Mini becomes a Cheetah

[VTECFOUR]

Luf passed a Strombecker Cheetah body to me. I didn't have a chassis ready to go so I thought about re-bodying one of my built cars. Turned out the adjustable wheelbase one from one of my Minis fit the bill.





With new body mounting posts and lengthening the adjustable wheelbase, it worked out fine.



Larger wheels/tires are more appropriate but I sort of like this low profile look.







Modeling work to come.

Dan


Dan

[dreinecke]

Good looking car - the chassis should make that thing fly.

[vonsirius]

Cool!
Cheetahs always win :D

[Retro Racer 44]

Looks good Dan, now you will need the side pipes again. If you do the flares again on this one, and make a mould, I'll want a copy. Please!

[Czar]

When I read the title I'll admit I was scared. But, nice job. I mean no offense, that hue of orange and the perspective in the last photo make it look a little bit like a Manta Ray.

[acmost]

All hail the Cheetah...love that chassis.

[VTECFOUR]

Made some side pipes from brass tube, 1/8" into 5/32", and solder at the other end.



Filled the void nicely.



Waiting for the windscreen plaster plugs to dry and then vacu-forming at Luf's tomorrow.

Just doing this one-off for now.

Dan

[JT Previa]

Dan, I just need to say:

Friends don't let friends slam Cheetahs!
The gods of slotting history will not be pleased. Reprimands will follow...

Next, you'll be making a targa roof version, or even a rat rod version...or maybe even a targa roof / rat rod version with a serape blanket on the seat! :whistle: Oh, wait...


But, if you are intent on making an orange, holy grail destroying model (with admittedly, nice craftsmanship), you could call it a Thingie, or add some hydraulics to those coaxial post body mounts you typically use!



JT

[VTECFOUR]

@ JT - Should have known the Cheetah was sacred to one of the NERF boys. Oh well, wait till you see what more mods I have in mind!

@ Shotgun - to vacuform the windscreens, I made a male plaster plug by:

- pressing the original screens into Play Doh modeling material to form an impression and carefully removing them.

- mixing Plaster of Paris and pouring into the impression.



- waiting 24 hours for it to dry and voila.
- clean surface imperfections with a fine sanding pad.



The vacu forming was the easy part when you've got access to this beauty of a machine.



Thanks Luf.

Lessons learned.

- Let the plaster dry completely before handling.
- Wet the Play Doh mold before pouring in the plaster.
- Don't try to save the Play Doh in a baggy. Just let it dry out on the work table.
- Make the plug about a 1/4" thick. Not too thin so the mold will crack when the PETG is sucked down and not too thick so it's hard to remove.

My first try on the Toyota S800's windscreens turned out better. I actually left the windscreens in the mold and poured plaster into that. Plug came out cleaner and subsequently the windscreen pops.





Hope this helps.

Dan

[JT Previa]

[acmost]

[VTECFOUR]

Some modelling progress.



- removed A pillars and sanded body
- made headlight covers from .040 styrene
- fabricated interior tray from .015 styrene painted black with half driver figure
- trimmed vacu form windscreens
- salvaged intake manifold/carb detail from Monogram McLaren 8A

Primer's next.

Dan

[VTECFOUR]

Tamiya Fine grey primer's on.









Thinking of a silver finish coat and side pipes in white.

Coming along well.

Dan

[Cincyslots]

That looks great!

Bruce

[JT Previa]

Cheetah Ray!

(as noted by Czar: lots of Manta Ray in that car.) Similar to a Chip Foose retro renovation too.

Are you/can you move those front wheels back a bit to better inhabit the wheelwells?

JT