Howmet's Happy Hour progress...

9644 Views 89 Replies 15 Participants Last post by BEEJAY7, Jul 31, 2004

Russell Sheldon

Discussion Starter · Jun 17, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

4

Beejay won the prize for nominating the world's ugliest car, the Xylon, in the "Howmet's Happy Hour Part II" thread, which Howmet undertook to build. I was blown away by Beejay's nomination and have been patiently but anxiously waiting to see Howmet's progress.

It's been a while and I think that even Beejay has given up waiting, having removed his taunting (or should that be haunting?) signature picture. No doubt progress is being made in secret as every now and then there are some references to the project by Howmet, the most recent being a reference to Jackie Stewart's rear-end. The problem, I think, is that Howmet builds all his projects in the same closet where he stores his collection of Razzle.

Hopefully my own version won't take as long... the body is being made by Derick Thesnaar from Cape Town:-

The mould just needs to be cleaned up a bit before vacuum-forming gets underway. There will be a couple of 'pulls' for you too, Howmet and Beejay, in exchange for a pullover, of course!

Here's a reminder of what the real car looks like:-

Did I mention that it's a really tiny car?

Kind regards,

Russell

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21 - 40 of 90 Posts

BEEJAY7

· #21 · Jun 28, 2004

Excellent work Russell, the little beast almost looks, dare I say it, attractive!.

However have no fear, because as soon as I get my hands on one, it will be built to represent the very ugly car in my sig. pic, complete with those awful orange Revolution wheels.

Howmet is strangly quiet, and JP and myself are a little worried about him, we feel he may have tempted to the "Dark Side" and is constructing a Wing Car from one of the infamous three armed jumpers!, and one of Fergy's high powered 60's Formula one Proxy car motors. We understand Mrs. H is very keen to try and "ween" him off posting at Slot Forum, in order that he can build her a new "Ground Effect" knitting machine to increase production levels of her jumpers, thereby dominating the World Market.

Regards

Alan

JohnP

· #22 · Jun 28, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

Alan, I am concerned it's true but perhaps we shouldn't be too pessimistic. The explanation for his absence might be simple. It is Wimbledon fortnight after all and I have reason to believe that howmet is somehow involved in the manufacture of tennis equipment - according to Mrs h. he makes a racket whenever he plays his saxophone. Wish I could do two things at once like that.

JohnP

· #23 · Jun 28, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

2

...and Russell, unfortunately I still can't see your model. My Norton Anti-Xzylon software automatically reconfigures images of Xzylons into the far more attractive picture of a Warhammer orc being disemboweled by goblins and devoured by a troll. I'm sure the car must be up to your usual extremely high standards though so very well done. Great job (I'm sure)

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Fergy

· #24 · Jun 28, 2004

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Only Russell could turn something so hideous into a work of art!

Okay, okay... my definition of art is perhaps lower than most people's, but you gotta admit that it's a pretty [email protected] good replica!

I don't know, Beejay.... those orange rims kinda grow on you after a while! ...like a nasty fungus!

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JohnP

· #25 · Jun 28, 2004

QUOTE Only Russell could turn something so hideous into a work of art!
Fergy, there is one other

Have faith.

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Fergy

· #26 · Jun 28, 2004

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Well, ok, JP... it was meant as a figure of speech.

Besides... I was hoping after one Xylon was created we could close the book and pretend that this entire episode of unnatural creation had never happened. The gods of slotdom will eventually smite us for partaking in such deviant behaviour.

Did you know that if you remove and rearrange the unnecessary letters from "xylophone" to spell "xylon" that you lose "hope"?

Scary, eh?

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JohnP

· #27 · Jun 28, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

Yes, that is scary!

a Bill

· #28 · Jun 28, 2004

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I think it's scary that you spent time thinking that up

I have no comments pertaining to the automobile which is the subject of this thread.

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Maltese

· #29 · Jun 28, 2004

Well, unique she is. Uniqueness is a kind of beauty, right?

And you have shown me how to make a vac mold in the process...including where the windows come from. (I always wondered about that) I will need to do some research on actual forming of the mold.

Another post here talked about somebody forming plasticard. (Hmm, thick). I will do my homework.

Good job, Howmet!

-Maltese

JohnP

· #30 · Jul 19, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

3

I arrived home this afternoon to find a very small but rather alluring cardboard box sitting on the dresser. The post mark was mostly rubbed off, the only other clue as to it's source being a blue label with some funny squiggles and the words "PAR AVION" written underneath. Sort of Belgium sounding I thought - couldn't find it in the atlas though.

Undaunted, I opened the box and peeked inside

there it was a... a... a... Xzylon!

What had I done to deserve this? I've heard of hate mail but surely this was a step too far! Anyway, remembering my Greek mythology and the story of Medusa, I thought it best not to look directly into the box. Rather, I reached for the mirror to examine the Xzylon's gorgon like reflection fearing that a direct glance would surely result in my being turned to stone at any moment.

Anyway, to cut a long (and mostly made up) story short, I didn't turn to stone and actually, the Xyzlon looks quite attractive in a Kathy Burke kind of way

. Although it's much smaller of course.

So, a big THANK YOU Russell - a lovely surprise as I really wasn't expecting this at all. The model is in fact beautifully crafted and, yes, I shall build it. Build it I shall

Oh, and did I mention that it's really tiny?

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Fergy

· #31 · Jul 19, 2004

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Eagerly awaiting your completed model, JP!

QUOTE Oh, and did I mention that it's really tiny?

More info than we needed!

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howmet tx

· #32 · Jul 19, 2004

Mine came this a.m. too. Isn't it small?

My own scratchbuilt measures out a litle wider than Russell's, so I suspect I'd be disqualified from a proxy race...
I was building the dark blue monster myself. I think the orange wheels look great in a 'Granny takes a trip' kinda way.
Great work- and very generous of you, Russell! I now have my own squadron of Xylons. How many people in the world can say that?

BEEJAY7

· #33 · Jul 19, 2004

Well!...Well!...Well!....This is indeed good news.

I look forward with great anticipation to see this completed model.

I have made significant progress towards completing mine, the chassis is 90% finished and I have started to paint the body. The interior is complete.

As much as I hate to say this, I am somewhat attracted to this tiny car, and feel a Plasticard Rail Car could join it on the project list!. (No i didn't really say that......It's horrible).

I feel Russell is enjoying himself distributing these monsters from his Command post in Dubai, and it is somehow part of an evil plot to sabotage the Slot Racing centres of the world. After all if these things start to catch on with the general public, (heaven forbid!), it could mean the end for the likes of Fly, Slot.it, Scalextrix etc......, as they just could not compete withe the shear ugliness of this demon.

Unfortunatley this frenzy of Xzylon building still will not permit me to remove my signature picture, as this can only be done on completion of Howmet's own scratchbuilt creation.

Regards

Alan

PS JP you should also see the "other" shell that Russell sent me...now that will be a challenge.

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JohnP

· #34 · Jul 20, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

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Putting my hand carved and extremely beautiful T81 Cooper Maserati to one side (surely you didn't want to see another of those steel and brass chassis '60s F1 cars did you

), I decided to make a start on the Xzylon.

Early days yet - in fact all I've done is shorten an F1 Go! chassis by 2.5mm and glue it back together again. Still, I thought I should share my pain:

Of course the peg guide and braids have gone and tomorrow's job once the Araldite has hardened will be to install a section of brass tube to the chassis front so I can fit what I think will most likely be a TSRF guide. But we shall see...

QUOTE the chassis is 90% finished and I have started to paint the body. The interior is complete.
Well Alan, I've shown you mine...

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JohnP

· #35 · Jul 20, 2004 (Edited by Moderator)

Gah, I forgot to mention it's really tiny! (the Xzylon)

a Bill

· #36 · Jul 21, 2004

I'd imagine any car that needs a shortened F1 chassis can't be too big

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howmet tx

· #37 · Jul 21, 2004

No, Bill- it's actually quite tiny. Unless you go for the BCRA-approved Howmet Handling version...

Work progresses millimetre by millimetre, BJ. Mind, that's quite fast on a car this small. I've started work on my radical ebony chassis. Nothing if not authentic, the wood grain on the original ash chassis scales down to fine grain ebony in 1/32. Although the colour is not quite right, I may be able to bleach it a little.

G

· #38 · Jul 22, 2004

Late as usual (it's all the books fault honest) I have only just read this thread so Russell if you go one left I would be interested?

That car is just like my brain really tiny and it was built in Wales.

Best wishes,

Jeff.

a Bill

· #39 · Jul 22, 2004

Hmm, maybe I should take up quarter scale slot cars

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bwaminispeed

· #40 · Jul 22, 2004

QUOTE it was built in Wales
Ah!That pretty much explains everything then Eh!

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