Jantrix

I picked up this same kit after enjoying the '57 which is very similar. I'll be paying attention to this build. I like what you have going on so far.

Odds are they go from injection molding to bagging as some sort of automated system. They might never be touched by human hands before they are bagged. Once they are bagged, the warp could go unnoticed by casual inspection. I agree, these look like they were ejected from the mold before the plastic was cool enough to hold it's shape. Odds are it's a cycle time issue. A manufacturer will always try to increase cycle time to get more done faster. Molds opened faster, pneumatic pickers move faster to take the parts as the ejector pins push the product out, conveyors move faster, etc, etc. Odds are some engineer cut corners and decided that the cycle times for that kit should work for this one. But the real failing here is with quality control. They are obviously not sampling enough product to detect these issues. I've sent a message to Revell customer service and linked this thread. We'll see if they respond.

I'm sorry to hear about your son. Chuck is a member here so you could message him directly if you wish. Here's a tutorial on posting pics. It's very easy.

Looking good. I like the color and the wheel/tire choice. Looking forward to more.

Will it do a 90 degree bend without a noticeable kink in the bend?

He was the gambler in the saloon during the Dukes final shootout.

The sectioning has been accomplished. I think it's a much improved profile. As you can see, I did not section the grill area. This will allow me to use the full grill. I will likely not use the front bumper but will likely use the rear. I'll fill the bumper guards from the rear and shave them off. The trunk area will be a challenge as there's not much room below the tail lights to get in there and sand. I'll add a few tabs to the inside of the lower piece so that it's a little easier to join the two pieces and then fill any gaps with sheet stock. More soon.

At the bottom of the forums main page is a Q&A section especially for this kind of thing. To answer your question, you should prime every body you paint. Think of the primer as a pre-paint check. It will make every flaw and mold line stand out, so you see the issues before you paint.

Looks good. Great paint and stance. As for the wires, remember real ones aren't rigid. So they will sag over the valve covers more like rope would.

Ouch. Real sorry to hear that. This is why I tend to avoid a lot of custom work. When I inevitably screw up, it's that much harder to fix.

So, am I right in thinking that you installed the glass and then cleared the model? If so, the clear is acting as a glue from the outside as well as the glue you applied on the inside. Removing the glass will be very difficult. Most of us use Purple Power or Super Clear as a paint remover and it involves soaking the paint over time. I can't think of anything safe that you could apply with a swab, that will do the job you want. My advice is to drop back 10 yards and punt. In modeling terms, that means drop the whole body in the paint remover. After the paint is gone, it should be safer to get the glass out. After the abuse it's gotten the glass might need some polishing. Good luck.

I agree completely. My uncle came up with 800 kits to unload a few years back and I just put the word out on all the forums that they were available and in what area, and before the week was out they were sold.

This is the nicest build up of this kit I've seen to date. Outstanding work. Great color and wheel/tire choices and the stance is perfect.

Wow. Man, I wouldn't even know where to start.

I believe you. I'm far from an expert in anything automotive. I was told by someone I trusted that they shared a common chassis, at the time. Never had the opportunity to do a comparison.

When I did my deathracer, I flattened the solder and then distressed it with a piece of brass tubing, cutting little C's into the solder. I though made a very decent replica of a weld bead.

Since there is so much cutting going on, the vertical cuts are a minor issue. I'd rather mess with the door lines as little as I can get away with. I must admit I'm pretty nervous myself as both the inside and outside of the body will have to look good. So I can't just add a piece of sheet plastic across the back of the cut for strength. On the other hand, maybe I could just add a strip of flattened solder along the cut line on the inside, to replicate a weld seam, and not really have to worry about getting it perfect.

Glad to see this comparison. Keep it going.

Yep. I was living on Scott AFB and the guy that ran the base autoshop was a close friend. We were planning on bringing in like six guys and knock it out over a few weekends. I'm not sure how feasible this is today, but my pal was pretty confident.

Thanks guys. I hope to do more this weekend, but I'm pretty slammed at work.

I understand your point, but I wasn't looking for just the engine. Since the Scamp and Diplomat were based on the same platform I was looking to exchange the engine, exhaust system, front and rear suspension, brakes, rear end and tranny crossmember with necessary cutouts for dual exhaust. I had access at the time to a full garage and technical assistance. I figured I could rebuild the entire chassis as cheaply as possible. After I had a running car, then I would worry about rebuilding the engine to provide more power. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

I'm not saying they were great and I missem, I just wanted the drive-train out of one.

I found some time this past weekend. Me and the trusty #11, dubbed "Excaliber" removed the trunk. I laid out the tape lines and then scribed my cut lines. I'm going to take my time and scribe the pieces apart because I don't want to lose a lot of material. So no zona blades or Dremel cutting. I'm hoping to be get most of the engineering done on this before I have to pack the stuff up for the move.