1989 NHRA Top Fuel Champion

Around grade 3... besides hockey players and superheroes, we couldn't draw enough of these.
 
These dual distributor Top Fuel engines lend themselves to LOTS of detailing. Looks like you're off to a great start on it Rob.:cool:
 
These dual distributor Top Fuel engines lend themselves to LOTS of detailing. Looks like you're off to a great start on it Rob.:cool:
Yes! I looked at some pictures of a guy's build and it looks so darn real and then when I got into the kit I realized that the engine just lends itself nicely to being wired. So I priced some add-ons and I'm like no way. I'm not going to spend a bunch of money on a $5 piece of plastic so I decided to do it old school with crap I got around the house. This is my first attempt ever at wiring an engine. I've always wanted to do it as a kid so now is my chance. It may not be historically accurate or completely to scale but I don't give a shite.
 
first attempt ever at wiring an engine
Right on! I haven't done anything under the hood of my cars since the 80s, but even working on 1:35 military vehicle engines, adding some wires, wing nuts and hoses just feels so satisfying!
Go for it!
 
Got a little more done. Little bit of flash here and there some slight sanding and a coat of primer. Beginning stages of the engine detail. It's not done. Yes I know it's amateurish but. It's not done yet. Besides. This is my first attempt ever. I think it looks cool:)

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Dual Magneto (not distributor).
What a spaghetti mess of wires, but yours is very nicely done!
 
Dual Magneto (not distributor).
What a spaghetti mess of wires, but yours is very nicely done!
My bad. Yeah it's a mess of wiring. I'm debating whether to even take more pictures and post them. I go to Ted's modeling website and there's all kinds of fittings and hoses and spark plug boots but you'd have to spend a pretty penny to make your engine look good. And it's just going to sit there and collect dust. And then finding stuff around the house to make it look better more real then you look at pictures of other guys's build and you know they spent a lot of money and it looks great so why spend a bunch of time detailing an engine when people look at it and go why didn't you just buy the stuff it looks like shit. So I'm torn whether to even continue posting pictures. Maybe I'm on the wrong website.
 
My bad. Yeah it's a mess of wiring. I'm debating whether to even take more pictures and post them. I go to Ted's modeling website and there's all kinds of fittings and hoses and spark plug boots but you'd have to spend a pretty penny to make your engine look good. And it's just going to sit there and collect dust. And then finding stuff around the house to make it look better more real then you look at pictures of other guys's build and you know they spent a lot of money and it looks great so why spend a bunch of time detailing an engine when people look at it and go why didn't you just buy the stuff it looks like shit. So I'm torn whether to even continue posting pictures. Maybe I'm on the wrong website.
Don't stop posting. I am enjoying your build. I rarely do cars, and I've never done wiring, so this is good.
And it looks great to me.
 
There will always be those guys that want to knit-pick and point out every little "inaccurate" detail (I'm not saying that was airdave's goal). If they want to strive for 100% realism, and have the time and money to do it, good for them, but not everyone does. And you know what at the end of the day it will never be 100% accurate because its a miniature and it doesn't actually work. Ignore them. You build for you. I enjoy seeing anything someone has made with their hands, it takes time and effort to do it, and I appreciate that. It doesn't matter that someone's build is not perfect or historically accurate.

Your engine looks great.
 
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Thanks guys. And nothing against air Dave. I wasn't commenting on what he said. I'm new at this. Sometimes it gets you down looking at all the add-ons out there. Probably stems from building something and then after you get it built you see something that someone else has done and it looks 10 times better. But I'll get better. And it's fun so what the hay
 
Do your own thing bud..I use stuff from around the house myself..Being of Scottish decent, spending on something you already have is nonsense
Engine is looking really good..add a bit of grimey washes to it and dullcoat the whole thing when yer done..it'll look like working engine.
 
it's fun so what the hay
Yipper. Your build. Your way. Your say.
That's why my little ritual always, always, includes a moment after it's done, where I sit myself down, favourite libation in hand, re-live the ups, the downs, congratulate myself on actually getting through it, then admire it like I just found it on my bench!
Cheers!
 
Thanks guys. And nothing against air Dave. I wasn't commenting on what he said. I'm new at this. Sometimes it gets you down looking at all the add-ons out there. Probably stems from building something and then after you get it built you see something that someone else has done and it looks 10 times better. But I'll get better. And it's fun so what the hay
Breathe.
We have a friend of the family Rob, that gifted me all of his modeling stuff. A Paasche VL airbrush, never had a spot of paint though it. 1/48 B-17, B-25, B-29. He told me he got jazzed cause of some of those 'Bling Builds' on u tube and said he'd never get to that level.
Those guys have the experience for one, not that you won't get it, but Ese, you don't need to chase a Bling Build on your first wiring job either.
Some of those guys have Patreons that float his mortgage. Dig it? Money is no object to them.
Running spark wires is a great start, build up to those 6-month projects. There is no rush.
The old motto for this forum used to read
"Completion over perfection".
 
My builds are for me first and foremost. And so should yours.
My builds are incredibly inaccurate, and I don't care. I build for fun, for relaxation, for mental health.
The finish I look for is "good enough" and to display an atmosphere or feeling of a time in history. Often I don't bother with decals for example.
You build for you mate. No one else.
The river counters and nit pickers can **** off into the sun in my opinion.
 


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