Convert racing kit into stock - street car

[Fredd]

Hello. 
I have been searching the Internet in need of some advice for converting racing model kits into a stock version of the car, since some models come only as "rally" or "DTM" versions and I prefer much more the original one. In this case I have bought the 1/24 Tamiya Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti "Jagermeister", which has racing (wider) fenders and side skirts I need to get rid of. The interior comes with rollbar, a simple dashboard and the two bucket seats; I guess there will be quite a lot of work to do there, but not as much as the exterior. The idea is to make a slightly tuned berlina.
As I said, I want to narrow the body's with, but do not know really how to in order to avoid ruining the model. I think I may have to cut them with a dremel or something similar, and fill the rest with styrene and putty.
Has anyone got ideas for this?.
Thank you.
https://m.imgur.com/r/ModelCars/i7kJe

 

[waynehulsey]

Nobody has offered help? I'm not real familiar with this kit, but in looking at photos it looks like the easiest and best way is to cut the flared off flush with the body then create new body panels with sheet plastic. Need good side profile photos for references.

[Fredd]

Thanks for replying.

I would basically like to remove the fender flares, which are pretty wide and then make some work on the front bumper (probably won't take a lot of effort as the rest). The thing is that I will have to fill the space left with something else, since by removing the fender flare the car will have a big mudguard for big wheels. 

I will leave some pictures from the original car and the scale model for references. In the last one you can appreciate even more the shape of the fender flares in the racing body kit.

[astroracer]

 I would approach this by carefully trimming off the racing flares. Leave as much of the original body sides as you can. I would then make filler panels to replace the flares with the stock shape wheel openings. Do one fender at a time to maintain body integrity.

Building a front bumper is not that hard. You have good pics. Simply build it out of sheet plastic. A lot of the contours can be made by layering different thicknesses of sheet to get the curves you want.

This will definitely sharpen up your scratch building skills.  If you start this keep us in the loop, we will help as much as possible.

Mark

Edited August 1, 2017 by astroracer

[Fredd]

Great information, thank you Mark!

[astroracer]

Great information, thank you Mark!

If you have any questions just ask. I have done a few "conversions" so I know what you are dealing with.

[alan barton]

Fredd, the hardest part of this conversion will be completing a nicely finished set of wheel arches.  Can I suggest that you look around at other models to see if there is one with similar shaped and lipped openings?  You could then cut these out of the donor body, oversize, and carefully trim, file and sand them until they are a perfect fit in the holes left by removing the racing flares.

Without having a lot of knowledge of this era of car, maybe something like  a BMW or a Mercedes might give you the correct shapes? Or a modern Japanese car?  Let Goggle be your friend.

This type of work does not take lots of skill, just lots of patience.  I wouldn't expect to get better than one corner finished per session. I would draw clear fine axle centre lines on both bodies before I did any cutting and then I would redraw them from time to time as they wear off with handling. Use these centrelines to keep the body and the filler section lined up.You don't necessarily have to cut them out in a curve - you can just as easily saw and score a square section out of each body and sand to fit.

If you take the time to make the new section of body work fit into the Alfa body as precisely as possible,, you will not risk damaging the wheel arches with aggressive sanding of filler material.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Alan

[Fredd]

Yes, cutting out fenders from a similarly shaped car may be a solution.

In any case, I don't know if this can also be solved by using plastic sheets (styrene) -which I need to buy some time soon- cutting them in the basic flat shape and then molding these into position, sanding the edges and somehow, make the body trim for a smoother look.

Anyway, thank you for your help Alan!

[alan barton]

You certainly could just use flat plastic but getting a nice even edge on the wheel lip would be challenging for me.  I've done it but........

Also, another old trick that I have used successfully is "welding" the replacement body parts or plastic sheet from the back with a soldering iron.  There is far less chance of the plastic breaking out while you work it if you use this technique.  I would do it outside - it gets a bit smelly!

 

Good luck

Alan