mustang1989

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. 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:

A good 'ol check placed in the B029 box when ordering! NIce! When I was a kid I was fascinated by the Hemi Darts and Barracuda line ups with this option. At 11 years old I knew that these things were ridiculously prepared for the track from the fact....'er ...Hurst factory. Not even a window regulator and handle in those doors. Beautiful cars....even in primer!

Thank you for what you have posted so far Cameron. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the tutorial. And I came to this site initially just to work on my gloss finishes!!!!

This paint work inspires me to work harder at my finish work. This is outfreekinstanding Tim! As for the 1:1 engine bay and engine....................I'd never drive it................anywhere! lol I'm a clean freak and it would pain me to drive that on the streets.

Number orange is lookin' peachy........I mean awesome!! Keep the pics coming Tom!! I'm on board with the lack of benchtime this weekend as it's me and my wife's 19th anniversary. It's gonna be the second time I've missed the bench this year but am looking forward to spending some time with my wife away from the house.

First off, this is looking like it's gonna be one good build. Secondly just how in the hell is this process done with the alclad?? I am sold! I would like to know every step involved with this please. I think I've got the gloss coat black with a clear coat over that and then the alclad coat. What do you use to make this stuff shine the way it does?

Lookin' good Jay!!! Good to see you round these parts!

Lookin' forward to see where this one goes.

Now that is WILD!

karsten: Thanks for the comments on the build. I'd be careful about the double sided tape and would be more inclined to use the Microsol that Jim is talking about. The only reason I'd resist the tape method is for longevity purposes. I've had some of my builds, well this one to be exact, for over 30 years. Thank you Dan! Bill: Thanks for the comments on the build and on the subject of the best wartime aviation stories around....I plan on reading the book again. There's talk of a movie being released on it. As for today's update I shot the front grill/ headlight area with a coat of black. It's not enough for an update pic and will be slowing down some on those just due to the amount of piddly stuff that needs to be completed to finish the model. To me it's what seems to take the longest part in a build is the final little bits. Bear with me and I'll probably have a pic update tomorrow morning guys.

Nice!!!!! I'm really liking all the attention to detail that each piece of this kit is getting. It's really looking good John!

Good grief!! I'd be scared to handle it! What an immaculate build Jim!! I really enjoyed following the build and watching all of the detail you put on it.

Ok there Carl I've put it together. First I started with ate up headlamp-exhibit A: Then cut the post off: After that I broke out a small file to get rid of all traces of the post from the lens: To get started I held it between my thumb and index finger because the initial cutting of plastic is pretty rough and I needed to be able to hold it while filing lightly. You need light pressure initially to keep the lens from being pushed out of your fingers. After you get it somewhat smoothed out to where the file will slide easier on the plastic you just sand it with it pressed into your finger by the constant downward pressure from filing. until it looks fogged over and the post completely removed. then you sand it with flexible sanding sticks working from 2800 grit all the way to like 12000 grit..... and end up here. After that you simply turn it over and apply a good coat of Future to the outside of the lens and it's a done deal. Hope this helped you out Carl.

You're right about that Bill. I appreciate all the help fellas. I have a Bf109 slated up next on the bench. With all the egging on I'm getting around here this could be the next build. http://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-1-25-Pro-Street-Barracuda-Vintage-Plastic-Model-Kit-/111595462450?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19fb9b9f32

Thank you Scott!

That sounds like a plan really. In re-doing the Challenger there were some things I left the way they were just for old times sake. I'm definitely gonna put it on the list of builds. Thanks fellas!

That sir..............is a great looking engine!!!!

Thanks everybody! And that's definitely the kit Mike. Oh my Gawd!! It's even got that gay wing on the back of it! LOL

The next build may be covered in the All the Rest section. It'll be a Bf109 G-6 "Yellow 2" flown by Franz Stigler. For those of you who like history the book, "A Higher Call" is an amazing story about a B-17 bomber "Ye Olde Pub" flown by Charlie Brown. The short version of the story surrounding this book is a german pilot, Franz, took off to shoot this B-17 down that was only running on one and a partial second engine and had been shot up already by Fw190 and other Bf109 fighters. By the time Franz caught up to the B-17 he couldn't believe his eyes at how the thing was still flying as he could see through the blasted craters in the fuselage at the crew caring for the wounded. The tail gunner was in pieces all over the back of the aircraft. He simply would not bring this bird down and elected to escort them out of Germany instead. Decades later in the 90's Brown and Stigler and some of the rest of the crew reunited through a magazine article and a lot of help from folks associated with the publishing magazine. All I have to say is what a story it is! Any how here is an artists depiction of that encounter:(the painting shows 3 engines running but the story tells of the 1 -1/2 engines actually doing the work) Here's the kit in 1/48th scale: and the engine that I'll be displaying with that build (and the engine is a boxed kit in itself with well over 100 parts) There's about 8 pages of this instruction sheet: and the resin base engine: This...................is gonna be a lot of fun!!!

I'll come back to that after I get to work between 6-6:30. Thanks guys!

Thanks Bruce and Lee: Yeah I know Bruce and you're right. I'm just ready to move to the next project! lol Well I got the fuel cap on today and primed the replacement front clip. It is in the lower picture where you can truly see the wider tires than what came in the kit. My Monogram 66 Mustang kit came in handy for these as there were two sets of these in that box!

This is another kit that I built around 30 years ago. I have 2 more builds like this to include a 66 Charger and a 69 Z28 Camaro but I've been eyeing this one for a future resto project like I'm currently taking on with my 70 Monogram Dodge Challenger in the "On the Workbench" section here. I cannot for the life of me find a manufacturer logo on it anywhere. I'll start with the pics and then a little more commentary: What I'm looking for is another kit so I can replace what needs to be replaced and add into place the things I didn't as a kid and to modify certain things this time round so I don't have front tires that hang out of the fenders a scale 6" or better. To tell you the test of time that this thing has withstood I'll show you in the next pic the temperatures it's been exposed to which bust 100+ degrees in North Texas where my parents live and where this model has been for the 30+ years. Here is the original Jo-Han display case base that it was sitting on. I literally had to pry the model off of the display base with a pocket screwdriver! Anyway if anybody can help me out with who makes this kit I'd be greatly appreciative. Thanks, Joe

Jim: I'll be remembering that. I do use 5 minute epoxy in certain areas and had given it some thought here with this but elected JB weld on this one due to problems with the epoxy in the past. Once its sealed up there aint no goin' back was my reasoning. I will look in to the Microsol brand though. Thanks man! Carl: I aint forgot you on the lenses and thanks! I'm chipping away at the details while making progress to the finish line. It seems that it's this point of the build that takes the longest.........sigh.....

I'm with you there. Powerplants and interiors/cockpits are always the most fun parts with me along with decaling and paint. Sanding and filling.................................sucks!

Yeah, but you know all that detail is there and it's sure fun to build all that stuff. Lookin' good Tim!