The Creative Explorer

Oh, And I buy some Revell USA in de Department X store in Bünde, Germany if I drive by. Really nice prices and very nice people. I always leave with free parts

Even with shipping, I am usually cheaper buying directly in the States than get it at local suppliers. I don't use eBay no more, but use some online-stores. eBay is a laugh when it comes to overseas shipping.

The hightech isn't curbside.

True, but not necessary thát big. I've noticed too, while shopping for the Hudson and for a couple of dollars/euro's I buy it at my LHS. But these kind of price-differences, does make me buy online. That my LHS only carrys Revell of Germany doesn't help either haha.

And for now the last one: I added the seatbelts in the car, simple but effective.

And finally the solution for the wheels!!!!!!!!WHOOOHOOOO!. I was sitting behind my computer, wandering through my thoughts and through my stash of modelcars (which I am a little proud of). At a sudden moment, I looked at my '49 Mercury kit from Revell. And then it struck me, didn't that kit had some Sombrero's? I remember from the last time I made that kit, I used the reversed steelies. So I had to have those Sombrero's somewhere. It took me a half an hour of digging, but found them in good condition on the chrome-tree. Next problem was to find 4 matching tires, which also took me a good half an hour. The next day, since it was late night, I took them down and tried one of the hubcaps on the '59 tires. It was a perfect match and gives the right look to the project. Me likey! In one of my earlier posts, I told you I didn't like some parts and would modify or scratch them. The springs were one, the shocks were also awful. I am sorry about this somewhat blurry picture, but I replaced the kit part with a simple shock setup. I got 2 matching pieces of tubing, put them together (did not glue them!, as it is hard to have them exactly the right size, this way, they can be slided into place) and add 2 brass rings to them. A nice, simple and cheap way to make shocks. And fitted. Yesterday I sprayed the parts that needed to be chromed with alclad black and alclad chrome. Unfortunately, the pictueres don't tell the whole story, they are nice and shiney, but look dull in the pictures.

Well, I have some time left before I head for bed, let me update you guys of the last past 2 days. Because this car has had some minor/major modifications, dryfitting is been done often. It gives me the space I need for making changes and show me if I made the right aestatical decissions. One thing I learned through this dryfit is that the way the interior goes into the car, can not be followed from directions. This is due to the modified enginebay and the sparkplug leads. This had consequences in lining up the interior right for glueing it to it's chassis, rather than being glued to the body as it should. I put the sparkplugwires through the firewall in this picture, but didn't set it up properly I made a teomplate for the headliner. It is a often-forgotten aspect of a modelcar, but I find it important enough to have it in each car, even though it has never been discoverd yet. haha. A top view reveals the fuel-lines, v-belt and the sparkplug wires.

Thanks Greg!

And here is where it goes wrong, when you search on original poster by find content, it only gives you one year of posts or topics. But when I need to find some old topics of mine, I have to search through the pages on the board self, to find it haha. Not that it is a big problem, just a little bit inconvenient. and you are right haha: when we do figure it out, we get a new update

hehe i know, but over the last 5 years I started to learn how to work with it. But since the last forumupdate, the search engine started playing again. I guess he has me checkmate, although I have found that you can still beat it, but it does cost a lot of effort to find something. Especially when you don't know exactly the title of a topic. Ah well, Probably have to get to learn how to use it in the next 5 years

Wow, that is quite a generalising and short-sighted statement! I have yet to build a truck, but I have 3 laying around and I am not worried to tackle them. What does partscount has to do with being able to build a car or truck?

make it a bit smaller with a few hinges, can't be that difficult.

http://www.micromark.com/tamiya-spray-work-painting-stand-set,8491.html

As example: this is my spraybooth: underneath is a hose, that I can toss out the window, so I have no fumes and/or overspray in the house. A nice rotating base is from Tamiya, costs are reasonable and very handy, I need to find a picture, hold on.

It is now limited by one year, but what if I need a topic that is older than that, how can I find it?

Go simple, I use a couple of sheets plywood and a old range hood on the bottom ( I strongly prefer a bottom sucker, in favor of the back suckers ) and presto: you got yourself a paintbooth. I would not fiddle with those little computerfans, even though they do suck a little bit, it can not suck a lot of fumes and spray at once. A range hood is just a better fit. All in all, it shouldnt cost more then 20 bucks including the range hood. A rotating base is prefered, but not necessary. It is just a little bit more comfortable to work with.

Thanks Jim! and yes: Shiny Rules!

Test-fit in the car, don't you love how shiney it is? Another thing that bothered me, was the crankshaft driven fan. I got the fan and fixed it in the radiatorshroud, by fixing it in between two metal rods, now it represents a electric-powered fan. Which is now fitted in the engine-bay That's all folks! Oh, and I forgot. I also had a little mishap with the windshield, while trying to put it in place, I got some glue on my finger and on the windshield, right in front of the driver. It took me some cursing and sanding/polishing and future, but it is now hardly noticable. Only in the wrong angle of light.

I flocked the interior... And the (parcel?)-shelf The finished doorpanels, I really like the look it has. After the interior got flocked, I could start assembling the interior. I still need to paint the steering column, but that is a little thing to do. After that, the dashboard can go in. And I can finish detailling the interior Test-fit in the car, don't you love how shiney it is?

Same dryfit for the back, As you might've noticed, this Impala will get a Continental-kit, I just love those! Sorry about the blurry pictures, but this is a fuel-line with 3 separate fuelfilters, purpose is a better fuel-flow with over-capacity. Shortened to fit And fitted to the engine, replacing the molded in fuel-lines from the kit. The wheels are still a mystery, I tend to go with the stock-wheels, but I don't like the hubcaps, I guess I need to look through my parts-box. The idea of fitting modern alloy's has passed, I believe this is a nicer look with the whitewalls.

A dry-fit for the de-chromed parts, the hood needs a little bit of tweaking I think And I worked some more on the engine, the horrible V-belt was omitted and replaced with some metal pully's. Together with a scratch-built v-belt, it does look sharper. It is a little bit thinner than realistic, but seen from the top, it is not noticable. And a testfit on the chassis.

Here they are, fitted on the chassis, I like it a lot better. Same trick for the front suspension. And fitted

And a new update, lots of pictures though After polishing a few dustspics, I could start with the next big thing: Foiling: It took me almost all afternoon and lots and lots of BMF, but it does give that final touch to the car, and so far, nothing can beat BMF. It's hiney is also finished. All the chromeplated parts were bleached, it had awful moldlines on the bumpers and would be just such an eyesore. Reason for me to get all the chrome off and get them ready for Alclad2, the only problem is that I've never done it on so many parts on one car. One of the things I wanted to improve are the springs, I made a set on my own and this is the compare between the kit-part and my-part. It does look a lot better. (IMHO)

Thanks guys! I do like the plane too, a little bit, can you believe it is my first? it is completely not in my modelling-interest, but I was given the oppertunity to build it as a review-model for a Dutch magazine and did liked the built itself. Flew together in just 2 weeks.! @Curtis: It is still not done, I hope this year. It is just such a demotivating build, nothing fits etc...But I do want to finish it, someday. If you ask me, the Chevelle is my favourite out of the 6

Thanks guys! @Jim; I likey Shiney too! And a good custom has too shine (IMHO) @Skip; I had to think twice before I understood, I thought which handles? The car is shaved! But then I realized you meant the ones on the panel haha. But no, I have not done anything to it, but putting BMF on. The molds of this kit are very crisp and makes it possible to make very sharp edges with BMF. @Todd; I still have no clue what wheels to use yet, I think/hope I know the answer before I am done haha. But Foose-style? naah, it is my own style, not based on any car or any customizer.