swede70 Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 (edited) Greetings... About the crudest 1:18th Porsche 959 diecast model in existence this - but also about the only option that might be described as affordable. Motorbox/Exoto, Minichamps as well as the rarified AutoART iterations are the (mostly pricey) alternate paths forward. The model seen here was a freebie, while I'm struggling not to spend so much on materials as to render the effort pointless. The photo reference captures the topic in pre-production form with flush cover wheels, while as a side benefit, at least the Tonka/Polistil model has these on offer even if the surface profile is both literally and metaphorically flat. The body wasn't wholly stripped, although those mold lines that could be sanded out were. This isn't a major rehab, hence some finer points were missed in terms of correcting irregularities present across the shell. At least the window seals look clean enough, while an effort to putty and blend the separate rear wing to the engine cover to suggest a unitary assembly largely succeeded. The tail light panel insert paint effort yielded nice results in particular even if I couldn't do much about the reversing lamps. The latter were done with white paint over the rudimentary amber-tinted plastic part visible on the spare body seen to the right in the image below. A length of party favor/table center piece-sourced foil brightens up the center section of the insert installation, suggesting a reflective surface situated behind it. The plastic glass front screen has had it's black border painted, while the entire glass insert was painted Tamiya Smoke translucent black to lend it a tint of sorts. Seen forward is a thin sheet of pliable plastic used to come up with a traceable pattern for the inside of the front screen prior to applying tape, and finally, cutting such for a mask. The interior is not yet complete, although most surfaces have been painted SEM Color Coat burgundy and appears nice for being subdued and controlled. I've never flocked an interior before, hence this will be new ground for me. As mentioned, the wheels really aren't right for surface profile, although they did respond nicely to a black wash and display better than I thought they would. The tire sidewalls are actually o.k., hence the visuals aren't all that bad. Note that the interior is largely missing, hence the void inside is explainable thus. A Porsche crest decal sheet was ordered from France and ought to arrive soon, while sanding down the edges of the headlamp bucket/inserts helped clean up the appearance of the front quite a bit. It's a fair 'twenty footer' then... Kind thanks for your review of this project... Mike K./Swede70 Edited October 6, 2020 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyc Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 I used to love the 959. But never studied the nuances. So after all these years, your model captures the spirit of the 959 quite well from my memories. Yes, if we study on it, we will see the inaccuracies. But I say put it on a shelf and be proud of it. Looks good to me. And if there isn't a better one next to it, who will know? Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilrathy10 Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Good looking model, Man... Very nice work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 (edited) Thanks for the comments and interest... Earlier I'd inflicted damage on shell #1 for dropping it on a table. I didn't immediately pick up on what had absorbed the blow, but soon discovered that the delicate ribs on one of corner vents had been blunted by the impact and were essentially beyond repair. Given this development, the second shell became more attractive as a means to recoup things. My examples were both delivered in white, hence a reversion to the original hue is picked up below. Since I have a spare shell, I've decided to essentially redo work quickly performed before exercising greater care for less use of filler and primer, color sanding the finish, and generally being more observant in relation to quality overall. Earlier today I used a better 1:1 body filler to blend the rear wing to the engine cover, including those portions beneath the wing even as I'd avoided the labor implied before. Since most everything else either is a press-in fit or screws on to the Polistil tool, everything else will be recycled from effort #1 without much ado. I think I'll try to thin the side window frame openings this go-round as they really stand out. Here I've not yet touched them. For some careful application, the front fascia is a bit cleaner and better shaped as contrasted to before. The corners where the fascia blends into the slab sides of each fender are a challenge to correct. Additionally, AutoARTspares.com has reopened their website, while an order was placed to collect stray AA 959 parts of far better quality to sprinkle across this project. Said parts include a set of side indicator/repeaters, an interior less door panels, plus a dash and steering wheel, etc. If not to supplement a build such as this, I doubt there would strictly be demand for the little loose assemblies. I hope something good will come of it, while within limits it can be fun to make something of little. Always suffering from scale model 'mission creep' it seems. Thanks again for following along... Mike K./Swede70 Edited October 13, 2020 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share Posted October 16, 2020 (edited) Greetings, Some blending around the wing and engine cover to suggest a unified structure (especially underneath and through the pocket so to speak), while the wheel disc overlays are new. Each overlay is simply a section of sheet plastic shaped to suit. I should be able to soften the edges of the outer rim perimeter to complete the look, although at present this second set of wheels hasn't been modified so much. Know that no vanilla wafers were hurt in the making of these rims! Mike K./Swede70 Edited October 16, 2020 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyc Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Looking good. I'm enjoying the transformation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 Thanks for the interest... Seen are the wheel disc overlays quickly painted and applied to the first set of wheels. Not terrible... Mike K./Swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted November 3, 2020 Author Share Posted November 3, 2020 (edited) Greetings... This would be the second shell refinished with slightly cleaner body prep even if the paint finish seems no different. No more lumpy areas along the engine cover at it transitions onto the wing, no gouges to report for being too aggressive with a file, and lighter paint application overall. No - I'm not sure if all the effort was worth it! A spare set of wheels were reshaped a bit to soften their appearance along the outer edge of each, while a Tamiya Bare Metal Silver was used on the rims rather than Tamiya Mica Silver which had been applied to the body. The contrast between the two shades of silver is minute, but it does mix up things a bit. Vinylex was used on the rock hard tires, although it does seem to help. Happily the sidewall profile doesn't suggest a rock bottom purchase price, redeeming matters somewhat. It looks a bit better, while an AutoART spares order will afford a new dash , console and seat assemblies I intend to mate to the more or less standard Tonka/Polistil interior shell so that the dimensions of what is worked up won't offer up any surprises when assembled. Just to mesh with the new interior parts, I'll have to go with a gray interior versus the intended burgundy. Thanks... The side mirror is off, either to be refinished or replaced in part with an AutoART item. Side repeaters will be replaced with AA parts and will register life soon... Hardly looking different, although some careful sanding has the wheel discs looking a bit cleaner too... I'd more or less wrecked the previous shell for dropping it in a way that dented the rear cooling duct ribs as seen here intact on shell number two. At least the putty work on the back is cleaner on this second effort, the rear fascia appearing smoother for a lighter touch in evidence. Sorry these images aren't well illuminated. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70 Edited November 3, 2020 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 (edited) Greetings... Here some AutoART interior parts have been introduced onto the Tonka/Polistil interior casting. I have most of the AA interior less door panels, while for first trying to hack and slash the entire AA interior tub to fit the T/P chassis and body, finally I decided just to steal select subassemblies to the T/P interior and avoid most of the fit issues. Flocking to come, other assemblies to be stolen soon. The dash board, the interior rear view mirror, the steering wheel plus column, and finally, the shifter and controls surrounding it make up the visible upgrades. Thanks... Not terrible - while the really cheap appearance the total assembly had before is mostly eradicated. The pedal assembly, safety belts plus flocking are to come. Nice seats, with carefully marked controls on each side and textured paint for the inserts as-delivered. Quality stuff, while a lot of the Tonka/Polistil dash mount structure was recycled to support the new AA dash assembly, saving time versus scratch building some other solution. ...and just proving (to myself largely) that it'll all fit. I'm unsure about clearance between the interior door panels (not present here) and the seats, although this was enough work for a day. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70 Edited November 8, 2020 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) Greetings, Not wholly impressed with my first go at refinishing the amber tail light panel/insert on my Tonka/Polistil 959, here I've redone it after breaking the first attempt when I tried to remove the part from my build - ouch! Thought was given as to whether a Molotow paint pen could be used to bright up the back of the amber sections along the ends, while for mulling things it seemed worth a try to grind off the mounting pins (sort of an 'L' section when viewed head on) and generally clean up things from behind. ...as delivered then. ...first attempt with the sloppy reversing lamp effort on woeful view. The wheels look odd sans aerodynamic overlays later worked up and added, while the amber-color plastic retained for the turn indicators along the back seem pretty lifeless. Very much Kay-Bee Hobby toy aisle... Moving along, I painted the ends of the turn indicator segments/elements with Tamiya translucent orange aerosol, while a better white was chosen for the reversing lamp sections to aid matters. Enhanced control is witnessed in relation to the division of colors and tones used, and this helps on the quality front. Not so obviously toy-like now, and pretty much the work of a day. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70 Edited March 31, 2021 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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