Scale-Master

The head is just a press fit onto the body since the “neck” had been crimped from the hemostat I used to hold it during painting.

Thanks Chris. It is a very fun little kit, I wholly encourage you to build one. I can only imagine what one detailed up by you would look like. I couldn’t get the figure to fit while keeping the steering wheel straight and the shoes touching the pedals, so I went for making the steering wheel straight.

The kit provided decals for the stripes on the shoes.

I used a light gray for the backs of the gloves and soles of the shoes.

Thanks Ed. The helmet is ready to go.

I made decals for the stripes and chest.

The body was sprayed satin black and given a wash of medium gray.

After a clear coat the “face” and flat black trim was added. I painted the visor clear blue then smoke to create the tint.

The helmet is also molded in clear. I shot it yellow and applied the kit decals. Again (like the tire lettering) they did not back the decals in white, but at least going over a light color they were somewhat usable. Unfortunately both the black and the green stripes were too short and missing the white outlines as shown on the box top. I touched up the gap in the black and mixed a reasonable facsimile for the green and hand painted the whole stripe since I could not match the color due to its translucency.

Yeah, and it isn't as if I don't have enough other long term or relatively big projects going already. This is a fun little side project. I think if I were to do one with more detail I might go for something in 1/12, even if I have to make most of it without an kit parts.

I started assembling the driver figure and positioned his left arm so the steering wheel was straight and let the cement dry. Then I did the same with his right arm.

The wheels were a very tight fit onto the axle and I didn’t think they would seat all the way on so I opened up the holes in the rear wheels with a drill bit by hand so they would slide on. I still need to put the steering wheel on it, but that will wait until I get more work done on the figure.

The exhaust pipe has been installed.

The rear axle, brake rotor, chain and sprockets are on it as well as the number plates. The decals were resistant to solvent and surprisingly took a good half hour to get them settled down.

My wife rode and I cycles before met. Now she doesn't like the safety odds (or how we don't heal as quickly), so no more for me. The times we've played with karts she was very competitive.

Thanks Carl, I like to enjoy what I'm working on... The engine and seat were mounted to the frame. I am noticing more and more that the kit is a bit simplistic and lacking in some details. While it would make for a much better piece if it were detailed more, I’m too far in to address most of what is missing. I’ll definitely just build it OOB as originally planned.

The steering linkage was hand painted per the instructions color call-outs. Then the skid plate and fuel cell were installed. Pedals, front bumper and steering column were next. So far it is a nice fitting little kit.

This one is being built straight from the box. Well, except apparently for the decals. The engine is made up of two main pieces; the crankcase and the head.

I've never seen one built either... The tires were not true, especially the fronts. But the center holes for the rims were uniform. I reshaped and trued them on the lathe using the rim holes as the mounting points. I was disappointed that the nicely printed Dunlop tire side wall lettering was not backed in white so they were useless over black tires. Fortunately I had a set of yellow Dunlop decals I already made for a Hot Wheels project handy, and they were only a tiny bit undersized compared to the kit ones. Better than nothing…

This is a Fujimi kit of Aryton Senna’s cart (according to the box) circa 1981. It is 1/20 scale probably to go with other 1/20 scale F1 models. (Sure would be nice if it were 1/12…) The kit apparently was molded to allow for other versions including one with some fairings. Instructions show to cut off the mounting pins from the frame... Well, most of them, as I found out after painting… (Nothing that wasn’t easily touched up.) I added the three seat supports to the frame before shooting it with Tamiya Bright Red.

What's GSL XXV?

As a top coat it can crack when the paint it is applied over expands or contracts. When applying another clear or paint over it all bets are off, but acrylics seem to be the least likely to crack.

This is probably not actual C/F but a vinyl-like product similar to Di-Noc.

Not odd at all.

If you are having what you think is bleed through, it is most likely improper paint or primer application (including possibly not full coverage). I've seen paint sanded/polished through blamed as plastic dye bleed through, as well as when paint pulls away from a door line, or doesn't cover a fender peak. If it was red dye bleeding through is it likely it would be pink, not red? Especially under gray primer? BTW, yellow plastic does not bleed through either even though I have seen it blamed for problems. Also, opacity and translucency has a place regarding the old tale too. The comment about using silver is a good way to block light that could create an illusion of dye bleed. I prefer to use silver on the inside of a body to limit paint build up, especially when applying primer as a base.