StevenGuthmiller

I have a few sets of PE parts in my stash with keys in them. I just never felt the need to use them. Maybe some day in a future project. Steve

There are at least 8 Gunze Sangyo 1/32 scale 1963 Thunderbirds that I see for sale on ebay right now in various packaging. Most in the neighborhood of $20.00 to $30.00. Steve

Well said Greg. Thank you. Thank you for mentioning that it's a good practice to allow curing time between primer coats with these primers. I neglected to do so. I generally allow at least a couple of hours, if not over night between coats. In the end, there are many tools available to us today as modelers. Explore them all before making a decision if you are still in the process of formulating a good regimen for painting. Just as others give glowing reviews for Tamiya primer, I have the same affection for Duplicolor. The product does exactly what it is supposed to do if you allow yourself to become familiar with it. Steve

Thanks Nigel! I'm going to do my best! Steve

Thanks Keith! And while we're on the subject, I want to thank you again profusely for the Olds transmission! I really don't know of any other way that a relatively close to correct tranny could have been replicated without it!. Now I know that the rest of my mid '60s Pontiacs are going to have to be built with 4 speeds. I can't imagine being able to find too many more 1962 Olds Cutlass engines to steal transmissions from! Again, thank you so much!!! Steve

Thanks everyone! And I thank you again Ted! I have several great individuals to thank for their contributions to this project. I just hope that I can remember them all when it's finished! Best part is Ted, I still have quite a few of the parts that you sent me left to use on other projects. I'm going to need them with several other mid '60s Pontiacs left in my collection to build. Thank you!!! Steve

Finished up the 421 tri-power engine for my '64 Pontiac Grand Prix project today. Steve

Well folks, I can finally say that at least one portion of this project is completely finished! A short synopses of what was done to this engine. The bulk of the engine was taken from the AMT 1962 Pontiac Catalina kit, with the addition of parts such as the tri-power intake, belt and pulley assembly and alternator from the Revell 1966 GTO kit. The transmission was modified from a Johan '62 Olds kit, and the air cleaner lids were shaved from the GTO articles. Scratch built parts include the lower portion of the air cleaners, the oil filler cap, power steering pump and bracket, and the transmission and engine dip stick tubes. The air cleaner assemblies turned out better than I had hoped! Steve

The OP was talking about Duplicolor primer. I assumed you were referring to his questions. Yes, but you can't drive a nail until you know which end is the business end. All I'm saying is, there are plenty of good products on the market, not just Tamiya. They will work just as well if you know what to do with them. Steve

I wouldn't exactly call Duplicolor "cheap stuff". It all boils down to the analogy that "a carpenter needs to know how to operate a hammer before he starts driving nails". Know your tools. Steve

Looks like a heavily metal flaked version of Ford "Lime Gold". Steve

I don't know guys. I always thought the front end on the '60 was just as goofy looking as the '59. Don't get me wrong, I love them both!! "Just six more payments gentlemen and this beautiful blue, luxury, four door sedan is all mine!" Steve

Correct.........for the time being! Steve

I guess it depends on the part that I'm making. Often, as the case with the radiator cap, I can figure out a way to make the part by leaving it on a larger piece of the material I'm using until the very end and then trim it off. I made the radiator cap by gluing a small piece of thin sheet styrene to the end of a piece of plastic rod a few inches long that was about the same size as the center round portion of the cap. After the glue set, (I usually use MEK) I then trimmed the sheet around the outside of the rod in the general shape of the cap with a #11 blade using the other end of the rod as a handle. Then I used files and sand paper to refine the size and shape of the cap, then drilled out the center. (a small center "button" will be added later) Finally, I trimmed the cap off of the rod. This is just one of the techniques I use for these small parts. If you go back a page and see how I began the shape of the power steering pump, you'll see that I pretty much built the entire thing while still attached to the tubing that it was made from, and then trimmed it off later. Steve

Thanks guys! Testors flat white enamel with a fine brush. Steve

Good suggestion, as long as you're not spraying it over a light color. Unless you would like your white paint job to be yellow. Steve

Nice work. The top looks like it is from the modern Monogram '59 Impala kit. Steve

Thanks for all of the kind comments gentlemen! Today, I managed to spend some time detail painting the firewall and the majority of the remaining engine components. While I was doing that, I also started some work on the radiator by adding a filler neck and overflow tube. I also scratch made a radiator cap. Assembly of the engine has also started and I think it should come together pretty quickly. Steve

Not really. I find that I get a much better finish with air brush paints than with a spray can. That being said, I do use a lot of rattle can paints. All of my primers, clear coats, chassis paints, etc, are all done with rattle cans. As a matter of fact, about the only thing that I use the air brushes for is the body, engine, (most times) and anything that I'm spraying with Alclad or custom mixed colors, such as interior colors. I also will often use basic non-metallic colors for bodies such as red, black, white, etc, from a spray can, most often Duplicolor touch up paints. I have no desire to go back to hobby spray paints for painting bodies. I never really liked the vast majority of them anyway. Steve

I feel the same way about midget racers. If you gave me one, I'd give it to someone else. Wouldn't be any point in even keeping it in my stash. Steve

Duplicolor. Steve

I used photos of an actual set up to build this intake and tried to keep it as close as I could. Things are not proportioned exactly as they should be, but according to my research photos, there is no linkage to the front carb on the left side. It appears that there is linkage between the front and rear carb on the bottom of the right side, which I represented on the model. Steve

As long as you're not heavy handed with the first 2 or 3 coats, you can get by without my suggested use of a first coat of Testors, or other mild primer. I've done it many times as well. Where people sometimes get into trouble with a hotter primer like Duplicolor is the misconception that they can spray on one heavy coat and call it good. The longer that primer sits wet on the surface, at least for the initial coats, the more likely it is to craze the plastic. Steve

I appreciate that guys! I really couldn't tell you John. This is the oil pan supplied in the AMT '62 Catalina kit. That engine is a 421, so possibly unique to the 421 HO? If that's the case, I guess this becomes a 421 instead of the intended 389. In the end, it would make sense anyway as I opted to use the exhaust headers from the 421 versus using the 389 manifolds supplied in the Revell '66 GTO kit. The intake is now finished for all intensive purposes. I still might add a dab or 2 of grime, and of course the air cleaners will be added at the time of final engine assembly. Steve

I agree completely Tom! The paint is the first thing that will be noticed, and therefore, probably the most important component of building a model car. Why you would "cheap out" on materials for this step is baffling to me. Often times, these are the the same people that will spend $3.00 on some discount store finish paint, but have no issues with spending $100.00 on all sorts of after market parts and decals. Steve