A Scaly Fish

[Guest 66dragfreak]

Here's another project I am digging out of the mothballs to try and finish during the cold months. I actually started this kit several years ago but have now decided it's time to finish it and do it in style. This car will have all the engine plumbing and wiring, or at elast as much as I can fit into the engine bay. I will be going for the factory stock version of this car and hope it turns out ok.

Here are some pics of the body in Plum Crazy waiting for the final polishing. The interior will be black with white seats and door panels. Now if I can just find a way to cover the God-awful purple plastic this model is molded in so I can apply the orange to the engine.

Any ideas? Here are a few pics to wet the appetitie!

[Thor]

Looks good, i like the color.

Thor

[Tony T]

Cover the engine block with a coat of Testor's flat white spray. Grey or red primer would work, too. Flat white would give you an even base for the orange.

Edited November 19, 2008 by Tony T

[Guest 66dragfreak]

I have decided to put the Roadrunner on the back burner for the time being until the next issue of Model Cars Magazine hits the shelves. There will be an in-depth article on hinging doors and trunks and fabricating realistic looking inner door bracing as well in that issue so I think it best to hold off until I get my hands on that article. I don't want to flub up my Roadrunner byt trying methods that won't work on my doors and trunk.

So, with that being said, I dug my Cuda back out and have been puttering on that today. I tossed the valve covers into the bleach to remove the chrome so I can paint them flat black. I also started detail painting the dash with woodgrain insert around the gauges as well as the pistol grip shifter handle.

The front frame has been painted Plum Crazy as has the inner fenders and radiator core support to better replicate the 1:1 car. I also thinned the plastic on the fan belt assembly as that has always bugged the heck out of me. I hate having fan belts that are 6 scale inches thick.

I will hopefully get the engine in paint this evening and start readying things for assembly. I am still trying to find out a good way to highlight the gauge faces though. The molding isn't that deep to begin with and it's very easy to lose the numbers and needles in paint trying to detail them. I will also flock the floor tonight and buff the seats and door panels to give them a worn, shiny look.

I will also get some pics posted this evening as well. Stay tuned!

[diymirage]

looking forward too it

worst case scenario you could level the numbers on the gauges and print some of

try and glue them on

or if you have the paper, make your own decals

[Guest 66dragfreak]

Here are some pics of what I got done yesterday on my 'Cuda. The dash is pretty much done and the rearend and front suspension are also painted and weathered to the point of being almost complete. As you can see in the pics, the front suspension is broken and that happened when I removed it from the donor 'Cuda. I can still use it though and will just make a piece for the one that's missing. I still need to add another coat of orange to the engine as well to give it a better look.

Enjoy the pics and as always, tips, comments and suggestions are welcome!

[diymirage]

depending on how old you want this car to look (and how wel taken car of by the owner) you just might consider leaving the engine that way, looks pretty authentic to me for a 30 year old

[Guest 66dragfreak]

I got some more done on the 'Cuda today. I flocked the interior and also installed the valve covers. I stripped the chrome from the covers yesterday and painted them black. I like the contrast with the orange engine block better than the chrome.

I am planning on starting to detail the body with foil and chrome probably tomorrow if all goes according to plan. I just need to find the right colros for detailing the grilles between the headlights.

I'll post pics this evening after work...