Impalow

So I haven't logged in here for quite awhile... like almost 6months(yikes), but I have been working on this project off and on. Hopefully I can keep some momentum on this one for awhile... I would like to at least have something fresh completed for next years show season. Here are some updates from the past few months! This is how it looked at the Final Toledo NNL if anyone saw it there... I shrunk the 959 windshield down, molded it in and built a targa bar... The Heller 934 sacrificed its dash, and I got that wing to fit much better. After Toledo I had a fit of motivation, and knocked out the next round of filler and molding. Then it got pretty crazy, working on the front end to make it less "smiley", making the chassis and suspension actually fit, correcting (ruining) the ride height and working out the aero items. I also scratch-built the interior pan, and used my silhouette cutter to make some side panel detail and a tiny piece of luggage. Last night i was able to shoot some primer on it, and check out how questionable my rough body work was..... and it is quite questionable... however it looks like it should be salvageable with some time and effort. I also scratch-built an exposed shift mechanism using a couple of ferrari testarossa a-arms and some beads and pins.

Oh i have a couple.... I did weird things with mine.. as usual. haha

Excited to see what you do with this one Dann! I built that kit last year and it made for a fun quick curbside project!

My dad received his couple a weeks ago! I was so excited to see my little Model A had made the cover! Thank you Gregg! Truly an honor!

sad but true....

Thank you guys! I haven't had much time to work on this, but I did start to get the wing fitted...still away to go on that. I ordered some of the 17" fifteen52 outlaw wheels from scale production... they are fantastic... I also got their stretched wall toyo tires, but they are a bit low profile for this project, I want the tires to have a little more meat to the sidewall. I went back to the tamiya 959 tires, and its starting to look pretty serious.

This is one of those ones that pictures don't do justice... I had the pleasure of getting to drool all over its debut at 2017 SEMA.... its amazing. here are some of my detail shots.

This is phenomenal Kurt! Just fantastic work all around.. I love the mixing up of the carbon styles and colors, really adds a lot of detail! How awesome are those S&S bolt heads? I really wish they still made those... my stash is getting low.

Thank you for your interest and comments! It is starting to shape up a little more. The reversed 959 "hood" worked great for the lower front valence, its a little smiley at the moment, but that can be toned down as it continues to evolve. I always like to try and use something new on every build... and this time I wanted to try this Ames Apoxy Sclupt. https://www.avesstudio.com/shop/apoxie-sculpt/ Since, I had some big gaps to fill on this guy, it just made sense. Last night i was able to work the front fenders and headlight pods, and this morning it was cured rock hard... tonight i will try sanding it to even it out. So far I'm pretty impressed with the product. It smooths out really well with a wet finger, and is less messy and stable than my usual bondo solution.

First up was removing the roof and about a half inch from the 959 chassis and body... Since the 959 is awd, and im building a "dune buggy" seems like a good idea to try and keep that feature. Then it was time to "sink" the manx body into those nice wide flares. Then to clip the front and rear off.... getting it back to normal Manx length. Picked up the rear end from a Heller 934 rsr with a bad body, and a tamiya 911 GT2 donated its wing... still to be installed. Then I sunk some round tubes into the fenders to make provisions to mount the Scale Production projector headlights. Trimmed off those bulky side skirts to make the nice hourglass shape more prominent, new skits made from .060 styrene and finally last nights update... Narrowed the 959 hood to make a new lower front valence... with a little trimming this should fit nicely.

So here is a fun project that came to me on the drive to NNL East this year.... You know Rauh welt Begriff? the guy that is building crazy wide body Porsche's? https://rauhwelt-usa.com/roughworld/ What if he got a hold of a Meyers Manx? I mean a Porsche is basically a Volkswagen, and a Manx is a Volkswagen so therefore a Manx is a Porsche... I started this fantasy build by working up a quick concept sketch... that i then cleaned up a bit. Then it was time to figure out what kits I needed... I picked up an Elvis Manx kit and some Scale Production pieces at NNL East. I had this 959 kit laying around i bought for basically just the tires, seemed like a good donor.

Thanks everyone for all the comments and compliments! They really mean a lot! This was a really fun one! Thanks guys! the wheels are on my shapeways store! https://www.shapeways.com/product/2NFZ7ATNA/rotiform-zrh-inspired-wheel-set-1-24th-scale?optionId=65456157 They used to be like 12.00 but the new pricing has jacked them up a little. Tire Sizes: Front OD = .762 x .4 Wide Rear OD =. 882 x .5 Wide Made for Aoshima tires: 18" Fronts from Work Emotion CR 19" Rears from Kranze LXZ

Somewhat applicable here.... but here is the SOHC I built for my pinto gasser. This is using the Tommy Grove funny car block and heads, then valve covers from the tarantula dragster. The main tip/trick is the hemi style plug boots which are micro orings over the traditional plug boots... makes a convincing effect. These little guys have so many uses..... Get a lifetime supply here (unless you drop the container as i have recently done... haha) https://www.banggood.com/Mini-Small-Rubber-Washer-O-Ring-Watch-Crown-Waterproof-Watches-Seals-p-72731.html?rmmds=buy&cur_warehouse=CN

This is fantastic Guy! Great paint and interior!

Thank you Tim! Oh for sure! I'm planning on attending and bringing just about everything! Ive heard rumors of some other get togethers the night before, and plan on doing that as well..

man that is nice! great job!

This was a fun/quirky curbside build... went with over the top early 90's style with some modern twists. Rotiform ZRH wheels modeled by me in FormZ and 3d printed by Shapeways Paint is Splash Paints Miami Blue and Whitest White Custom designed/printed seat decals Fujimi rooftop carrier that was slightly modified to reduce the height And one stolen from Tim Boyds NNL East Coverage.

Thank you for the fantastic photos Tim! One of these days we are going to have to meet at these shows, it seems like we are always missing each other. Glad you made it to east! Its truly a whirlwind of a day, and a fantastic show!

well kinda... Im still working on finishing up some nearly done projects, but I've been gathering parts... I have this fun idea for a detachable half top using the 1960 Starliner roof, but i want to do the skin in transparent greenish glass. So the plan is to cut up a couple starliners, one will be the buck to vacuum form the clear roof, and the other will be chromed the "skeleton". The roof width is dead on, but the rear glass area will need to notched around the front tire of the motorcycle. Should be a fun challenge, and really stunning if it comes out how it looks in my head.

Thanks guys! It was a really fun build!

Congrats indeed! That is one fantastic model! It was good to see both of you guys!

Here is one i just wrapped up... mostly/somewhat out of the box...well for me... haha All the kit chrome was stripped and redone with molotow. Front fork reconstructed out of brass 1958 Impala headlight and tailights (frenched) Painthuffer metalflake .004 Micro Silver flake basecoat with 4 colors of the splash paints candys faded together. Candy fades done with Badger Sotar 20/20 airbrush with fine tip. Dollar Store stuffed dog hair interior lining, detail wire piping and photo-etched bolt head "buttons" The bolt heads were colored red with a sharpie before application. Red transparent fishing line for fuel lines, and various RB motion, and photo-eched bolt heads and washers. Front wire wheel is a toms modelworks photo-etched center with custom lathe turned rings Rear wheels are from a testors/fujimi ferrari modified with rings for extra depth and topped off with lathe turned brass bullets Exhaust mostly reconstructed from aluminum/brass tube Finished photos and some in progress photos..

Thanks guys! it is a really fun piece of history! i whopping 15.00, i only kick myself because there was a work in progress piece obviously by the same builder in a box next to it, i should have just offered 30 for both.. but i didnt think of it at the time, hopefully it reappears at the show in fall. It was a twin engine inline hot rod that looked to be based on the orange krate, heavily modified and mostly wood putty... would be fun to finish it up for him.

Tooling around the swap meet section at the Detroit Modelers show i came across this gem, I couldn't help myself.. I had to grab it, take it home, clean it, buff it and reassemble it. Makes a great addition to my showcase, and is a great piece of modeling history.... it cleaned up so good and actually kind of has a bit of shine left. Someone really spent some hours and putty on this one. The interior is wrapped in brown corduroy, with all sorts of vintage parts. The vendor I purchased it from didn't have any details of its origin. I think it started as an amt 1936 ford, maybe a 40? I would love to know more about it. anyone have a rough idea of when it was built? maybe based on the part availability? after some cleaning..

Nail polish is fantastic in my opinion... but you do need to put it over a primer as others have mentioned... Tamiya white primer is my personal choice. I also use automotive urethane clear overtop of it, and it works just fine... you can also just polish it since its usually just lacquer. Here are some examples: Wet-n-wild disturbia Wet-n-wild Lime light and various purples. and then this i used the wildshine colors..