Scratching out a body kit for Revell 79 Z28 Camaro 3-n-1/Streetburner

[Just call me Ray]

Hi! This is my first post here - I'm usually over at ARC but decided to get into car modelling and the very good folks there suggested that I might also want to give this place a try.

I'm looking to scratchbuild a body kit for the Revell 79 Camaro 3-n-1 (also known as Streetburner) kit but I just realized I don't know the first thing about scratchbuilding, especially to get anything close to resembling a complicated curve down. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

I guess you could also consider this a related question to the following thread: http://www.modelcars...showtopic=60891 so I'll be paying attention to that one too!

I'd also like to avoid vac-forming for such a relatively small part.

Edited July 10, 2012 by Just call me Ray

[zak78]

Hey Ray,

What sort of body kit do you want to build? The most difficult part by far is the rear valance. Everything can be made with a combination of sheet styrene and putty though. Buy some 0.10 thickness styrene sheet and some Tamiya 2-part putty. Milliput will work too. You want 2-part putty because single part putty will shrink.

[Casey]

I would also start with a few different thicknesses of stryene strip or sheet, and rough out the shape, then sand, form, and use as little two-part putty as necessary. If you laminate the styrene strips, you can make more complicated bends with thinner pieces, while retaining some strength.

[Just call me Ray]

Hey Ray,

What sort of body kit do you want to build?

I was mostly looking to extend the front bumper spoiler into a full body kit, something more or less like in the attachment (mutilated from an original image from here). Or maybe another way to look at it, connecting the front and back wheel spoilers with a body kit, like shown here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:'81_Chevrolet_Camaro_Z28_(Centropolis_Laval_'10).jpg

And yes, extending that body kit to the rear valence too.

[MAGNUM4342]

Raymond, you really need to add your last name. The rules here do say FULL name. I post this at the risk of it being edited, moved or deleted.

[Casey]

Ray Raymond, I'm not sure if any of the Z/28 or T/A kits from that era came with separate splats, bit getting ahold of some more of those and placing them on the body where they currently aren't would be a good first step. That way, you could add a rocker piece on each side, connecting the two splats, then making a rear valence extension to match with the rest.

[Just call me Ray]

Raymond, you really need to add your last name. The rules here do say FULL name. I post this at the risk of it being edited, moved or deleted.

I'll comply but with the note that I've never, ever encountered a message board that stipulated that. Seems rather intrusive to me, IMHO. Thanks sticking your neck out for the warning though - I don't know if this will come out sounding sarcastic but it's genuinely appreciated. And I hope it doesn't get deleted.

Anyway...

Ray Raymond, I'm not sure if any of the Z/28 or T/A kits from that era came with separate splats, bit getting ahold of some more of those and placing them on the body where they currently aren't would be a good first step. That way, you could add a rocker piece on each side, connecting the two splats, then making a rear valence extension to match with the rest.

True but unless people have some extra kits they'd be willing to part with that seems pricey at best, plus I've been having a difficult time locating extra kits locally.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Just call me Ray

[MAGNUM4342]

No worries and not taken as sarcastic at all Ray. While i'm at it, I may as well let you know they are pretty tight about swearing here as well. Even to the point of not allowing vieled swears by use of the symbol keys. It is all in the rules. I only wish I could help you with your Camaro issues. As always I post this at great risk of edit, moving or deletion.

[Casey]

True but unless people have some extra kits they'd be willing to part with that seems pricey at best, plus I've been having a difficult time locating extra kits locally.

It was just an idea. The ground effects/body kit wouldn't be too difficult to make totally from scratch. Just gotta get some styrene, a strong solvent glue to bond the plastic, and the usual tools.

[Just call me Ray]

No worries and not taken as sarcastic at all Ray. While i'm at it, I may as well let you know they are pretty tight about swearing here as well. Even to the point of not allowing vieled swears by use of the symbol keys. It is all in the rules. I only wish I could help you with your Camaro issues. As always I post this at great risk of edit, moving or deletion.

Heh, no problem. Thanks bud!

It was just an idea. The ground effects/body kit wouldn't be too difficult to make totally from scratch. Just gotta get some styrene, a strong solvent glue to bond the plastic, and the usual tools.

Now a really stupid question, what's the "usual" tools? Your typical X-Acto set and the like?

[Casey]

Now a really stupid question, what's the "usual" tools? Your typical X-Acto set and the like?

A set of sanding sticks, maybe some needle files, an X-acto knife, superglue, solvent based glue (Testor's, Plastruct, etc.), a cutting mat, etc.

There is a topic on the forum which covered the "which tools do I need" subject a few months ago. I'll see if I can find it for you if you get no results via a search.