beeRS

Some amazing work there on getting the sub-chassis right. Great scratch building skills. Keep up the great work.

Thanks for the ideas Roger. I would love to see that treatment on the Hemi - please post a pic .

What a lovely build Peter! I love the colour - not too loud. Can't see any dust in the engine bay! That 'chrome before paint' technique on the scripts really works well. I have never tried it, but I'll have to give it a go now.

A very nice build. I like the work on the tyres - I must try the circle cutter. Thanks for the tip.

Now it's time to get the firewall sorted. For a while I was considering keeping it smooth with no details except for the brake servo, but after finding some good reference pics I have decided to scratch build a stock firewall. The one supplied with the kit is not accurate and had big holes for the bonnet (sorry 'hood') hinges - which I won't be using. It also has gaps where it meets the kits inner fenders (which I won't be using either!). To achieve the oddly shaped panel I have had to cut my smooth firewall down. I've added the spot-weld flange using the thinnest styrene sheet I have. In the pic below you can also see the engine mounts completed. The excess rod length has been cut away. I've added the top part of the firewall back, but this time with a curve. From this angle (see the pic below) you can see the curve better. It now matches the curve of the back edge of the hood opening - as on the 1:1 car. I found this pic of a Boss 520 with throttle body fuel injection and I think this is the kind of look I NEED . To achieve this I've searched my parts box and come up with the 8 air horns (I have no idea which kit they originally came from). I've also found a twin carb high-rise manifold which can be cut down for the job. And here's the lot just mocked up in place. At the moment I don't know whether to replicate a mechanical injection system (like a Hilborn set-up) or a more modern throttle body set up. In this picture you can also see how the curve of the top of the fire-wall now matches the back edge of the hood opening (or at least better than before!). The manifold is a perfect fit in the Boss engine. Again, I have no idea where this part originally came from (after 30+ years of building model cars and never throwing anything away I've accumulated a mountain of spares and extras). Of course, now I will need to cut the hood. This was never part of the original plan but Its something that can't be avoided now .

A coat of grey primer reveals that the floor is going to take a lot more work to look right. Finally, I have sourced an engine! I'll be using a 429 Boss motor from Monogram's '70 Boss Mustang kit. It's actually a 1/24 scale kit. At first I was not too keen on this idea, but after checking a few measurement I felt that it would be OK. I wanted the 'big' V8 look for the Galaxie and this is certainly achieves that. It's a 429, but I'm happy to call it a 520 Cu In. I believe that the outer dimension of both engines would be identical ?? The kit engine is 'OK', but it lacks the super-detail I would have had from a Ross Gibson engine. Never mind - I will just have to get busy scratch building details myself. First job was to cut away the moulded-in sump. The engine is to be set further back in the engine bay than the original, and so the front drop on the sump was no good. Anyway, I want to build a race style fabricated sump for this engine. Above you can see the engine offered up in place with the beginnings of my scratch build engine mounts. The plates that bolt to the block were created first, then 'tack glued' to the block. So that I can adjust the lengths of the mounts I have drilled right through the X-member and used extra long styrene rods to meet up with the mounting plates on the block. In the pic above you can see the engine temporarily held in place with a blob of Blu-Tac whilst the glue sets. You can also see that the hollow internals of the engine have been filled with a lump of putty. This adds a little extra weight (I like a weighty feel to my models - in moderation).

Ronald; I would be honoured if you, or anyone else used any of the mod's that I've carried out. Good luck with your convertible project.

Thanks for that info Roger. I'll have to get my hands on this kit.

Yep - work is progressing, but very slowly. I will post some more pic's soon.

That is a truly beautiful model Scott. I can see that you put a lot of research into this one. If I'm not mistaken the Cord 812 was one of the first front-wheel-drive cars made. I have the Monogram kit in my stash, waiting to be built some day. I thought it would make a good Hot Rod, but looking at your one - I think I'll build it stock. Thanks for sharing your pic's with us - it looks great!

looks good so far!

A beautiful car - and it looks even better in black!

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I will give MCW and Scale finish paints a try (if they'll ship to me in the UK). The nail polish idea sounds good too. Does anyone know what type of thinners you would use with nail polish? I have always thought they were enamels, but I've never been too keen on enamels for car bodies as the enamels I have used in the past seem to loose their gloss after a year or two on the shelf (I've mainly used Humbrol branded model paints). Do all enamels fade over time - or have I just been unlucky?

Last time I had to buy the whole set just for the grille

I suspect that this question must have been asked before, but I cannot see it in the search. My question is about achieving a metallic paint finish that is in scale. I have never been totally happy with any metallic paint job I've done. The metal flakes in an automotive paint (by that I mean paint for a 1:1 car) are far too big. Take a look at these pics... Admittedly, the 'glitter' effect looks worse on camera than it does in the flesh but the paint job does look like a custom metal-flake job, rather than a factory metallic. I have only ever used automotive paints for car bodies, but I wonder if anyone knows of any brands or types of paint that will give a finish that is more in keeping with a 1/24 or 1/25 model?

That is a BEAUTIFUL model Jürgen. I agree, silver with a red interior is the best choice and a classic colour combination on the Mercedes. The 300SL is probably in my top ten cars of all time (along with the gullwing) and I am looking forward to building my Italeri kit that has been sitting on the shelf for some time now. I like your philosophy about building a second kit just to display the chassis/engine detail. It makes good sense. both can be displayed side-by-side and there would be no need to open the display cabinet and fiddling. Thanks for sharing your pictures with us. It's a great model built extremely well.

Fantastic job Erik. This is a great kit and I am looking forward to building mine. Love the lowrider look.

Looks awesome Andy. What a cool rod!

Wow - that is the best looking rust I have ever seen on a 1/25 model. Please explain the salt technique that you mention, or tell me where I can find out how to do this.

Thanks Roger, but I thought the entire underpinnings of the Revell 55 Ford Jukebox was the same as Revell's pro sportsman '57 Chevy. I have the 57 Chevy, but not 55 Ford. I would be grateful if you could check for me and if the engine is different It will certainly make a lot of sense.

Thanks Roy. That's really useful information and a really good website for info.

Superb work Dale. I love seeing scratch building like this. I especially admire that chassis. It must be a lot of work getting all those tubes to fit just right. Keep up the good work - I look forward to seeing your progress.

Nice work. Keep it up - look forward to seeing more.

This is amazing work Karsten. Congratulations on a STUNNING model of one of my all-time favourite cars. I am familiar with this kit being sold bit-by-bit on those magazines. It was one that I would have loved to have built, but at the time I thought that the total cost was not worth the magazine subscription. Looking at your finished example I wish I had stretched to it though. I had a look at your website and I'm hugely impressed with all the 1/8th models there. Keep up the amazing work.

I picked this one up for just 4.99GBP (about $6-$7) in 1995 from Toys-R-Us. Never seen one since.