swede70

Looking nice - thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... About the crudest 1:18th Porsche 959 diecast model in existence this - but also about the only option that might be described as affordable. Motorbox/Exoto, Minichamps as well as the rarified AutoART iterations are the (mostly pricey) alternate paths forward. The model seen here was a freebie, while I'm struggling not to spend so much on materials as to render the effort pointless. The photo reference captures the topic in pre-production form with flush cover wheels, while as a side benefit, at least the Tonka/Polistil model has these on offer even if the surface profile is both literally and metaphorically flat. The body wasn't wholly stripped, although those mold lines that could be sanded out were. This isn't a major rehab, hence some finer points were missed in terms of correcting irregularities present across the shell. At least the window seals look clean enough, while an effort to putty and blend the separate rear wing to the engine cover to suggest a unitary assembly largely succeeded. The tail light panel insert paint effort yielded nice results in particular even if I couldn't do much about the reversing lamps. The latter were done with white paint over the rudimentary amber-tinted plastic part visible on the spare body seen to the right in the image below. A length of party favor/table center piece-sourced foil brightens up the center section of the insert installation, suggesting a reflective surface situated behind it. The plastic glass front screen has had it's black border painted, while the entire glass insert was painted Tamiya Smoke translucent black to lend it a tint of sorts. Seen forward is a thin sheet of pliable plastic used to come up with a traceable pattern for the inside of the front screen prior to applying tape, and finally, cutting such for a mask. The interior is not yet complete, although most surfaces have been painted SEM Color Coat burgundy and appears nice for being subdued and controlled. I've never flocked an interior before, hence this will be new ground for me. As mentioned, the wheels really aren't right for surface profile, although they did respond nicely to a black wash and display better than I thought they would. The tire sidewalls are actually o.k., hence the visuals aren't all that bad. Note that the interior is largely missing, hence the void inside is explainable thus. A Porsche crest decal sheet was ordered from France and ought to arrive soon, while sanding down the edges of the headlamp bucket/inserts helped clean up the appearance of the front quite a bit. It's a fair 'twenty footer' then... Kind thanks for your review of this project... Mike K./Swede70

No trouble Charles... The rear flares need to be rebuilt along the bottom front given I messed up the profile at bit; i.e. the shape is a bit stranger still in point of fact. Mostly I'm finishing up major fabrication work across a few like-themed projects while I set about equipping myself to apply paint for an airbrush/ventilation setup in fairly tight quarters. It seems I work in two directions; i.e. overhauling prepainted diecast topics and seeing such limited work to the end, or conversely, taking on something like this which seemingly has no end for having everything rethought. The model seen is the old 1:18th ERTL '70-'73 Firebird Trans Am, while others might go with the newer Welly '72 Trans Am tool. The engine is a Lane Pontiac 400 unit lifted from the recent ACME '69 Daytona 24HR class-winning '68 Titus Godsall Firebird release - which is being overhauled too with a GMP small block engine, a scratch built roll cage and detail changes across the work. The original thread ties into a '64 Tempest/'71-season Gray Ghost Herb Adams/Bob Tullius thread which I'll try to insert below. It'll show the pair of Gray Ghost projects (one in 1:25th scale resin), as well as the pair of Firebird projects consistent with relating what was attempted and how matters are going. I'm deathly slow, although if some progress is clocked here and there I'm typically at peace with myself. Thanks for your interest... http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/139343-twin-herb-adams-71-scca-trans-am-64-tempest-gray-ghost-projects/?tab=comments#comment-2037077 Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Long ago I wiped out the sole GMP '67-season Penske Donohue Trans-Am Camaro release in my possession for an optimistic effort to redo the stripe work in particular. As prices continue to climb for rereleases as contrasted to older issues that evidence paint rash related problems, I wasn't really sure I could get an example back to modify as is my (very slow) thing. Yes - project focus is a continuing challenge for me. Recently I picked up a replacement for about $110 less shipping which seemed the best I could do, while for the very real and much appreciated help of ijb40/Oldtimer, I was very kindly afforded a pair of GMP Geo. Follmer Penske Trans-Am Camaro bodies that proved much better for condition versus the #36 body shell plus assorted panels that I'd begun with this go-round. It helps greatly to have spares, with repeated opportunities to 'swing and miss' greatly influencing what I can achieve. In this instance, I'm aiming to keep things more or less simple... ...seen above is what I've more or less started with in the form of a #36 first issue, while below is the '67 Kent, WA specification I seek to replicate for discreet changes across the 'build'... Just below is the more or less finished shell, comprising the best hood, doors, deck lid and body shell I could work up. Some numeral/roundel decals need to be stacked to brighten them up a bit, but in the main it's nice... Although not looking like huge effort, the drip rail trim was removed and painted over, while all surfaces evidencing gray including the underside of the roof, the door jams and inner door structure and trunk wall were masked and shot all in one go. The headlamps and front turn indicators have been painted Tamiya AS-12 Bare Metal Silver, while the odd chrome trim otherwise present at the base of the rear quarter windows has been removed. As for the interior trim panels themselves, these have been modified to disguise them as Standard trim level '67 issue. The '68-'69 deck lid with the huge fuel inlet/dump has been tossed aside, replaced with a later GMP Street Fighter solid deck lid without retention pins situated forward of the rear spoiler. An oval was cut and carved through the panel, while the paint used to refinish it is Tamiya TS-15 Blue. The 'strapped' rear window was likewise replaced with one absent such (although still needing clips on the edges), while as a means to economy those sections of the stripes which feature a curved outline nearest the base of front and rear glass weren't touched - hence they look as-delivered and clean. Sometimes it's best not to risk too much... Carefully refinished wheels to suggest slightly oxidized magnesium are noticed below, while the rather gray appearing GMP tires have been coated with Vinylex to dark them a bit. A paint mask for the GMP wheels was fashioned some time ago for gluing sections of a plastic model rocket nose cone together as witnessed forward, while to the left an abbreviated front spoiler has been scratch built reflecting prior effort again. The front spoiler has since been refinished body color, while the nose of the body seen actually reflects what was tossed aside for replacement with one of the better Geo Follmer assemblies... While here would be the chassis taking shape, with most of this being paint. Predating Penske Racing's practice of applying light gray paint to most chassis surfaces, here the tomb-like ambiance is unmistakable. The exhaust dumps are fashioned from brass tubing, although mostly it's stock. Goodyear tires (or at least those marked as such) have been swapped in (Firestones are accurate fitment prior to Kent '67), the headers and exhaust dumps are indeed a pale, dusty yellow, while Eastwood 1:1 restoration spray paints were tapped in the form of 'Alumi-Blast' for the transmission case in particular after first masking it with Silly Putty. Thanks for your review of this post... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings Phil, One of the best digital archive finds would be those images captured and intended to accompany a review of the Chaparral Camaro effort during the running of the '70 Lime Rock Schaefer Trans-Am contest appearing within the pages of Sports Car Graphic magazine. Maybe three of these showed up in said publication, but the whole set taken by Dave Friedman can be accessed through the Benson Ford Research Collection. Attached is a link to the relevant race, although for exploring further, other images across the season and across relevant archives can be turned up. Click on the photo to be taken to the collection; i.e. it looks odd, but appreciate the image functions as a link... Just in passing, I'm working on a 1:18th diecast-based iteration of the same topic, hence an information exchange is offered from this quarter should you wish for such. In addition, I have the old Motor Racing Replica News feature so-themed. Nice work! Mike K./Swede70

Thanks again for the invested interest and tale sharing... Here I've trimmed the base of the flares to better meld with the character line that picks up along the bottom side flanks of the second generation Camaro. I hadn't really done all the work necessary to square matters away in this regard, hence further work on view. I can work on these and exert effort to trim away what seems a lot in total, although the result always translates into a very slight improvement at best. Not shatteringly different then - but better! Mounting the individual flares on clay blocks four times over for the purposes of resin casting mold manufacture won't be fun, although I just can't conceive of risking all the work up until now for but a single try when it comes to bonding these permanently to this shell - or another. Generally happy days - albeit slow... Mike K./Swede70

Another response, and hardly definitive at that... Years ago I was drawn in to a feature within and across the pages of Scale Auto Enthusiast whereby a builder by the name of Randy Derr debuted a conversion of the 1:12th scale Revell '69 Camaro Z/28 into a same-year Penske Racing/Mark Donohue Sports Car Club of America Trans-Am sedan racer. The roll cage was hand-fabricated, the flares likewise, the wheels and tires were largely hand-done, while the exterior graphics were also created to suit. To me it was something new and left me entranced given the old SCCA series was about all I cared for. I'd tried but had largely failed to create 1:25th scale replicas of what period racers I'd desired, while the article essentially afforded me permission to renew my efforts based upon the acceptance that I'd simply have to scratch build most everything. Humbling this - but clarifying too. What impressed me at the time was evidence across Derr's project of a strong willingness to devise techniques to solve problems one after other in a manner akin to the thought processes on view within the pages of a favorite book of mine, this being Mark Donohue's racing biography titled The Unfair Advantage. First published in 1975 and written in collaboration with Paul Van Valkenburgh, Donohue's remembrances taught me to think about engineering problems in a way that was both highly deliberative and unusually engaging. In combination with the scale efforts of Randy Derr and his innovative labors, I felt that this was the way forward; i.e. all worries aside, if I was suitably dedicated to the topic embraced, all problems might be solved in time for studied application. Important is was to realize that advances were made at the cost of a great many errors if not embarrassment; i.e. take the lumps, make the progress. On the book front, Mark Donohue's The Unfair Advantage constitutes a quiet and yet insistent lesson on studied application apart and away from the judgement of the crowd. Something works - or it doesn't, and the process needn't rely on the sometimes caustic 'regard' of others. Mark wasn't carved out of conventional he-man racer material, and it's a lesson to make a careful review of this auto racing/race engineering diary of a sort. While he possessed an undergraduate engineering degree from Brown University and was widely hailed as bringing something extra in terms of viewpoint and refinement to road racing circles, any review of this title will reveal someone who started with an almost complete absence of knowledge teamed to an atypical orientation consistent with learning what was needed to excel. In sum, it's very different and certainly illuminating. With regards to other possible titles, do consider collecting books penned by Gerald A. Wingrove, author of a pair of works that include The Complete Car Modeller available in two volumes. It's strictly old-school stuff, but his habits of application are total and are worthy of emulation even in small degree. Pre-internet (to say the least), his commitment literally altered how the hobby was viewed. And just in passing, it might also be worth your time to seek out a copy of Shop Class as Soulcraft by Michael Crawford where a writer hard at work on a Philosophy Ph. D. reconsiders his options and embraces an identity rooted in the restoration of vintage motorcycles. A nonfiction work, the book challenges the reader to reexamine and reappraise what expertise and applied passion constitutes. - What thin professional (or paraprofessional) background I bring to scale models are the habits of application consistent with my having been an academic librarian. In short, I start with slender or no knowledge, although I do have habits that will, after a time, yield results in relation to what is researched and discovered. This goes for unearthing technical aspects of what is being attempted in-scale, and also applies to working up means and methods to secure a result in terms of what is being recreated in miniature. In particular, if I read that 50,000 man hours was required to build a particular 1:1 racer, needless to say I worry less if something isn't magically finished in short time. I care about seeing projects through, but in essence I'm working on my own unspoken schedule that doesn't strictly mate or mesh with what others perceive as right progress. Given I'm not doing contract work, what does it matter? I also work in what others would regard as a goofy scale in disreputable 1:18th diecast, something that sort of designates me as an outlier. This can be both good and bad, but if this habit or proclivity allows me to exist somewhat outside the sharp focus and scrutiny of the contest elite, is this bad? It's also a lesson to look afield and review techniques established and expanded upon across other disciplines; i.e. weathering is better understood and practiced by both military and railroad modelers. Although I just have some basic tools and supplies versus a lathe or milling machine at the ready, I view what results are achieved through the lense of a formula; i.e. what was possible given the sophistication, or rather lack of sophistication of the tools, materials, research and techniques applied to a situation or circumstance? Other things that help in a mild sense is to have duplicates and triplicates of all the parts and assemblies intended to go into a project. Akin to racing, if one isn't breaking parts, one isn't learning. To limit oneself to single copies of this or that delicate part, even at the cost of stretching what might be a thin budget indeed, is to ramp up felt stress when things go wrong - and things most certainly will. In a manner of speaking, a certain degree of waste is expected and would be unnatural not to encounter. For a certain acceptance of this reality, felt pressure subsides... To me scale model work constitutes a surrogate for what I might otherwise have or operate; i.e. a 1:1 vintage race restoration facility or at least the option to call at the shots and make all the judgments consistent with overseeing research, fabrication, fettling and final finish work on topics of personal importance. Greater focus and expertise can be developed for the embrace of a limited number of topics - or even one topic. Not everyone can be an all-rounder or strictly embrace all topics - and why should we? Isn't it more satisfying to look over the shoulder of a specialist engrossed in his or her, indeed, craft? Reviewing the results of years of application and skill refinement evidenced by another shouldn't be viewed as threatening, although boorish behavior experienced in clubs and at contests sadly is a common experience. Some possess the skills and tact to be exemplary ambassadors to the hobby, although a fair many simply fall down in this regard. Even if precious few of my efforts see completion, some satisfaction is gleaned from establishing and extending contacts amongst and across the 1:1 vintage racing community. I wouldn't project as a top-flight model car person in relation to technique or skill, although the embrace of a particular race series and period and expanding awareness of both the vintage scene and techniques to work up what is necessary in-scale, perhaps that should suffice. People know that I respect the topic, and that contributions made and constructive criticism proffered won't go to waste. Maybe it's enough... Does all this equate to craft? Of this I'm not certain. I do know that things improved a bit for me when not really knowing how to do something in terms of technique wasn't perceived as some unbridgeable barrier. Sharper topic focus for specialization helped, collecting ever larger stacks of research material helped. Networking and sharing builds across threads to communicate enthusiasm and solicit feedback helps. Affording reasoned advice and not tearing the work of others to bits is only good sense. Working to a personal standard to achieve a personal best is advised, while nothing prevents us from selling or moving on what disappoints. Often a reconstituted collection of just a few cherished models will be better loved as contrasted to having mass less quality. Make whatever topic you embrace your own, accept the amount of work that challenge constitutes, and endeavor to never be less then generous towards others. Good luck! Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Not much to see perhaps, but further shaping and mass reduction of the '70 T/G Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Trans-Am (!) rear flares consistent with wrapping them up. Maybe some material will be added forward of the wheel arch opening along the bottom, but in the main I'm pleased. Filing out the now too-narrow wheel arch opening (see towards front behind the body of the flare) won't be great fun given the delicacy and weakness of the rocker panels beneath. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Sometimes when I cast stuff for myself, I'll go back and make a short pour into my mold or molds to effectively create a base. Some scrubbing of residual filter element is always necessary, although it's less work than sanding off the entire filter from a clone to mate to the bottom. If I was ordering parts from a resin firm and was insistent upon having the base detail, I'd first inspect any photo afforded to determine if a certain ledge was in evidence along the bottom, and if not, I'd just order two examples trusting I'd have to do it myself. Oh, and while tedious to handle and work up, sometimes I'll reach for a stencil set and trace a pattern onto sheet plastic to create little wafers suitable for use as headlamp fill panels, which just as well might serve as air cleaner bases trusting the shape is round. Good luck... Mike K./Swede70

I just took delivery of an example of their Meyers Manx dune buggy in 1:18th. Maybe slightly less in quality versus something like a Norev, although far from hateful. Some finish choices and slightly underwhelming plastic 'glass' detract from an impression of quality, but at the price point these are good. All I remember of Solido from days of old was their extensive 1:43 diecast range and far less common and very French 1:18th scale efforts, typically of middling quality. It seems the new efforts simply share the name of what came before. Certainly the company seems to be coming on in relation to affording a fairly wide range of interesting topics and/or models that haven't been available for some time from other companies and that have commanded a price premium for long. In particular, if one has an interest in early BMW M3's and isn't willing to spend $100 plus to secure a sealed Ottomobile rendition or more still for past iterations by UT, Minichamps or AutoART, there isn't anything strictly comparable. Interesting to note that these aren't produced in China, but rather are offshored to new production facilities in Bangladesh. I imagine George Harrison would approve... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the kind comments and interest... About as modest as upgrades come, here I've added Goodyear Power Cushion Blue Dot sidewall 'dots' with paint applied for careful use of a length of small diameter plastic rod. The two-ply nylon tires were a feature of some Shelby American products of the period, as well as early Formula S Barracudas. Look close and one can make out the fire bottle installation fitted atop the fiberglass fill panel fitted in lieu of a rear seat. Thanks again... Mike K./Swede70

Handsome subject, nice and subdued presentation with the two-tone paint and quality finish. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Requiring some scrubbing and cleaning to look reasoned, this is a 1:20th scale Revell Creative Masters '65 Shelby GT350 that was picked up for $39.95 via eBay and having arrived in my hands the day this was posted. Both wipers were intact, the delicate radio antenna never installed and present within a bag, beat up but complete original packaging, etc. Odd scale, some paint rash along the flanks, but still one of the more honest representations of a topic that is often done poorly. Crammed inside a new low-rent 1:25th scale AMT plastic display case, it just fits complete with the aforementioned radio antenna insert. I might add the sidewall Goodyear Blue Dots to add some discreet visual interest, but in the main I'm happy with the model looking nice in proximity to a 1:25th Wix Cobra 427 S/C purchased some time ago. No great desire for their Cobra or Ford GT Gulf Mirage releases at present - I'm pleased with this low cost option just as-is. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

These are neat models and quite convincing. They had the 1:24th diecast Pro Stock scene entirely to themselves and I'm surprised they didn't last longer than they did. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Looks like a quality item, while sometimes the stiffest test of things is whether a less expensive model can display nicely besides something comparatively dear by way of contrast. A nice acquisition this. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Looks very clean and convincing. Good work indeed. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Maybe a bore, but another wave of filing given I haven't a had a supply of sanding sticks to really thin the edges with aplomb. Pretty much done with the flares then. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

That came out well - looks good. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the interest and the comments... Trying to keep busy, although my sanding stick supply is at an end. Resin dust everywhere, sneezing nonstop for periods too. Oh gosh - seen below is work of another round of shaping and filing, and looking closer to finished - I hope! Material has come off the top of each rear flare, while the inside circumference of each has been opened a bit as well. Work of a day then. Race grid photo to come in time ... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Sort of marooned within the plastic works in progress section, this is a stitched-in thread relating work on a 1:18th ERTL-based 1970 T/G Racing Jerry Titus Firebird Trans Am SCCA Trans-Am racer. Staring down some very labor intensive projects across weeks given COVID-19 movement restrictions, I'm trying to step up to a few of them. Noticed will be the rear flares that have taken literal form across the past few days. A bit taste challenged in the wheel flare department, but in essence what I'm trying to reproduce. Still reducing the rear flare mass and subtly reshaping here and there, it's coming along. The front flares reflect older application, and constitute cast resin brows grafted into a filed out standard shell. The rain gutter trim has been ground off and flat, the cage is again scratch built. Happily the A-pillar roll cage members terminate forward of the dashboard, this fact easing the task of fabricating such. Drilling through a thick Zamac shell to help house the countersunk refueling ports was no fun at all. I applied stacked lengths of duct tape to prevent damage to the top surface when the drill bit used walked again and again. Hood pins are GMP '67-'69 Penske Trans-Am Camaro, the fuel cap a Hwy. 61 '68 340 Dart item. The instrument panel is incomplete, being a sheet plastic insert alone, while two steering wheels are combined given I had to grind off the honeycomb center trim while retaining the padded rim detail. As seen, ERTL plastic 'glass' can be polished up to a nice shine. In brief, a Lane '68 Firebird Pontiac 400 engine has been fitted and dressed to suit, the radiator is a GMP '70 GTO Judge item, while other additions can be made out in white including discreet upper control arm detail, a remote oil filter mount, and a coolant surge tank situated along the firewall. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

After many successive waves of filing and sanding. It just takes a bit of time for things to appear correct. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Long put off, for mulling matters I've opted to approach the task of rear flare fabrication on my '70 T/G Firebird Trans-Am in a different manner. Instead of adding successive layers of material to what I'd worked up before, seen are a pair of massive additions made up of of chunks of casting resin that had been poured directly onto each respective side of a spare shell before being removed and roughed out. Hardly aesthetic at present, in truth they'll not appear the height of taste even when complete! Everything looks a bit heavy at this point, although understand that my aim at this point is to have sufficient material to sculpt to shape across the intended area if nothing more. Certainly I'd much rather remove material to creep up to a final shape versus engage in the tedious practice of adding material to something evidencing inadequate bulk if my meaning is understood. Thanks for your review of this project update... Mike K./Swede70

They look really nice together. Thanks for sharing and hoping retirement is agreeing with you. Be and remain safe! Mike K./Swede70

Maybe an outcropping of tornados given the extent of the damage seen. Cars were literally tossed about like so many toys... Mike K./Swede70

Thank you both for your kind comments... It seems better to file the flares while they rest in place on the spare shell consistent with finishing them up. Here the edges of each are closer still, while if I had a two-part urethane supply to tap, I'd backstop my efforts for creating a mold for each now. They're mostly good... Thanks... Mike K./Swede70