1:12 1969 Camaro Z/28 as seen in the August '69 issue of Car Life.

[swede70]

Greetings,

Picking up matters again and reflecting the availability of spares for the purchase of a second kit, some updated work is here on view.  Nothing terrible daring in total, although consistent it is with what has been done to date. 

Here is a seen an enlarged photo image of a '69 fiberglass Heavy Duty cross ram fresh air hood which is employed to generate a tracing of what I need to create from scratch.  No factory ductwork is provided beneath the ZL2/Super Scoop fresh air hood Revellogram provides as per stock, whereas I've sanded off the cast-in steel hood brace work and like-reproduced insulation to start off matters.   

Given I enlarged the Guinn 'Untold Secrets' image about 190% and created five copies to cut same-shaped elements for my duct work, here can be seen the first large element resting in place.  'L' section Plastruct, etc. will be employed to flesh out what can be made out here.  

A terrible photo image this, but all I could capture when I last attempted to gather such.  Here a second set of valve covers have been put to use to the extent that the oil fill cap and PCV port/connection were sanded off to exist as separate pieces which I anticipate casting and vacuum chroming.  Less chance of mess for so-dividing everything, whereas the air cleaner lid will also be cast - mainly to eliminate the mold fill points unfortunately sited along the perimeter of the lip of the lid.  Touching in my cut points with silver paint didn't seem good enough, hence a revision of matters here.  Finally, a larger 'Day Two' Purolater air filter element that is taller in section will be done up with a pair of cloned filters and round out what will be attempted here.  Thanks for skimming this update.

Mike K.  

Edited January 23, 2016 by swede70

[DumpyDan]

This is coming along great, looking great

[vintagercr]

Great detail

[swede70]

Greetings,

Long forgotten, for some material sourcing a bit of attention is paid to this build.  I'd wanted to find 1:1  vinyl interior restoration spray paint in the appropriate '69 yellow hue and eventually found what was needed from a first generation Camaro specialist known as Heartbeat City.  About $30 a can, but it's definitively the right stuff and covers well.  I did this quick on a spare panel simply to determine if I could trust the stuff...  

Also sourced was license plate artwork done a computer and printed onto paper.  It doesn't sound like much, although I really doubt I could have afforded myself the results achieved by Michael Hanson at Best Model Car Parts who was very flexible and accommodating consistent with turning out what was needed.  Notice all  the font is right, while all the associated peculiarities of a press pool car/manufacturers plate of the period were accurately captured.  Nice stuff most certainly...

...likely the best front licence plate view from M. Lamm's The Great Camaro.

...what was sent me by Michael Hanson and very nice indeed.

And lastly, having two front bumpers in hand, it was my opinion that the Endura bumper ends seemed a touch taller as contrasted to the chromed iteration, while the slightly rounded corner contour along the top back ends wear the stamping blends into the front panel work needed subtle reshaping to capture more or less accurately.  Not a complete success, but seen below is what I came up with.  Thanks...

Mike K./Swede70

Edited April 23, 2021 by swede70

[swede70]

Greetings,

Planned long ago but needless to say delayed for execution, these would be some tire modification images consistent with coming up with a stock appearance. The wafer-thin Corvette tires seemed salvageable in terms of tread detail, but less beguiling given how thin the section is.  Also, the raised presumed redline or goldline sidewall detail needed to go, while anything that I might do to improve the fit or tweak in terms of the rims used was something started when this project was current.  A brief run through then...

         

Just indicative of what's sought, with reference to the sidewall profile and tread width...

...seen above is the initial tire mold needed to capture most of the tread as well as the best sidewall detail.  

...the tread 'crown' on the 1:12th kit tire is pushed back a bit, a factor that will help to disguise the fact that I've combined two castings to effectively widen my scale vehicular footwear.  Tamiya black panel line wash was used on the trim cap faces, while very delicate Tamiya cotton swabs were used to clean excess paint hand applied to the fluting on the sides.  

...both the stock wheel 'face' as well as wheel back has been carefully countersunk and centered, this usually a problem with regards to ensuring the hollow vinyl tires look appropriate when otherwise employed.

...while waiting quietly in the wings, these would be my most current multi-piece wheels with separately rendered trim caps and rings.  Note the small gap existing between the trim ring bases and the center stamping, while the trim caps now ride a bit 'proud' too.  Thanks for your review of this post.

Mike K./Swede70 

Edited May 16, 2021 by swede70

[swede70]

...while if it would be of any interest, what follows is a review of a paint mask worked up to accurately apply 1:1 restoration spray paint to the stamp steel wheels even as the as-delivered kit pieces have the trim caps and rings cast in place.  A COX 'Big Bertha' model rocket nose cone was cut apart to come up with the shapes needed, while the rest is mostly made up of thin painter's plastic sheet, tape, and some plastic for a dust-free masking frame.  It's reliable as can be witnessed further up this thread, and not terrifically expensive to make.  The 'Big Bertha' kit (less solid propellant engine) was had for a heady $7.99...

Top of same with some small brass rods to hold the center trim cap mask firmly in place.

...as viewed from the bottom.  The nose cone has a rounded base that was trimmed to come up with the extra and unexpected shape to accommodate the raised profile of the wheel trim cap.  

While no glue is used to secure the mask in place even as a small frame was worked up to hold the plastic sheet evenly across the face of the set up.  Low-tech then, and reliable for operation.  Thanks...

Mike K./Swede70

Edited May 16, 2021 by swede70

[swede70]

Greetings...

For still further hacking and sanding the tire project comes closer to final as witnessed in these mock up photos.  The raised sidewall red or goldline ridge (intended then on the earlier Corvette tool) was laboriously scrubbed out, while note that the intended width of the revised tire is coming into focus.  

The mockup for ride height and track could scarcely be less sophisticated (too low, and a bit wide on each score), but otherwise fairly decent.  Thanks for your review of this post.

Mike K./Swede70

Edited May 17, 2021 by swede70

[Snake45]

14 hours ago, swede70 said:

The wafer-thin Corvette tires...

I believe the root problem is that these tires were designed and tooled up for the '57 Bel Air, the first kit in this series, and while they're appropriate for a stock '57 Chevy, they look completely out of place on a '67 Vette or a '69 Camaro. I have all three of these kits, but the lack of suitable tires has kept me from building them for, what, 30 or so years now. 

I applaud your efforts to remedy this problem. Drive on! 

[swede70]

Thanks for your interest...

I'm not versed concerning the small range of American-tooled and produced 1:12th kits done to this time, although I do have some pie crust sidewall tires that I half-imagined were 1957 Chevrolet issue.  Helpful was the purchase at an area toy show of a bag of all the 1:12th wheels and tires someone had ever purchased and had done little with (o.k. - like I should talk!), while some '57 Chevrolet full wheel covers were included inside the same.  No Japanese stuff, although I doubt the Otaki range would strictly have offered up anything spot-on for what I needed.  The same can be said for the current (at least when this message was posted) Shapeways 3D-printed range which trends towards Pro Street and super low profile stuff not strictly desired from this quarter.  Thanks...

Mike K./Swede70

[Deuces ll]

8 hours ago, Snake45 said:

I believe the root problem is that these tires were designed and tooled up for the '57 Bel Air, the first kit in this series, and while they're appropriate for a stock '57 Chevy, they look completely out of place on a '67 Vette or a '69 Camaro. I have all three of these kits, but the lack of suitable tires has kept me from building them for, what, 30 or so years now. 

I applaud your efforts to remedy this problem. Drive on! 

I'm in the same boat.... Those kit tires stink!....?

[Jordan White]

2 hours ago, Deuces ll said:

I'm in the same boat.... Those kit tires stink!....?

On the other hand, the Goodyear radials are some great tires! It’s just too bad they only made them 14” and not 15”!

[Mattilacken]

Incredible legths you go through to get the desired results! I realy admire this and apriciate how much effort you put in to it! Great work, keep it up! Beautifully executed by the way!

[swede70]

Thanks everyone for the input and enthusiasm both...

I was shopping for Smooth-On tire resin options earlier today as this was posted, while as an alternate approach I'd never used Tamiya's TS-82 Rubber Black aerosol to contemplate the qualities of such.  If all fails on the scale rubber/flexible material front, then I could just do four pairs of suitably filed and shaped halves to come up with what is witnessed below.  I'll likely mark off small sections of what's seen to apply various clear coats, but also for applying/trying diluted Armor All, Vinylex, and any other products or combinations that come to mind.  

Note that the tire half seen is the first example pulled from the urethane mold seen higher up on this thread and was filled with the usual junk, covered with mold release, etc.  I also hadn't sanded off the raised sidewall line or filed away any material from within, although most will agree the paint is pretty good stuff as would be expected of Tamiya and all they do.  Thanks...

Mike K./Swede70