89AKurt

I can appreciate all the work put into this creative Rat Bug.

I've built the Tamiya Beetle, that would be my choice. Don't know about wheelbase dimension. Also built the Hasegawa Bus (with modifications), no engine, do not recommend it or any bus because of how the design of a box is different than w 917 wannabe. Have the Gunze Sangyo kit, no engine.

Final engine assembly! License plate to go with the theme.

Appreciate your input earlier! Thank you very much. That's why the WIP title is now a joke. Welcome, it's like writing a reality TV show, without the drama. Friend on the forum helped me with making the license plate. I will also scan the kit box, and print to scale with the plate. Sprayed flat black. I had some paint come off with the masking tape on the engine, so did the minimum amount. Tire sidewall has Firestone Phoenix. ? Engine is installed! Amazing how things didn't go together the same, such as the crossmember transmission mount hole was off center, and of course it was glued in the other way, for example. I swear the exhaust pipe was tucked in better too, but oh well. I should get back on the body, but I really want to finish all the chassis and interior, then mock up the body on it. Never know if something has to be modified before getting the finish paint on.

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Got the dash done, worked until 1:30AM, so posting this morning. ? The closeup pictures make it look like ****, I was never good at painting small details. Handling the tiny toggle switches is fun. Bare Metal foil didn't want to stick. The accuracy is not very good either, there is a gauge missing, the main gauge panel is not right. But once it's put together, it will not be noticed.

It's almost new, and no overspray. It's just cheap MADE IN CHINA stuff.

I'm determined to make progress. Getting paint done, and started final assembly.

The LED ribbon light I put in the paint booth is turning itself off. I noticed the switch module gets a little warm. It comes back on by itself. Really annoying to be painting and lose half my light (still have a "regular" light).

Nice looking "shooting brake" (if it was a Brit). You sure work fast and get awesome results!

More painting done! Vacuumed the house too, just to give the paint a chance to cure. ? The nice thing about these exotic paints, they cure quick and hard. Painted the chassis and interior. I'm leaving the chassis as is with the satin sheen, but sprayed the dash clear gloss. The seats have the perfect sheen too. Testors red on the valve cover, calipers, and fire extinguisher. This was put in the pickup cab to help cure. Anti-sway bar clamps are made from polished newspaper printing plate. Made a bender jig, Western Cedar with the outside profile, Maple for the half round, was hoping to not mess up the polish, but still needed to use the pliers. Photo-etch screw heads added. Wheels got valve stems. I lined up to a spoke, which gives a cleaner look, but also wondered if it was worth the effort. Since the photo-etch had 4 tiny stars, added those. Painted the centers, let that cure awhile, then added a drop a more paint to stick the stars on. Masked the dash to paint the red, I cut a bunch of narrow strips of masking tape in hopes it went over the raised details enough. Finally final assembly! Had to see what the interior looked like with the blue.

Fuzz Therapy just has to try the new surface, what I took pictures of the current project on. Girlfriend had put the luggage down there after a trip, and the cats (Cooper, named after my MINI) commandeered it.

grown in Hawaii

I'm going to use a black pen. ? Only because I'm doing nothing else, other than laundry and cooking brunch. More colors, Splash paints aluminum because it's a tough paint that should be able to be painted over for the head. Missed a couple parts, such as the header and used another Alclad aluminum for the intake and fabricated A-arms. Tamiya primer on the chassis and interior, committed to painting blue with red interior. Because I hate brush painting, airbrushed the oil filter white. If I'm good, will assemble most of the chassis by tonight. The body is going to take a bunch more work, will have to not be a cheapskate with the sanding sticks.

Painted many of the small parts, except the engine. Used some vintage collectible Model Master, Testors and Alclad.

(saving time) THANK YOU everyone! Simple detail, the splitter. Added 4 mounting gussets behind the air dam. Will carbon-fiber decal it. Extremely dicey task, drilling holes for the visors in the already broke twice windshield frame. Used a wood block for support. I got this drill set from a model show vendor, these are really sharp, unlike the set I got from SpotModel. Fun step, documenting all the parts. Chrome tree: other than the radiator fan, haven't worked on the windshield frame, headlights, taillights, mirror (from the parts box). The steering wheel is from the parts box, came from the Ferrari California. Aftermarket parts are not shown, a bunch of photo-etch, screen, decals, seat belts, Bare Metal foil, etc. Have wet-sanded the body parts, the rest got washed with warm dish soap water, after taking the pictures. First paint! First time using the Splash surfacer, I added just a little thinner to spray. Can't tell in these pictures, but I have a bunch of pinholes, putty not blended in, superglue humps to work on. The headrests were hard to refine, the white Corian hides imperfections really well.

with hyper-miler

I built this kit but with a major modification. The body is well rendered, the interior is adequate considering it's from the motorized era. Bummer about the A-pillars, but the important thing is you finished it! Looks good. I always thought it looked like a proper Mustang too.

After you download all the pictures you wish to post, look for the insert (lower right) on each picture, have your flashing "I" cursor where you want the picture, then click. I try to download in order, but sometimes skipping around the # to show one part getting assembled, you at least have the option, if all pictures are waiting. I can see why you aren't enthused. First thing are the wheels, you can get the Fernando of Portugal real wire wheels, which would triple the cost of the model. ? Then you would be obligated to scratch build a bunch of modifications, and doom finishing it. When it's on the shelf with other models, it will look fine.

I'm getting closer to painting! Only if I stop coming up with more details to scratch build. ?

Thank you. Thank you. That works too, considering it. Now you suggested an idea, that is another modification. I looked at Hobby Lobby's website, and eBay, and didn't find anything. When I was at the drafting board today, looked up at the plumbing and circle templates that I have used for half a century, and thought HELLO!! Someone gave me some templates that I wasn't using, so polished the side with the markings. This evening I made details with guitar string wire, and aluminum newspaper printing plate. One of my favorite things to make is retractible radio antennas. I could have updated with a modern shark fin antenna, but I *had to* make this. Also added wire for the battery holdown. Made a license plate mount, that swings up, there is allegedly an r/c servo that moves it down when the ignition is on, and swings it up when parked. Made the sun visors so they will move. Here are the tools used (plus Dremel). Brush painted Tamiya primer on the putty areas. This weekend I will take everything apart, and sand everything I fabricated. Hope to start painting soon!

That's awesome! Vacuum-forming is something I've done, twice as much work but worth the effort.

Better have a fire extinguisher ready if that was inside. I tried r/c cars, got tired of crashing and breaking them. That is very impressive, totally different league. I entered a 1/72 resin model in a GSL category, the truck in the same class got top awards, I was fine with it because it was 100% deserved.

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Welcome from central Arizona! I've done some tribute builds, great idea.