Scale-Master

A new oil tank was also machined from aluminum. And here it is finished and ready to install…

I machined a new fuel filler and gas cap from aluminum. After painting the cap satin black, a PE lock was mounted to it. Here it is installed.

The rear suspension and fuel tank are installed. The halfshafts are decaled with SMS #1420 Plain Weave C/F. More machined goodies next...

You guys knew I couldn't go too long without cuttin' some alumnum... The driveshaft tunnel was painted semi gloss black before the SMS C/F decals were applied. A mix of patterns were used to busy it up a bit. SMS #1420 is the predominant pattern, with some #1512, #1520 and SMCF112. After sealing the decals with the clear cote, I airbrushed the edges transparent black to force some shadows. The shifter assembly was machined from aluminum and the kit’s boot was used, albeit mounted in a different way than called out in the instructions.

The interior panels were sprayed first with Tamiya Gray, and then Tamiya Smoke. SMS Elephant Hide Pattern #1976 was used to create a textured effect similar to the molded pattern on the dash.

The wheels were not aggressive enough looking being just plain silver. Tamiya Semi Gloss Black was brushed on to accent the centers and the bead of the rim was brushed Tamiya Red. A clear gloss coat was airbrushed over that. The tread of the tires were scuffed with some 320 grit dry sandpaper before mounting them on the rims. The hub caps were decaled with SMS Plain weave C/F #1420 and a custom Scale-Master decal was made for the center logo on each cap.

The driveshaft was covered in SMS Plain Weave C/F #1420. The textured pumpkin is painted and installed too. The front of the engine is almost done… The wheels are next...

More decals... The “floor†of the trunk was decaled with the same SMS Kevlar as the floor panels, but instead of decaling both sides, the bottom was treated to a couple coats of Faux Fabrix to simulate a rubberized coating like the rear bulkhead. For the top side, first a base coat of semi gloss tan was sprayed on, (just as was done on the floor panels.) Once the decal was applied, a thin coat of the 50/50 Clearcote mixture was applied to seal it. Then a couple drops of Tamiya Clear Yellow and Smoke were added to the mix and lightly sprayed on to tint the Kevlar a tad bit darker so it would look like it was coated with an opaque material on the other side.

Come on Mark, you can tell us the truth; Are you an Alien? Do I look like one? When and where is IPMS and Tamiyacon this year? IPMS is in Anaheim the weekend of August 25th. TamiyaCon is sometime in the fall, TBA, and the location will be announced then too. And thanks for the compliments...

Ismael posed a question on that subject, I offered a solution. Here is the link to it within this site if anyone else is interested... http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forum/viewtopi...p?p=28342#28342

The rear panel, also made of the same soft aluminum as the sides, received the same SMS Hi Def C/F treatment as the sides. Here you can see the first largest single decal panel applied. The holes were cut out with a sharp knife after the decal had fully dried. I like to use semi gloss black as a base because it dries faster than high gloss and is glossy enough to not cause silvering problems. These decals are dense and opaque enough that any base color will work, but they work much better over a painted surface than raw metal, plastic or resin, like all decals. Here it is finished. It took several decals to cover all the edges and contours. Not difficult, just time consuming. It is best to decal a part like this over several days, a little at a time, letting each application dry before proceeding. Once all the decals were dry it was clear coated with the same 50/50 mixture of Gloss and Dullcotes and treated to the same finishing techniques as the sides. As you can see it works well to hide the seams, if you get them lined up when you are decalling...

OK, let's see if I can make this simple... Preparation and patience, especially the latter, are very helpful. Paint whatever it is you want to decal first, decals adhere best to paint, glossy paint, or semi gloss at the very least. A good decal solvent is a must too. I like Mr. Mark Softer by Gunze Sanyo. As far as the seams, first assess the situation and plan how you are going to approach the part. Cut fitted panels for the job, be aware of the pattern so it will line up correctly if it matters. Let each decal you apply dry before trying to apply the next, it's very frustrating to try to keep more than one under control. Always use a sharp knife if you need to make relief cuts. A good "decal only" brush is a must on my bench too. Once you have decaled your part and done any "decal touch up" required, you can clear coat it to help diminish the seams. I like Testors Dullcote and Glosscote mixed 50/50 and sprayed by airbrush. The Dullcote dries very fast and the Glosscote leaves enough sheen to look smooth. Light coats are the key. Too much, you will eat the decals. (I have never eaten a decal while doing this, because I never put a wet coat on.) Usually 3-5 coats is plenty depending on the part. LET THE FIRST COUPLE COATS FULLY DRY to lessen the chance of the lacquer attacking the decals. Let the last coat dry for several hours, then carefully wet sand with 1000 grit sand paper. Check your progress often! Once you have eliminated the seams, carefully wash off all the sanding residue and dry, and seal with your choice of clear coat. Just make sure it is compatible with Testors lacquers. It makes sense to me, but if someone needs clarification, just let me know... I crack myself up sometimes: (I have never eaten a decal while doing this, because I never put a wet coat on.) That could sound strange to an outsider...

Monogram had a turbo V6 3rd generation 20th Anniversary Trans Am in their Hi Performance series. Even came with ignition wires and heater hoses. That one kit could be a good start. Same basic engine as in the Buick GNX from the same series. I kind of like Hellcat or Firecat, but the latter may be too close to the Pontiac name.

Here the sides are attached and the basics of the front suspension are in place. Care must be taken when putting the side panels on as to not chip the decals applied to either the sides or the floor panels. Only a little extra time and vigilance was needed to get both sides on event free. This thing is really going together fast. It is amazing how fast one can build when one actually uses the kit's parts!

Hmmm, A Big Ruler.... Hmmm....

OK, then how about some decal work instead of Faux Fabrix? The aluminum body side panels were scratched and I wasn't able to polish them up to a level I was happy with. So I went back to an option I had originally considered for this build, carbon fiber. A base coat of semi gloss black was sprayed on to promote decal adhesion. Scale Motor Sport 1/12 scale Hi Def C/F decal (#1512) was applied in two main parts. Once FULLY dry, a 50/50 mix of Testors Dullcote and Glosscote was sprayed in a medium light coat and allowed to dry. The same application was repeated about 30 minutes later. The seams of where the decals overlapped were sanded out with 1000 grit wet and another coat of the 50/50 mix was applied to make the sheen uniform.

More work accomplished on the engine… Make some leaky stuff residue like a real Bri'ish auto...

They do look "spotty" in the picture, but in person they don't. Flash effect from the camera I suspect. Just to clarify, there is no texturing on the rotors, just the hubs. But the rotors are nearly invisible when installed behind the wheels so it is nearly a moot point...

The brake rotors were sprayed with Tamiya Natural Metal, then sprayed with an even medium coat of TS-71 Smoke, and then again sprayed with a couple light coats of TS-17 Gloss aluminum. Each coat of each color was allowed to dry before putting on the next layer. The hubs were textured with, you guessed it, Faux Fabrix. The rear differential was given a sand cast look with the same method…

That just looks so "period correct" to me. Great execution!

Here are some more parts I used SMS Faux Fabrix on for texturing. "It's not just for seats anymore!" The rear bulkhead received several very wet coats, (let dry between coats), to replicate the rubberized spray coating/insulation. (Keeps, stone chips from damaging the C/F too.) The transmission took a light coating for a fine sand-cast look, and the front of the engine/head got a matching amount as was applied to the block. Here’s the finished rear bulkhead installed in the frame. The rivets are raised on the floor and rear panels. I lightly sanded them to allow the aluminum to show through the decal with some 1000 grit sandpaper. SMS 1/12 Hi Def C/F on the “interior†side. Stay tuned...

Very Nice. I like the "exploded" side best...

The frame was cleaned up like normal and painted semi flat black. The floor panels are covered with SMS Kevlar #1312 decal. Really no secret trick to it, just a little patience, and a little decal solvent around the edges and rivets. Let the decal dry for about 20 minutes before working it to conform with solvent. Keeps it from sliding around. And let each side dry completely when decalling boths sides of something. That's hours, or overnight... Or even a couple days... The steering rack cross member was textured to look sand cast with the Faux Fabrix... Gettin' a little louder to go with those seats...

Wow! Super neat stuff! I Really like the Road Runner... - Mark

Like any new project, the participation level is high at the beginning, that holds true here too… Testors Black Chrome Trim makes a good look for vinyl seat covers. The seat inserts were brush painted with Tamiya acrylic JN Grey, the brush strokes were left intentionally to make the pattern look more like an animal hide. SMS Giraffe pattern decals were applied. Mr. Mark Softer (decal solvent) and a good decaling brush made it an easy task. Tamiya Clear Yellow was airbrushed in different random densities and streaks, again to make it look more like a natural animal hide. I used an Iwata airbrush and was pleased the spray pattern was so fine I did not even have to mask off the black. The seats were finished by spraying them with a 50/50 mix of Testors Glosscote and Dullcote lacquers.