'80 Corvette by Testors---Seriously?

I see the jet-powered Vette is moving right along.

Cockpit is looking good and liking that Aluminum body, Max.

Good news and bad. After much measuring it's apparent that the zero-zero Martin Baker ejection seat is too tall for the Vette. The good news is I did find a Mig-17 seat that is much shorter but not without many modifications. Another problem is the steering wheel and how to move it out of the way early in the ejection sequence. One solution is a forward pivot which requires destruction of the windshield. Should the vehicle survive as its chutes also deploy, you wouldn't have to buy another expensive Corvette windshield. A rapid telescoping of the steering wheel shaft would work but would have be extremely fast with an explosive drive. I think the best solution is just to have the steering assembly go with the seat. I'm workin' on it!    Seat anchored and in position shown with stock seat.

Maxie

Remove steering wheel, add rudder pedals?  Or an arm from the bottom of the seat to the steering shaft with a quick release for the wheel itself. Sorry Hodakamax, your idea not mine, sorry. Pretty cool to this point though.

This is sounding dangerouser and dangerouser. Since this seat is not a zero-altitude, zero speed rated seat, the chances are you would be killed are increasing despite the steering wheel being in the way. I do like the looks and comfort of the seat, but with diminishing odds of survival I may just put a motor on the seat rails to lift the driver out of the top hatch and glue the door shut for safety. Who's to know that the seat is unarmed? Let me sleep on it. Better to look good than to be practical.

Maxie

At this point, we now know that the "Safety" equippment is just as deadly as a crash would be..... so why dont you forget about trying to save the driver ( just getting in is hazzardous. )

Go ahead and make some space ! Get rid of the rollbar and fire extinguisher's.

Ejection seat ????  Give him a comfy bucket seat and use the extra space for Nitro bottles !

( Just make "SURE" you have the driver sign a "Waiver" , before take-off ! )

I'm with Timmy, just get comfy and....HANG ON!

I suppose the seat doesn't have to be operational. It certainly fits in the theme of the project. Outrageous comes to mind. I think I'll take my chances inside the big roll cage and monster fire suppression system for now. Too bad the zero-zero seat was too big where you could leave at any speed if things went awry. Seemed like a good idea at the time. It's only a concept, again, what could go wrong?

Maxie \Project Manager and Pilot

Just peeking in to see the cool progress you've got going on so far with this one Max. I've gotta hand it to ya bud.............this is definitely some imagination right here.

Thanks Gang, for the comments! Second thoughts here on the flat aluminum paint. This Krylon Metallics is a mainstay in the the real speed attempt motorcycle project for fab parts, but in the scaled down model Corvette is hard to get a flowing finish. I think this is a job for the airbrush and some gloss silver. There are some decals to come so I'll at least start with the gloss idea. Being a mostly composite car, the flat aluminum was too aircrafty and we don't want this thing flying nor betraying the true materials of exotic carbon fiber. Back to the paint booth!  

Maxie

The Testors silver enamel through the air brush looks good enough for speed runs and I did get the engine department in order. A test run on the turbine, operating at it's rated 37,500 RPM, exploded the stock 10,000 RPM Tachometer that came with the Vette, something I hadn't considered. Live and learn. The de-tuned Mig-17 ejection seat works great in it's new reusable mission of popping the seat bottom level to the top of the car for emergency exit in case of fire or other emergencies. It's all resetable and re-armed with four sequenchel firing 12 gauge magnum shotgun shells. The steering wheel just pivots to the right. Cool.

Reporting,

Maxie

Hey, has that offset weld on the roll cage been bugging you? Me too. Nothing will show in the final and it does meet spec. Not like I didn't see that. Try not to notice like I do. Gone soon or at least hidden.

Maxie

This is getting serious Max.  Looks like you're having loads of fun.  This thread always makes me smile.  Carry on sir. 

The two roof panels serve as entrance/exit for the driver as the doors have been incorporated into the body. The stock Corvette panel latches are only rated to the top speed of a stock Corvette, about 200 MPH. I'll be doing almost twice that speed and a new latching system was installed. A little tight exiting from the passenger side roof hatch but it can be done in an emergency. The problem is that all the steps needed and required to release the hatch externally could take too long should you be a slow reader. Hopefully the main exit will serve it's purpose especially with the pop-up seat to the roof.  

Maxie

Cool "door" placards.

I do appreciate the comments Gang! The Corvette is quite the change of venue for me in that I always seem to building a replica of something with rules. I'm just taking a fun break and I'm not a very serious guy anyway. Let's see here, there could be room for an afterburner like most jet cars I have seen, but hey, they don't have a turbine up front either. I was a little disappointed after reading about the real version of this turbine engine being a stationary unit that powered some sort of pump rather than an aircraft. It really was 880HP and provided over 1100 foot pounds of torque. Facts for the day. I know, hard to separate fact from fiction on this project but I ain't lyin' on that one. Back to work here!  

Maxie

A couple of things happening to the somewhat slow project. The interior is probably finished with enough detail as the viewing will be limited with windows and viewing angles. When sitting in the drivers seat on a sunny day, the view is plagued with reflections from the silver. An anti-reflection coating will be needed. The whole machine is asymetric with scoops and intake and I visualized an offset full length black stripe/anti-glare area running the length of the car. This first step and test on the hood didn't turn out well. The siver enamel is still soft after several days and the light footed Tamiya tape still pulled up the gloss from the enamel silver. Grrr. I've patched the areas with thin silver on a very soft wide brush. This might work until everthing sets up, if it ever does, but for now I just need to stay away from the soft paint. Nix on the stripe for now anyway. Reporting.

Maxie

Hate to hear the luck on the paint lifting Max. Looking really good on all fronts though. Hang tough brutha.

Are gou sure you don't have a 1/1 hiding the the shop to reverse engineer? Fantastic job and what a cool concept. If your looking for a back up driver I VOLUNTEER, no really I ain't got much going on... I'm good with my higher power ya know...sounds like a good idea LOL.

Hopefully the silver paint will eventually dry and I'll mask and paint this stripe. A crude mock up at least allows me to visualize what it will look like, kinda, lol. I'm setting here watching paint dry.  

Maxie

Gotta hand it to ya, this looks Fast an' Mean, the black stripe(s) do (or will) add to the special look.  

DUSTER

Gotta hand it to ya, this looks Fast an' Mean, the black stripe(s) do (or will) add to the special look.  

 

Thanks Steve, I'm getting real bored watching this paint dry!

Hey Max, that looks seriously sweet.

Bakster

Hey Max, that looks seriously sweet.

 

Hey Thanks Steve! Any progress on the Giant squid?

Hodakamax

Hey Thanks Steve! Any progress on the Giant squid?

Yep, there is. I am better than halfway through making it. I will be doing some sanding on it today. It should be completely done in about 1 weeks time.

Thanks for asking.

Well, I've been watching paint dry for several days but the masking tape is still pulling up silver. I put a test strip of the equivalent of Future under the chin and let it dry for a few hours. I then put a strip of Tamiya masking tape over that. A few hours later I pulled the tape and it looks as though the Future has sealed the silver. Hard to see in the picture but it seems to be sucessful. I think I'll do a couple of coats of Future in the to-be-masked areas and re-mask them for my black stripe. Crossed fingers here!

Max

Hey, spring has finally sprung. Too many projects, some fun, some not. The Corvette and the Land Speed motorcycle are on hold temporarily but are on the list. Maybe the paint on the Vette has finally solidified. Not the first model with too much paint! Been there. OK, reporting in. I did purchase some jet fuel. Soon!

Max

   Good to see ya back in the shop again Hodakamax, Spring can really cramp a modelers fung shway. I though you may have taken your 'vette out for a test run and was just coadting back from the outer rim.

Progress looks like it's been moving on this one. Any updates as of late?

Yea! I was wondering about this build. Looking forward to see what is next.

Thanks Gang! Back soon I keep saying. I've too many irons in the fire is the the excuse. I'm doing some serious exterior house maintenence which is eating my lunch on the Corvette and Hodaka project. July is the time Kansas turns to a heated hell which will drive me back into the laboratory soon. The Hodaka speed project is lookin' cool as the $ rise. I remember now why projects like the Corvette are fun! I still don't have $10 in it. Hopefully the vette will be done soon but the speedster will probably entertain me for a few months or even years. Hey, don't forget how long the Seaview took! Thanks for checking on me!

Maxie