Randy's Scratchbuilding

[jknaus]

This is taken from Randy Ditton's Adventures in Soldering thread. It is a photo journal. A picture is worth a thousand words and I am positive that it will help everyone who scratch builds, wants to scratch build, or who wants to broaden their skills. Peruse through and be amazed at what a little ingenuity and some metal and plastic can become.


Hi All, Ever since Jeff and Mike posted some car stuff I have looking for a cool project. Have not built a car since the 60's ( wow, I'm getting old!)

Found this on the net....

Won't try to duplicate the 1:1 but will use for inspiration!


A Revell '37 Ford pickup is donating the cab and I stole some big old wheels and tires from an Lindbeerg Dodge L700 Tlit Cab kit....


First of many mock ups.....

Never one to overplan a project, grabbed some brass stock and got to work...

Sticking with a Mopar theme for the drive train, test fittting a 440, I know the true Rat Rodders wouls shudder but it's my truck!!

Going with a suicide front end....

This baby's going to need a fairly hefty front axkle with a wee bit of drop...

Here's a pic of my little bending table....

Like I said, nothing fancy. Use drill bits for the bending posts and that large square thingy upper right in the photo is my beater. It is a 6" machinist square. Slides nice and flat on the masonite.


Trying to finish the frontend....



Shock mounts...

Some radius bars, and some shocks....

I did switch to a different shock, will use coilovers in the back end..

Coilovers and the mounting brackets for that rather large rear axel..

X bracing the frame....

Mocking up some headlights..

 

[jknaus]

Finally got the four coil over shocks and brackets for the rear done....

Test fit...

Building up the four link and additional bracing for the big a## rear end...

A Couple of small brackets to hold the radiator..

Working on a steering box.....

Going with working steering, the bevel gears and pillow block are some castings from the rr sparesbox....

The steering box is a little over scale when you compare it to the real thing but part will be tucked up into the firewall so I think it will look okay.

It does work smoothly, so far without the tires on.

The big wheels that I'm using from the Dodge Tilt cab kit have no real detail for the drum brakes and hubs so working on that and building up the drive shaft. Had to make up a gear tower so that the drivetrain all lines up...

the kit part for the front hub is on the left and the part I'll use is the finned thingy on the right.
It is a cut down paint lid. The other things are the backing plates for front and back, the back have parking brake details..

Going to paint as I go here 'cause I won't beable to get to some of this later. Working on the brake lines and running some cable for the parking brakes...

Got a nice sunny day here in Co. so got some shots outside in the shade...

Brake lines and fittings...

flip it over now.....

The motor is just set in for these pics, long ways to go on that. You can probably pick up on the fact I like the look of brass and copper instead of chrome on my rod . Will get toned down a little when it all gets weathered.
The radiator you see is the core of course and I will add a nose shell of some kind.

 

[jknaus]

Using a Mopar 440 engine that is a pretty good casting, replacing the coil and starter then starting to wire it up...


Starter solenoid..

coil...

Headers made from solder....

Using some white metal castings for the pulleys, modified kit alternator and made up a oil filter..

Still more to do with some throttle linkage and wiring.

A little work on the carb linkage (the rest when I figure out where the gas pedal is)

A fan...

Working on the tranny linkage and making up some shifter parts...

mocked up, really need to make a new wheel!!...

Starting on the firewall...

Left off last time showing a mock up the firewall, here is a mockup of the floor of the cab also. Using K&S sheet goods of tin and copper. These solder well and are soft and easy to work with...

Building up the firewall first....

Checking the fit....

Heater hoses....

On to the floor, I use a piece of Homosote to work on when I need to pin together parts for soldering. It is a paper building board product that you used to find in the home centers. It is dense and holds pins well. Serves the same purpose as Chuk's ceiling tile.

A sloppy solderer's best friend...

Filing the front square....

Mock up time...

Added some rivets and opened up for the shifters, have a two speed rear axle so I need the second lever. The shifter opening has Scale Hardware rivets while the others are a photo etch strip...


The shifters are just set in place for now until the seat is in..

 

[moon puppy]

Man, looking at all this scratch building in one shot is just like art.

 

[jknaus]

Transmission gets some more detail with clutch stuff, backup light wires and speedo cable..

Really need to get the wirring bundled up ...

Raided the armor pe scrapbox for some tread plate and pz IV hatch trim....

Saw a bomber style bench seat that looked like it would work for my truck...


Josh Mishler photo "Street Rodder"

Mock up of a seat...

Soldering up a seat...

 

[buddho]

Just incredible... :stinker

 

[Bagge]