot less scary!

:thumbsup:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05220.jpg

Here's one that's been on and off the back burner for a few months.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05222.jpg

This sweet little Spyder was cast by none other than Bobzilla...so it only seemed fitting that I at least attempt a 'Zilla quality paint job. After blocking and priming in 320 and 600, Spydy was shot with Duplicolor gloss black enamel. I just spray the can into my airbrush. Once the black was cured two gentle coats of Alclad "Chrome" were dusted over the black. It was then cleared; again using Duplicolor bomb can spooted into the airbrush. The interior was shot using good old Testors dark red.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05225.jpg

Sterling Moss was savaged from on old Elva and given a makeover. The windscreen came from the bag of mystery windsheilds, but I'm fairly certain it was Camaro or Firebird back glass. The chrome surround is rocker tape from Schmucks.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05227.jpg

The marker lights are nonfuntional fiber optic units chosen for their ease of countersinking and resemblence to the original beehive units of the era. After some study I decided to french them for protection, as this car will be driven! The headlights were taped using thin slices of electrician's tape, and while it looks kinda klunky in "Macro-vision" it's quite convincing in person! :thumbsup:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05216.jpg

Chassis is AFX standard with a mean green and super ll magnets. Originally set up for T-jet this body was converted to AFX basket handle mounts using the Hilltop gangs flaming screwdriver trick! Baby Ansens were used all 'round. The rear wheels were narrowed, the skins were shaved and sidewall rounded for proper clearance.

She has a little snort and handles great ....just the way we like them!

Thanks fer lookin'!

beautiful work Bill, nice cast job by Zilla too!. I wish they would mass produce this body and give it James Dean's car markings. I have Dean's car in 1:32 and would love a HO version of it

:thumbsup:.... Nice clean build with a great casting. I like the windshield height too. nd

Nice Spyder Willie....I can hear the VeeDubb putter from here....


Dave

That's a gooood looking Spyder :thumbsup::thumbsup: Great detail work. I likes the front and rear light detail. And thanks for the videos!!! Love the "Hey Joe, They Call me the Breeze" soundtrack. Now If we can get you to put in a little dialog while filming ??? You know how it it, the more you give, the more people want. I do appreciate you taking the time to video and show the techniques, simply amazing. :thumbsup::thumbsup: ...Thank you very much...RM

Bill,
I don't think I do any detailing with ZZ Top playing in the background. I'd have to stop and pick up a guitar. Great looking Spyder. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
;) rr

Wowsers, Bill, you left no detail untouched. Even the obligatory random Eastern European Nation judge would have to give this one a TEN!

Hutts love cool Porsche Spyders... :drunk::hat::freak::dude:

I could swear I did a comment on the videos!! I must have been in a semi catatonic state when I did! :freak: Your attention to detail is nothing short of amazing, but completely understandable. From a collector's standpoint, repairs must be undetectable, and this you have certainly mastered!! Thank you for the videos, and taking the mystery out of the gooping process, even to the point where a slock like myself could almost do it!! :p

The spyder looks totally cool!! Nice casting job by Zilla, and awesome detail work with the marker lights, and paint!! The chrome over black looks great!! Sweet lil car, Bill!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

I never would have thought of using an AFX chassis on a tjet body!! After careful comparison though, there is an advantage. I always pictured the AFX as bigger, but lengthwise it's shorter by eliminating the screw post section, basically the same width aside from the "handles", and ditto for height. This has made me completely revamp my chassis perception, as I had never compared them side by side before!! :rolleyes:

UtherJoe

Bill,

That is a way kewl Porsche man! Love it! That paint job and driver Dude Rock Big Time. Very, very, very Kewl....yeah! I first thought that this was a Nuther Dave build but, nope it was just Billy having some fun...oh boy. :)

You broke away from the goop to paint and did it with a Bang. I use the goop in almost every build. A Foxy Cleopatra head has been gooped up now for a British build. Still need to make some black goop as this would have been perfect for that large Afro instead of painting. How people can exist without goop is beyond me......aaaaaaaaaaaaaah just the thought of it scares me.

Phssssssssssssssssssssssssssh over black looks great with the Alclad. You can use a dark blue for a base coat too.

This Porsche was casted up for the HOHT Auction with the help of Mr. Hilltop. He sent me the body and it was my first try at casting.

Still need to do one of these up for myself as 3 went to the last Auction. Hmmmmmmmmm inspirational build here I come.

Bob...I love it here because, of builds like this and many, many others...zilla

Bill,
Fantastic paint job on the Posche & the driver has attitude. :thumbsup::thumbsup: Thanks for the videos, greatly appreciate your efforts!!!
Wish you had not shown me the Track cleaner, got to make one! Where is the wife's hair curlers? ..RL

Thanx for all the kind words on the 550 and the video snippets fellas. Ya all know how builds go....sometimes they fight ya every step of the way and other times they just fall together. The spyder was one of those whose time had come. On and off until it was time to pull the trigger....then bango!...it just came together before I knew it.

Da Bus

Having seen peeks inside yer slotcaves and piles just like mine on yer benches; I know you can understand my resolution builds. As in I made a New Years resolution to finish up promising mock ups, incompletes and hangers on. It's a daunting task! :freak:

The Spyder was such a build. Here's another one. Back when Dash popped the bus out I tossed a mockup together to see what I could get away with. Thought I'd revisit another stalled idea.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05243.jpg

This one sits on an A-dub chassis. Things just seemed to line up a little better. First off a set of four front AFX cragars were narrowed and center bored. The truck hole seemed to line up the best and that always makes me happy when lowering a build! No Muss no fuss. It's tight but doable, still allows a rear lip to be retained on the wheel.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05244.jpg

While I love PVT tires their darn t-jet silis are pert near worthless cuz they dont stay on! Same deal with their AFX front offering. BUT! ...what works great is the t-jet tire on AFX front rim! This trick was applied to the rears and worked great. They also fit the front quite nicely; however they were just a hair tall so oring fronts were used to get the nose down for the proper Socal look.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05242.jpg

To further settle the body a 2 er 3 mm slice was removed from the back screw post. In practice the oring fronts had the chassis shoe bound aka sledding. The shoes where traded out for AFX skis and the spring index pins were removed to accomodate the shorter travel range. Three quick slices and yer done.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05236.jpg

On the track the big AW pinion proved retarded on my short track. Da bus spent most of it's break in klunked over on it's side regardless of controller rating. The 9 tooth conversion only takes a few minutes and provides a more useable gear ratio relative to the taller tires.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05238.jpg

She's touchy in the corners, as any two story building should be. Once you learn to drive it, the fun down the chute more than makes up for having to tippy toe the turns.

Billy the Hippy,

Low and pink or pink and low?

This looks like a job for slotcarman...dun, ta,dun.daaaaaaaaaaaaah! Hey slotty you know that those headlights just pop out...perfect for you lighting needs *POP*!

Bob...That VW Van Rocks...zilla

I've had my next project staring me in the face for a week and a half, just waiting for goodwrenchs VW bus threads to settle down so I could.. uuuum.. throw mine into the mix... I like to wait for a bit when someone releases a project so I'm not lookin like the inspired copycat that I am at times!! (No offense intended Bill!!) I've got 2 Lindy VW busses sitting desk topside waiting for my "physical deformities" to settle down..This is why I've been so quiet lately as far as builds..

Recently I also snagged up two lindy jags thanks to the inspirational build of our beloved Coach..But I am again basically chassisless for the R+D department so an order for..gulp.. AW chassis will be required.. My troubles with the AW chassis is no secret. The conversion to a 9 tooth gear is reported to be an easy swap, but I've had nothing but grief at each attempt. I find things don't line up, the pinion shaft is shorter and wider on the Aurora version. And the base needs to be opened up a little to accomodate the smaller pinion to rear drive gear mesh. Help please!! My back top plate gear rides up. What the heck am I doing wrong here??

UtherJoe

It is really cool to see the beast on those big rear meats without more surgery than Joan Rivers. This is very sweet, Bill.

No worries U-Joe! Hate to tell ya but they dont line up real great in stock form either.....I mean really.....how could it get any worse?

Dunno what to tell ya Joe. I've done both big and lil brass pinion retrofits on AW chassis. First thing is jam a screw driver under the plastic driven gear and remove the driven cluster....aka: take the trash out.

I drop the 9 tooth pinion in and check clearance. Sometimes ya gotta ream the gearplate sometimes ya dont. I take a 1/16 drill bit in my pinvise and use the flutes to carefully hone the bore to fit. Once the clearance is good I set the new brass driven gear.

The chassis journal is ALWAYS too snug. Same deal...ream it carefully with the hand drill. Generally the magic trick is to open the hole and move it towards the rear of the chassis on an straight north south axis, that should unbind the pinion shaft.

I also toss the playdoh rear axle and substitute a straight fine spline axle. If yer hurtin I 'spose you could retain the graham cracker gear and re-use it by shimming it over. Dont recommend it though. The brass nine tooth can shred an AW crown pronto.

You can look right in the back and see how the crown and pinion are meshing. Not un usual to have to move things a hair one way or the other. This "out of wackness" seems to be lessened by using all t-jet replacement parts. ....duh.....go figure.

If the top back gear is too tight the top plate is going to look for the weakest link to loosen it up. Whirling the back gear up away from the chassis is that link. A southern loosening will free up the whole top plate mesh and hopefully eliminate the pulling up tendancy I've experienced. Agreed with the axle gear. I bought both pinion and axle gears for the swap. Just didn't get the center gear. Thanks Bill!!

UtherJoe

Absolutely Positively the solution to my AW dilemma!!! I did it just the way you suggested, and OMG what a difference!! I was suffering from multiple problems. As the pinion shaft wasn't seated correctly in the base, it was riding up to relieve the stress. Opening up the top plate in the southerly direction eliminated the remainder of the problem. This one sounds sweet now and I am now working my way through the remaining chassis I have, until I run out of driven gears!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: I swore I bought two lots of gears!! Where the heck did I stick them???

UtherJoe

Cant take any blessings U-joe! Credit where credit is due.

Way back when, Scott "Noddaz" (pretty sure it was him) posted up his findings on the nine tooth conversion for AW. I just followed his lead and adapted it to my program here.
I've also done brass bushing inserts for the chassis armature bore, and rear axle bores, as well as both gearplate bores.

Dunno if I still have the pics, but I'll look. A fairly simple retrofit. Using the appropriate brass tube stock the chassis/plate holes are opened a bit, actually undersized for the bushing insert. Then the precut rough bushings are smooshed in using a drill press with a center punch as the mandrel. Ream to fit and yer off to the races.

Glad it worked out for you Joe.

Great Spydie car......that is one low hippy bus...dude

Bill,

You dah man.......................:woohoo:

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/1970peaches/aatree14.jpg

This little Chrome Saucer plopped down at our house and tele-ported my Grand Am down to the ground. Then some very friendly green guys came out of their Mother Ship to say hello.

The flying saucer lights up and blinks...way Kewl and totally outta this world.

Bob...knew you were an Alien...zilla

Bill,

You dah man.......................:woohoo:

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc339/1970peaches/aatree14.jpg

This little Chrome Saucer plopped down at our house and tele-ported my Grand Am down to the ground. Then some very friendly green guys came out of their Mother Ship to say hello.

The flying saucer lights up and blinks...way Kewl and totally outta this world.

Bob...knew you were an Alien...zilla

ha HA!

Gotcha! Thought ya might be able to use that on Las Zillas Raceway. Area 51 is pretty close... as the saucer flies anyway!

Sorta been in the middle of a repair marathon lately. Generally I pick a dozen or so based on color or type of repair and get to work. In this case things were a bit of a jumble and there's no real ryhme or reason to the selections. You might remember the olive splitty from a previous video. The turquoise Splitty had both bumper brackets repaired and a front screw post transplant. The yeller Falcon and the red Fairlane were here for screw post repairs and some cosmetic work to remove the 36 grit finish from their roofs. The Tan cobra was also a video star during a polishing how to and now has her front screw post unexploded.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05259-1.jpg

Here's the end of a run more or less. Everything is fixed, cured out, stragglers set aside for intensive care. these have all been buzzed once with coarse compound and are waiting for me to get off my butt and finish the polishing process.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05249-1.jpg

This standard blue mako had both posts and the related roof corners blown out. The pillars are made from the bottom slice of a dino rocker panel.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05250.jpg

Here's a red Dino where the pillars were cleanly broken and unbent. The rear screw post is a transplant. the remnants of the old post are knifed off, the inner valence is sanded smooth and the donor post is grafted in.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05251-1.jpg

This Indy suffered a life threatening dogbite! The rear cowling was mashed and chewed. The rough straightening was done with the flame and coarse file work. Once it was rough profiled the teeth marks were filled, close to 20!, and then the entire rear cowling was cut back hard again using 320 grit. This allows some depth of material to be built up. T-jet red is rather translucent and requires bulk to cover uniformly.

Shown here after a re-skim after 320 and at 600. This particual skim will be
cut down with 1200 and moved across the blend line. This is the transistion point between bodywork and finishwork.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05253-1.jpg

This olive 904 had a gnarely gash running north to south on the rear cowling just outside the white stripe. We also repaired an odd set of nicks across the "B" pillars as though it had been macheted. Seen here in between 320 and 600. The filler was quite thick so east west pass with 320 was required to get a good, sharp, flat cut and bring it all level. A north south cut with 600clearly shows the remaining 320 scratches after a light brushing of clear testors. See the 320 crosshatching that remains??? Your not done with 600 til those are gone...and so on with 1200 and finally 2000. By alternating direction you can see whether your really done or not.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05254-1.jpg

Just another Splitty! I seem to do a lot of these. This was a tweener car. Where the wheel well isnt gashed enough to warrant a graft but just exceeds what I like to fill with a free float. This technique takes a week or ten days to cure out with three or four successive skims.

It should be noted that the drivers side rear fender on the Splitty is irregular. The passenger side is as well but not as noticeable. Certainly we could straighten the defect but that would be an immediate tell that it has been re-touched. Some light file work to straighten the top lip line and a polish, then we're done here.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05258-1.jpg

A standard green Doom Bubbly had it's front post blown right out of the hood. Shown here after skimming, wet sanding, and a coarse buff. This one will remain in ICU until the repair is fully shrunk in. Most buggys have a natural shrink divot here anyway so this actually looks about right. We'll watch it for a bit longer and she if she sinkholes any lower. If so ya just back up reskim and start again.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05255-1.jpg

Heres another dog bite victim. Suspect that it might be the same small breed mongrel that killed the previously shown red Indy. Cant be sure until dental forensic tests are returned.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05256.jpg

This poor Batmobile was chewed as though fidow was just toying with Bruce Wayne and his Ward and slowly drifted off to sleep. No puntures or agredious gouges just lightly pocked across the entire rear fenders, trunk lid, and rear valence/atomic exhaust.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/DSC05257.jpg

Seen here between 600 and 1200... with a coarse buff too! Oridinarily I wouldnt waste the compound or time but black is quite difficult to see and there fore harder to get perfect. She may never be MIB again but she should be presentable.