Post by zbuckster on Apr 30, 2011 11:39:46 GMT -6
Well after 4 years of messing with this thing it is done. I built this model for Don Richardson at Richardson Custom Auto Body. Here is a link to his site. Don is a nationally know car builder. I think the only two he hasn't won are the America's Most Beautiful Roadster and the Riddler.
www.richardsoncustomautobody.com/index.html
Go there and look at some of his work. I know you have seen the cars before.
Don found this kit at a swap meet and bought it for 100.00. There was no bar code on the box so we knew it was old. I showed it to Bob Paeth before he passed. He said the kit dated to 1962 or 1964. Lindberg released the kit about the same time that Monogram let there Big "T" series of kits out. The Monogram kits blew the Lindberg kit out of the water so it was never very popular.
The kit it's self was a struggle from the time I started on it. Parts didn't fit right and that made the build long. When I put the rear end together the pinion didn't even touch the ring gear. I made shims out of aluminum foil and it took 3 days to get it right. Not to tight not to loose. The fact that the ring gear wasn't flat didn't help. I finally got it flat enough using weight on top of it and a hair dryer to heat it.
The same program in the building of the steering box. When I finally got it right. the car was so heavy if you tried to steer it the steer would break where the pitman arm hooks onto the drag link. After scratch building 3 pins to hold it together I changed the setup. I built to sets of jack stands to hold the front and rear wheels about 1/8 inch off the ground. Then you could steer it and the engine, trans, rear end and rear wheels all turned.
More finished model photos are here.
public.fotki.com/zbuckster/model_car_gallery/big-red-rod/
Model build up photos are here.
public.fotki.com/zbuckster/model_car_build_up/big_red_rod_1925_t/
So here ya go all done.
www.richardsoncustomautobody.com/index.html
Go there and look at some of his work. I know you have seen the cars before.
Don found this kit at a swap meet and bought it for 100.00. There was no bar code on the box so we knew it was old. I showed it to Bob Paeth before he passed. He said the kit dated to 1962 or 1964. Lindberg released the kit about the same time that Monogram let there Big "T" series of kits out. The Monogram kits blew the Lindberg kit out of the water so it was never very popular.
The kit it's self was a struggle from the time I started on it. Parts didn't fit right and that made the build long. When I put the rear end together the pinion didn't even touch the ring gear. I made shims out of aluminum foil and it took 3 days to get it right. Not to tight not to loose. The fact that the ring gear wasn't flat didn't help. I finally got it flat enough using weight on top of it and a hair dryer to heat it.
The same program in the building of the steering box. When I finally got it right. the car was so heavy if you tried to steer it the steer would break where the pitman arm hooks onto the drag link. After scratch building 3 pins to hold it together I changed the setup. I built to sets of jack stands to hold the front and rear wheels about 1/8 inch off the ground. Then you could steer it and the engine, trans, rear end and rear wheels all turned.
More finished model photos are here.
public.fotki.com/zbuckster/model_car_gallery/big-red-rod/
Model build up photos are here.
public.fotki.com/zbuckster/model_car_build_up/big_red_rod_1925_t/
So here ya go all done.