Scale-Master

Back to the frame... The upper frame and firewall assembly is done. This one assembly usually takes a lot more time than one would think, while it did go quicker than my earlier ones, still this time was no exception, at least it is well engineered by Tamiya. The master cylinder now has its custom made Scale-Master decals on it. The foot/pedal box cover and the heater box were covered with SMS HiDef C/F. I machined a couple fittings for the heater hoses.

I finally have some of the (nearly) finished body parts to show... Like most models, I prepped the body parts and painted the base color very early in the build. The nose is painted (Tamiya Orange TS-12) and has “lipstick†applied in the form of SMS CF decals. Maybe a dozen individual pieces of decal. I used the Hi Def pattern and clear coated it with two part automotive urethane clear. Once the clear was dry, SMS #1012 C/F was applied to the interior of the nose. I started with one large piece and worked my way out with smaller tailor cut pieces. It took about two or three days of putting a few pieces of decal on, saturating them with Mr. Mark Softer and letting them dry in the window. Not a tough job, just one that takes a while, mostly waiting.

The engine assembly is in the frame and the header has been heat stained with Tamiya Clear Blue, Red and Orange. I used the lacquer paints, decanted and airbrushed with a Tamiya/Iwata airbrush.

The cam cover is done except for a decal I still have to make for the machined aluminum oil cap. Tamiya Clear Red was sprayed over silver for the color, the Ford emblems were BMF’d and the detail painted with Tamiya Transparent Blue. SMS PE bolt heads from sheet #8117 round out the detailing.

The transmission is mated to the engine and is ready to be installed into the frame…

The kit alternator… The new fan and underdrive pulley I machined for it, (this is the back side). I sawed the fan off the kit part with a PE saw and replaced it with my aluminum assembly.

Trade ya for that Seven. You know you won't build it....

A Fram PH13 filter and some plumbing… (You can also see the data plate on the distributor.) Still plenty more work to go…

That is a very fair price. This one came directly from Tamiya and cost more than that. But not too much more... The engine’s oil pump and distributor are installed. I added some boots to the wires with some left over tubing. Another part that will virtually disappear from sight once the car is done. Oh well, like that ever stopped me from detailing a part... The wires are from my stash instead of the kit supplied ones. Still need to finish the oil filter and do some plumbing…

The battery was sprayed satin/flat white… The "body" was masked off and the top was shot black and the details were picked out by hand… And it’s a roller! At least for now… I put the wheels on it to protect the bottom of the chassis from getting chipped or scratched during assembly. One extra precaution I'm taking due to the use of decals instead of paint for the majority of the body.

Dive in, and try to be safe, common sense goes a long way. The Home Machinists Handbook is a great guide. I know Sherline sells it. I buy my aluminum from my local metal supply outlet, check your yellow pages. Or surf the 'net. And I always have my eye open for scraps and left overs. What some people throw out from "real" projects can have tons of "model" parts in them.

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!