[JohnP]

Fantastic tutorial howmet, thank you

. Now I've no excuse for not building one these sidewinder retro rod rockets myself. I really liked the post-nuclear winter effect in the early photos too.

I hope Mrs howmet will be getting a new kitchen table now tho'

 

[Fergy]

Thanks, Howmet! Informative and well detailed!

Post-nuclear winter, John?

Perhaps! ... I thought maybe Howmet had shot those here on a typical grey day in February - everything looks like that right now...

Wonderful.... now when I go to the hobby shop tomorrow to pester them about my piano wire, I'll have to poke and prod them to restock the brass rod too!

Ah well... every shop owner needs a cranky customer.... always willing to do my part...

 

[Fergy]

Hey, Howmet, I've been sitting here for 7 hours! You said there would be a test! Oh wait... I get it... that was the test... got me again... guess I failed...

I actually figure the worst part of building that entire car is mounting the body! Been there too often and I come close to a brain hemorrhage every time I use the pin concept on a hard body - takes me ages to line it up and then get the courage to actually drill the first hole. I've tried taping card stock over the tires to get the clearances right, and all kinds of spur-of-the-moment fixtures, even a mirror on a set-up block!, but do you have any method you use that helps get things aligned properly for drilling? Someone's gotta have a better way than me! Or am I doomed to heart palpitations every time I mount one?

 

[GRAH1]

Fergy have you seen he tsrf method for pin mounts ,just an L shape plastic guide slips over the edge of the chassis sit the body on, drill through the holes , lines up every time

 

[howmet tx]

That sounds like a useful trick, Grah1. I don't have a method at all though Fergy- just line it up by eye, put a register mark on the outside and drill. No disasters yet... Although it was awkward with the floppy body mounts on the Ferrari.
There must be a foolproof way. Let's think...

 

[Fergy]

Grah, thanks!

Too simple of a solution for me to have ever thought of it!

Should be easy enough to cobble up something similar for just about any type of chassis.

 

[JohnP]

...some great tips there guys, I've heard that the TSRF body mount method is safe as milk.

Speaking of tips, I have now adopted howmet's practice of working in front of a mirror:

As you can see, I had a few buddies around for race night - all good guys and an inventive lot too

 

[JohnP]

...hey, howmet just turned up too!

Hiya howmet - still waving I see

Hope you like my retro 3 wheel Rockette Morton jet chassis here

 

[GRAH1]

Nice dress john! how about a post on a magnet Zappa next?

Ran my brass rail chassis round pendle tonight goes quite well considering the lack of horse power

 

[howmet tx]

Put some more horses in there Grah and Freak Out!

 

[JohnP]

Guys, a horse would be useless in that chassis. The legs are the wrong way round and it would just run sideways.

For a sidewinder you need Baby Snakes

 

[howmet tx]

JP - your prize will be arriving via a short-out in the space-time continuum not long ago.

Mrs Howmet has adjudged the Beefheart/Zappa quoting competition over, and the stick-on beard set goes to the man with the Chaparral

 

[JohnP]

QUOTE Mrs Howmet has adjudged the Beefheart/Zappa quoting competition over
Oh well, it was all a little esoteric I suppose

Shame no one asked me what my Rockette Morton jet chassis ran on!

 

[Fergy]

QUOTE Shame no one asked me what my Rockette Morton jet chassis ran on!

My guess would be.... alcohol....

 

[JohnP]

Nope, no stick-on beard set for you I'm afraid Fergy

Good guess though

 

[Fergy]

Stick-on beard set?

I went to the doctor today. Young kid in front of me, standing next to his mom, turned, looked up at me, and said "Mommy, that man looks like Santa!" Stick-on? Don't need it!

Hmmmm.... second guess then.... dental floss!!!

Oh... wait... we're back to Zappa, aren't we?.... okay, what the heck is that John?

 

[JohnP]

Doh Fergy, not dental floss... not even Zappa! I guess you are just too young to remember Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band

The answer is.... is... is..

...no wait, go on howmet give it a try - I have faith

 

[howmet tx]

beans

 

[bwaminispeed]

HHMMMMM,Rocket Morton,looks like a Jetex 50 mount to me.

Still got a tin of wick around here somewhere too I'm thinkin,and maybe an Augmentor Tube as well.

 

[JohnP]

...it runs on laser beans