STEPS 10A, 10B, 10C & 10D
BUILDING A SOUTHERN TUXEDO GP7 by BOB HARPE  
STEP 10A) SEE PIC BELOW:
SEE THE CHANGES I MADE TO THE CUSTOM 
FINISHES BELL. THE TWO SIDE PIECES ARE CUT FROM .010 PLASTIC AND ARE GLUED TO 
THE BELL WITH CYANOPOXY. SIMPLY LAY THE BELL ON A SHEET OF .010 PLASTIC AND 
TRACE THE BELL ONTO THE PLASTIC. CUT THE TOP AND REAR THE SAME SHAPE AS THE 
BELL, BUT LEAVE THE FRONT EDGES STRAIGHT AS THE SCAN SHOWS.

STEP 10B) SEE PIC BELOW:
INSTALL THE BELL, VERY CAREFULLY MARK A CENTERED, VERTICAL LINE 
USING A NEW # 11 BLADE FROM THE TOP OF THE HEADLIGHT CASTING TO THE TOP OF 
THE SHELL. NOW CUT A SMALL "V" GROOVE OVER THE MARK YOU JUST MADE. CUT SLOW 
AND SMOOTH AND TRIAL FIT OFTEN TO MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT CUT TOO BIG OF A "V" 
IN THE SHORT HOOD ROOF. YOU WANT THE BELL WEB TO FIT SNUGLY IN THE GROOVE AND 
YOU WANT THE BACK OF THE BELL TO FIT AGAINST THE TOP OF THE HOOD END ABOVE 
THE HEADLIGHT. USING A SMALL AMOUNT OF ACC OR CYANOPOXY, CAREFULLY GLUE THE 
BELL TO THE HOOD END.

STEP 10C) SEE PIC BELOW:
MOUNT THE SHELL TO THE CHASSIS AND MARK FOR THE WALK WAY LIGHTS 
UNDER THE SIDESILL. YOU WILL NOTICE THESE LIGHT WILL LINE UP WITH THE REAR OF 
THE SPRING HANGER SO MAKE YOUR MARK RIGHT ABOVE THIS HANGER AND DRILL. WORK 
SLOWLY TO PREVENT DRILLING THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE MODEL. GLUE THE TWO LIGHTS 
IN PLACE WITH ACC OR CYANOPOXY.

STEP 10D) SEE PIC BELOW:
ADD THE DROP STEP HOLDERS ON BOTH ENDS, BUT DO NOT GLUE THE DROP 
STEPS THEMSELVES. THIS WILL COME LATER, BUT IT MAKES IT EASIER TO PAINT THESE 
PARTS IF THEY ARE MOVEABLE. DRILL THE TWO HOLES FOR THE MU STANDS WITH A # 70 
DRILL BIT AND GLUE THE TWO SMALL MU STANDS IN PLACE WITH ACC.

THIS COMPLETES THE DETAILS WE WILL ADD TO THE SHELL AT THIS TIME. ARE THERE 
ANY QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO THIS POINT?? I'LL GIVE Y'ALL A 
COUPLE OF DAYS TO THINK OF ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

WE WILL DISCUSS PAINTING THE SHELL IN THE NEXT SERIES OF STEPS. STAY TUNED.

BOB HARPE


QUESTION:

ON TUE, 4 MAR 2003 23:09:38 EST ROBERTHARPE@AOL.COM WRITES:
CUT A SECTION OF THE 1/2" TUBING TO A LENGTH OF SCALE 15". 

NOW YOU'VE GOT ME.  HOW DO YOU DO THAT?  THAT IS, HOW DO YOU DO IT SO
THAT YOU STILL HAVE THE RESULT LOOK LIKE A TUBE?  MY KLUTZY APPROACH JUST
ABOUT FLATTENED IT.  WHAT'S YOUR SECRET???

J W INGRAM

ANSWER:

GOOD QUESTION.

YOU WILL NEED A SHARP ZONA OR X-ACTO SAW AND A ZONA MITER BOX TO CUT YOUR 
BRASS TUBING.

MARK YOUR TUBING AT A SCALE 15" FROM ONE END AND LAY IN THE MITER BOX. NOW, 
HOLDING THE TUBING WITH YOUR THUMB, VERY SLOWLY SAW THE TUBING ON YOUR MARK. 
THIS WILL ONLY TAKE ABOUT TWO MINUTES AND WILL RESULT IN A NICE CLEAN CUT.

ONE OTHER SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO PURCHASE A SMALL TUBING CUTTER AT YOUR LOCAL 
HARDWARE STORE. IF THIS IS YOUR CHOICE, MAKE SURE THE CUTTING WHEEL REMAINS 
ON YOUR MARK UNTIL THE TUBING IS COMPLETELY CUT AS SOME WHEELS MAY BE OUT OF 
ROUND AND MAY TEND TO WANDER ON YOU.

I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST SANDING THE EDGE OF YOUR CUT WITH 400 GRADE SANDPAPER TO 
REMOVE ANY SIGNS OF THE CUT.

BOB HARPE

© Bob Harpe 2003
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