'Altered' Fiat (Mighty) Topolino Update 12/27/14 Finished! Pics!

[Speedfreak]

Well, great detailed pictures of the 'Puffer II' car anyway, but , not the original. Another thing I noticed in these photos is that the grill on the front of the car has been removed and filled in with fiberglass(?) Or, Bondo or something. A lot of people stick that thick hideous chrome grill (from the kit) on the front and it actually wasn't on the car! Here's another photo I found of the 'Puffer II' car that was taken in September of '63, you can clearly see that the grill area has been filled in.

Also notice that the header pipe closest to the firewall is no longer 'bent(?) So, maybe the photo from '59 showing it at a dropped angle was something that just happened, like it got bent somehow, or , was that way because they were made from scratch and done in a hurry and that's just the way they ran it at the time? Or, maybe there 'was' a structural reason for it being lower. Either way, AMT captured that feature (using photos from same period) and made it part of the kit design for time immemorial.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Speedfreak

[1930fordpickup]

You are just teasing us with the talk of photo's . I like your color options and the mouse decal.

[Speedfreak]

You are just teasing us with the talk of photo's . I like your color options and the mouse decal.

That made me laugh, and , thanks.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Speedfreak

[Speedfreak]

Ok, finally got some progress pics, I know, I know, don't let it blow your mind. The wheels are painted Tamiya gloss Black, with slight detail for these photos, not finished with them. The basic engine assembly and the 'in/out' are ready for paint, and the seam around the oil pain needs a little filler. Had to fill a hole in the block ( you got nothing on me Ira!) between one cylinder head and the block, (with real Tamiya putty!) not sure why that happened. And the frame has been painted, (too bad you can't really see it) with Tamiya semi-gloss black, except where you can see I had the clip to hold it. The engine is gonna be a sunburst orange and the seat will either be MM Brown leather, or , red, I'm leaning towards brown leather, gotta throw in something organic with all the bright cartoon colors. Here goes, thanks for looking!

Edited April 4, 2014 by Speedfreak

[slusher]

Looking great Gene, glad to see you working on this. Keep up the good work buddy...

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Carl! It looks like tomorrow the weather will permit me to get some painting done! The engine going to be MM 'Sunburst' It's pretty close to some of the red/orange in the Mighty Mouse image.

[OldTimer50707]

Looks like it is coming along nicely.

[High octane]

Looks great Gene as I'm just waiting for the "paint to dry" on my Fiat and I'll be all done. Finished the engine, chassis, wheels& tires this past weekend. I got the body painted and cleared also.

[10thumbs]

Hello Gene, wonderful background info!

The older drag cars had so much character, and the pics from back in the early 60's show often the way it was. Especially on non-NHRA dragstrips. The local dragstrips down south where the Big Hitters didn't go. As a kid I was nuts about a fairly local racer who often ran a B/Gas Anglia. Injected SBC, middle blue pearl type paint, and blue tinted plexiglass. A real beauty, and an absolute hit to watch. Also a couple of years later, the AFX Match Races! Then the big hitters would run what they brung! Cool!

Enjoy your build, you got lots of folks looking.

Michael

[Speedfreak]

Thanks a lot Michael, I've actually got some progress I should be posting soon. I've got a question for you or anyone else that reads this; Right now I've got the headers painted matt white, I'm wondering after looking at the photos above if that's just too much white, with the white walls and all? Maybe I should paint them silver/aluminum? I don't know, the white headers really makes the car pop, any opinions? Thanks. I'll try and do a mock-up with the engine so you can see what it's going to look like. Thanks.

[Skip]

That looks really great. As for the white headers, you could always give them that slightly charred around the edges look that white VHT header paint gets after being run a while. Even more so with supercharged engines.

The last one of those I built I ditched the frame and put it on an Orange Crate chrome tube frame with a Chevy 6 out of the '51 Bel Air kit with triple Webbers (don't remember their source maybe Revell VW), weed burner headers (Plastruct tubing). Came out pretty nice, that is until it rolled off the shelf and my nephew thought it was a great toy. Quickly destroyed! Fiddly parts don't stand up to the four year old toy tester!

[Speedfreak]

Hey Skip thanks. How do I re-produce that 'charred' look on the headers? A little gray, (or black?) just at tip and then some brown fadding into black, (or gray?) all ending about in scale 3" or so from tip?

[rustybill1960]

This little "mouse" is looking good

How about some dry-brushing for those pipes?

Thank You for sharing

Later

Russ

[Skip]

With really light washes of the colors mentioned. Build up slowly. Dry each wash so that you don't go overboard. Work light to dark, one color at a time, mixing multiple colors makes for a muddy wash. Wou could even "stipple" the wash on using a quill pen or other fine tip that will hold a small amount of paint. Wash refers to diluting the paint to a near transparent state and applying in small amounts. It can be Don with enamels by thinning them to near clear which will give a slightly granulated effect. The more dilution you have with the paint the more distance between the pigment particles. It isn't hard to get it to work. Best part is if you don't like the effect you can remove it either by stripping the whole thing or working down in layers with a Qtip slightly dampened with thinner, almost dry.

A second method could be used either with the wash or alone from the wash would be dusting with Artist's Chalks, which has been covered here and on other boards tutorials. Seal the Artists Chalks with a workable Artists Fixative.

Most any weathering technique could be used to repliccate a burned header paint effect. Most Race Cars are not allowed to rust up, sponsors don't like the look. The weathering would be what took place from a few trips down the quarter mile in this case, something that is slightly burnt, charred or even just dis-colored.

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Skip and Russell, I'll be looking into that. Here's what I have done on the car so far, well, it's a mock up really. It's slow going but I keep chugging along.

I'm really just working with ideas, the engine (except for block/heads/oil pan) is held together right now with Microscale Micro Liquitape, so I can take it apart, there's still some work there. The front edges of the intake scoop need to be narrowed for one thing, (on the Puffer II that was actually made from duct material by a heating/cooling guy that knew Walt Sr.) and, I'm going to wire it! The window's have about 5 dips in Future with yellow/red food coloring, (it's kind of orange) that you can barely see, but it works. I still need to work on the headers, and the front wheels/tires, and I think I'm going to do the firewall with Mate Aluminum Bare Metal Foil, any thoughts on that idea? Or, should I leave it body color? The seat is going to be reddish/brown with red seat belts?

Oh ya! I just ordered today (I still have to mail it) a Drag Chute Kit from Pro Tech, that should be cool, and , I'm thinking of getting smaller tires for the front, probably from Speed City. That's about it so far, any tips, or , ideas are welcome, Thanks! " He's small, but he's Mighty!

Edited April 29, 2014 by Speedfreak

[slusher]

Gene, your doing a great job on this build. I would leave the firewall just like it is. Real nice color and shine on the paint. I like the heads painted black. I would paint the headers flat white or spray them silver. Keep up the great work Gene...

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Carl. I think you're right about the firewall. The headers are Tamiya Matte White. The valve covers are 'gloss black. I 'might try' some weathering on them, would be very nice. But since I've never done that before, AND , it took me probably 2 hours just in prep work to get the kit headers just to look like they do, (New tooling? ya right) , I'm not sure. I mean this kit is not what I would call a stellar kit, there's LOTS of prep work that if you don't do the thing just looks like a toy. For example, the belt on the blower pulley if not reduced in thickness, (which I did with just basic tools by hand) 1:1 would be about 3" thick! So, I've spent 5-6 hours just on prep work for the engine. Oh well, that's modeling right?

Edited April 29, 2014 by Speedfreak

[MitchP]

Nice job! This is one of my "gotta build" on my long list of models, although the one I've seen that most close resembles my desire for a slightly stretched hood, skinnier front skins and spoke wheels and a feature packed packed 392 is offered by specialty magazine we sometimes get; it might be Hot Rod Collectibles or something like that although it has no relation to the "other" periodical.

One way I've worked on to weather styrene headers really doesn't come close to hand-built metal or chrome rods which have been heat treated with fire source. I use Alclad or a similar paint and once dry, I start with light areas of Tamiya clear yellow, wiped down with paper towel. Next, I use my own judgement of fading small sections of Tamiya clear red, clear blue and Pactra clear purple which is normally used on the inside of R/C cars. It's a lot of work, but I've used it once and it's turned out pretty well.

[johnbuzzed]

That Fiat looks nice. I have that kit in the tin- picked it up for a good price at a show just about two years ago. Would you consider painting the headers a really pale tan, to simulate the heated paint? Or, maybe thin flat white over burnt metal metalizer...

Edited April 28, 2014 by johnbuzzed

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Mitch and John, That light tan I can definitely do! 'cause I could put that over the white that's on there and then do something for the ends and the inside. Maybe some of the clear stuff mitch is saying over the tan? What about the inside of the tip? Thanks again for the help.

[MitchP]

John's definitely on the right track IMO if you want to stay with a white header base. I wonder if you should blend the heated effect gradually from the top down to the tip? There seems no logical reason why the first 6-12" of a header pipe should be cleaner than the open end since the flange etc. is much closer to the cylinder valve and the exhaust source; however, looking this build: http://images12.fotki.com/v531/photos/8/174078/8783900/PB090855Z-vi.jpg you can see on these metal headers the top appear to be a more natural chrome than the section where the pipe is about 6" from the header flange.

You could also take some leftover parts tree and prep it to the same paint color as your headers, then test a couple of different tanning techniques. However, it looks great as is Gene!

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Mitch, I think I'll do some experimenting with some cleaned sprues and see what i can come up with. I can see the thinned tan as a good starting point. I'm also going to try and make my local club meeting (KC SLammers) this coming month and see what ideas I might get there. My next couple of builds are going to be simple kits so I can develope skills I've learned in the last six months.

[High octane]

Lookin' good Gene, real good. I hope to take pics of mine as soon as the rainy weather breaks and post them. I've been havin' trouble postin' pics on here lately though.

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Nick. Do you take your pics outside, or , are you waiting for natural light? That's what I do. Hey Nick, are you using the 392 in your car?

Edited April 29, 2014 by Speedfreak

[mnwildpunk]

This is coming along great! I like it a lot. As the headers go I would drill out the tips about an 1/8 -1/4" inch in then just use artist chalk inside the tubes a dark brown or black soot color along with around the tip the same color. That is just my opinion there are folks with a lot more skill that probably have better ideas.

Edited April 29, 2014 by mnwildpunk