Pierre Rivard

Thank you Brian. I'm making an effort on detailing the engine as it pokes it's blower through the hood You are being too kind John but I accept the encouragement and will do my best not to disappoint. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised with the finish of the body. Engine work is not happening so easily though. Thank you Francis Don't hold back with the advice. I sleep very well when I copy ideas from the master builders...😜

Can't wait to see the first reports of that engine fabrication. Can you make it a running engine this time please? 🤪

Looking forward to this one John. I agree with you, the FINA livery looks great. The McLaren F1 shape was beautiful and certainly did not need the overdone liveries we see on today's race cars.

Thank you for the kind words Mark. As simple as this kit is the body was cast in such a good way that it was easy to make a good replica of this great race car. Indeed I brush paint everything (because we now live in a condo). It took a while to get it right and the key is to do a lot of thinning and build up in multiple thin coats to achieve a smooth finish. If the body was prepped right I just need to do a delicate 2400-3200-4000 wet sand of the primer (Vallejo waterbased urethane) and 4000-6000 + Tamiya fine & finish compound of the clear coat (Vallejo acrylic). I don't touch the color coat. After decals I seal with Holloway House Quick Shine (my new Future). The Vallejo white I use 70.820 Off White (over white primer). I find it looks more natural and period correct then the pure/bright whites commonly used. Regards, Pierre

Should be a fun one to do. Too bad Accurate Miniatures did not survive. Very detailed kits and interesting subjects. Will be following jour journey with great interest.

And the back side of it, throttle linkage (where pedal throttle cable will attach to) and spring return. Not the best precision wise but it is all so small I can barely see what I'm doing...

Fuel delivery through a barrel valve made from 2mm square Evergreen. One inlet fuel, 4 outlet fuel & valve actuation through throttle linkage (which also opens butterflies in air inlets.

Leaving the excellent chrome covers untouched, other than adding Protect spun oil breathers. That was easy!

Engine components. Starting with the Revell 427 engine & trans from the kit. The blower comes from the MPC 7in 1 1960 Corvette. I modified the manifold to fit it into the V space and then fabricated the idler pulley bracket and extended & ribbed the casting for the power intake shaft. Lots of fitting but the basic engine architecture is in place.

Chassis done stock, as classic cars usually are at Bonneville. I tried to portray a barn find type of car with the underfloor sound but with some surface rust, and then imagine new suspension elements being installed to go racing. I tried a new product here, Vallejo Rust Wash. I like it!

No worries friend. I am also uneducated when it comes to land racing but my fascination with this type of racing is growing quickly. I admit it is a unique approach. I need this type of change to keep my motivation. I like having to research new types of racing cars. Just the tip of the iceberg. The streamliners, vintage and modified classes are as wilder and even more diverse. BTW how do you like the red Studebaker? Thanks Helmut, neither was I but more and more I realize that I need to cats a wide net to keep my interest up. I love trying new stuff like the barn find paint job I did on this one. Thanks Rick. Flying blind but learning fun stuff along the journey.

Another great racing car build to follow. How fortunate that you have the HRM wheels. Much better than modifying the kit wheels like I had to do for a 2D build.

It appears Ismael has a thing for yellow race cars. Rumors are spreading fast... 😄

Sorry for the delay in answering this Q Mark. Bonneville cars are as varied as you can imagine. Engines are broken in displacement categories, then aspirated or blown, then gas or fuel (anything not gasoline), then comes the body construction categories (each broken in sub classes). Main categories are Special Construction (Streamliners, belly tankers etc), Vintage ('48 and before roadsters, coupes, sedans and oval track), Modified Production (competition coupes, altered, gas coupe, modified, pickup), Production and Classic (1928-81 cars in classic production, gas coupe or classic altered). The possibilities are endless... and a gold mine for creative scale modelers. I chose to start slow and do a Classic Altered for my first project. Classic requires to start with a '28-'81 production, Classic Altered requires the car to have either a quick change rear end, a non stock supercharger (or both). Aero packages consisting of fabricated air dam, rear spoiler and headlamp/grille. Electronic fuel injection is not allowed in the classic category. So my 1972 Nova with a 427 + 6-71 blower + Hilborn mechanical injection + aero package would be labeled B/CBGALT. B engine (373-439 cid), Classic Blown Gas Altered. Here are a few examples of cars running in Classic Altered classes.

I love all 3 but especially this one. The splashy colors of the decals over the darker body really gives it the Panamericana vibe. Well done sir!

There's always hope when a new racing movie comes out. Let's wish for special effects that are not too over the top. I expect excellent racing... unlike the snooze fest real F1 has been in the last 20 or so years.

I've followed your WIP with immense pleasure Mark. The AM kit is a challenge to start with but transforming it as a Wintersteen roadster takes it to the next level. Beautiful craftsmanship, detailing and finishes. Bravo!

Amazing transformation!

Your 1950's Streamliner inspired me to explore Land Speed Racers. I'm starting with this simpler approach of a Classic Altered but a Streamliner is definitely on my wish list Thanks Jim. I started slow with this one but the inspiration is building up Thanks Bruce. It is a new foray for me. I like to try new things. I've never built the same kit twice and rarely build them without changing things. Keeps us fresh and motivated right. Merci Francis. Let's hear it from Mr T who loves his salt racers and could provide useful input. I'm kinda going blind here... but it's fun trying new stuff. I'm discovering that Bonneville Salt Flats racers are so diverse, wild and interesting. A gold mine of subjects for scale modelers

It is different, off the beaten path to a point I hesitated doing a WIP for lack of interest factor. I see your point about the air dam. I made it to drop from under the front bumper but I just added a horizontal plane under it which gives it more presence. Also making a rear spoiler about half the size of this one, to get this thing more balanced. I'll show these changes in the next update, perhaps with a few photos of Classic Altered cars to show what type of mods these usually have.

WHAT? You didn't drop it? Seriously friend, happy you survived all the hurdles and can finally move this one in the DONE category. You deserve a nice little OOB!

Before I could say I can't do stuff like that because I don't have machine tools. Going forward I will have to admit it's for lack of skills... Thank you Greg! 🤪

The Scale-Master has struck again. These two look very good. The pin striping decals on the white car must have been quite delicate to apply.

I sort of rushed through these steps as pre-requisite items to what I really wanted to do: the rat rod style paint. I forgot to document the steps but to summarize I started with a dark gray primer, then using sponges dabbed acrylic dark rust, light rust, red and orange paints randomly. I then did the same with medium to light blue but focusing on where I wanted residual color. I then gently wet sanded (1500 and 2400 grit) specific areas to blend in and smooth out the various colors.

A Nova salt flat racer? Perhaps it makes no sense but in the spirit of the Bonneville Speed Week, there is category for just about anything. So my crazy idea is to start with a Nova, put a blown Chevy 427 Rat engine, do a rat rod style paint to is and create a.... SALT RAT! Get the concept? I'm dating this to early 2000's, run it in the Altered Classic category (stock pre 1981 body, allowed non stock blown engine, front dam and rear spoilers etc) What I really want to do is the painting experiment, but first the basics of getting the blower location to set the hood opening dimensions, get the basics go chassis ride set up (with my chosen tires) and figure out the air dam and spoiler setup