Dragfreak

Nice weathering, it looks just like how my 1:1 looked after I pulled it from the barn it had been siting in since '77. same color and all. I'll be following along!

I know of several companies casting these wheels, but none I've seen come chromed. I know you can send them to a chrome plating company and they can do that for you, but I don't want the hassle and cannot afford that. I also have heard about spaz sticks and alcad for chroming parts with an airbrush but A. I don't have an airbrush and B. I'm sort of on a budget so buying the expensive aerosol cans won't work either. Is there anyone selling these wheels pre chromed? If not, my only option is to start trading with members of the forum.

An update, as I reach the home stretch, I've made a lot of progress. I accurately routed the spark plug wires and added boots, I made looms out of some coke can aluminum, finally mixed a good looking Holley green for the carbs, and I'm currently scratch building a fuel rail and throttle linkage I know the fuel rail wouldn't mount on the choke linkage but I decided it would be easier and stronger to mount the rails there than in the bowls. With the air cleaner on it you can't see where it mounts so it should work out pretty good. I substituted the crappy looking front struts for a handmade better looking set, I wrapped up the interior with a scratchbuilt shifter and boot as well as adding some seat belts. I've got the chassis about finished too. The undercarriage is about done, I wanted it clean like the car had been comp-lately redone, to break up all of the black I included a beefy sway bar, and moroso coil overs. Next I'll scratchbuild a fuel pump and run fuel line. All in all, I'm very happy with how my first beater/sleeper is turning out, I will look into some pigments and other cheap weathering techniques to try to improve the body and add more to the effect. For now, I should have it finished up in the next couples weeks. Edit* it looks like there's a mold line I missed on the rear shocks, I'll pull them back out and fix that.

As pictured, they work very well on the rears, but in the front they just don't fit well. I tried sanding one flat but it doesn't make much of a difference. At this point I'm not sure which direction to go, I could put them on all the way around, just use them on the rears and weather the fronts, or leave them off all together and just weather all of the wheels.

I need some opinions on the poverty caps

I have got some more progress done, the engine is almost together, the next step is ignition wiring and more minor detailing.

I converted some copo nova poverty caps, I filled in the centers and recovered them with BMF and gave a light wash. Should I use them on the car or leave them off? Opinions?

The body was sanded then dull coated. What acrylics do you use for washes? And do you thin it with water or lacquer thinner? Also, I've heard of weathering with sanded pastel powder, is there a certain type to use for that?

Here's some more progress photos, I still have to finish detailing the engine and interior. Now, I want to do some more weathering, but I'm on a budget. So what is relatively cheap and something I can try to further the realism?

Here's a teaser before bed, tomorrow after track practice I'll get some more on here. I did get it painted using the salt method. For my first try ever, I'd say it came out pretty good. The color is krylon short cuts hunter green, I added some dents and hit with dull coat as well. The wheels are gloss black and the interior is satin black with body color accents.

Very cool project, My first car was a '71 vega panel express, and my current racecar is a '71 vega panel express. I'll be following along closely.

Some items from modelhaus, some deep rear steelies, chromed big n' little daisy mags, and a stock hood for my cannonball sleeper Fairlane. The wheels I'm very happy with, the hood not so much. It fits pretty bad and is warped on driver side edge where it meets the fender and cowl panel.

I got some goodies in from modelhaus, some steelies which I may use, and a flat hood since the tear drop hood wasnt going to cut it. The wheels I'm extremely happy with, the hood not so much. It was too wide which required a lot of sanding to fit, and the driver side corner seems to be warped. It's not like I can pass it off as a fiber glass good that fits bad. It's supposed to represent a stock steel hood. I suppose I'll have to get a bowl of warm water and see if I can polish a turd. This is the second bad experience with resin hoods from two separate casters. It makes me wonder, is there a caster who makes a hood that fits like it came out of a new kit? If so, who does.. Anyhow, what's your opinion on the new wheels? they're pretty deep while the old ones I was going to use arent.

Here's where I'm at now, time to call it a night. I did the best I could to hide the bars behind the a pillars, so the only way they're visable is through the front windshield, which even then it's difficult to see. Nothing's glued in yet, but I think I'll go ahead and finish it since it does look pretty good if I don't say so myself. Of course I'm open to your guys opinions, so let me know!

I can't believe I missed this outstanding build Jonathan, I bet he thoroughly enjoyed it when you gave it to him.

Anybody see a rollcage in there? I sure can't. I've been thinking whether I should just make it a 10 point cage by adding the greenhouse bars in the front. What do you guys think? Also, should I add a crossbar between the two down bars in the rear? It looks kind of goofy but I'm not sure if it would be realistic in the 1:1 world, I can't use anything I have at home for reference as our race cars have very skinny frame rails in the rear due to the wheel tubs rather than pretty wide rails on a stock chassis. Let me know what you're thinking...

Very nice Camaro Fred, the color looks great.

I managed to accomplish a little work in the cage. Making it real tight inside the body has actually been pretty easy. I used brass for the hoop, and aluminum for the rest. From the sides and back you cannot see it, with the tinted windows it should virtually disappear.

Unfortunately no kits are made for my 1:1.

It's not much to show but it's something, I decided to remove the trim on the Fairlane, there's obviously a couple areas needing some more attention but otherwise I think it looks good

With no disrespect intended... Since this would be a pretty mean street car in the 1:1 world, and safety is no thing to joke around with, I figure this is no different. I'm intending to add just a simple 8 point cage, which (at least here in the U.S) most street cars with any power have. I wouldn't be putting a hoop in the car if I wasn't going to tint the windows, and since I will be hiding the bar as well as I will, I think it should all come together and look hopefully sub-par. It'll be sporting steelies which will eventually end up body color, or at least one of the colors this car will probably have on it. I might take your idea and paint one of the wheels black, to simulate a spare or something of the sort.

Vega

I started on the cage, I think I'll just be doing a hoop, down, and door bars since that'll be all it needs. The hoop I made out of brass to aid in keeping it's shape. The rest with be styrene/ aluminum rod. The hoop I managed to hide behind the b pillar, I had to add a slight bend back at the door line to follow the slight angle the pillar has so you really cannot tell its there. That with the tinted windows and nobody should be able to tell anything is there.

Excellent detailing Niko, especially in the engine bay!

Messed with a little tint, does this speak sleeper or grab attention? I'm not sure but I like the looks of it. Opinions anyone?