Scale-Master

“mothly isues� Is that where they come out of a cocoon each month?

I'm partial to aluminum. While this was done with a lathe (and a mill for the detail parts) it is a much more stable material to work with. Even in a drill... Just find some pictures of what you want to replicate, figure out what size it should be in scale, and turn away...

Tamiya offered that RX7 as both curbside and with an R1 turbo engine. It is a favorite kit of mine. The GTR does have an engine, but maybe not in the same sense you may expect from an American kit. Give it a chance as the ones I have seen built look good.

I could go for a CanAm, or a GrandAm.

Many excellent points have been made in this discussion. Thanks for starting it Harry. I have a little to add too... It has been my observation that many who dismiss quality scratch-building as using the same skill set as assembling a model are unable to execute well rendered scratch-built parts themselves. Anyone can scratch-build, just as anyone can build a kit, but we have all seen a wide variance between the levels of quality different modelers build at whether it be out of the box or something more substantial. Another point was made that if a part was used for a purpose other than its intended use, it can be called a scratch-built part. I disagree in many cases. For example, the Revell 1960 Corvette has a separate windshield wiper motor. But if you turn it on its side, paint it yellow and tan, it becomes a rather convincing Accel Super Coil. No changing of the shape, just using it in a different part of the engine compartment with different paint. I realize that is a specific situation, but it does illustrate another angle of that view. The idea of using a pen cap as an exhaust tip has been around for decades, but is that simple addition and change of use for a piece enough to earn the term scratch-built? I don't think so. But I will accept there are cases when using a part for different than intended use and modifying it may bring it into the realm of being scratch-built. The IPMS rules are about the best around (when they are followed by the judges, which unfortunately they too often are not). Just because they say a scratch-built entry can have kit sourced parts, does not by default make said model automatically truly scratch-built. But imagine finding enough entries of only truly 100% scratch-built models? The rules allow enough latitude to have mostly scratch-built models compete with fully scratch-built models. The "Out-Of-The-Box except" phrase gets me too. It is or it isn't, look at the instructions for that answer. But Factory Stock has nothing to do with OOB, unless you are entering a model of a Factory Stock subject in an OOB category. And I have added "seams" and other manufacturing defects to a few of my scratch-built parts. Not to mess with anyone, but to replicate the real life part. Take a look at a transmission housing casting for example.

If that is MJ's house, then isn't that MJ's dust? Consider it a gift, no charge. You may have your own dust at home, but that my friend is Beach Dust! While that is one impressive model on so many levels, and one of my favorites, I am not ready to say it is my absolute favorite build of yours. I suggest you post some others (and no the Caterham is not one of the several I am thinking of...) to help me remember and for you to share some of your incredible work with the world. ummm whos MJ ? See name below...

Thannk. Had a little time and made some good progress this weekend. The chassis is close to being done, the engine and interior are close too.

Thanks. The blue thing on the wheel, and most of what is that color blue, is padding, standard NASCAR style from the mid 90's.

I drilled out the kit gauges and put some parts box decals in from the back. The interior is coming along... Floor mats are some pre-flocked paper with adhesive left over from a Pocher build.

I agree to much of what you wrote and the spirit it was offered, but if you build something that would not work mechanically in the real world, it could be viewed by some as “wrong†if it is intended as a feasible drivable vehicle. That’s not to say you should not build what you want to. Build for yourself, absolutely, and if you don't like the look of aluminum parts, you can skip them. But in your opinion you state "Maybe it's a finish thing. A turned part looks like a turned part no matter what size it is." Much of what I replicate in scale are machined aluminum scaled down versions of machined (often aluminum) real parts. To me they look fine. But not everything is left raw metal either. There are a variety of finishing techniques to take a raw machined piece to a finished replica part. I use everything from abrasives to paints, even acids. You wouldn't use an unfinished resin or plastic part very often on a model, the same holds true for many turned/machined aluminum parts. An unfinished part will look out of place no matter its composition. Some in progress shots of an old build made with a lot of aluminum:

Just curious, what material is the outside perimeter of the bed “box†made from? Is it wood sandwiched between sheet plastic for example? The pictures don’t tell…

Raising the top of the windshield looks like a good addition/idea, but if you clean up the edges, like where the burrs are on the lower corners, it will go a long way to making this build look clean overall. Rough edges like that will not be hidden by paint (actually BMF will exacerbate it) and will become a focal point that could take away from the other work you are doing on this one. Your painting on the seatbelts looks like you are improving with the brush... Are you going to repair that chunk taken out of the rim? If you paint the rims orange like your drawing, it will really jump out if you don't. I'm looking forward to seeing you apply the tips and direction Mark Taylor provided in his tutorial for you. This should be a nice step up for you.

Thanks Jeff, if that's the worst you can see, I'm doin' good on this project...

The seats are Tamiya parts box parts, probably from a Skyline. The harness's are cut from vinyl. The belt hardware is not PE, I also cut it, but from Mylar. Decals are from the parts box... Rear suspension is in and will ride height adjusted later.

Suspension... Replaced the rear coil springs with ones I wound from wire. The rotors/calipers are Tamiya sourced mounted on brass "adaptors", I added the vent holes... The rest is OOB.

I got a hair cut.

Umm, research, umm yeah.

These are from semi-recent to well over ten years ago. Some have decals off the same sheet Dave Zinn used, but most of these have custom decals… Every so often I’ll do some significant bodywork. But most are reworked “OOB’sâ€. As you can see, the styles are all over the place… Funny Cars GTX Mini Willys FX Hauler Set Superman Sprint Car LeMelt R/C Deora w/Soap Box Racer Super Truck Goodwrench Maelstrom Solaire

Custom can be many things, but don’t Frenched antennas usually just have an opening, not bumps or fairings that disrupt the flow of the body design? The tutorial looks good, but I think if they were flush, only having the “exit†holes in the body, it would look more accurate to most real jobs, at least the ones I have seen. Thanks for sharing.

You are most welcome. It sounds much better than the "Scratchbuilt From Kit Parts Cannonball". Besides it would probably not fit on the (Die-cast) tender...

DING! Fries are done! DING! Fries are done! DING! Fries are done!

What’s with all the cool trains? How about aTurtle Burger? Anyone had a Turtle Burger? We did, YUM!

Yes, that is precisely what I requested in post #25 thank you for reiterating it. “If you don’t want to make it public, send a PM, please respond either way for the sake of the modeling society.â€

You should call it the Kitbash Cannonball. Let me know if you want help making the graphics. And thanks for sharing.

That is good to know. I wasn’t sure how fast it could go. 150 is good. Thanks for sharing.