1971 Olds 442 W-30

[ModelcarJR]

I started this kit last week as I was finishing up on the 69 Chevelle. Painted Dupli-Color Dark Toreador Metallic which is close to the stock color Sienna Metallic for this year. This probably has a little more red in it. Interior will be a brown leather using Krylon Satin Brown Boots. I had to strip the hood and re-paint but that is done now and just has to be rubbed out along with the other body parts. All parts are painted now so its time to get started! Foil is next! Thanks for looking! ?

 

[Monty]

Looks like you're off to a great start.  Love that color!  My sincere thanks to you and all other builders who submit info like that in their posts.  This may be the paint I'll end up using on my MPC '67 Toronado.

[KWT]

Man that is already looking good. Nice paint job

[Stingray wes]

Yeah, great color for sure. Looking forward to watching this one.

[charger74]

I love the color 

[Lunajammer]

15 hours ago, Monty said:

This may be the paint I'll end up using on my MPC '67 Toronado.

I recommend it. That color flatters these Toros. Not sure if I used the exact same red on this one, but close.

 

John, I don't know why but you almost can't go wrong with that color on those A bodies.

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Monty, Jeremy, Wes, Eric, and Mike! I appreciate your comments!  Yes, this is a great color and the Dupli-Color rattle can is so easy to paint. When it goes on it looks blochy even after two coats. But after  a coat of clear lacquer it looks perfect!  I had two painted in this color last year, a 49 Mercury that placed first in two different contests and a 33 Ford that placed third in the same category as the 49 Merc.  This color seems to be a winner! 

Nothing done today on the Olds. The weather allowed other things to get in the way today! Thanks for looking! ?

[ModelcarJR]

Here's the basic setup for the interior. The floor is a darker brown but the rest is Krylon Satin Brown Boots. I've foiled one door and applied the wood grain decals inside the chrome trim on the door. I know there is not much contrast with this color but I've looked at several photos of actual interiors with a color similar to this and it has the same effect, not much contrast. I could have done white and black but I wanted to try something different that would go with the exterior color. I  think this will work. Thanks for looking! 

[Mopar - D]

Looking good John. I like your color choice too. 

[mustang1989]

Your foiling is incredible JR! How in the world do you get it to look so clean? 

[David G.]

Beautiful color you picked for the body!

The interior looks great too!

David G.

[mrmike]

Looking good John!  I have this kit in my stash and I have been looking at other builds and trying to decide on colors I want to use.

[Chuckyg1]

Killer color, liking the interior color and detail too.

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Joe, David, Mike and John! I appreciate your comments! 

The interior is done. Painted with Krylon Satin Brown Boots. I did use the wood grain decals on the doors, dash and console but you might not see them well as there is not much contrast with the interior color. The trim is mostly BMF with some chrome pen in places like the steering wheel. For who may be tor those of you who are of the younger generation, those are cigarette ashtrays in the bolsters for the back seat. They used to put them in cars. The decals work well and I may have to get another kit to do it in another color to see how that looks. Plus, it seems to be a really nice kit so far and I am looking forward to cpmpleting it, especially while it is raining this week. Thanks for looking! ?

Edited April 6, 2023 by ModelcarJR
grammar

[KWT]

That's a nice looking interior. This is all coming along good

[David G.]

Great progress on this!

David G.

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Jeremy and David! I appreciate your comments! 

Joe Shaw asked how I get the foil on so clean. I have taken a few photos to demonstrate my method albeit with one hand. I actually use two hands but in order to take the photos, I had to have one hand on the camera!  This is my method:

First, I cut a strip of foil that is a little bigger than 1/16" wide and the length of the sheet of foil using a ruler. Obviously, I don't cut on the cloth but lift it up like a flap and cut it on the cutting board underneath. I like to work on cloth to prevent scratches to the paint finish. 

Second, I cut a piece of the strip that is about 2 1/4" long. I have found that this length fits almost all wheel openings which is what I am foiling now. 

Third, because I am left-handed, I anchor one strip of foil with my right thumb on the rear of the wheel opening and then use my left index finger and thumb to string the foil along the edge while using my right thumb to tamp it in place along the wheel opening edge. 

Fourth, once the foil is in place, I use a toothpick to rub the inner middle and inner edge firmly in place. 

Lastly, once in place and tamped down, I cut away any excess on each end using my No. 11 blade. I don't like to leave any excess as it may start unraveling as it sits on the cloth during construction. Indeed, the ends need to be watched and rubbed down throughout construction as the cloth has a tendency to unravel it. If I don't like it once done or if it comes unraveled during construction, I simply cut another piece and re-do it. The whole process for the body and interior usually takes about 8 hours but I don't do it all in one sitting but string it out over a few days. I may do something else to break the tedium of doing it all at once, like rubbing out the hood or working on the engine, etc. 

[ModelcarJR]

Mocked-up the interior in the body and I think this will work. The lighting makes the dash and package shelf a little lighter than they actually look.

Started working on the engine. This kit has transmission options either manual or automatic so I went with a manual transmission. it looked like a metallic blue in photos so I used what I  have on hand, Dupli-Color Bright Aqua Metallic. I also realized that I hadn't added the pedals to the interior so I'll add them now. I also foiled the cowl edge of the hood and realized that I still have to foil the corners at the top of the fenders. I also will work on rubbing out the hood a little more. Thanks for looking! ?

[Chuckyg1]

I always have trouble with wheel well trim, thanks for the tutorial. That dash is awesome.

[Mopar - D]

Looks awesome John. I like those colors. Thanks for sharing your BMF application. 

[David G.]

Excellent work on this John, everything looks like it's coming along quite nicely.

Thanks for the foil application tip too.

David G.

Edited April 7, 2023 by David G.
typo

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, John, Dan, and David! I appreciate your comments! 

I completed the engine and then voila - interior meets body, body and interior meet engine and chassis! Almost done! 

But it wasn't that easy - The interior fit well into the body but when installing the chassis with engine in the body I had to move the distributor forward a bit to clear the firewall. Of course, that moved the large air cleaner off the engine.  The fan still wouldn't clear the edge of the shroud, so I removed the shroud, pushed the chassis and engine in between the inner fenders, then with the chassis still loose wiggled the fan shroud back into place and re-glued it. Then, glued the chassis to the inner fenders. Now if I use the air cleaner to push back on the distributor a bit while I glue it in place without breaking the stem on the distributor, I'll be in business! But first, I have some plumbing to do in the engine compartment before I can attempt that.

Engine wiring using pre-wired distributors can cause some problems and the kit manufacturers don't leave enough room to install anything other than kit pieces. This engine is really packed in there! I don't know how I am going to get the heater hose that comes off the right side of the back of the engine in there. Maybe I won't! Thanks for looking! ?

 

[mustang1989]

Sorry to hear about the events that unfolded when you put the body onto the chassis. I'm getting to the point (and some will call this ridiculous but it removes alot of frustration for me) where I buy two of every new auto model I build just so I can 1.) check and correct any stance and wheel/ tire position issues and 2.) build a complete mock up and find all of the pitfalls of the build during the assembly process......particularly the body over chassis step. 

This looks VERY good despite the issues that you're having JR. BTW.......have I told you that your BMF work is some of the best I've ever seen lately? You sir.....are tha man.

[David G.]

Though the added difficulty is a bummer, you seem to have a handle on it. Being willing to adjust one's plans in the face of unanticipated difficulties is a great asset to have in model building.

The engine bay looks fantastic!

David G.

 

[Steve H]

Great looking build John. I REALLY like that colour, and the interior colours look good too. As the others have said, your foil work is beautiful. 
 

Cheers, Steve