Chillyb1

Built from the beautiful Tamiya kit. This version has decals from Cartograf that are a dream to work with. Color is Tamiya TS whatever # is light blue metallic. I cleared with TS-13 over the decals. Mostly from the box, except photoetch wipers and some engine wiring. BMF here and there. Lightly weathered with Tamiya weathering products and their acrylics. It was a winter race so I was going for some visible snow.

Very nice, indeed. This isn't my thing model-wise, but I love the look and the car. There's just enough going on in the engine bay to add a great measure of realism. And those wheels are just about the coolest thing going.

This is looking really sharp. Very clean build. The variety of colors and metallic shades on the chassis really makes for a realistic look. I can't wait to see the body and engine.

That is indeed a fantastic model. I don't know how you guys do it in 1/43 scale. I'd love to see more of these kinds of cars. I'm a fan of French cars in general, and of these little racers in particular.

You can try a couple of things to make old decals useful again. This stuff made by Microscale, makers of Micro Sol and Micro Set: http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MI-12&Category_Code=FINPROD&Product_Count=11 And similarly, shoot a coat of clear over the decals while still on the decal sheet. When dry, apply decals as usual.

Wow, nice restoration. I love these little trucks. The wheels are perfect on this one. Did you scratch build the tool box? And by the way, did you have to take up three parking places?

Acrylic enamels tend to be very hot indeed. Definitely test first. I've tried several different brands and have never had good luck with them, so I just gave up trying. They will eat plastic and other paint. And, if you perform a search on the subject, you'll find a topic I started about how terrible, awful, crappy, Testors/Model Master white primer is. If you haven't used it yet, do a test spray on a spare body.

Thanks. That has one good photo.

I never miss an opportunity to watch one of these get built. I'll never do it myself, but I'm glad people like you are willing to undertake such monumental projects. Plus I'm glad to see you doing this uncommon version.

That's your problem. Try using something else. Many modelers like Duplicolor. I don't. I prefer to use Tamiya primer on bodies and inexpensive Colorplace on everything else. That Krylon stuff is just asking for trouble.

Looks like fun, indeed. I love this build.

I do have a choice and choose Tamiya always!! Well, I do use other stuff occasionally but they aren't worth mentioning. Tamiya's line of TS/AS spray cans and their little jars of acrylics are all I need. Be it from a can or airbrushed, Tamiya paints provide exactly what I want.

This is really cool truck. I didn't even know this existed and am tempted to get myself one of them. It is a pleasure to follow along with your build.

Sensory overload!! There is way too much here to take in in just one sitting. I have recently accumulated several military kits and photoetch sets so I can attempt some of this kind of work. I really love looking at these kinds of realistically weathered models. Thanks for the inspiration.

That is a very cool diorama indeed. Quite a lot of detail to take in, but it is wonderful to behold.

Do you have a Hobby Lobby anywhere nearby? They carry several sizes at reasonable prices. Check the drafting section.

Didi mau, indeed. Nice touch. I really enjoy looking at the builds of this kit. I like the car but will never get the kit. The undercarriage looks underdetailed. Is it or did Trumpeter just not bother to put the effort into it? Is this what a Falcon looks like underneath? Anyway, cool car.

How's it work on lacquer? Same result?

I forgot to address that part of your original message. No, I have not had that experience and, if what other modelers have claimed is true, I don't think the TS-13 is really prone to yellowing. So that should not be a concern. I did the exact same thing on a Porsche 956 I'm currently working on. I used Tamiya acrylic to touch up the split in the decal, and it is an exact color match. Thank you, Tamiya! Anyway, I cleared the whole thing with TS-13 and didn't have any problems at all. If you are spraying it from a can, make sure you shoot light coats and leave some time (fifteen minutes or so has worked in my experience) between coats. And after a few coats you may want to set it aside and wait until the next day just to see how it looks. The TS-13 dries to an almost imperceptibly thin coat and looks great and has an in-scale glossiness. If you keep shooting the clear to try to get a super wet-look clear, this can cause the earlier paint coats to sag and sometimes pull the decals with it. (DO NOT ask me how I know this; it just brings up bad memories.) Good luck with your project.

Do you mean TS-13 clear? I've had very good luck using TS-13 over decals when shot through my airbrush is light coats. In your case, I wouldn't risk it without a test on some extra decals of the same type you've used on your model. Also, make sure all the decals are securely and snugly laid down on the model. I recently finished decaling a Tamiya Alpine A110 1971 Monte Carlo and when I cleared it (using TS-13) a couple of the decals suffered damage because (I think) the clear got underneath the decals. But all the rest of the substantial number of decals look utterly fantastically perfect.

A very cool project. Good luck with it. I love the 959 but I didn't care for the kit and don't think I'll build it again. But I'm looking forward to yours. l

Her first model and she's already a better builder than you! Good luck in the contest. Let us know what happens. It really is a beautifully done project. The others in the Beginners class are going to be in awe.

Thanks. Those will help. I'm kind of surprised that there isn't an abundance of photos of this car. I'd have thought that Porsche fans somewhere out there would have a gallery of every Porsche ever raced.

Does anyone know where I might find some pictures of this particular car, #11, as raced in the 1984 Le Mans? I just can't find anything on the web using about a billion variations of key search terms. Am I missing some treasure trove of photos out there? I don't need detail shots of the interior, engine, or undercarriage. I just want a couple of large, clear pictures of the car while racing or after the race. Please help out a poor Porsche modeler. Thanks in advance.

I started building model cars again only about six years ago. As an adult possessed of much more patience than I had as a teenager, and with all the advances in tools and supplies available to the scale automobile modeler, I took to the hobby enthusiastically. The AMT kit was one of the first that I built and on which I experimented with a lot of stuff I'd never tried before. It is a really great kit and I'll have to get another someday, though it isn't really my thing. On this build I shaved the trim (because I messed something up trying to foil it), opened up the door handles, made my own seat belts, mixed the body color and used an airbrush for the first time, split the front seat (at the suggestion of a fellow modeler, and it really made a difference), and probably some other stuff. It was a real skill builder for me. I'm still happy with how it came out, though I'm sure I could do a better job on it now. And Cool Hand, I'm nominating yours for the Best in Thread award. That thing is so sharp you could carve granite with it.