James W

Looks like a job for the chrome platers. Foil would never conform to the front fenders.

I didn't think hobbies had rules.

Hundreds of unbuilt kits tell me I've got the disease.

This looks just like the underside of my unrestored 55 Chev. You've nailed this!

Eero, that's a good looking bug. Thanks for posting it, I don't mind at all. Could you expand on your weld bead technique?

Right On!!!

Found this on the web and want to build one. Jairus says Art Anderson was working on a master of the axles. Anybody seen this type axle in 1:24?

Thanks; Chris, Christian and Jerry. I may have to research and build this one. (My niece says I cant resell it) Maybe I'll make it look like a production version in street trim, 427 tri-power and rallye wheels, or a dirt tracker like my Lincoln Futura

My niece found and bought this kit for me (78-3709-202) and at first I thought it was just a custom Vette. Then I saw that it looked like the Mako Shark. How accurate is this kit. Could a good replica be built from this?

Thank you James for doing this selfless thing for your country. I know you have said there were personal benefits to gain from this, but there is also self sacrifice and I applaud you for that descision. All the best in your new career

In 85, I was going to school when I found both these kits at a discount store. I put all the parts to build a stock 68 in one box and built the 69 about a year later. That 68 is still waiting for me on my shelf.

Wow, I was a little shocked to see this come back up. I have not worked on it in a while, I get busy in the summers and this just got put on a shelf last year. On the other hand it's still on the shelf and not in a box. Spyder, as for feasible design confidence, I have a vast knowledge of things mechanical stemming from hours spent drawing on 'Pee-Chee's in study hall. And a subscription to Hot Rod dating back to 1979. The engine is pure fiction, I offset the blocks so that each pair of rods could share a crank journal, but I think it would take some major reworking to engineer such an engine. The suspension in the rear is a little more realistic consisting of outer hubs tied to the frame by a strut at the front and the spring at the back. Also the axle provides the third leg of the stool. The front suspension is just a four link set-up with leaf springs providing two of the four. The model was ment to push the envelope and be visually shocking, yet in the back of the mind, possible.

Nice clean build and very convincing photos. The color looks great.

Thanks for posting those, it's always important to have good reference pictures.

Good first effort and subject matter is excellent for a first go. One tip I would give is to use some rust that is dead flat or apply a flat clear after the rust wash. It could be applied over the rust wash on this model or on your next build if you consider this one to be done. Sometimes when a wash is created it leaves a semigloss finish because the solvent dries slowly. I hope you enjoyed building this and your results because then you will want to do more!

A few More Examples.

When I started entering contests, I built for them. I made sure my models were not just pretty on a shelf but could be picked up and looked at without stuff falling off. The moment your model leaves the workbench it is at risk. If you think you can display a model at a show hundreds of miles away from home with hundreds of people in attendence and not be at risk... I always get scared of models on display bases being hit by arms and hands going for the other cars on the table.

Here are some WIP pictures where I created weld seams under the foil. In this picture are two different features. First the triangular patch on the C pillar is .005 inch sheet that was glued down, than the edges were feathered with a file. This is a patch that has been welded in then dressed with a grinder by the bodyman. Second are the slits cut into the roof in the following manner. 1st cut with a #11,2nd cut deeper with a razor saw, 3rd opened with a small triangle shaped file. These will be undressed weld seams. After the cuts are opened, .015x.020 strip styrene was glued in. This was the smallest I had on hand. When the strips were softened by the liquid cement, I used a sharp tool to push the strip into the groove to simulate the weld beads. Note the lower strip has bunched up and needs to be trimmed away because the strip stretches out as it is worked along the groove. Here the welds are near complete. You can see around the welded areas the file work I mentioned in Part 1 After the foil was applied, I painted over it with Red Oxide primer followed by medium blue paint. The paint was then stripped with lacquer thinner and brake fluid on Q-tips and brushes to carefully reveal the welds. Some powered sanding also shows. Black ink was washed on and a little added to the seams to give the illusion of heat discoloration. The finished model after I added some painted on rust to the bare metal areas, and also some black primer. My first attempt to foil this model showed more unpainted areas. One thing I tried to do was to disguise the edges of the foil by not leaving straight lines at the edges. But you can even see the layers of foil on top of itself.(between the welds) Sanding can be done to fill the edge of the foil under the paint. The bare foil areas can also be discolored with ink and paint to make the seams in the foil look natural to the sheetmetal. With more time on another project I think I can make this method work better. Another idea in the works, trim holes were first drilled then refilled. When the foil goes on there will be small imperfections that can be discolored with ink. I like to use ink for this because is washes up with alcohol and leaves behind a variety of shades. Paint could work as well. I often paint a car with oils then weather it with water based colors so that the original finsh is not altered. Thanks for looking. Please feel free to ask if you don't follow my ramblings.

Thanks for the comments, I will be adding more tomorrow. Matthew C, I would be honored if you use this technique yourself. That is why it's here. I tried metalizers and it came out looking like paint. lowriderphil, I'm almost out of 'chrome' and will be going to matte aluminum very soon. diymirage, I think you will like tomorrow's additions. Jairus, you're not helping me sell this thing!!! I will be happy to answer any questions and give ANY help I can.

For several years I've been using Bare Metal Foil on models to simulate sheetmetal that has been stripped of paint. It's a straight forward process, but there are some techniques I've found that can make the finished product more believable. First a basic how-to, then in subsequent posts I will add more details. A fresh Mopar quarter panel will play guinea pig. I primed it so I could see my progress, but you would not have to prime first. Using a file and 600 grit paper I roughed up the surface. This is subjective depending on the condition of the car you want to replicate. I also used a ball end cutter in my motor tool to thin the panel to make waves in the panel. The primer really helps me see how thin the plastic is getting as it turns dark just before breakthrough. Here is the panel after the foil has gone on. Not very convincing. You can see a few blemishes in the surface around the fender. My 1:25 angle grinder. Some plastic tube with a piece of 1200 grit paper glued on the end that I chuck into the motor tool. Also shown, when I work with BMF I use a feltpen on the back of my #11 blade so I can better see the tip against the foil. Working at slow to medium speed on the motor tool I try to replicate the same patterns that would be used on a full size project. You may have to replace the sandpaper frequently as it fills with metal, and be careful not to burn through the foil. Back to painting, I prime right over the foil to hide the edges. I used a spray can then removed excess paint with some brake fluid on a Q-tip. To subtle for my photography skill, I then wash over the foil with black india ink. It dulls the shine and fills in the deep scratches in the foil caused by the file and paper. It also give an uneven tone to the metal. Please comment and ask if you have any questions. I will be posting part 2 soon to show more advanced techniques.

That is also my favorite for cast aluminum, but I have been unable to find it lately. Thanks to your link, I will look for the new label.

noname, I applaud you for standing up for what you believe. Give my regards to your brother Anon

The rear suspension; you could cut the springs shorter to lower the truck, then cut the axle from the trailing arms and put a spacer between to lower it more. The front suspension; cut the pins that hold the wheels and re-attach them in a higher position simulating a dropped spindle. You might have to drill a hole and put a new longer pin in, made from sprue, for stregnth. Hope this helps

When someone buys a resin body to go with a donor kit the body is not a dirrect copy of the one in the kit. Resin bodies are either a modified kit body like a 2 door hardtop into a four door wagon, or a body that is hard to find like Porky was talking about. Resins are easier to create than an injection molded kit so if someone modified a body, they can make copies of it and sell them to other builders who can trade some cash for the work they would have to do to make the same thing. A complete resin kit probably makes sense to you, but these 'trans-kits' just allow more options to the builder

When I put chains on my Magnum last year, there was no place it could not go. So flatland police departments should have no trouble with a good set of studded snow tires. The traction control is a little hard on brake pads however.