Helping a fellow scratch builder out in 1/8th scale

[Brian Conn]

  The past few months I've been spending my time with a few side projects...everything from resin casting 1:87 scale rail road car parts clear up to an 1/8th scale behemoth.   
 
  On Sept. 19th of 2017 fellow modeler and scratch builder Bob Hayes suffered a stroke at home and 2 more the next day in ICU which has left him with limited use of his Right hand. At the time of his strokes, he was scratch building an 1/8th scale '56 Ford pick up........Bob has asked me to help him finish up this build, which I consider to be an honor.
  For those of you who are not familiar with Bob, he scratch builds street -n- strip vehicles, mostly of the 60's era, in 1/8th scale.  He's also a contributor to Alumilte resin and fellow resident of Topeka, Ks.  Bob more or less told me that everything I knew about resin pouring was wrong and proceeded to teach me the right way.....its still a learning process.
  There is very little, if anything at all in 1/8th scale out there market wise or after market wise....thus every thing has to be scratch built.  This build includes products from Aluilite ,K&S Metals and Evergreen Plastics as well as 3-D printed parts.

The fallowing pictures are from Bob's Fotki acct. as it appeared while he was working on it prior to his stroke.



  Resin cast 427 Ford ...Bob created the master


  The pulleys Bob cut on his lathe.




  Interior floor is K&S Brass ....transmission hump soldered in place.


  A real rubber shifter boot made of Alumilite Flex soft urethane casting rubber.


  Functional 4 link rear suspension made from K&S Brass...resin cast Ford 9" rear axle....K&S Brass frame.

  This is how I received it a couple of months ago......

  Everything you see in Red is 3-D printed.....Bob worked with someone else who does 3-D Printing.  From what I recall in a conversation with Bob, to get the 3-D printed interior and body parts delivered to his front door was just North of $1000.00    ...and you thought some of the 1:25th scale stuff that we deal with can get expensive.  I'm pretty sure that Bob had something to do with creating the master for this body.
  The tires where molded and cast by Bob using Alumilite Flex soft urethane casting rubber.  Combination resin cast and K&S Brass front axle and its components.





  Real wood was used for the bed floor along with K&S Brass...it even has working gate clasp and chain in the rubber hose.


  Does this door make my hand look small???   This gives you an idea of just how large 1/8th scale is.


  Bob wants working door hinges ...he had just started marking things on the doors when he had the stroke...this is where I pick up this project.  This picture shows the pockets that the door half of the hinges will fit into.  I am using a combination of Evergreen Plastics ,K&S Brass and Hillman Brass ornamental hinges to create the working door hinges.  I am using actual pictures of the door hinges that where used in the 1956 Ford Pickups as a guide in building the hinges. 
   
  Don't know the K&S Brass piece #...all I can tell you is that it's 1.57mm. thick and 6.35 mm. wide. I had to take the width down some so as to be able to fit inside the Evergreen rectangle tube nice and tight. Instead of using the Dremel tool, I just used my regular grinder to remove the Brass, something that I am not accustomed to scratch building in 1:25th scale.  The Brass piece is the door half of the hinge.

 
 

[sentsat71]

WOW!!

That is so COOL!!

Neat story as well......Glad you're able to help out....!

[Brian Conn]

Working with such a large scale has its advantages (and disadvantages) and I have never personally built anything this scale. The good thing is that it looks like just about everything is already there so this may be more of an assembly effort. The 1:1 hinges look pretty clean. What's your plan on this Brian?

  This is actually the second time that Bob has farmed out something to me...the last time was a set of over the frame headers for an 1/8th scale Bantam Roadster drag car with a 409 Chevy engine.....it was an 1/8 scale replica of an actual drag car....I had plenty of pictures for reference  http://public.fotki.com/molderone/bantam-roadster/   used Plastruct plastic tubing for a perfect match.

  Yes, there are advantages .....not as many small parts to deal with being one of them and the ability to do more with the build as far as functioning parts ( working lights, sound system, suspension, etc etc.) and it has its disadvantages...I have to clear off the entire work area to build on one of these and you cant hide any details on the build like you can in 1:25, plus displaying these takes up a LOT of room.
 
  Yea, its pretty much going to be an assembly effort once I get the hinges built.....He's got a brake line coming off of the brake master cylinder so I don't know if he wants me to plumb the break lines or if he thinks that he is able enough with one good hand.  I'm going to have to move the front shocks just a hair more outboard as they are causing a stress fracture on the front axle beam .

  The door hinges are something that get loose and simply wear out over time.  There are a few aftermarket manufactures of these hinges (1:1 full size) for restorations.  I was able to locate several, really good pictures of the actual door hinge that is used in this era of Ford pick up's so I was able to draw up a draft.  I figured out the mathematical formula for converting everything to 1:8th scale so I should be good that way.  When I'm done it will look like what you have pictured.  I've got to use K&S Brass for everything with a weight load since those 3-D printed doors are heavy and there cant be any sag if displayed with an open door plus it has to close properly and remain in proper alignment.           

[Brian Conn]

  Bob had started building the front suspension...it's about 80% done.  Its a dropped I-beam with struts and coil over shocks.  I'll be finishing the shocks that he started.  One thing about it....at this large scale you sure cant hide much like you can with the 1/25th scale stuff....leave something out of the detail and it really sticks out.

 
  The round Black dot up against the frame rail is actually the shock shaft.  Using K&S Aluminum tubing for the shock body and shaft.  There are a set of coil springs that are kind of hard to see (just below the Black dot)
 that will be part of the coil over shocks.  I figure build these coil over shocks like I have for the 1:25 scale stock car coil overs.


  I talked to Bob earlier today about the ride height....I'm not familiar with the dropped I beams (this is my first) and I didn't know if he wanted it slammed to the weeds or what.  He said "set it in the fenders a little bit and envision turning the wheels Left and Right with out the tire coming in contact with the fender"  .....
  I think I have it.....would appreciate comments from you guys who are more familiar as far if it looks right.
  I have the frame supported by a couple chunks of modeling clay for right now until I can get everything set.   
 

[Brian Conn]

...Got the correct pictured posted, I don't know how that got past the poof err I mean proof reader.

  I'll be posting some more progress pictures of the hinges....lets just say that "Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man" and its the place for 1/8th scale parts and pieces.
  That pick up that you have posted looks spot on as far as the look that is trying to be achieved....I just need to figure out how to get everything mounted up solid.  I did a mock up of a coil over shock for the front and ran into issues...if I turn them upside down the spring fits without coming into contact with the frame, turn it right side up and the spring is up against the frame.  I asked Bob for some pictures of what the front suspension should look like, so hopefully he'll find some.

[Brian Conn]

................ By the way, what is that pump looking thing that looks like it has a line to the brakes and one back under the firewall? I am certainly not any kind of "expert" on cars but I just can't figure out what that is?

  That makes 3 of us....Lefturns75 p.m'ed me and asked the same question.  I'll get ahold of Bob and see what he says.


  Here's the mystery piece in relationship to the rest of the engine...just to the lower Right of the crank pulley.  The engine has the alternator already in place, so that's out.  Maybe a water pump since there's no water pump pulley on the front side of the block   


  That front looks almost like some kind of water pump housing...the Black wire is attached to the frame rail behind this piece where the engine fire wall would be located and looks like it could go into the cab.  The Red wire is loose and goes no where....yet.  The Red wire is long enough to go to the engine side of the fire wall.  The back side of this piece has me confused...it doesn't resemble anything familiar.

[Brian Conn]

  I might end up making my own coils...some thing with a smaller diameter that would fit better and closer to the shock body and farther away from the frame.....Bob said that the front suspension does not have to be functional, so the coil over shocks are just for appearance only.

[Lefturns75]

I am going out on a W. A. Guess about the part attached to the frame but I am sure Bob will fill you in on what it is.  Since the front looks kinda like an old Hilborn belt drive fuel pump, my guess is that is what it is.  The SOHC is injected and the fuel lines are also the same color as one of the lines on the part.  I never saw one mounted this way but I see no reason why you couldn't do so.  You have your hands full with this one, I'll just stick to snap kits.  Should I get the urge to build something large scale, I'll make it big enough I can drive it to the Boomerang Drive In for a burger but that's just me. 

[Brian Conn]

I am going out on a W. A. Guess about the part attached to the frame but I am sure Bob will fill you in on what it is.  Since the front looks kinda like an old Hilborn belt drive fuel pump, my guess is that is what it is.  The SOHC is injected and the fuel lines are also the same color as one of the lines on the part.  I never saw one mounted this way but I see no reason why you couldn't do so....... 

  YOU NAILED IT I received an e-mail from Bob a while ago before making my way over here...he provided 1:1 pictures of this set up.  He also provided some pictures of the front suspension which is a help.  I sent him a link to this thread , he is quite happy with every ones post, the picture that David posted of a pick up, he said, is exactly how he envisions the front ride height.       

[Brian Conn]

  At this scale (1/8) a lot more things become useful to facilitate a scratch build.  In this case, real hinges are used for the door hinges.



  These came from my neighborhood Ace hardware store....these were the smallest ones sold....enough for one door.

 

  Used the Dremel tool and cut down one side of the hinge, leaving the hinging part intact.  The large half will be mounted in the cab behind the door frame and under the dash for the top hinge......for the bottom hinge I'll have to fab an interior panel to conceal the cab half of the hinge.


 
  Here's the mock up...there will be another part soldered to the piece sticking out that will fit inside the door

[Marty W]

I am very interested in this build as well. I talked to Bob recently, but I either was not aware, or I forgot that he was doing this truck. I probably forgot! I hope to start on a 1/8 scale '55 Chevy gasser, in the near future. Got the body from Bob.

I will be following this truck build!

[Brian Conn]

  HEY Marty ...were your ears burning early yesterday evening?  Bob called to do some coaching from the side lines and brought your name up for some reason.....I sent him the link to this thread a couple of days ago and he's read and re-read it a few times....small world isn't it?

[Marty W]

Yes, small world. I have known Bob for several years, from back when he ran his Large scale modeler site. A very good friend, who I hope will get better, and get back to what he loves doing. I have way too many hobby projects, so I am sending him my 1/8 '41 Willys gasser, with a bunch of parts for him to build when he does recover.

I would like to contribute any parts I have that you can use for the pickup, like a battery, fuel/brake lines, U joints, or whatever else you can use that I might have?

[Brian Conn]

.......
I would like to contribute any parts I have that you can use for the pickup, like a battery, fuel/brake lines, U joints, or whatever else you can use that I might have?

  Hopefully you haven't sent the Willy's yet.......that was one of the discussions from the other evening now that I think of it.
  Did a quick inventory last night.....he already has a battery in place with a ground wire coming off it, a single brake line coming off of the brake master cylinder...enough to reach the rear axle....so brake lines would come in handy...got the fuel lines covered between what he has already done on the engine and the Hilborn belt drive fuel pump, the build needs a set of U joints.  Do you by chance half the inner half of a rear wheel?  I haven't asked Bob yet if he has any of this, nor would I know where to look in his build room.

[Marty W]

I have not shipped the Willys yet. I will dig up some brake line, and the U joints. Would you post a pic of the wheel? I might have the inner half of that. I have a lot of wheel parts and tires. Also, PM me your shipping address.