StevenGuthmiller

This was obvious to me when I had the engine overhauled in my 1:1 '69 Grand Prix. It probably took all of about five minutes running the engine to burn the paint off of the exhaust manifolds. Steve

Right? I hate to say it, but if it's too much of a task to fill in a simple square hole, well............I'll just leave it at that. I agree. If it's too much for you to handle, pitch it. Steve

I know that you'll all think I'm nuts and it might not be of much help to the OP, but I use a relatively fat brush for my finest detailing. I was never able to get the hang of one of those tiny "single hair" brushes, or even a tooth pick for that matter. It works better for me to use something that holds a decent quantity of paint. I load the brush with a pretty good amount of paint and then "wick off" a good portion of the paint with a rolling motion on a paper towel before applying it. This concentrates what paint remains in the very tip and assures that the paint will flow, but only as much as allowed, determined by how much you wick off. It's a little hard to explain, but I can usually tackle even the smallest details in this fashion. I almost never use Sharpies or other markers because I generally like to clear coat over much of my finest detailing to protect it from rubbing off during any handling or final assembly. Sharpies will bleed all over the place if you try to clear over them. This is the smallest painting tool that I use. I don't have a lot of examples of small detailing available to view at the moment, but these Hemi valve cover bolt heads were done with the above brush. Steve

You’re never “too old” for this hobby James. Just look around the forum and you’ll see that there are a ton of old coots just like yourself! ? Steve

I believe so, but running the engine for a very short period of time burned the paint off of the exhaust manifolds very quickly. Steve

Thanks guys. Already stripped a chrome fan from the leftover parts from my '65 Fury kit. I'll get it cleaned up an painted and the issue will be resolved. Steve

Thanks guys! I figure that I might as well do it now while I still can. The steady hands and good eyes won’t last forever. ? Steve

Got most of the carb linkage and return spring detail done this afternoon. Steve

Those are going to be a little tougher to identify! Steve

Let's put this to rest. There is no Tamiya '57 Chevy, never has been, and very likely never will be. I always find it a little amusing that there are those who's first instinct when these "bad kit" discussions come up, is to prompt us to buy Tamiya kits. Well, that's just fine if you want to build foreign or exotic cars. Otherwise, it's just pointless logic. If you feel that you "have" to buy a particular brand of kit, regardless of whether or not they produce the subject matter that you're interested in, because the other guy's stuff is "too hard", you're probably not much of a builder in the first place. Steve

Don't worry Tom. I'll be certain to raise a big noise when they're available. Last time I checked, the molds were just about done. Steve

A few more shots that might help you along with your identification process. Steve

I pull the tape off immediately after applying the flocking, (embossing powder in my case) while the adhesive is still wet. The sooner, the better. Steve

Bingo! ? Steve

The airbrush itself won’t be that major of a purchase in comparison. You can get a pretty nice airbrush for the cost of about 36 oz. of paint! Steve

For that money you can get an airbrush set up and get any color you can think of from one of the after market paint providers for the cost of a few cans of paint! Steve

MCW has a number of different greens in rattle cans available. $19.00 a can. Steve

If Tamiya made a ‘57 Chevy it might be a valid argument to consider it as an alternative. But since they don’t, (or any other classic American car for that matter) it’s pretty much a moot point. Steve

Don't know anything about the fan except this is what came in the Revell '68 Charger to be used in conjunction with the Hemi engine provided in the kit. I understand that the Hemi in that kit is not a stock engine, so I suppose it's entirely possible that it could be incorrect. Not a major issue. I'm pretty sure that I have a spare Mopar clutch fan around somewhere. Steve

It's funny, but I've been airbrushing for probably 30 years and have never had to worry about anything like this. I've had a Creos PS-290 that I use for bodies for a few yeas now, (it also has the pistol grip) and an old Badger 200 NH that I've had for nearly that entire 30 year period and I shoot lacquer and lacquer thinner through them both all of the time. I guess this just amplifies the fact that not all equipment is created equal, even if it does have a fancy name. Steve

A few more shots after some light weathering. Steve

Still detailing engine parts. Today, I dusted a little aluminum on the carbs to tone down the gold a little and then painted any details that were required, dusted a little steel on the transmission to help achieve a bit more of a used appearance and added some bolt detail to the valve covers. I also added some detail paint to many of the other parts, including the starter and alternator. The engine is painted with one clear coat. I'll throw one more clear coat over almost everything to protect the paint and then it will be time for a wash for a slight weathered look. Steve

I agree with the others. I've tried it both ways and have had more satisfactory results by applying after the clear coats. Steve

Looking good so far Bob. I do have one question for you. Being as you're swapping out the interior, chassis, etc, any thought of whether or not to go ahead and open the hood? Seems a shame to go through the detail work that's going to be required for the interior, etc, without considering plopping an engine in it. One more thing, consider drilling out and replacing the headlights as well. I wish that I would have done this modification on a bunch of my vintage stuff. Steve

Use some of the wider stuff. I believe the stuff I use is 3mm. I only buy one size and cut it down to the size I need with a straight edge and X-acto blade. personally, I think the tack is perfect for masking for several colors. If you burnish it down well, it will give you perfect edges. As I said, the ‘61 Buick interior above was done with Tamiya tape and as you can see, no bleed under whatsoever. As with everything, if you take your time, you’ll get good results. Steve