solaris_vii

wow.... amazing work!

Hawk312

Thanks! Which part?

Mike Geary

For instance, the steering wheel: do you use a computer to create it with rapid prototyping technology, or some sort of photo-etching?

Hawk312

Oh, I wish. Hopefully the prices of 3d printers, etc. will come down in the future enough so that someone like me, on a working man`s salary, can afford them. Right now, I am using either kit parts (the steering wheel parts all came in the kit) carefully painted/detailed, or making the parts from scratch styrene and wires. The labels and tag card were printed.

5thvet

You must have a very steady hand and good eyesight!

62Jeff

What is your approach for carpeting? Looks like some type of spray-on glove box liner flocking which you then paint.

Hawk312

It is flocking material....The stuff they use for felt on cards. I lay a coat of paint down, and then will it is still wet, I cover the area with flocking. It's tricky because you must use flat paints which dry quickly, but you also have to be careful to only paint what will be covered. And there are a few spots (like around the heel plate) that are tight and have precise lines.

skrape

I apologize as I have been away visiting grandkids. I will try my best to get down there this week and ask permission to take pictures. I cannot promise you but I'll take a number of photos from all positions they'll allow access. If it works out for you, just pay it forward; we are all in this together!

Hawk312

Thanks Skrape! I appreciate anything you can get!

Ok, so I am going to give fabricating the `67 wheel a try. From all of these I have sold, I have never had a complaint about the `68 style wheels, so I am not sure I am going to go with whatever I accomplish here. Keep in mind, this is still very much in progress. I have alot of work to do yet. Here is what I am working next to the `68 style wheel:



What do you think? Am I on track?

Nowhere Man

Looks good.

slyvet63

Oh, Come-on,
Tell us the truth, You invented a miniaturizing shrinking gun, haven't you? You shrunk a real Corvette.

Love your work.

Hawk312

Thanks again guys.
Ok, I think I am just about satisfied with the wheel. I have spent waaaayyyy to much time on these. Now to assemble and cast them. I think I will have to have them chromed, as the chrome spray plating isn`t quite brilliant enough. What do you think?

67's

The wheel should be silver, only the cap and trim ring bright. Don't know how you would accomplish that though.

anyChevy

I would paint the rim (only) of the chrome wheel silver, or a darker silver on the rim of the other one, for contrast.

Which wheel are you using, the 68 "derby" cap wheel, or the other one ?

Hawk312

Thanks guys! I shot it with a quick coat of chrome spray to see how it looks before casting it. I will hopefully be sending these out for chrome and then detail painting them with aluminum paint around the wheel, leaving the center caps and outer rim chrome.
Thanks!

Hawk312

A little more work on this. I have been working on the exhaust, and it is a little more complex to bend then originally thought. Plus the bends are tighter than they look. But I think I am really close now. My fingers and thumbs are aching though. For those of you who have never bent tubing by hand, and since I don`t happen to have a mandrel on me , it requires putting progressively smaller tubing inside the exterior tubing to keep it from kinking. What you end up with is a nearly solid tube, which makes it resistant to bending, even with the soft bendable tubing. Anyway, I need to add the muffler inlet tubes and cast the mufflers. I also have to do some careful sanding in some places to imitate the D shaped pipes.



I also have to cast the wheels yet. Hopefully I will have them done soom.

KC John

I don't build models, but I have a trick for bending tubes without kinking them. I fill copper tubes with aluminum oxide packed tightly and then seal the ends. This makes the copper bend like it's solid. Give it a shot and see if it makes the job any easier.

You can also try a spring that fits tightly over the tube, but it's not as easy to do.

Your work is amazing. I assume you use some type of magnification to do the incredible detail on your interior trim pieces. I hope the guy that owns that car sees your work, I'm sure he will want it more than anyone else.

Hawk312

It sounds as though that is similar to the sand trick? Is the copper oxide a finer grain than sand? I don`t have any experience with aluminum oxide.


Thanks! No magnification. Just a very fine brush or toothpick and my squinty eyes.
Does anyone know who ended up with this car anyway? I would assume it went to a museum?

Hawk312

Alright, finally got the exhaust complete. It was more work than I thought..constantly rebending to get things right. I also wasn`t satisfied with my first master of the mufflers, so I created two molds, and cast the mufflers from the second mold. For my first time scratch-building and casting mufflers, I am happy.
I am also in the middle of modifying and recasting the wheels because I am not happy with the originals. I am pretty sure the master is ready now though, and hope to have some pictures soon.
This seems like the never-ending project. Not sure I will be able to part with it once it is done.

JohnZ

You do great work! The steering linkage & tie rods should be black.