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Monogram 1970 Challenger T/A Rebuild-Under Glass 03-13


mustang1989

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Ok a small update today. I've started on the front clip. I've got the black painted on, the "Challenger" script/ emblem finished and the headlight buckets filled in and "chromed". I still need to touch up on the outside of the headlight buckets where the "chrome" managed to get on the black paint. I've got a handle on that and it'll be fixed in upcoming progress updates. I also have to outline the silver border on the grille as well but am waiting until the "chrome" dries out completely.

Of particular concern is the fact that my dang drivers seat came loose in the interior. I checked a hundred times on that before putting the interior in.sAng_soapbox_zps9f6fd0a5.gif I have a plan for getting that back down without taking "two steps backwards" and risking damage to the body trying to remove it to gain access to the interior. Will let you know how that works out.

Just a pic to show some progress:

Front%20clip_zpscs7zazc2.jpg

Edited by mustang1989
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Thanks Lee!

As far as today's updates go, I've been all over the map this morning as I glued the seat back down using a syringe my wife brought me home from work. With that drying I couldn't handle the model much so I moved on to the front clip again and brought out the grill trim. For this I broke out the Prismacolor silver lead pencil. I was initially going to go for BMF here to apply to the chrome strip that surrounds the actual grill but if I goofed this up it would be like a bloody nose as the grille is the center piece of this beautiful car. Additionally the grille itself has a silver coat over the checkerboard lines and after trying to replicate that with either paint (past experience) or silver lead pencil the finish came out irregular and didn't look right. After one unsuccessful application of silver lead I re-shot the grill assy black again and started over. This time I brought out the "Challenger" script/ emblem and the trim strip surrounding the grille with the silver lead and left the grille black. The way I look at it at least the checkerboard grille is all uniform.

I worked on the tail light assy, cleaned up the front and rear bumpers, cleaned up the rear spoiler, and cut out the decals that I'll be using for the front and rear bumpers as well as for the rear spoiler.

In the photos below I've corrected the silver "mess" from yesterdays headlamp bucket painting from around the outside of the buckets and installed the headlamps. You can't see the difference as good as you can the second photo but I think that most would agree that the results are hell and gone from box stock. I've still got a ways to go with painting the glossing the valance, painting the turn signal amber on the turn signal lenses, installing the bumper with decal and painting the lower air deflectors black but we're gettin' there!

Headlights%20installed%20001_zpsuo1yvhmq

Headlights%20installed%20002_zpsy2rqqczs

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Doug and Fred: Thanks guys! Fred I got over myself and just did it. I've got some trimming to do and some touch up painting but I think it'll be fine. Thanks for the push in the right direction.

JC: Thanks buddy! I don't know if I'll brave that one just yet. :D

Dan and Tommy: Thanks for the encouragement fellas! I can't wait to get started on that DB Tommy.

Here's with the BMF on the grill trim:

FSCN1276_zpsx2kksyoq.jpg

Edited by mustang1989
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looking sweet Joe, finish line is near :)

Thanks Tom and your dang skippy it is! Four months and running. It'll be about time! lol

Looks great. It's a funny little trim piece as its Chrome but the back step of it is argent. You are doing a bang up job of it. Once the sons hockey season is done I hope to get back to my 2 big things

Thanks Fred and I'm looking forward to your return. When does hockey season end? I can't remember right now.

This morning I shot the gloss on the front lower valance and shot the matte black over the rear spoiler and tail light panel. I'm used to painting military stuff and the finish didn't come out how I wanted so I'll probably go back over it again to smooth it all out. It's close but no ceeegar. I managed to paint the tail light bar with clear red and the reflectors with stop light red. I also picked out the "DODGE" emblem with chrome silver applied with a toothpick. I also applied the license plate decal onto the front bumper assy. Pics coming when I get more progress.

There's a show in Houston coming up and if I make it up there I'm probably going to enter this build. Trouble is I don't know what category to enter it in. It's definitely not out of the box and it's not all the way fully detailed either. I guess what I'm saying is it's not at either extreme but somewhere in the middle and it's a re-build. I don't expect to win or anything like that but just wanted to know where to enter it and have a good time at the show.

Edited by mustang1989
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Carl: No problem pal and thanks!

Tom: You are a model making machine though. lol . Yes it is amazing. It's funny that this thing started out to be a touch up. I was supposed to start my Bf109 build two months ago today for my Bf109 Group Build. The participants have to be scratching their heads about a Group Build host who................hasn't started building anything yet. emotion-8.gif But I am having fun with this build and it has spurred my interest in building another automotive subject.......hence these kits that I just bought two days ago!!!!!

FSCN1287_zpsb5qjb5dk.jpg

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Well I made some decent progress today in the fact that I got the front clip all but finished (just a little touch up here and there), got the rear spoiler glossed for decals and got the rear valance glossed. I also installed the engine and transmission assy. This was a complete PIA due to trying to route the wiring harness into the firewall at the same time as the engine went in. I ended up dropping the engine onto the bench at one point because I thought I had the engine wedged in there good enough to turn the model over and reposition it into the motor mounts. It wasn't too far and found everything was ok. I've got it in there with the glue drying at the motor mounts and xmsn mount locations now.

Here's a pic just after I installed the engine:(I've got a ways to go here with this I know , bear with me please)

Engine%20installed%20002_zps2btqrkrb.jpg

Then a pic of the front clip:

Front%20clip%20and%20bumpers%20001_zpssm

and with it installed:

Engine%20installed%20003_zpskkidzhzy.jpg

Engine%20installed%20001_zpsxe1tmn7d.jpg

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Really nice work so far Joe. Sorry aint been on alot the past week or so. Been trying to get my hobby room ready to be redone. Our plan to to empty it out and completely repaint the walls and ceiling, and new flooring. To do all this in the spring, the wife says I gotta pack everything up and empty out the room.. grrrrrr, model building on hold for a few months lol.

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One thing that would set this car off from the rest of the T/A builds I think would be to mask off the entire car minus the stripes and either brush with thinned flat clear or spray them with dullcoat or something and have the decals flat black like the 1/1 cars. I dont think I've ever seen that done with these builds yet. You could be the first!

Challenger looks amazing man, keep it up!

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Tim: Thanks bud! Maybe I'll finish by the time you've finished your Cuda! lol

Jim: Thank you too sir! I really understand about the delays. Life gets in the way sometimes for lengthy periods. Circumstances are different from person to person but I get it pal.

Brodie: You know the stripes are something that I noticed but it honestly didn't "click" until you mentioned it! I'm at the point with this build that the current outcome wins out over the risk. In the future I'll be looking for a mask set that will allow me to paint the strips. Thanks for the support and encouragement you're giving.

Don: I appreciate the comments and you aint a kiddin' about it being close. I have to pull back on the reigns to keep from rushing at this point. lol

Edited by mustang1989
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