Gluhead

That looks nice. I've got a can of that color that I've been trying to figure out whether I like it or not. I guess I can say now...I do.

Thanks, guys. Jim, sounds like you've got the process down fine, just need a little more patience to take it where you want them. The only suggestions I can make is in the area of materials. I've done them with solder and heat shrink before, myself, and struggled with the finished piece. I used house wire on this set because that's what I had on hand aside from solder that was the right size...and got lucky that it worked out well. But I'll tell ya, that stuff was hard as nails to get the bends to flow! The aluminum armature wire I mentioned is more stable than the solder but much more workable than the copper. The aluminum was more tedious to work into shape than the heat shrink, but it allowed for far more finishing, and I think that's what made all the difference for me. Good luck with 'em, and show us how it goes.

Looks like it's coming together really well, Kenn. Overall shape in that last pic is lookin' great!

They're not too hard to make. I made these from residential wiring stripped down to the bare copper line. The collector is just a piece of aluminum tubing crimped down around the tubes. I'll be making another set for my '57 Ford here soon, but this time I'll be using aluminum armature wire that you can get at any good crafting store. The way I figure it, I'm going to have to alter any kit or resin headers to fit me specific application anyway, so why go through the hassle when I can just make them.The key is to have anything that can get in their way in place (temporarily) so I can see exactly how I need to route them. Drill holes into the heads, cut some flanges out, bend 'em up and crimp on the collector. Not much different than the process for making real ones. If nobody else offers up some good in progress pics before I get to my Ford, I'll be happy to take pics as I go and write up a little tute.

Great work, Mike. Way to stick with it and make it all fit. Sometimes I feel like I'm a scale me walking around my project with a scale BFH, other times a surgeon. lol. We do what we gotta do, right?!

I did try it at one point. My experience with it is limited, but I think if I were modeling large aluminum panels (like on an aircraft) it'd be the way to go. But for automotive trim...BMF is just wayyyy easier. I can't get BMF locally since moving back to my hometown from a real city. After searching around at length for the best price including shipping, I've gotten my last few sheets from Scale Dreams. Fast service, too.

Yep! I like that, too. And thanks for putting the engine back where it belongs!

I tried to get a pic of the Tamiya Pearl White, but my camera isn't capturing it very accurately. It's pretty nice, though...smooth, small mica pearl. Nice 'n bright not too creamy. Testors also has a clear pearl, but it's an enamel if I remember correctly. Both Tamiya and Testors synthetic lacquers shoot beautifully through an a/b, straight from decanting. I assume the enamels do as well, but I'm not speaking from experience there.

Yep...that's that half-baked engine grime, alright! Unfortunately, my 1:1 394 was much like that, only wetter.

That is sharp. Now get off my lawn! *click*

Another sweet smexy Ford, Túlio! Great color. You sure can pick'em.

Un-tub it and make it a salt flats car I was a very impressionable teenager when that car was built. At the time, it was the shizzle d'bizzle. Then again, so were hair bands. Thank the Gods my tastes matured quickly. I think I'd still build it as a salt racer. Actually, send it to me if you get stumped, and I will.

Yep...that'll work.

I'll be watching this one as well...and thanks for the how-to.

I've used RIT to tint windows before. It does work, with a little patience. Take Pat's warning about heat to heart, and give it a try on a scrap window. I hadn't thought of trying that, Joseph. I'll keep it in mind for the amber windows I want to do for my '57 Ford.

Very cool.

I'm right in the middle, near Mt. Pleasant. A mile in any direction and it looks a lot like your pics. That's great that you're already on it. I need to make another one, myself, but I've kept putting it off because there's no good backdrop shots to be had from my current yard to take advantage of it. I have a bunch of shots with the old one somewhere, but it was a couple computers ago now. Just this one left handy that happened to be on my fotki. I remember our grass being ridiculously green when I took this and it clashed a lot, so I just made it look old. Anyway, I look forward to seeing what ya come up with.

Looks ready to go to work. Great job. You've got a great location there for pictures for an old work beast like this, too...that was one thing that really stood out. May I suggest making a very simple slab of scale ground that matches the environment? Dirt driveway with a little grass along the edge that's about the same tone as yours along with a little strategic placement for forced perspective would take these shots from really good to fantastic.

Lookin' good, Walt.

Pretty convincing, Jim. You're right that the two wouldn't rust the same. Usually, the only cars that I see with that much scaling also have been undercoated at some point, so maybe check out some reference to that effect? I'm sure there's got to be a way you could add it with a combination of wash and some well-placed tissue to represent big chunks flaking off. Someone else mentioned that much rust there would be holes in the sheet metal. Think where water gets in as well as where it settles. A pop rivet patch job or two would be great. Can't wait to see the rest.

Ha! Love it...

How'd I miss this? Great stuff, Alyn.

Heh...that's pretty rad.

Very nice.