Exotics_Builder

While vexing on color options for the Alpha Models Ferrari GTC4Lusso, I decided to start a period custom. Looking at my options, I elected to pull the AMT 59 El Camino out of the stash and use it as the base. For those not familiar with it, this kit does have an acceptable chassis with separate suspension and exhaust. It is lacking in interior detail, including only engraved pieces on the door cards. To help the process, I also pulled out the Revell 59 Chevy Custom Hardtop. This kit will supply some custom parts to the El Camino. Wheels are from a Fujimi kit that was issued several years ago which will be applied with American Satco wide whitewalls (I still have a couple of remaining sets). Body mods started with a 3mm (about 3 scale inches) chop to the top. Not aggressive but contributes to the effect. I also scraped the standard body side molding and replaced with Evergreen half round strip shaped at the ends. I applied the custom front pan from the El Camino kit and the front “eyelet” fillers from the Revell kit. I also applied the Revell kit rear fender skirts which required a little shaping. For the pickup bed, I decided to do a diamond plate floor. A wood floor seemed out of place and carpet/upholstery would limit options on finishing. I am not totally sold on this, but it is done. The sides of the bed area had two parts which did not fit well on the kit I have. I decided to do tuck and roll sides, applying scale corrugated siding for the effect. Evergreen quarter round trim around the sides completed the effect. The chrome trim on the El Camino is very faint and I bolstered that with Evergreen angle strips of various sizes. After some cleanup, first primer round is done. Need some cleanup and final primer. Work will move on to interior mods, engine and chassis. Right now, the color choice is Tamiya Base White with Bob’s Paints Crème Brulee over it. Interior will be white and tan/cream.

Padded roll cage with wrapping wire or ties

I have one not yet built in the stash. They were over $120 at the time of release (circa 2006-2008) and were only out about a year or so. Not yet reissued. The kit represents a European Tour Bus, but one was modified by a modeler into a RV (there actually is a 1:1 conversion). Every once in a while, one pops up for sale but at $200 or more. Here are some instructions. https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/0/1/9/106019-82-instructions.pdf

I have a whole Orange Crate kit if you want

Ahhh!! Now see, if it was a Ferrari, I could have told you to the model (not necessarily year) ?

It is closer to the Ala Kart than Catallo's

Sort of reminiscent of Chilly Catallo's Deuce Coupe

Rather than photo the kit, I borrowed this from Iceman's site. Relly nice model, except all online references tell me X3 not M3. But this is going to be a unique build.

R and D Unique did for sure. Long out of production. I have one or two in the stash that I bought new. There were different configurations. But I don't recollect period running gear, although they could have. I know Replicas and Miniatures did 32 Ford frame rails for sure but would need to research if more than that. It's not an area that I do a lot of modeling in.

I have a coupe and roadster down in the stash. I can check, but the coupe has the single 4BBL BBC whilst the Roadster 3 2BBl BBC. The Coupe has Rally Wheels and Roadster the "finned" wheels. Also, the roadster has the side exhausts, and I don't believe the coupe does. Here is a Roadster I built years back when they first came out.

Not that I have found. Creating one for my 69 Camaro pace car project. part way into the process. used the pump from the Nova kit and adding the extra bits.

I enlarged the photo

Multiple deliveries yesterday and today to keep me going on projects this year. The Splash paints are for several different projects. The first Shapeways photo is of a Ron Olsen designed (3D Model Specialties) 6 cylinder LS engine with Edelbrock injection intake.

Definitely not going to use.

Getting the decals. Now all I need are the engine mods and wheels, and I can do a Cosworth Vega

How did I miss this? Superb!

As well as can be expected. Hopefully things will start to loosen up. We are VERY wet right now, about 1.5 inches of rain in the last 24 hours and the Columbia Gorge has had heavy snow. We had a small shot of snow around Christmas, but the Cascade foothills harder hit (and Puget Sound even worse). View from our deck just before New Year's Day

First start of 2022. I need a break from heavy detailing after the last few models. I also put the in work 69 Camaro Pace Car away for a bit while I decide what to do on the stripes. The decals are not quite Hugger Orange (and the Fred Cady decals I have are even more Orange). So, I decided to pull out the Alpha Models Ferrari GTC4Lusso for a build. For those of us unfamiliar with Alpha, they are the full model division of Hobby Design. They do high quality resin replicas of cars, mainly European. The kits are curbside, so limited chassis/suspension detail and engine detail only on cars that are midship with engines viewable from the rear hatch. And, in those cases, the engine is simplified. I would enjoy more detail in the engine area, even for a few more dollars. But modern engine bays are usually crowded and shrouded, so detail is limited. The same goes for suspension. Many modern high-performance cars have aerodynamic chassis “trays” to manage airflow, up to and including diffusers. Other manufacturers such as Tamiya, Aoshima and Revell of Germany have included more chassis detail in their styrene cars, and it would be nice to see Alpha do it as well. However, I would rather have the subjects available to build. Alpha does, in my opinion, do a great job in providing interior detail. This is an area where it would be nice to have a door opening option. The bodies are thick and attempting to open a door would be a major undertaking. So, I will concentrate more on visible detail. I have included photos of the resin parts (very well cast and looks as good as styrene). There is also an extensive PE set plus pre-cut windows with the blackened areas already applied (kudos there). I have cleaned the parts with soap and water plus an alcohol wipe and getting ready to prime. The panel and door/trunk lines are a bit soft and needed to be scribed deeper. Newer kits from Alpha have much crisper panel and door/trunk lines. Even though the kit comes with two different sets of 19” wheels, I opted to go with Hobby Design Novitec 20” with Hobby Design Michelin tires. I am still deciding on color scheme. I have three different choices and will narrow down after first primer coat and clean up.

Yes. First Rally car. Next one will be this one. Now, working on a Alpha Models GTC4Lusso. Stay tuned for a WIP posting ?

The Tamiya one may not have been reissued but the Fujimi version has.

Very nice. Are those wheels from Scale Production? Or just the wheels in the kit?

That is the first pic. It is a resin custom wagon that uses the Revell 49 Mercury Custom

Only got 4 done, but a lot better than the last couple of years. Also, one about 50% done.