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

Further refinements then... Here the front flares have been thinned along the area where they blend into the front valence, appearing somewhat lighter again. I wish I could do all I needed to with regards to shaping in a burst, although for practice only successive waves of shaping suffice. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the kind notice... Although hardly epic, seen below are images consistent with refining what has been worked up. Each flare has been thinned further, some putty applications made to the same, while the metal wheel arch openings have been filed out to allow outward adjustment of the track front and rear. In addition, some roll cage members have been replaced and the joins across this assembly improved somewhat. The model has been together and apart so many times up to this point it's a wonder it doesn't shatter. Looking a little strange and almost like a Firebird, the prominent wheel arch 'eyebrows' have been carved off. I tried to preserve the inner fender lip contour for filing the front arch profile at somewhat of an angle consistent with protecting the metal work situated further in... ...while the roll cage members leading from the main hoop into the trunk area enroute to terminating atop the subframe rails were redone given they frankly hung in space. It's frustrating to imagine that some aspects of the build have been appropriately seen to and then to discover it just isn't so... Seen above would be the event program cover image from the '70 Mid-Ohio race, with the degree to which the front and rear wheels and tires tuck in to the flares/panel work easily made out... ...and better now, especially for resting lower for non-interference of the wheels and tires with the aforementioned metal arch openings, plus wider front track which helps matters surely. It's starting to look pretty crisp. ...and pretty much invisible, some effort was made to clean up the rear bumper for sanding out subtle shape irregularities. So in total not very exciting! Thanks for your interest. Mike K./Swede70

Nicely done and certainly a service to those looking it. Good work! Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, For some effort made the rear flares for the Swede Savage 'Cuda project were done across the past few days. Resin was poured into cordoned off areas on a spare shell, the resultant pucks removed, and the results filed and sanded to yield what is seen below. Thanks... A study of the topic at Watkins Glen '70. Subtle flaring indeed... ...pretty close, although my sanding stick supply is pretty much exhausted during these COVID-19 times. Refinements may have to wait. ...the rear wheels and tires stand to come out a bit as I adjust the track. First I must file out the standard wheel arch openings to allow such, hence the flares will serve as flares! Mike K./Swede70

It would be nice if someone did the late pressed steel wheels for the Crown Vic. in 1:18th. The Motor Max model is serviceable and could be updated, while the earlier and now expensive AutoART rendition of the topic might too benefit. Neat car... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings and another project dredged from the bottom of the Marianas trench... Here would be a mash of older assemblies put back on wheels. The interior panel work, half-done before, needed fettling to ensure everything would coexist when assembled. In particular, the large resin tire worked up for the more detailed Hwy. 61-based Swede Savage AAR 'Cuda required the creation of minitubs necessitating the sacrifice of a second chassis. ...the topic again, seen at Bridgehampton, NY. '70. Gary Larsen image. ...and my rendition, sporting a new shell and various new tool ACME bits very kindly afforded by ijb40. ...just the minitubs and interior panel work in-place looking aft. ...and the same basic stuff looking forward. Raw in some ways, but not awful. Rear flares done in the style of my '70 Chaparral Camaro are peculating and will be fashioned next. Kind thanks for your review of this project update. Mike K./Swede70

Looks neat. I always thought it would be fun to do a phantom factory-backed Holman & Moody '70 Cougar consistent with filling out the series given everyone else attended. A very clean conversion you've carried off here... Mike K./Swede70

That came out really well - nice work! Curious as to what decals you'll add. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Beautiful model and certainly grabbed on the right terms. Thanks for sharing your new acquisition... Mike K./Swede70

Thank you so much for the kind compliments... Rather than consume bandwidth for updating with near-identical photos, here I'm just erasing and replacing images. The metal wheel arches have been filed out a bit, the front and rear track is wider now, mirrors have sprouted both inside and out, while the mass and shape of each flare continues to be refined. Further, the inside of each flare is now being partially hollowed out and thinned, helping to accommodate the tires that are situated further out. I can put a lot of time in, although stage-by-stages changes are difficult to discern for being subtle. ...the top of each flare is being worked upon to ensure a smooth transition without calling for an enormous application of spot putty. Hard to make out, but each wheel arch opening/lip has been squared off for sanding stick work alone. I'll likely have to file and sand things further so the lips will 'pop' by comparison to the flare bodies themselves, although in sum things look better. Saggy before given the fit over the locating dimples wasn't first rate, for adjustment the rear 'glass' fits flush as it ought. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the kind words... Modest stuff this, but I had to patch the corners of the rear flare where I'd misjudged how much material would be needed along the top. Small sections of Plastruct square stock were introduced in, sanded, puttied, and hopefully good to go now. Strange to relate that this took hours - but it did. Sigh... Mike K./Swede70

Looking really nice. Great job on the flares and the finish choice on the top in particular. Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the kind words and interest... Working up the opposite side, with the top of the rear flare having to be built up with some glued on plastic stock given the mold ought to have been bigger here. Notice how the mass of the rear flare is visibly less, with the character line more pronounced as I gradually learn how to do this. Now I'm moving from flare to flare, removing one, refining the shape to a degree, and then repeating. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Proceeding apace. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

A heavy bead of thick variant CA glue might also suffice. Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the kind sustained interest... Actually ibj40, I have to work up a clear 'Lexan' bottom lip front spoiler, hence what is seen is preliminary and fated to be replaced. My first attempt with material I felt was in scale pretty much failed, although I'll likely try again with a thicker option hopefully more amenable to shaping. Kind thanks for your offer... - Noticed will be the first rear flare I've shaped, while the opportunity was taken to reduce the mass of the front flare to more or less match. Still pondering how I'll do the flat lip of each wheel arch opening, but somehow I'll get it. I want a 'no excuses' result. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70