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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2010 2:07:27 GMT -5
Sheriff Bart, Help is on the way!
Mongo
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2010 15:13:10 GMT -5
Old Calhoun...Rest in Pieces.... for now...
I was putting one more light coat of white primer in the beast this morning, about 30 minutes ago and dropped the bastard! Broke the nose off and chunked the paint on the body. Hey, if any of you remeber the 1956 Novi of Lance Sellers I built, you'll knoe I have has trouble before. My father once said anything worth having is worth fighting for!.....he has also said that getting old isn't for the weak and mild.
My hands just aren't what they used to be...damnit! But after considering stepping on it and ending it properly, I have decided to finish this beast so I can move on to the next build! So another mild setback for this one. More later.......
Best to you!
Russ
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Post by Calvin on Jan 11, 2010 15:30:54 GMT -5
Oh NOooo  oo! Not another Problem! I dont know how you keep such a good attitude still?  |
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Post by clm1545 on Jan 11, 2010 16:18:10 GMT -5
Hang in there Russ. That dark cloud that has been hanging over this project has got to move on sooner or later.
Take Care
Craig
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2010 21:58:29 GMT -5
Craig...
You know, I wish the dark cloud would move on soon!!! I have built, by my count, 5 of these Old Calhouns over the past 16 years, in different scales, and none has given as much trouble as this one has. Maybe I'm trying to hard to get it right and the others were just to build for myself, the display at Indy and for the guy who drove the car originally. This one may be the last one for quite some time though.....Thanks for the encouragement everyone!
Best to you!
Russ
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2010 14:20:07 GMT -5
Crash photo........  Well...if you're going to screw up, do it royally...which I did. This is what it looked like before restoration. Best to you! Russ |
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Post by indydog on Jan 12, 2010 23:03:11 GMT -5
Hell, that looks better then what I normally build Russ! ;D
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2010 23:55:53 GMT -5
Mark...
I know that is Bull Puckey!!! I've seen your work! This one has fighting me hard. Many times it almost hit the wall...literally! Hopefully, it will be done soon then I'll move on to the next project!
Best to you!
Russ
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2010 14:33:05 GMT -5
And I got mad at myself last April when I had to tweek my nose striping on the Calhoun that I did! I thought I had problems...
Keep the faith Russ and keep going with it.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2010 20:41:23 GMT -5
Thanks for all the encouragement!!! To everyone. I got myself into this mess, I'll get myself out of it. Waiting for clear lacquer to get here from there, HIOPEFULLY....it will be a piece of cake. I'm trying to hard on his one....I want the build to be worthy of the excellent decals. When you try to hard sometimes, you get careless, which I did. Somethings you can't cut corners upon.
Best to you all!
Russ
P.S. - This has given me some time to work on a pattern...
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Post by herk56 on Jan 19, 2010 14:54:48 GMT -5
Keep plugging away on it, Russ! Some builds are just cursed from the start. They usually turn out just fine in the end. As Denny Hulme would have said, "She'll come right!"
Brian
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2010 16:00:16 GMT -5
EUREKA!!!!Almost You-reek-a....but....fianally!! It helps when you have the proper paint you're used to that sticks to the body correctly..... BIG THANKS MONGO!!! This not an easy paint job, and I'm still not happy with it, but I've reached a point that this will have to do. Sorry everyone, I just want this one past me. Glad I didn't use Lance's conversion on this one....but, I did learn a lesion by doing this. It's not all bad that some good comes from.  Now for decals and prep for the suspension pieces to put put on....We're around turn number three.....can almost coast from here. Best to you! Russ
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Post by Calvin on Feb 6, 2010 16:41:39 GMT -5
No need to be sorry because all the work you put into this for us to see the correct way of doing this is great! We all know that paint jobs can go bad with the pro's too  You have nothing to prove. You did it years ago. Good job on being a good teacher for us rookies.  BTW is the next chapter of Old Calhoun 101 going to be on Vac-form wind screens? ;D |
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Post by scalecentral on Feb 7, 2010 16:19:13 GMT -5
Russ, it looks good, probably a lot better than I could do with that scheme. I would chicken out and use white and red decal film. Can't wait to see it finished.
Nic
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2010 19:50:47 GMT -5
Decal Time!!!!Time to apply the best decals I have ever seen on this project. I thought, for the longest time. Fred Cady, and it was his sheet for "Old Calhoun" that I first was introduced to his work, was fine. But with all the compound curves, placing one color over another can be a a total pin. Indycals isn't that way at all and the gold leafing is brilliant!   Micheal did a great job on this car! Ever with me screwing one up, I can't wait until it is done! Looks great with the decals on...You can dress a pig sometime if you have the proper decals, this proves it! Best to you!! Russ P.S. - And yes Chaparral, the next step will be vacforming a windscreen for the beast!!
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Post by clm1545 on Feb 7, 2010 19:58:23 GMT -5
Way to go, Russ. We all knew you could do it.
Craig
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2010 9:29:29 GMT -5
HI Sheriff Bart!
Glad the paint came in handy. It is the very best stuff that I have found for these types of applications. A lacquer that isn't hot enough to melt anything else, yet sticks like glue.
Looks awesome!
Mongo
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Post by Patrick on Feb 8, 2010 10:06:36 GMT -5
Russ,
Great save! This will look even better when all of it is finished. A pig in the poke is worth two in the slough. Or something like that!
Patrick
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Post by sandysixtysfan on Feb 9, 2010 17:07:37 GMT -5
Hats to ya Russ, outstanding job! And like Patrick said, "Great Save!"
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2010 18:17:33 GMT -5
STEP TWELVE - VAC FORM A WINDSCREENWell....onward and upward! While waiting for more decals, it's time to get other things ready so that when we get there, all we have to do is glue it on. First...get your vac-form out and get it ready.....I have a huge old one that has served me well...  ....some may have one of the old Matel Vac Form Machines....(LUCKY BASTARDS!) get it ready by getting the windscreen onto a pedestal...but leave a bit of the windscreen hanging off so the plastic curves around the bottom, giving you a total pull from the plastic. So it will sit up from the bottom of the vac-form machine.  Now turn it on and get it hot....Hot enough for the plastic to sag a bit, but not too much. Just enough that you can get the plastic to form around the pattern. http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq15/OldCal/P1010278.jpg When plastic is ready...turn on the vacuum cleaner, get ready and take the frame with the hot...and it will be hot!!! Place it over the part and let the vacuum do it's thing....pulling the hot clear plastic around the pedestal and part, giving you the thin windscreen you want for the model and a more accurate look to the part. This took me two times to get it correct, without a wrinkled that crossed the part.   Once cooled, the part pops out with no fuss at all. Ready to place on the car, when we get there. Best to you! Russ
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Post by Calvin on Feb 10, 2010 14:52:38 GMT -5
Thank you for showing us how to go about vac forming. I think I might be able to do it?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2010 20:00:18 GMT -5
That is going to be your BEST looking Old Calhoun so far!
Mongo
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2010 17:36:05 GMT -5
Next Step - Rear SuspensionRemember back when we started all the lovely chrome parts AMT did for you....You know that ones that never look right? The front and rear brakes and all of the "birdcage" assembly for the rear? Get those and paint them any silver you like. I use Rust-o-lium Aluminum and spray those parts a good silver alloy color.  During one of my many drops of this model, I happened to break off one of the mounting posts for the rear tires....that was replaced with brass tubing. Once that was done, then assemble both right and left "birdcage" assemblies...painting the brake hub gold and the shocks Monroe Blue.  \ There you can see the new mounting post for the rear tires...  Now, I always leave AMT parts numbers 323 & 324 the other left and right shocks off any roadster I do, due to the "Monogram B-24" rule. When Monogram came out with their model of the B-24J in the mid 1970's. I, like everyone else was dazzled by the photos on the sides of the box that displayed all the neat detail that was inside the big old bomber, only to be greatly disappointed when building it...to close up the main fuselage to discover......no one can see the detail work you have done. So, if it isn't seen....Why do it? Besides, those parts don't fit anyway. Best to you! Russ
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Post by Patrick on Feb 15, 2010 18:19:38 GMT -5
That pearl paint looks excellent. If you're like me, Russ, you see all of your imperfections in your work. However, we don't see any and exclaim, "Wow! Killer build!!"
Wow! Killer build, Russ!
Patrick
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2010 12:17:47 GMT -5
STEP 14 - Front Suspension workNow comes to the one thing that has always bothered me about the AMT Watson Roadster kit and that is the front suspension. Now, almost everyone knows the Indy Watsons front suspension was off set to the right to improve handling on the beasts, but not to the extent the kit has, which is WAY too much in real life, so you need to shorten it a bit....almost 1/8 of an inch by the diagram below.  So now you take the kit part....  Cut it in the middle....and remove 1/8 of an inch of the axel.  Then, using a pin vise drill, drill a hole in the middle of the front axel is that you can place a piece of brass rod and a mounting pin, so that the two new ends can be placed together. Using a super glue, place the brass rod into one and end and then, again using super glue glue the two ends to together.  http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq15/OldCal/P1010291.jpgThen, taking the front tie rod, part #326 and shorten it to length that it will mount on the axel on the top mounting posts.  Using a piece of brass rod, connect the two ends of the tie rod. Then feed the solid axel through the opening on the body and then, the tie rod through and glue into place. Best to you! Russ
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Post by Calvin on Feb 16, 2010 12:50:58 GMT -5
Interesting. Thats good to know.
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Post by 2lapsdown on Feb 16, 2010 13:10:59 GMT -5
Thanks Russ, it's good to have an "Old Dog" to teach us new tricks. BTW, I'm older than you are.
John
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2010 23:19:03 GMT -5
Thanks Russ, it's good to have an "Old Dog" to teach us new tricks. BTW, I'm older than you are. John As a former boss of mine said to me once..."It isn't the age, it's the mileage that counts." Well....I'm a wholesale unit. Tons of mileage on a used & abused frame. Best to you! Russ |
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Post by racerbrown on Feb 17, 2010 8:30:48 GMT -5
well russ, if you were a race car then you'd be highly collectible!  really enjoying the wip. thanks for taking the time to do it. duane |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2010 19:02:56 GMT -5
NEXT STEP - Getting Resin Tires Ready Many months ago, I sent a pattern I did years ago for Chris Etzel to do proper wheels and tires for the 63 & 64 Winning Watsons. I had an extra set so I sent them to DrDave and he cast them for me and these are the tires I will use on my Old Calhoun. All I do it paint the tread with a good flat black, this time good old testors paint, then the side walls with Kroylon Semi Gloss Black, next will be Model Masters Metalizer mix of Magnesium and Brass for the rims to get the right look of the rims in those days. Best to you! Russ
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You have nothing to prove. You did it years ago. Good job on being a good teacher for us rookies. 
