mrmike

It looks good. Might I suggest that you check your camera for a macro setting for taking closeups.

Since I am adding more underhood detail, I made a starter relay from 1/8th inch styrene rod and some red and black wires. I'll paint the relay semi-gloss black. The front springs have been paint detailed using a silver Sharpie. The chassis is completed and up on four wheels. More to come.....

Thank you Walther! Give yourself time and a great deal of patience and you can develop the skills to do great work! Even though I had been building models for a very long time, it has been the last 5 years that I have been able to really develop my skills and I am still learning. I've started in on the interior-dash, console, and front bucket seats. More to come.....

A little more progress for today. I got the motor installed into the chassis. I got the tires mounted and the wheels detailed. I'm undecided about these. These are the knockoffs for the kit wheelscovers and maybe I'll mockup one to see if I like it. More to come.....

Don't forget to add the Tornado air venturi device! That's worth an additional $60!

Thank you Clay, DW, and Charlie! Charlie, I make sure to order 2 sheets of BMF at a time. Last night I watched the episode The Long Hunt where Spenser's Mustang was destroyed and he gets the '87 Mustang GT. I noticed that the '65 Mustang was black in color and not Ivy Green Metallic. I have watched this episode several times before and had not noticed the different car.

Thank you Clay! The motor is 99% complete. More to come.....

That was the reason why I chose that color as it was close to Ford turquoise.

Thank you Clay and Jason! Happiness is a brand new sheet of Bare Metal Foil! Spenser For Hire will return.....

Thanks Clay! I'm glad that you find my build fascinating! Thanks Nick and you are welcome! I started on the motor this afternoon. When the glue has cured on the distributor, I'll run the plug wires and make a coil. Foiling is done. I attempted to make the bezels for the rear valance exhaust cutouts with BMF. It didn't turn too bad. More to come.....

I removed the bumper guards from the bumpers and I was originally going to use BMF over the cuts, but I changed my mind. I sanded them smooth and stripped the chrome plating. I painted them gloss black and coated them with Alclad II Chrome Paint. I started painting other parts until I ran out of semi-gloss black spray paint. I'll use jar paint until I can get to my LHS. Motor work has resumed with the wiring of the distributor. Spenser For Hire will return.....

I decided to strip and re-chrome the bumpers instead of foiling the cuts. I started painting other parts until I ran out of semi-gloss black spray paint. I'll use jar paint until I can get to my LHS. Motor work has resumed with the wiring of the kit distributor. More to come.....

Tony, I am probably a little sensitive to the red oxide comment that was made, not just by you but others here and elsewhere. For that, I do apologise for taking it any other way than what it was intended. Thank you for the info you have provided. Merry Christmas to all and have a Happy New Year!

I am not being swayed one bit! This build will progress, red oxide or not! For all I know, the complete undercarriage was undercoated and not one speck of red oxide could be seen anywhere.

Thanks Charlie! I once got called on because I painted the sub-frame rails on a Mustang semi-gloss black with a flat red floor pan. I guess my next build might be a Mopar since I know more about them! Or, on my next build, I'll follow the kit instructions and get all the paint call-outs wrong!

With the holes in the valance opened up for the exhaust tips, I had to remove the bumper guards from the bumpers. I covered the cuts with chrome Bare Metal Foil. Since I had the foil out, I went and started foiling. More to come.....

My question to you is, were the parts painted or primered? From what little I know about the assembly process, certain parts are painted before assembly to the body. But, for the most part, I believe that body and fenders were painted all at once. If I am wrong, then someone please correct me. Maybe the front clip (front fenders, front panel, and valance) was painted separate from the rest of the body. Steve, someone has already mentioned that the red oxide was too bright. And the truth be told, I just don't care! I heard that on a previous build which got me to purchasing the red oxide primer for this build. I've seen actual 1:1 Mustangs, unrestored with the red oxide primer just as red as the primer I used on this model. Come on guys, give me a break! Well, shame on me! I did my research and I looked for details and I overlooked the obvious. Spenser's Mustang did not have bumper guards! The front and rear valances have holes for the mounting pins behind the bumper guards and I didn't think about filling them in. Now, what am I going to do?!! I took a piece of round rod, sanded it down to the size I needed, and jammed it into the holes on the valances. While this fix is not the greatest, it is a lot better than yanking the valances off, filling the holes with putty, sanding and polishing them. I just dabbed some paint onto the styrene rod and built it up until it is flush with the surface and I'll polish it when it is dry. Spenser For Hire will return.....

Not much to report. I've started polishing the body and got overspray onto the chassis, Spenser For Hire will return.....

The chassis has it's overspray. The front suspension is in need of lowering. I cut off the spindle from the suspension... and glue it on higher on the suspension. This should lower the nose of the car. I'll lower the rear of the Mustang by re-arching the rear springs or by shortening the mounting blocks. More to come.....

Thanks DW. I have done my research and I found that it is suppose to be red oxide primer and that is what I got, that is what I used, and it's good enough for me. This can will last me a very, very long time so I will not be running out anytime soon. I apologise if I came off sounding like I was mad!

Well Tony, it's primer, it's red oxide, and it's on the chassis! As I have previously state, if it's the wrong shade of red, that's just too bad! This is not a concours restoration or a contest car and I don't even know if Spenser's Mustang had red oxide on it's chassis. I am going by whatever information that is available and it's not much! I am making a lot of judgment calls on this Mustang and I can't justify spending a lot of money on many cans of whatever, just for the sake of a few model cars. I don't mean to come off sounding rude, but that is just the way it is. I appreciate your information and thanks.

Why? Lately, I have a tendency of doing things out of order. Also, I am not afraid to drill into a freshly painted body as long as I am controlling the instrument. I know that if I am careful and work cautiously, nothing bad will happen. The best thing about this Mustang is that the pilot hole was already there and that made the job half done. And to quote Col. Hannibal Smith..."I love it when a plan comes together!"

I wetsanded the body more than I should have and now it looks more like something from the movie Tron. Another coat of MCW #6531 Ivy Green Metallic. Someone, somewhere, gave me a bit of flack for not using red oxide primer on the chassis of a previous build. I finally broke down a spent $2.99 on a cheap can of primer. My luck, someone will now tell me that it is the wrong shade of red oxide! To that I say, Too bad!!!!!

I wanted to add the through the rear valance panel exhaust tips so I mockup the body, interior, chassis, and exhaust system. This looks good with the exhaust directly behind the mounting holes for the bumper guard pins. Using my pin vise and a drill bit, I enlarged the hole. The final hole size was obtained by holding a drill with my fingers since the bit wouldn't fit my pin vise. With a piece of aluminium tubing for the exhaust tip. Someone, somewhere, gave me a bit of flack over not using red oxide on the chassis of a previous build. I broke down a bought a cheap can of red oxide primer for $2.99 at Pep Boys. My luck, I'll be told that it's not the correct shade of red oxide. To that I say, Too Bad!!!!! More to come.....

Clay, I used Tamiya TS-21 Gold for the valve covers and air cleaner. Nick, yes, this is a good kit! A little cleanup is needed on some parts, but so far there are no fitment issues. After a light polishing, I cleared the body with Model Master Ultra Gloss Clear. I'll polish the clearcoat later. The motor on the right belongs to this Mustang. The motor on the left and the auto trans on the right, belong to my Spenser For Hire '65 Mustang. You are not seeing double! Since I am building two '65 Mustangs, I doubled up on parts prep and paint. More to come.....