swede70

Some short updates then... For reasons unknown the numeral situated on the deck lid of the ACME #76 is sited too far back and almost slips below the forward edge of the rear spoiler. Hunting for a suitably-sized replacement, happily it was discovered that the old 1:25th Fred Cady Designs waterslide sheet dedicated to the same topic features door numerals that can be substituted in. Trimming out the R/T side stripe elements to employ the numeral seven - but especially six wasn't huge fun... Third attempt and second 1:25th Cady sheet employed to arrive at the results seen here. Numeral alignment, very thin decal material and cracking clear coat defeated my first two tries at this, while a second deck lid with Revell 'Chrom' finished edge trim was substituted in given the first deck lid was paint scratched for clumsy decal removal, the trim twisted and damaged beyond reasonable repair on this same panel even as I wished to preserve it. - Happily the 3 Amigos Decals commission work arrived and demonstrably satisfies for careful application. Concerning the same, below may be noticed a simple pair of images communicating changes to the appearance of my two ACME Challengers. The Autodynamics logo situated forward on the fender came out very crisply with a distinct outline, whereas the fender lettering consisting of 'Classic wax' and 'Challenger' rendered as flowing script constitutes a marked improvement versus what existed before... Same Autodynamics logo in the same spot, whereas the KEITH BLACK RACING ENGINES accessory sponsor decal below UNION 76 is new. The Champion and BELL helmets decals were further added from existing stock and finish out the exterior markings here. Thanks for your review of this short project update. Swede70/Mike K.

Greetings... Sort of a small project on my 'wished for' list, seen would be cast resin Hwy. 61 '70 340 Dart 8 3/4 rear axle integrated with the remains of a Dana 60-equipped '70 Challenger rear axle installation the ACME Autodynamics Challengers come through with. Maybe not visually exciting, but far better than the dismal 8 3/4 rear axle afforded on some of the earlier Hwy. 61 E-body releases. Also seen would be some new brass tubing paired exhaust dump exits, not strictly trimmed to match the profile of the rocker panel as they had been before in their as-delivered state. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the interest and kind words... Minor stuff again, but for having the shattered remains of a Hwy. 61 '68 Dodge Dart GTS 383, the A833 4-speed manual transmission and bell housing for the same were 'freed up' as it were and for liking the bell housing access panel detail w/mounting flange hardware and greater definition overall, it too will be cast and incorporated into my SCCA Trans-Am Chrysler Corp. builds. Notice as well the utility of Eastwood's 1:1 restoration aerosol metal finishes, with their take on cast iron being used for the transmission case even as the appearance of such was a ruse of sorts given a non-homologated aluminum case was run in the '70 series E-bodies as supported by the factory. Happy that the metallic employed isn't too heavy or obvious, whereas it's almost as though for looking at the transmission I could easily imagine tripping upon it and falling heavily in the garage! A side case, also better detailed and from the same Dart GTS tool, further stands to be added to the transmissions being worked up. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Specific to the #77, the graphics on the front fender need help. In order front to back (at least at such applies to the driver's side), the Autodynamics logo ought to be more compact and sans yellow field, the Classic wax lettering should be larger for font, such picking up right where the front side indicator lense assembly ends, whereas the Challenger script should match the lettering/font seen on the actual production car and stretch over at least as far as the 'T' that makes up the R/T identification embedded in the side stripes. Trying out fonts and sizes both for collaboration and web searching, seen would be some results of the collective effort thus far... Reference as to how things ought to appear for #77. Pretty close, almost there, and promising to be much better. The top model will retain the work already performed to revise and enhance the accessory/contingency decal stack, although hoping to scrub off and replace the markings atop the R/T stripes with what's suggested below it. Thanks for your review of this tiny project update. Mike K./Swede70

Following up on what others have hinted at and remembered, a diecast iteration was done by Motor Max in 1:24th scale. It's not terrible, profits from a tire change give the sidewall of whatever they did are too tall, whereas pity they are so expensive on the secondhand market given keyed in enthusiasts avidly gather examples up. Wishing that I had held onto my own, I remember swapping on some Pegasus lowrider tires and removing the tail lights on my example to black out the tail panel, but this and touching in the wheel lugs with chrome paint was the extent of what I did and basically you'd be happy with one. Hoping you turn up what you require... Mike K./Swede70

Small stuff this... Another set of driver's i.d. decals arrived, whereas some matters could be corrected/adjusted on the pair of ACME Autodynamics Trans-Am Challengers, #77 and #76 respectively. Likely guided for referral to the restored #77, the 'Sam Posey' door identification is set too low on the ACME 1:18th scale diecast release. Happily the replacement script is indistinguishable from the as-delivered marking but for position. Further, notice that the GMP GOODYEAR Blue Streak Sports Car Special tires will afford quite a different early season look for the neat blue line sidewall detail reproduced. Lug nut and taped external wheel weights to come with regards to the appearance of the Minilight wheels obliquely made out here. A minor difference between the spec. of the #76 as run at Riverside at the last race of the '70 SCCA Trans-Am season versus fleeting appearances earlier on was the inclusion of a tiny R/T side stripe element between the numeral 7 and 6. Efforts to work up something for carefully cutting and applying three separate decals to fill in what was judged missing proved too tedious, although oddly enough a very old 1:25th scale Fred Cady Designs waterslide decal sheet afforded R/T side stripe material one could judge too thick for any 1:25th application - but serviceable for my purposes in 1:18th. Not perfect, but a discrepancy one wouldn't strictly be looking for or be alert to for what I've applied here. A new front fender and door featuring better aligned and damage-free R/T striping helps clean up matters here, while the tiny stripe element situated between the door numerals is revealed as unobtrusive. The hub wheel alignment guides on the front wheel/tire assemblies have since been refinished in black. Lastly and difficult to make out, one of the cast resin A-pillar mounted fresh air interior ducts was painted and situated with two unseen round plastic rod mounts to distance the duct just a bit off the surface of the nearside A-pillar proper. Thanks for your review of this tiny project update. Mike K./Swede70

Some additional small #76 and #77 ACME Challenger projects undertaken in brief this... Although the stylized crash pad/dash profile was retained on the Autodynamics Challengers for race use, the bottom half metal structure was cut away. Seen are two dash assemblies (topmost) that have had their bottom half cut off and out. Also discernible would be cut outs to allow a new roll cage with A-pillar bars to be sited better twice over. The nicely detailed instrument cluster specific to the ACME race effort has been retained. Just prior to redoing things here for what's seen right is actually for a Hwy. 61 AAR 'Cuda, nevertheless I wanted to replace the oval Six Pack/Pak or Six Barrel fresh air hood seal with something appropriately round versus oval underneath the hood proper. Later in the evening I'd trace the outer profile seen left onto sheet plastic, further trace the hole seen right onto the resultant pattern stencil-like, and hash out the rest. It will work! Somehow on the #76 release the hood as well as other green painted bits did not receive a clear coat application. Here I've prepped the hood, while I did something similar to isolate the rear spoiler without strictly placing the presumed delicate trunk numeral decal for just using paper cut to suit that might gingerly slip beneath the furthermost forward lip of the ducktail design (not seen here). Hood pins off (again), but looking more of a piece for the effort made. Some metal panels stand to be switched out on account of quality control goofs noticed her with decal reapplication also scheduled - hence the 'Tony A.' lettering has vanished rom the door seen. Experimenting further with clear coat application (off the model) to custom commissioned decals given the surface sheen availed/afforded is not all that it could be. Thanks for your review of this project update. Mike K./Swede70

So sorry for the delay - thanks for your fascinating reply and interest expressed. I'll try to find/source the SIA magazine article as I'd not heard of it or found reference to the same (August 1978 issue M.K.), whereas quite the list of luminaries you were able to consult for the effort expended. It's an honor to merit your notice... - Small update here to the extent of collecting more bits to add to the 1:25th AMT-based twosome. An absurdly cheap '64 Tempest convertible annual kit build up was purchased at an area hobby show for all of $20 over the weekend that was, whereas a set of bumpers (with grille combined for the front) tail light trim w/tail light inserts as well as a kit plastic hood was secured. Also an MPC '67 GTO (endlessly rereleased this) plastic kit chrome tree was gathered for cheap, this affording another set of exhaust headers to integrate into one of my two builds. I bounce between projects - almost pathologically so, although when parts plus research discoveries are made, it's not uncommon for me to reembrace this or that effort for awhile. Thanks for your review of this tiny update... Swede70/Mike K.

Greetings... Not something I could readily fabricate from thinner material to say little of metal, seen would be a set of revised #76 siamesed headlamp fill panels cut from thin plastic sheet and later cast. The ACME Autodynamics Challengers both come through with oval-shaped fill panels specific to #77 early season, but less accurate with regards to what was fit to #76. Thanks... Sam Posey at Kent, WA. with the joined headlamp fill panels or overlays readily made out... Probably the best I could do, whereas heartened that the bumper/grille assembly was barely affixed to my model and basically pressed out with little resistance. Surprised to note that the grille seen isn't a photo-etch screen at all but rather a textured surface solid piece of plastic. Perhaps I might replace such? Thanks for your review of this brief project update. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, For a fast web search and equally fast search across the MCMF board I'd hoped to find a lead or leads - alas, I haven't. I'm on the hunt for some source of a waterslide decal affording was is termed an 'engine turned' surface finish whereby oil is applied to an aluminum surface in combination with a wire brush spun by drill. The resulting pattern which appears as a series of carefully controlled overlapping swirled marks is something usually seen on much older Indianapolis racers, and in a decorative sense on mid-1970's Pontiac Firebird Trans Am instrument panels which most will remember or recall. Attached below would be some material I applied to a 1:18th SCCA Trans-Am Challenger that proved very nice indeed - albeit my supplies (gifted years ago by someone quite skilled at coming up with material appearing spot-on) are running low. Might anyone provide guidance or have lead to something similar? Kind thanks for your review of this query... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Chassis and interior apart now, with the raised front seat mounting platforms and fuel tank drilled out (unseen here), whereas painting the rims, plus heating and subsequently remounting the tires without harming the tire lettering or scuffing the sidewalls proved possible. It's looking nice at present... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the notice... Somehow the paintwork applied to the hood scoop top and sides of the ACME Autodynamics Challenger releases doesn't quite come as far forward and end in a point along the base of the inlet sides - something I can't help but see/fixate upon when I inspect one of these models. I had a spare T/A hood, and after applying successive layers as carefully as I could to isolate where I wished to touch matters in on this release, I transferred the mask over and buffed it with a cotton swab hoping to seal things as best I might. A nice result was registered for the effort made given it pretty much looks the part now... Yep - a hood pin is missing here, though not lost outright. Not much to see here perhaps, but I opted to drill out and remove the painted flush exterior door handles and replace the same with earlier issue or better ACME stock release examples that are chrome plated. A magnesium wash was subsequently applied, the results cleaned up a bit before being glued in place. The look conveys a bit more quality versus the as-delivered spec., hence I'm happy. Thanks for your review of this update... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings (and for the passage of several years since I've added anything to this thread)... Having picked up a 1:18th ACME #76 Autodynamics 1970 Dodge Challenger SCCA Trans-Am release after missing such when they were new and freely available, recently I was able to gather an example. To mix things up a bit it's my desire to alter the appearance of such to suggest a '70 Riverside, CA/Mission Bell 200 race spec. with Tony Adamowicz in the driver's seat of the second Autodynamics Challenger entered. T. Adamowicz would post a DNF, as would Sam Posey to draw down the Dodge factory-backed Trans-Am effort for the final race outing/date that year. Seen below would be some limited work restricted (thus far) to a roof top refinished in a particularly flat finish (TS-6 Tamiya Matte Black) after much tedious paint masking, while the accessory decals on the sides have received a bit of work even as said effort isn't complete. The 'Tony A.' driver's identification on the doors was work performed by 3 Amigos Decals and definitely looks the part, while also made out would be an abbreviated front spoiler less the Lexan clear end additions which were left off at Riverside given half-buried tires employed to mark the apex of this turn and that factored against the race-long survival of such. A decal sheet is in the mail to add the 'Dodge' lettering to the front of the spoiler, whereas wondering too the utility of the sheet with regards to other variations on the theme of the Autodynamics '70 Challenger effort suggested further up this thread. In sum, I don't know how much I'll do to this release, although the wheels will certainly be redone and other things tried. Thanks for your review of this post. Mike K.

Neat work - thanks for sharing. With regards to Ray's Decals, did you opt for one of the Volare Super Coupe or R/T sheets? Neat underhood detail you've added - far better and more elaborate than what I've attempted. Attached would be some images of a Motor Max Diplomat which I tried to do as an A38 police package. Not as daring as what you've worked up, although I can share that the wheels and ventilated center caps are Fireball Modelworks items, the tires old 1:24th Monogram Goodyear GT Radials (likely from a '70 Challenger T/A release but dating back to their '78 Corvette) with an inner lip ground out, while the interior paint is SEM interior refinish aerosol. I just filed off the Motor Max wheels until the face/front was thin enough to accommodate the new rim detail set atop each, whereas grinding the outer diameter to hand fit each to the new vinyl tires was a knuckle busting adventure and the hardest aspect of what was done below. Finishing up, the bumper fill panels were painted silver as was a practice here by departments running these cars in-service long ago. I didn't try foil, not much was done with the interior but for rubber mat floors, while maybe I flooded the front turn signals with amber paint to make that detail a bit more prominent. The reverse lamps are just sections of white decal stock overlaid onto the tail light castings. The six-slot wheels might also have been from the 1:24th Monogram '70 Roadrunner - I can't remember and cannot be sure. Hoping to see your RCMP effort soon so that more might be learned. I half-wonder if the traverse torsion bar set present on the MPC Volare kit/promo could be grafted into/onto the chassis? Maybe too much work for too scant a result, but just pondering matters. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, I haven't seen many modified new-school (now made in Bangladesh!) 1:18th Solido diecast models to date, whereas here I'm trying to make changes on their spuriously identified '71 BMW 1602 which is actually a '74 and later car judging for trim changes including the taillights. The model isn't AutoART or Kyosho quality, but then it isn't priced as such and generally comes off (as does the new Solido range) as representing honest effort. In particular I do like the job made on the late styled pressed steel wheels which was the common everyday fitment to most of the '74 and later examples imported into the U.S. market, hence unlikely most AutoART and Kyosho variants, the absolute rarest and best wasn't strictly modeled here. The tires are quite good too, appearing to be appropriately-sized and treaded Michelin XZX's and far better rendered than what's found on the few KK releases featuring them. As witnessed above, the wheel arch shape/contour seems a bit off both front and rear, whereas the wheels strike me as being finished in too bright a hue even as the center trim caps should suggest aluminum stampings. At first I'd hoped to leave the wheels in place and reshoot the rims for squeezing the tires off the rims to a certain degree, but the stiffness of the tires just precluded my ambitions here. Heating the wheel/tire assemblies to render the tires pliable didn't achieve much, hence another matter to be alert to. Even with the other wheels saved to further experiment upon, taping off the center cap and refinishing them didn't come off as well as I would have hoped, while below I've included a 1:1 photograph that suggest how things ought to appear. Brake detail is minimal or wholly in error (the rears are rendered as drilled discs), hence with one broken wheel I've had to start upon rebuilding things to ensure new mounts would be strong and stable, the track front and rear reasonably accurate. Working up molds to come up with replacement rims in two parts less the trim cap has taken both time and effort. Seen below would be a very stately '74 in Verona (Red), telegraphing what would be the final aim concerning spec. and appearance less the auxiliary lighting. Words of caution are voiced - disassembly of this tool isn't without it's hazards; i.e. don't expect it to neatly fall apart in an manner akin to something like a Yat Ming/Road Legends model, whereas things broke and other parts/assemblies have just been painted in-situ given no clean way could be devised to remove this or that without risking breakage. I ruined one styled press 'steel' wheel given the weak link wasn't the hub - it was the wheel itself, whereas don't expect to remove the bumpers for grinding off the tips of the plastic mounts that pass through the metal shell for neither bumper can strictly be shifted no matter how determined I was to make this happen. The nose panel is a separate piece that seems to break off when removing the chassis, while the attachment points are a bit hidden. Mind you this isn't a terrible model - just be alert to special needs as it were on the disassembly front and be prepared to work within limits. A bit of application across the interior this. Nonstock speaker grilles otherwise found on the package shelf have been filed and sanded flat here, whereas the front seats have been removed and repainted given the hinges were finished incorrectly, the casting of the cushions and related bits somewhat rough. The rear seat cushions aren't removable, hence masking to isolate the 'salt and pepper' low-pile carpeting with matt black as a base and a deliberately sloppy dusting of matt white was required. A non-tii '02 in late spec. would typically have a fairly slick plastic steering wheel rim, hence the safety pad in the center of this example was masked before applying a coat of gloss black to those surfaces that remained exposed. Relevant areas were masked on the dashboard assembly which is removable to apply a heavier gloss, while the casting here is relatively good and well thought out. The pedal assembly otherwise expected isn't present here given it's being redone; i.e. Solido didn't tool it as floor-hinged, while it seems possible to just work up something appropriate to rectify the situation. A bottom pad contoured to fit the underside of the steering column and wrap beneath where one would insert a key to start the automobile wasn't tooled or is included, although in fairness many a 1:1 BMW '02 example is missing this bit of interior trim given large key chains tend to dig into the top surfaces of such and render it so much junk. I suppose I could pick up a scrap AutoART Spares-sourced late interior and transfer parts over, although here I think I'll just scale back ambitions and further flesh out what's seen and call it done. Seen above, the side front indicators have been filled out with amber metallic paint to suggest some other spec. than what Solido rendered, whereas the bumper guard rub strips, body paint and perimeter aluminum trim have been touched in here and there to clean up the overall appearance. I wasn't able to remove and resize the front and rear license plates, although for careful masking they've been overshot with a suitable semigloss black. The rims seen here are resin clones of two wheel faces saved out of a set of four. The third and only other survivor was cut to save the inner rim detail to basically match to the copied outer surfaces, while scratch built new center trim caps will be finished separately with a BMW emblem applied and added later. I suppose if I'd mixed the translucent red and amber paints I have with greater intent and knowledge the front indicator paint might look better still. I'd hoped to remove the wiper arms/blades to refinish them in semigloss black, although again it seems that I'll have to mask each in-place for no amount of force exerted from behind will move them. AA Spares inventory exhausted in this regard concerning their '02 stocks as it were. Last image this. The unshiftable rear license plate is witnessed refinished in semigloss black again, whereas the somewhat clumsy '1602' tampo print identification on the tail panel has been scrubbed off and replaced with a '2002' waterslide decal commissioned some time ago to 3 Amigos decals. Hoping to wrap up matters with this limited project soon. Thanks for your review of this post. Mike K./Swede 70