Looks really good so far!
Looks really good so far!
In reply to vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) :
I have both of those kits you mentioned earlier, including the hubcaps in the picture. Contact me at speedrcr53@gmail.com and let's get this worked out.
Ninja edit: also have the inside wheel halves that go with the hubcap and the correct(non-louvered) hood.
RustBeltSherpa said:In reply to vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) :
I have both of those kits you mentioned earlier, including the hubcaps in the picture. Contact me at speedrcr53@gmail.com and let's get this worked out.
Ninja edit: also have the inside wheel halves that go with the hubcap and the correct(non-louvered) hood.
Back from a nice long bike ride with the wife along the lake, picked up some local root beer and cupcakes, and come home to this. My day is complete.
I started my official entry for the replica class, my grandfather's 1960 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe. It's a real Impala, 348 W-motor big block, tri-power, 4-speed. He's lowered it, done the dual antennas and a few other small custom touches, lowered it with modern 17's, and lake pipes.
Here's the starter kit. It's a 1990's Revell kit that was reissued a few years ago with added parts for customizing including 5-spoke wheels that look nearly identical to his, the dual antennas, and other touches.
I started working on the body to prep for paint. I need to source some lake pipes, but otherwise I'm all set parts wise.
i think i have some lake pipes, i'll look/get a picture tonight.
OK let's get started on this Miata.
First question mark is why are there two of the same sprue on the left side of the above picture. I have so many bumpers now! One set stock and two aftermarket. The other surprise is that the decals supplied with the kit include white stripes like the actual car has. I just might try to stripe it with those (I was mulling over using leftover vinyl from when we striped the car back in 2011), though technically the car never actually existed with both stripes and the stock painted Daisy wheels.
Let's get the body into primer so I can see how much bodywork is needed:
I don't see any glaring issues with the shell. There are mold lines, but nothing obvious needs fixing. The door handles aren't to scale (comically), and I'll have to buzz off the rear badges as I never put those back on the real car after it was painted.
Other than that, I got a pretty good start on painting other stuff. The chassis and interior are pretty much all painted, though I have to figure out how to deal with underhood surfaces (firewall and inner fenders under the hood are white as the car originally was, but I don't know how much of the model's bits show there). The interior is pretty blah as it's a base model and everything is black. Not much detail to sweat there. The only thing I have to look up is how to take chrome off of things that aren't supposed to be chrome like the valve cover and wheels.
In reply to Claff :
30 minutes in some Purple Cleaner or Castrol Super Clean with take the chrome off. I'm looking forward to your build. I've built the Tamiya NA kit but I haven't seen much about the Revell one.
I finally made some progress on the Revell Reynard. I used a 30-year-old tin of Humbrol Blue Angels Blue and got better, shinier results than I've managed with Tamiya gloss lacquers on my last couple of builds. I guess sometimes old school can be better than new-fangled. My half-assed attempt at filling the seams under the front suspension will be covered with decals.
Man, do I miss Humbrol paints.
I carried the primed Jeep parts up from the basement to sand. Real progress! I found I have red paint for the engine block (thought I was out). Still need to source the blue to match Dad's color. Testors plain old medium/dark blue was a pretty good match but I HATE their paint nowadays and two stores didn't carry it anyway. I think Rustoleum has a similar color.
I have the suspension glued to the frame and everything painted semi-gloss black. Need to strip the chrome off the front bumper and a few other pieces.
Attempt #2 at fixing the broken fender... this time super glue soaked tape on the inside, glue in the crack, and putty on the outside.
Wheels and tires arrived. Sawzall time.
In reply to Claff :
I have always just painted over any excess chrome. True it is not adhered as well as on primer or bare plastic, but where is the wear going to come from? Still looking OK on some I did 40 yeas ago.
Cut out with the dremel cutting wheel then finessed with sanding drum. Guess the test fit pic kinda sucks. Glued the body down to the chassis.
In reply to solfly :
Sweet! 
ddavidv said:Man, do I miss Humbrol paints.
Yeah. Tamiya paints aren't bad, but the little Humbrol cans were awesome and it went on so well.
Humbrol was the only flat black that stayed truly flat, even for a decade or more. Other paints would turn semi-gloss on me.
Finally some progress pics of the Tamiya Lotus 25. I have not touched the Avanti since I started this one, so it will meet both criteria. I will post a photo of my choice of real livery, but final decision is not made. Probably Jack Brabham at Monaco 1963...This kit seems not quite as perfectly molded as most Tamiya. Still a pretty easy build, and there are lots of reference photos on line. The front brake hose routing was facilitated by such. Not part of the kit. Also many color deviations. The kit instructions say to paint the tub interior flat aluminum, but all reference photos show it painted gray. They say to paint the outside with Tamiya spray can "British Green" which I did, and had to remove, as it was far too dark. Now airbrushed with a mix. The instrument decals are superb, and still worked well with no rejuvenator. I can't remember when/where I acquired this kit, but it says copyright 1997, so it is not real new!
Miata progress has been made, though nothing spectacular. I did get to try the purple power chrome bath, and it worked like a charm.
Other than that, it's just paint paint paint. This is going to be a fairly quick build once everything is the right color. Speaking of which, it's nice to have the 1:1 car handy in the driveway to verify instruction colors are correct. It suggested Steel for the power plant frame, but I was under the car this afternoon and it looks like it should be the same color as the transmission (Aluminum). This is too bad since I think the underside could use more color. On the other hand, I did the brake rotors in Steel and the calipers in Aluminum, and I can barely tell the difference.
We should see glue coming into play the next time I sit down.
In reply to Claff :
Ah yes, the old silver/steel/aluminum conundrum. I just use silver for all of these and call it a day. 
Or I'll substitute gray, rusty brown, or black depending on what the part is. Actually, for a lot of stuff, I just use a metallic silver Sharpie on it.
Cautiously optimistic!
but plan b just Incase:
Productivity burst! The engine is ready for the chassis. The chassis is not. Event/livery choice is made too. Jim Clark at Spa 1962. This was the Lotus 25's first win. The choice made because the kit has the early transaxle and early 180 degree exhaust. This chassis as it exists today has both the later engine (single plain crank) and the Hewland gearbox. Also prior to Monza 1962 the cars ran without the yellow stripe. I like the look better. Only extra detail added to the engine is plug wires. Again they have changed on the restored car to red, and routed behind the cylinder heads, with a heat shield between them and the exhaust. That would require a trick to fabricate part not in the kit.
In reply to Saron81 :
The beauty of tube frame cars. Spare body? No problem! Try that with a monocoque.....
I'm starting to think the decals may be too nice for the theme and the quality of the paint job. I might hand paint them.
TurnerX19 said:In reply to Saron81 :
The beauty of tube frame cars. Spare body? No problem! Try that with a monocoque.....
They're two separate models. Although all these Monogram cars had identical chassis.
Completed Monté chassis:
Grand Prix in progress:
love that Lotus kit!
You'll need to log in to post.
