ModelcarJR

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! ?

Final photos from the WIP thread. Thanks for looking! ? Here are the final outdoor photos without an open hood. I didn't use the decals on the side to leave it clean and shiny black so it is not factory stock. I also don't have many decals including the 440 Magnum for the air cleaner from this bagged kit that I bought cheap. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! Here are the final outdoor photos without an open hood. I didn't use the decals on the side to leave it clean and shiny black so it is not factory stock. I also don't have many decals including the 440 Magnum for the air cleaner. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! Over the weekend I wired and built the engine, finished the engine compartment, installed the windows and interior, finished the chassis and now its on wheels! Next, I'll clean up the body a bit, install all the exterior hardware and a few decals and it will be done. I used MrMike's method for the running lights using straight pins and a dab of paint. I was missing the shocks and tie rod and they are still missing but I have enough pieces to keep the wheels on but I am unable to use the poseable front wheels. More later, thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! Mike, the paint is Tamiya Black, TS-44 and Clear, TS-13. I had a terrible start, having to remove all the paint, but it has finally turned out well. I had planned to paint and rub out the paint several times but it wasn't necessary. Only two coats of paint and one coat of clear. I sanded out the first coat of orange-peeled paint with 400 grit seasoned sand-paper and rubbed it out after the first coat of clear. I decided I can't do any better. I am now in the process of applying the BMF. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Bob and Carl! I appreciate your comments! its been awhile but I finally got back to this one and put a few things together. Found some tires and some spacers for inside the wheel to glue to the wheelback and the chrome wheel to keep the tire tight on the wheel. Also assembled the interior. Its missing a couple of pieces in this bagged kit, the grill on back of the console and the interior foot lights on the console but I can live without them. I also finally had a opportunity to get some paint on the body despite the weather. I oranged-peeled the first coats so I was forced to sand it down with some 400 grit seasoned sandpaper and let it sit overnight. The next day I added a another coat and it turned out pretty well. I don't think I can improve on it so I am just going to add a clear coat or two and see what's next. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, all! Nice looking charger, MrMike! Unfortunately, I ruined the paint and I'll have to start over. But its really hot and humid right now so it might be awhile before I can start over. I've ordered some Tamiya paint so we'll see when I get back to it. ?

I am taking a somewhat different approach with painting on this one. I was impressed by the modeler from Taiwan, I think, who posted a video of his painting. He painted, waited 48 hours, sanded out the paint and repeated that method 5 times before he was done. I am taking a similar approach with this one but hopefully only 3 sessions of paint and sanding and then about 3 coats of clear rubbing out between coats. I don't know if this will work but the 68 body is fairly straight except for the coves in the side and hood and its a bagged kit that was inexpensive. It was missing a few parts that I can find in the parts box. The paint is gloss black. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! ?

Thanks, All! I appreciate everyone's comments! I'll see how it does at a contest on Saturday.

Thanks, David and Dave! I appreciate your comments! Dave, the blue color is Tamiya Coral Blue. I also used Krylon Semi-Gloss white followed by two coats of Krylon Clear Lacquer on the body and related parts.

Its now finished! Thanks for looking! Oops! I didn't shut the hood correctly. Quote

Thanks, Dave, Mark and Carl! I appreciate your comments! Dave, thanks for the suggestion on the headlights. I prefer to concentrate on the paint, foil, engine detail painting and detailing and interior painting and detailing. Although I agree that the headlights look awful, I just added some pearl white paint to the lenses and called it good. One lens was eaten by the carpet mongster and I cut another one down and cracked it in the process. I just pieced it together and let it go. No one will really notice. The rest of it, except for the trunk lid closing on the convertible came out OK. I added heater hoses but they are hard to see. Its now finished! Thanks for looking! Oops! I didn't shut the hood correctly.

Thanks,, Mike and Nick! I appreciate your comments! Don't know if I have everything under control but I'll take it! This one is almost done. Just hardware and touch-ups to go. I had all kind of problems with the top and getting it on the package tray as well as the trunk lid getting it to close. I broke the hinges on the trunk lid and had to glue them back together and reinforce them with some plastic strip. I couldn't get the trunk to close and after much fiddling fount that the luggage box was keeping it from closing with the roof in the trunk. Further, in the convertible position the trunk lid and package shelf are in a bind and I can't get the back seat to budge to move it forward a bit. Other than that - everything is OK. I'm disappointed that it didn't come out better. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, Guys for the suggestions on the windshield frame. I did test fit it a bit and it does appear a bit challenging. At the moment, my biggest challenge is getting the moving parts all together and mounting the top to the package shelf. There were no tabs on the ends for the B pillar which I have sanded down a bit to get rid of the chrome to glue (see photo). So I mounted the rear window on the top to give me a reference for the edge of the package shelf meeting the window and also discovered that the package shelf is a bit too wide to mount the top on level without breaking the glue joint for the window. I can't just cut it shorter because the top link brackets are directly underneath. So now I have to call on my non-existent whittling skills to cut out the edges of the package shelf to mount the top (see photo). I'll deal with the windshield after that. Here are a few pics of the engine and the build so far on wheels! Thanks for looking!

Starting to make some progress - rubbed out, foiled and the interior is partially installed. Working on engine so that I can move on quickly. Its more turquoise than it appears in the photos. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Rich! I appreciate your comments! Finally got the white on the body along with two coats of clear on both colors, despite the humidity. Walked it out painted it and walked it back into the house. Mom was gone so I got away with it! Now I just have to rub it out without busting the glue joints! Thanks for looking!

Thanks, Joe and Dave! Joe, I've been to that museum too but didn't know they shut it down. I enjoyed going through it but my memory has slipped on the 54 Skyliner. Dave, sounds like quite a bit of work getting that 57 Skyliner together! Nice work! Cudos!

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! Lee, I just received my dash stickers from Best Models so I appreciate your offer but I won't need the gauge decal. Raining again today so little progress. Painted a couple of parts this morning before it started raining but that's it! I'm finishing left door panel and will be working on wiring the engine next until I can finish painting. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Carl! I appreciate your comment! I was able to paint a bit so I have the back seat and door panels done. I was trying to substitute something other than black previously, but black works out well! I think this will be a reasonably good looking tri-colored interior! Thanks for looking!

I'm starting from scratch on the door panels and did a little bit of chrome paint from a Molotow pen brushed on the dash. I have some decals from Best Model Co. for the radio, clock, and speedo cluster coming. I think they are glue on paper images but should work. I have used them before on another kit. I'll also get the doors re-painted as soon as I can along with the body and other pieces. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, David, Dave and John! I appreciate your suggestions! Yes, I am re-doing the interior but I am stymied at this point as it rained all day yesterday and is raining again today. Dave, I would be interested in knowing about the 57 conversion. How much of the 59 is in the 57. Is it only the trunk lid and top or did you have to do more than that? Thanks all for the inspiration! ?

Thanks, Alan! Yes, I am going back to the the seat colors, substituting aluminum for the white. Tri-colored seats are always a challenge and even more of a challenge with tape bleeds. By the way, I noticed that there is no rear seat back but there are a couple of nubs on the back of the seat. I was wondering if you know whether those are props for the package shelf to hold it up in the convertible configuration? I think if that's the case, I am going to put a back on it and drill a couple of holes for pins to hold up the package shelf. Thanks for your suggestions!

Thanks, Alan! I keep those two areas in mind as I progress. Right now, I am trying to figure out the interior colors. I tried Dark Blue with the Coral Blue and that didn't work. In this photo I have Global Blue which is more of a medium blue and I don't think that works either. I think I'll repaint with white and just go white, coral blue and black. Any suggestions? Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks for the pictures, Ed! I have one seat painted to see what it will look like. The first picture is just after pulling tape. The second is after touch up with a brush. I'll rub it out a bit and dullcote it a little after the paint dries. I also continued to have problems with the right side glue joint at the back because there is no pin and receiving hole there. So I had to drill a hole and use a part of a straight pin to pin it. Now I also applied some putty and have eliminated the joint. I still have a little work to do on both sides. Thanks for looking! ?