There's a new AW Tjet release out, so you can count on me to arise like a phoenix from the dust on the basement floor... to show you all the Dremel carnage as I set these things on skinny tire Tjet chassis the way God intended... :)

no, seriously. once I saw a box Nova in this release, I was stoked. and the swb Bug and the ice cream truck are just gravy. more on them later...

someone expressed concern in another thread that the wheels don't line up right on the Novas. both fronts and rears sit far back in the wells out of the box, but they're not too bad on an Aurora chassis... here's a pic of the red one out of the box first:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/rnova1.jpg

and this is what the gray one looks like snuggled down on an NOS Aurora chassis:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/gynova2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/gynova1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/gynova4.jpg

In addition to shortening the posts, I opened up the side windows and removed the rear window "post"... I don't think it's supposed to be a post, as this looks like the hardtop roofline for this car... but they did the same thing to the '70 Chevelle when JL did the R1 pullbacks: they took the metal trim strip that goes at the front edge of the quarter window and molded it like it was a window post. I think the Challenger from that release had that too. Also, I removed all that extra mounting surface that JL/AW always puts at the bottom of the windows. Careful, I actually cracked the windshield in the process. The wheelwells are a tight fit with WJ's silicones on the rears, but I just nicked the inside edges of the rear wheelwells for clearance and it's not a problem.

Comparison shots in the next post...

Here's some side-by-sides:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/novas1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/novas2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/novas3.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/novas4.jpg

Honest to Pete, I thought I took a lot more than that off the screwposts, but it doesn't look like much of a difference. Check out the different license plates in the rear view shot... nice touch, AW...

--rick

edit: i was thinking about custom ideas for these, and i thought convertible, but it turns out the factory never made them. they made Nova convertibles in '62 and '63 (maybe 4 and 5 too) but the body looks significantly different; you can find pics of '66 and '67 'verts on the net but apparently they are mostly earlier ragtop cars with '66/'67 sheetmetal grafted on. doesn't mean it wouldn't look cool as a slot car...

also, i think one of these would look great as a "fairground special" on a field with a Falcons and shoeboxes...

Fun stuff Rick!

Nice to have you back!!!! Looking forward to your review of the bug.

Nice job on the Nova Rick...
Is the rear plate supposed to say See you later? (CUL8R). Or maybe it is the Southern' drawl version. See Y'all Later (CYAL8R) lol

Thanks for the sweet info, Rick. The nose-to-nose and tail-to-tail shots are the most dramatic. The silver car looks heaps better than the red one. Keep up the great work.

WTG Rick... You really put this one back into perspective. :thumbsup: nd

Post up on the red one once ya chop it off at the knees!!!!!

Nice mod! :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr

I am so happy to see one with skinny wheels that pretty much fit inside the wheelwells!!!! And as I was speculating, the Aurora chassis did center the wheels in the openings.. Which still makes me wonder... Was this done intentionally for those of us who much prefer the good old fashioned aurora chassis??? Thanks Rick for the preview!!! Tax return time is closing in!!!

UtherJoe

Having lowered several AW bodies on stock tjets (and much lower than that, I might add) I can see potential for the Nova. The '57 looks horrible. No thanks.

Anything else of interest in the new releases?

Nice job Rick. Thanks for the breakdown and pix. Dave.

. . . also, i think one of these would look great as a "fairground special" . . .

Thanks for the idea. :)

Rick,
Just saw the crack in the windshield. If you want to make it less noticable, apply a coat or two of Future to it. I used to do that to eliminate scratches and then tried it on a cracked one with fairly good results. :thumbsup::thumbsup: Dave

What a dramatic change, the unaltered red Nova looks really cobbled up by comparison. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Amazing how much better the gray car looks, proportionally and with those hard top lines. Nice job! If they all looked as nice do you think they'd have more shelf appeal?

Is the wheelbase on the Nova Short or Long wheelbase?

Is the wheelbase on the Nova Short or Long wheelbase?

long wheelbase. I had been hoping for short, but no such luck.

FWIW, the Bug in my other post is short wheelbase...

--rick

After looking at some 1:1 versions, looks like the front fender slope starts a little too early on the AW version. But not bad enough to ignore the cast! :) rr

After some further 1:1 comparison, I find these Nova's run on electricity :p:p:p...RM

:freak:Here's some side-by-sides:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/novas1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/novas2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/novas3.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Erwurtz/images/novas4.jpg

Honest to Pete, I thought I took a lot more than that off the screwposts, but it doesn't look like much of a difference. Check out the different license plates in the rear view shot... nice touch, AW...

--rick

edit: i was thinking about custom ideas for these, and i thought convertible, but it turns out the factory never made them. they made Nova convertibles in '62 and '63 (maybe 4 and 5 too) but the body looks significantly different; you can find pics of '66 and '67 'verts on the net but apparently they are mostly earlier ragtop cars with '66/'67 sheetmetal grafted on. doesn't mean it wouldn't look cool as a slot car...

also, i think one of these would look great as a "fairground special" on a field with a Falcons and shoeboxes...

Wasn't a limo either

I assume that limo would take the A/W 9 gear specialty chassis????:p

I assume that limo would take the A/W 9 gear specialty chassis????:p


No, just a 6 gear... :freak:

Why not the model murdering 5 gear unit? At least the gear mesh is guaranteed...LOL!

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/FD75ED7-B427-471E-A08F-1B042205231B.jpg

Just fugedabout the front tandem and leave the rear drivers. Instant stretch chassis! Never thought about it until today....duh.

A floater non-functional axle will work great for flat-landers, but if you have a grade or two, the extra functional drive axle makes for better traction and smoother running. Since I have rather abrupt elevation changes, the full drive option is my only option.. Otherwise, I'll be spinning in the dips or crests.. Now I only need to put one or two together..... Hmmmm.. Now you got me thinking about them M-2 limo's I've been tossing about... double stretch Tjet chassis?????

http://cgi.ebay.com/M2-Machines-1949-Mercury-Stretch-Limo-Very-Hot_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ45352QQihZ024QQitem Z370135070501QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVWQQ

I Love The Limo Nova, Lol! Too Much!!