Big Rod Tribute Project

[Paul B. Canney]

LOTS of variances between the Big T and the Big Rod. Tooo many to list at this point but one not so noticable one is the Big Rod has chrome headlight buckets. (here we go again)

I was tempted to steal the ones in the Big Deuce, but thats going to leave me with a problem in a month or so in the future.

I scuk at Alclad, so I investigated a different option. I gotta say, I'm impressed with the process, however, although chromey, it's a darker chrome effect.

I'll do a step by step when I do the headers, as the on line instructions (and written instructions) are in japanese. So I'm doing the trial by error thing here. The "stuff" I bought came from Hong Kong and it's doubled in price since I ordered what I have.

But, as the Big Rod headers I have don't fit the Big T engine, I'm going with another option. So this BRT will now be known as "Similar Features" as the trademark headers are out.

till then... my chrome headlight buckets from the orange Big Tub:



check out that billet steering column on the original 1962 column.. yeaaaah billet.. thats it..

[Paul B. Canney]

Go on and close your eyes imagine me there
She's got similar features with longer hair
And if that's what it takes to get you through
Go on and close your eyes it shouldn't bother you

[Starry Eyes]

Paul .. I've got some of the Japanese "powder" .. I couldn't get the results I was after so in to file #13 it went ... and besides that it's VERY sensitive to touch and rubs OFF VERY easily... I say stick with Mr. Alclad .. .. Also any reference you need for this project I have for this build .. carry on .. I'm falling in love with this project .. ;D

[RatRod]

I figured of all the Big T's, and such that I have owned, or seen that all the small block chevy engines were exactly the same over the years. I can't see the headers not working on any of them. What seems to be the problem Paul? BTW, she's looking great!!!

[Paul B. Canney]

The headers aren't originals. They are a resin cast where the spacing between the exhaust ports is too short (between exhaust ports 1 and 3) and will require enough "work" to stall this. So I'm using some headers from a Golden T reject that have already been stripped and are mid process. It's okay, the resin headers were free and were known to need a sh!tload of work to be usable.

I have enough stalled projects, and a spare room full of 1/8ths I really want to get to. With only one table to devote, I'm moving forward with a big sh!t eating grin on my face

[Starry Eyes]

Apr 9, 2012 14:04:25 GMT -6 Paul B. Canney said:

Go on and close your eyes imagine me there
She's got similar features with longer hair
And if that's what it takes to get you through
Go on and close your eyes it shouldn't bother you

Melissa Etheridge

[Dennis M]

Looking good Paul' another beauty.

[Paul B. Canney]

Here's a little How to on the Alclad alternative
Here's the parts I'm starting with:



1st I applied 2 healthy coats of black Krylon semi gloss , let it gas out over night on my hot air vent and then polished it with 4000 then 6000 then 8000 grit emory



Here's the "magic dust" Starry was referring to. This is actually pulverized lead like in a number 2 pencil. It's applied with cotton swabs.... it doesn't need a lot. The latex glove is to keep the lead out of my skin.



Here, after about 5 minutes of applying, rubbing and then continued buffing with an old t-shirt, the water pump pulley looks pretty realistic.



Here's what it looks like mid app.. this has just been rubbed on with the head of the cotton swab



This what would be on my skin if not for the latex glove. I think this also serves as a good buffer when holding the parts in your hand. This is just extra magic dust from the buffing process coming off the cotton swab.



and here's the finished header. It's darker than the kit chrome, but looks more like stainless steel to me. Perfect for headers in my opinion.



I found this stuff is used heavily by gundum (whatever that is) model builders. My first couple of attempts on other things was a bust and ended up in the purple lake. But, as Starry revealed when he did on my Big Drag blower, using an emory polishing kit to get the paint base as smooth as possible was the key to success.


A mask might be a good idea also, and don't use this in a windy place cause this stuff has no weight to it at all.

sorry for the cell phone pics. I didn't want my big camera near this while I was polishing my lead.. for my big rod...

here's a link to the ebay seller I bought it from. Delivery time was about 10 days

I mis spoke, it came from China , not Japan.

www.ebay.com/itm/220762943802

[stilljustharley]

I've used this powder a few times and you can get a lighter, more chrome-like, look to it by using a gloss dark blue as the "undercoat" rather than black.

It's definitely easier to use than Alclad but has a very delicate finish and, like Alclad, is dependent upon a really smooth base coat.

Oh, and it gets everywhere!

[ShowRodFreak Don V.]

gundum - is Japanese go-bots, transformers, figures , etc ;D

[redbaron]

Very nice build, I used to have that kit until earlier this year when I sold it along with most of my collection

[Starry Eyes]

I know where I'm sending MY parts for the magic dust treatment .. stand corrected Paul .. your parts look stunning ! .... I guess I'll wait until I run out of my lifetime personal inventory of Alclad then try it again .. .. the headers to take on a stainless effect which I think is good .. a little variance in metals is good .. Ratrod John is a master at metalizers on his builds but your project is going to have "the look" .. carry on- I'll be in the area ...

[Paul B. Canney]

She has Similar Features,
as anyone can see.
When you slip inside her,
do you think of me?

-(Big Rod Publishing)

[Deleted]

Nice! Lookin' good so far Paul.

[Paul B. Canney]

a little better picture with flash

[Deleted]

the headers look great Paul, especially against the yellow brings out a kool contrast in color.

[Paul B. Canney]

clear coat.. uh.. no

I squirted this with rattle can polyeurethane and it took all the chrome look away, so I wont be clearing the headers

[koffinbuilder64]

Lookin good paul!!

[Paul B. Canney]

ironically, applying the magic dust on top of the polyurethane resulted in a more chrome like finish

[Paul B. Canney]

THE CONTINUING SAGA OF MAGIC DUST


I polyurethaned the headers which brought them down to a raw steel look



then reapplied the dust on top of that, so basically it's paint, dust, polyurethane,dust

left redone, right header still to go



this time I wont man handle them like I did the first time. I'll use latex gloves from here on. I think skin oil darkened them the first time

no flash:



fill flash:

[Bert]

Glad to see this Paul. I have a jar of the magic dust and have not used it. Great Tips!

[kettlekettle]

Great looking build.
There is a video about this powder online... I cant remember the name but it bad ass stuff but works great depending on base coat colour and treatment... pretty expensive too im told... Hoping shops here in Toronto start carrying it.

[Starry Eyes]

Can we get an update around this joint ?? ..pictures ! pictures !

[barten]

WOW PAUL! ! ! Killler build! Looks real! Great job! ! ! ! ! ! !

GB
barten

[Steve-o]

Pipes look great nice work !! The build is also lookin good !!!

[Paul B. Canney]

I am really struggling with the interior of this thing. I have painted and purple ponded it 5 times already. Damn rattle cans, I hate them. Shot black Krylon .. no problem.. 2nd coat from the same rattle can and the damned stuff started eating itself. WTF. strip.

Then again, and again. geeez I HATE rattle cans!

The good thing (I suppose) about the size of this thing is that it's too big to throw into a box and add to the stalled projects pile. THIS is how builds come to a grinding halt.

So now it's FINALLY painted burgundy. It was red pepper red, but it was too bright a red for the look of a early 60's t-bucket. The deep burgundy wasn't what I had planned, but, thats typical for my models.

grrrrrrrrrrr HATE HATE HATE rattle cans!!! HATE THEM!

[Paul B. Canney]

Starry's progress shots got me motivated again. I have to say that finding a perfect color for yellow is near impossible when trying to pay tribute to an icon from the large scale renaissance era. So I finally settled on this combination. There's at least 6 colors underneath this black and red, but this is what I'm sticking with.

[Paul B. Canney]

dashing through the heeeeeat
In a 6 carb bucket Teeeee
O'er speed bumps we go...
smiling with relieeeeef

(found my dash)

[Starry Eyes]

the 2-tone champion of the 8th scale world strikes again ..

[Steve-o]

WoW !! I love it !! Great work Paul !!!
Thanks for all the input on the exhaust pipes . ;D