19 replies to this topic

[Bernard Kron]

Chopped Dry Lakes Style 5-Window Deuce Coupe with Full Bellypan

Starting with a spare Revell ’32 Ford 5-window coupe which I chopped 6 ½ scale inches, this is a full-on Bonneville style dry lakes racer. Much of this car is scratch built including a full bellypan, the interior and the steering. The rest is scraped together from my parts box. The w.i.p. for this project can be found here: http://www.modelcars...wtopic=64354= Here’s the full run down:

• Bodywork: Revell 5-window ’32 Ford coupe. Top chopped 6 ½ scale inches, clear red acetate windows and grill. Scratch built full bellypan.
• Chassis and suspension: Chassis integrated into bellypan structure. Rear suspension omitted since it’s hidden inside the bodywork. Front suspension based on Revell Deuce tubular dropped front axle. Front spring shaved and de-arched, scratch built steering, split wishbones and tubular shocks from AMT ’29 Ford Model A kit.
• Motor and transmission: Blown Buick Nailhead V8 from Revell Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit with Hilborn four port injector from a Revell Parts Pac small block Chevy. Headers from an AMT ’40 Ford Sedan Delivery kit. ’39 La Salle transmission courtesy of Early Years Resin.
• Interior: Scratch built from sheet styrene with resin bucket seat courtesy of ThePartsBox.com, AMT ’36 Ford steering wheel and roll bar from an AMT ’37 Chevy coupe kit.
• Wheels and tires: Moon disc style wheels courtesy of Early Years Resin. Front tires from a Revell ’37 Ford Sedan Delivery kit, rear tires courtesy of Herb Deeks.
• Paint and graphics: Main color is Krylon Bauhaus Gold enamel over white primer. Decals are home made.

Thanx for lookin’,
B.

Edited by Bernard Kron, 17 November 2012 - 06:22 AM.

[Dr. Cranky]

Congratulations on another wonderful model, Mr. Kron. The Avalon looks perfect on the Salt.

[ronr]

Excellent Build Sir!!!!!!!

[MachinistMark]

Amazing.

[bondo bill]

very kool

[brett]

Awesome Bernard, love it

[W-409]

I like it! That paint is great, and really like the color too. Nice job with the decaling too. Beautiful engine-combination and that red grille-plate is excellent idea. Looks period correct to me, excellent!

[crazyrichard]

really came out great
love the belly pan and that interiour really cool like that !!
i would say id one day you have the nerve you could weather it like it really drove in the salt


i'm currently building a dry lake 32 roadster myself

[S. Svendsen]

That is super nice.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx for all the kind comments, everyone.

I used a temporary adhesive to locate the hood sides and still have them be removable.. Unfortunately I neglected to clean up the residue, which shows up in the engine compartment and grill close ups (the macro lense is a cruel, cruel thing...). For this I apologise. (I really need to learn to step away from the car for a few days after I finish it before I photograph it...)

Also, as I was working on the car the Metalizer paints kept rubbing off on my fingers and into the paint. This problem is not unknown to me, so I handled them as little as possible and I segregated the completed parts in plastic bags as I worked; but towards the end handling them a lot became unavoidable, particularly the engine. I used Meguiar's Plast-X polish to clean up the metallic traces in the paint but they have taken their toll, particularly in some of the crevises of the main body. So, yes Richard, I am considering weathering the car some more. I've never done a weathered build and don't want to go for a rust-rod look, just a realistic rendition of the patina that the cars take on after running on the salt flats over several days during Speed Week. This look is less common today thanks to modern paints, bigger budgets, and a generally cleaner and more crisp aesthetic, but it's something you notice a lot in the photos from the era that this car represents. It's fairly unusual for me to re-visit a build (there's no lack of future projects rattling around in my head...) but I like the overall stance and look of this car enough that it may be worth it. Any tips on naturalistic weathering would be appreciated!

Despite the fact that there's no rear suspension and virtually no chassis, this was a more ambitious and complex project than I had intended.This is my third attempt at a bellypan car and I notice it has that effect. The bellypan itself demands properly scaled and precise fitting parts to be fabricated. With rare exceptions nothing like it exists in kit form (only the Orange Crate, Walt's Puffer, and some Revell Parts Pack altered bodies come to mind). A construction approach where everything is prototyped, fabricated and fitted in a raw state and then painted and assembled would have resulted in a far cleaner build. Unfortunately, I am very much an improvisational modeler and this discipline still eludes me...

Thanx again for all the nice comments and for your appreciation and encouragement,
B.

[Steven2]

Fantastic! Very tough looking.

[Dennis Lacy]

Awesome 5-window, Bernard! It really captures the look and feel of a purpose-built land speed coupe perfectly!

Also, as I was working on the car the Metalizer paints kept rubbing off on my fingers and into the paint. This problem is not unknown to me, so I handled them as little as possible and I segregated the completed parts in plastic bags as I worked; but towards the end handling them a lot became unavoidable, particularly the engine. I used Meguiar's Plast-X polish to clean up the metallic traces in the paint but they have taken their toll, particularly in some of the crevises of the main body.

Just for the sake of some friendly advice, I have noticed in your builds where metallizer is used there is often evidence that they have rubbed off and sometimes bare plastic is showing. You know that I use a great deal of metallizer paints on my builds and I have developed a proven technique for applying them and never having to worry about them rubbing off:

1. I use Duplicolor gray sandable primer on any and every part I'm going to paint with metallizer, I don't care if they are the size of a speck. Having the primer makes the metallizer grab onto and flow out over the surface much better. It also helps add some texture to the part as often times the parts I am painting represent castings. (Valve covers, intake manifolds, superchargers, etc)

2. Spray or brush on the metallizer paint. I almost always brush them on because it adds to the texture and offers a little inconsistency in the texture because of the brush strokes. Castings from 40+ years ago had a rougher appearance than castings from current days. Since you and I typically build vehicles to represent the 40's, 50's and 60's this helps our cause.

3. I apply a minimum of 2 coats and usually 3 or 4. I minimize handling the parts with my fingers by holding them with tweezers or attaching them to low-stick blue painters tape looped over itself. Use a big enough piece of tape so that you can hold one edge of the tape while the part is on the other edge.

4. I allow the painted parts to dry over night in a safe place.

5. I clear-coat every part with Tamiya spray clear. Depending on the look you want for the part, you can use flat, semi-gloss or gloss.

6. Tamiya clear is impervious to Testors enamel brush cleaner/thinner. If desired, I use Testors flat black cut with Testors brush cleaner to create a black wash for further detailing. I put a dab of paint on the brush then dip it a minumum of 2 times in the the thinner, it just depends on the consistency I want. The great thing is that this will not damage the clear or the metallizer underneath it. And, if a couple days later you decide you are not satisfied with the black wash you can go back and thin it out or remove it completely by using a brush with brush cleaner on it.

[curt raitz]

Great model Bernard...my favorite so far, lookin' forward to seeing it in February
at least one of the "3 Amigos" is building something
I've got a couple of projects on the workbench, but can't seem to get to'em
c'ya
great tutorial on metalizer paint from Dennis...

[RatRod]

Very nicely done Bernard!!! You hit all the nails on the head, even the engine....

[Ace-Garageguy]

It sure has the right look. The proportions of the chop and the stance couldn't be any more perfect for this kind of car. Well done, sir.

[crazyrichard]

have a look in the pick up section (on the bench) there is a combi build from me atm .. a hauler (thats why its there) and a ford roadster dry lake racer .
kind of the same era / style as yours , i already started weathering .. take a look maybe you like it that way (or dont)
if so you can always pm me about the weathering the method i used for the wheels and body salt build up is actually supersimple

Edited by crazyrichard, 19 November 2012 - 05:07 AM.

[Duntov]

Nice car!!!

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx again, guys!

Dennis, thanks for the detailed blow by blow on your metalizer technique. Metal finishes are an endless pursuit for me. I've experimented with various substrates for the Metalizer finishes. For a truly convincing polished metal finish, IMHO, nothing beats applying the paint to polished bare plastic.This is especially true of the Testors buffable finishes but is also highly effective using the co-called non-buffable paints, which buff out nicely as well. I use DupliColor primers under my metalizers quite often and it does help. The key, I've found, however is to apply a thin coat and lit it cure for 24 hours or so., Then it's remarkably tough. This is harder to do with a brushed on finish than when sprayed. If I used an air brush I think I would have fewer issues with wear. The one thing I haven;t experimented with, and which you explain in wonderful detail, is the clear overcoat. I am particularly intrigued by your discussion of how Tamiya Clear resists the Testors brush cleaner thinner. For sure I'll be exploring this area. Thanks again.

[H.A.K]

How have I not committed on this yet.....great build man. That's sweet lookin.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx Samuel!