1968 Plymouth Roadrunner COMPLETE 2-19-2017

[426-Hemi]

I stand corrected again  Nice RR BTW

Its ok Dave! I knew what that strip was for..... I have seen cars however that had the rubber strip on the brace, in some cases, and then on other cars the brace was there, but not rubber seal in-place so..... it could be done both ways!

[geetee66]

Blimey!

So much work has gone into this. It's fantastic!

[426-Hemi]

Blimey!

So much work has gone into this. It's fantastic!

Thanks Geetee66! Much appreciated! Yeah I have put a lot into this one and its got even more to go before its done! LOL The kudo's are very appreciated! Thanks!

[426-Hemi]

So in my last updating of this build, I got to add some more details under the hood, (NEW Wiper motor) and some other small things like the "Beep, Beep" horn, as well as wiring it in, and then a steering shaft, I also had the grille black shadowing done, and was working on the hood. The underside of the hood needed some attention, as well as some detailing painting to it. So with that, thats where I'll begin....
I took the hood and being a "Stock" kinda guy, I wanted the Roadrunner to have its under-hood insulation for vibration and sound as well as heat. (MOST Roadrunners this was either not ordered with the car, OR had been removed from the car (to lighten the car for racing), or in some cases later in years fell out and was never replaced. Anyway, in either of those scenarios, I choose to add it, like the car should have had from new, BUT could be ordered without, OR simply put, My car was the "basic" Family Guy cheap "muscle car".... SO then I added this to the underside of the car!

In that pic you'll see that I semi-filled in that recess for the hood to be cut for a hole and engine parts to come through, OR a BIG center mounted hood scoop to be placed! I filled that recess in and painted to what it matched to be on the hood, to attempt to hide it. Not as good as it could be, but being as far a long in the build and work on the hood that I was, I wasn't going back and literally "FILL IN" that areas with putty, or glue and baking soda, SO I just made a "band" filler pressed into place and CA glued along its edges! Once dry, painted to match the mating surfaces it touches.


Seen in the last pic is that sealer strip that on the 1:1 would "seal" the engine compartment to the top of the Radiator Core Support, painted flat black, to look like a rubber seal! For what it is, (I'm not exactly 100% happy with the recess job, BUT I can live with it how it is! SO, I'm good and this is how its gonna stay! (I AM NOT, however adding the "Ramcharger", for lack of that same things name by Plymouth) As my Roadrunner got the 383 4 barrel and NOT the Hemi, and besides the '68's the "Power Bulges" on the hood did NOT "operate" and would not till I believe 1969, till they were replaced in late year refinements to the "Air Grabber" seen mostly on the 1970 Roadrunner!
Stay tuned, more to follow!

Edited January 25, 2017 by 426-Hemi
typing

[426-Hemi]

More thats been done, not thats been "A LOT" but a little is always better then nothing at all, this model is really close to being completed. Sadly, in the end of any build (I have found) its always a lot of little things, little "added" things, light lens, license plate decals, etc. -All while the body is getting finished up (Yep I'm waiting for Clear Gloss Lacquer to dry!) So doing as much as I can, to get the parts ready to be put onto it, when it is finally "done" with the finish on the body! SO, with that I got to choosing what License plate the car would get, (The kit comes with 4 choices) and the "Hemi" one is not going on this car (I have a better car for that one!) besides the car doesn't even have a Hemi in it! But there were 3 others to choose from and with that, I picked the "1968" one with the red heart.... Figured this one, thats a pretty good plate for it.
Sadly, I found "test fitting" or well "dry fitting" the plate, on the back was "OK" but the front one, well there was no real way to put it, as a "decal" and that lead me to make my own license plate "backing plates" to add the decal too.... Just thin .020 of an inch thick sheet styrene cut to fit the decal and fitted to fit the location. (the front area is more narrow side-to-side then the rear bumper area is! SO to have to be careful on its assembly and all with that. So there is a "front" and a "rear" plate once on the backing plates! And me being, well me, I can't just cut the decal out out and white glue it to the bumpers, they have to become literal parts of the car, (I don't like parts falling off my models over time even being protected!)

The license plates look really good! I'm pleased with how that all turned out! 

Then I've went and gone to painting in the Turn Signals in the front bumper. That looks great over the chrome! This little extra looks great too! -I will be taking a soft Q-Tip to lightly polish the chrome once the bumpers are on the car! I left a few finger prints on it, NOTY paint, and not glue.... So should easily wipe off.
Then, the last thing I worked on was the tail lights! They needed a little work, and still need a little bit. BUT I got the taillight red painted over the Chrome, as well as the flat black shadowing it needed!  

I have a little more to "clean-up" on it as the flat black needs to have a little removed from the chrome trim lip between the red lens and the black shadowing. I see some more black that needs removed! But, it looks good for what more needs done! 
Thats all I've gotten done on this kit, (I'm getting ready) to begin painting the gloss clear coat on the Hood! Stay tuned for those following along this build, I'll be posting pics of the body as soon soon as I can "handle it" from being clear coated!
Thanks for following along! Comments always welcome & encouraged! ~ENJOY

[Quicksilver]

Thanks! BUT remember my car doesn't have the 426 Hemi in, its a '68 which would have not had the A12 440-6 Barrel that yours shows to have! Only the 383 4 Barrel "383 Roadrunner".... PLUS that hood on the '68 the "Power Bulges" were NOT "operational". Plymouth didn't make them operational till '69!, 1970 had the "Air Grabber" in the center of the hood that opened by vacuum off the engine and a switch on the lower edge of the dash, nearest the passenger's side of the car!

NOW My model you see here, is a "Semi-Basic" of the offering in '68. Basic engine being the standard "Roadrunner Engine" as the 383 4 barrel. -Just to be different, as the Hemi in models is WAY over used I think, when Mopar AKA "Chrysler" made MANY other really good engines! Not that I have anything against the Hemi, I LOVE the engine, but model-wise, just to make something "different" is nice too!

Then trim-wide The actual model does NOT come with that trim level, I opted to go "basic" without the chrome trim as the model had as that detail I just don't have so. I went with what I did have and again, I went "basic" "PLYMOUTH" & the "bird" with "Roadrunner" on a painted body color trunk lid.

I believe the B pillars on my model will be body color! As I opted for a low trim level!

Thanks tho for the pics! Those your real car? That B5 Blue for the body color? and with that, a '68 or '69? As there are some confusing seen things from one year to the other! -Whats the grille look like?

No those are pics from my archives, I have been in the MoPar musclecar 1/1 parts and restoration since 1970 and supply the industry with a number of parts. This is my 69 I have had since June of '78 from the original owner Numbers matching 383(440 in it now) 4 speed with the spring special option, R4 Spring Red with the white reflective sport stripes, N96 Air Grabber. 

The pic of the under hood shot if a 70 Hemi Bee, which is why there is a rubber boot in the duct on the drivers side to clear the master cly. I posted the 68 pics so people know what "Plymouth" emblem you were looking to use. On the A12 reference was meant to point out that the glass lift off hood did not have any rubber seals on it. While all 68 69 and 70 B Bodies did as shown with the 70 Hemi Bee Hood shot. On the 68's you are correct none were functional and the option satin black hood treatment actually came to a slight point in the center as it followed the raised line and angle of the leading edge of the scoops. 

[426-Hemi]

Thanks for all that I was kinda wondering on the Ramcharger and the Power Bulges for a bit there! The only thing I did not do, was bring the black center of the hood to a slight point in the front. The hood in this kit is merely flat, so I went withthat even tho I know on the real thing, the hood has a slight pitch to it running out to the left or right edges of the hood!

[PARTSMARTY]

That is amazing-I'm speechless !!!

[disabled modeler]

Very nice work John buddy....keep at it.

[426-Hemi]

That is amazing-I'm speechless !!!

Thanks Marty! Yeah a lot has gone into this build and being what this build is in my life of things, it has a little meaning behind it! So if you don't know, have a look at the first posting back on page one, that will tell you "why" it has the meaning to me that it does! 

With the kind words and judo's, Thank You! Its very much appreciated! -Part of what keeps all of us modelers going. and striving for furthering our own skills!

[426-Hemi]

Very nice work John buddy....keep at it.

Thanks Mark! Ohh believe me, this one is so close to done I can't stop on it, I wanna see it in a display case and having aid that, I can literally see the smoke coming off the rear tires as it heads to the display case base!  I'll be pleased to see yet one more "Completed".....

Thanks tho my friend, I'll have at least 3 done really close to each other as I'm working on 3 different models "Round Robin" style..... 1st one till it has to sit and dry, pick up the 2nd and do the same till it has to sit and dry, pick up the 3rd one and work till it has to sit and dry and then by that time the 1st one is dry and ready for more! So the 3 of them should be done within a day of each other!!!!! -I'll beat my own record of completing one model a year!

[disabled modeler]

LOL....  As a kid we used cotton balls to make tire smoke with....with some practice it looks decent. 

[Zoom]

I´m very impressed. Looks really nice!

[426-Hemi]

LOL....  As a kid we used cotton balls to make tire smoke with....with some practice it looks decent. 

-I've thought about trying that and having the "base" it sits on look as tho its at a stop light (S-T-O-P, Spin Tire On Pavement) Or the display base to look like one side of a race track! Haven't done it tho!

[426-Hemi]

I´m very impressed. Looks really nice!

Thanks Bo! Much appreciated!!!! I get into the details, or it gets into me I'm not sure which but as you can see I enjoy it! And comments on the build keep the esteem up to keep going! This one is ALMOST ready for foil!

[charly57]

Very impressive, congrats!  Question: how do you make those zip ties holding the brake lines to the chassis?

[426-Hemi]

Very impressive, congrats!  Question: how do you make those zip ties holding the brake lines to the chassis?

Charles, Thank you! Those "zip ties" aren't actually, thats a "hanger/mount" I make them with black wire (bead wire from Michaels Craft Stores) thats pre-blackened copper wire, I THINK its 28 gauge (I'll look to be sure) and I bend it with a sewing needle inserted into a pin vice backwards so that the eyelet is on the end to hold it and then put the wire through the eyelet as close to the end of the eyelet opening as possible to get the best "tightest" radius bend in the wire and then clip it off, making one end slightly longer then the other! (I probably ought to make a tutorial on how I do that!) But once they're made, I then drill holes into the frame floor where ever the mount is going ot be and then insert it, glue from the top side and let to dry, clipped off extra lengths on the "inside" of the frame (up top) and file smooth and then with a toothpick apply just a little more super glue to make sure the work "cleaning up" didn't remove all that was holding it originally. -Hope that makes sense! I'll be sure to post a link to the Tutorial when I do it! That way you'll be able to see just how I did it! I use the same technique for hanging exhaust pipes too! Just bent in a "U" with a different tool to make the radius bigger!

[charly57]

Great, many thanks John, really appreciated. I'll look forward to watching your tutorial. Keep on the fantastic work!

[StevenGuthmiller]

N

[StevenGuthmiller]

So in my last updating of this build, I got to add some more details under the hood, (NEW Wiper motor) and some other small things like the "Beep, Beep" horn, as well as wiring it in, and then a steering shaft, I also had the grille black shadowing done, and was working on the hood. The underside of the hood needed some attention, as well as some detailing painting to it. So with that, thats where I'll begin....
I took the hood and being a "Stock" kinda guy, I wanted the Roadrunner to have its under-hood insulation for vibration and sound as well as heat. (MOST Roadrunners this was either not ordered with the car, OR had been removed from the car (to lighten the car for racing), or in some cases later in years fell out and was never replaced. Anyway, in either of those scenarios, I choose to add it, like the car should have had from new, BUT could be ordered without, OR simply put, My car was the "basic" Family Guy cheap "muscle car".... SO then I added this to the underside of the car!

In that pic you'll see that I semi-filled in that recess for the hood to be cut for a hole and engine parts to come through, OR a BIG center mounted hood scoop to be placed! I filled that recess in and painted to what it matched to be on the hood, to attempt to hide it. Not as good as it could be, but being as far a long in the build and work on the hood that I was, I wasn't going back and literally "FILL IN" that areas with putty, or glue and baking soda, SO I just made a "band" filler pressed into place and CA glued along its edges! Once dry, painted to match the mating surfaces it touches.
Seen in the last pic is that sealer strip that on the 1:1 would "seal" the engine compartment to the top of the Radiator Core Support, painted flat black, to look like a rubber seal! For what it is, (I'm not exactly 100% happy with the recess job, BUT I can live with it how it is! SO, I'm good and this is how its gonna stay! (I AM NOT, however adding the "Ramcharger", for lack of that same things name by Plymouth) As my Roadrunner got the 383 4 barrel and NOT the Hemi, and besides the '68's the "Power Bulges" on the hood did NOT "operate" and would not till I believe 1969, till they were replaced in late year refinements to the "Air Grabber" seen mostly on the 1970 Roadrunner!
Stay tuned, more to follow!

Nice work John!

Here's something you might want to try just for kicks.

I've been using embossing powder to replicate the hood insulation on my builds lately.

It looks pretty good & it's not at all difficult to do.

Just mask off the body color areas, brush on some Elmers or whatever kind of adhesive you would like, & sprinkle it on.

I used to do all of my builds with just flat black paint, but I picked up this tip somewhere & thought I'd try it out.

I like the look.

Flocking would probably work well also.

 

Steve

 

[gtx6970]

So in my last updating of this build, I got to add some more details under the hood, (NEW Wiper motor) and some other small things like the "Beep, Beep" horn, as well as wiring it in, and then a steering shaft, I also had the grille black shadowing done, and was working on the hood. The underside of the hood needed some attention, as well as some detailing painting to it. So with that, thats where I'll begin....
I took the hood and being a "Stock" kinda guy, I wanted the Roadrunner to have its under-hood insulation for vibration and sound as well as heat. (MOST Roadrunners this was either not ordered with the car, OR had been removed from the car (to lighten the car for racing), or in some cases later in years fell out and was never replaced. Anyway, in either of those scenarios, I choose to add it, like the car should have had from new, BUT could be ordered without, OR simply put, My car was the "basic" Family Guy cheap "muscle car".... SO then I added this to the underside of the car!

In that pic you'll see that I semi-filled in that recess for the hood to be cut for a hole and engine parts to come through, OR a BIG center mounted hood scoop to be placed! I filled that recess in and painted to what it matched to be on the hood, to attempt to hide it. Not as good as it could be, but being as far a long in the build and work on the hood that I was, I wasn't going back and literally "FILL IN" that areas with putty, or glue and baking soda, SO I just made a "band" filler pressed into place and CA glued along its edges! Once dry, painted to match the mating surfaces it touches.


Seen in the last pic is that sealer strip that on the 1:1 would "seal" the engine compartment to the top of the Radiator Core Support, painted flat black, to look like a rubber seal! For what it is, (I'm not exactly 100% happy with the recess job, BUT I can live with it how it is! SO, I'm good and this is how its gonna stay! (I AM NOT, however adding the "Ramcharger", for lack of that same things name by Plymouth) As my Roadrunner got the 383 4 barrel and NOT the Hemi, and besides the '68's the "Power Bulges" on the hood did NOT "operate" and would not till I believe 1969, till they were replaced in late year refinements to the "Air Grabber" seen mostly on the 1970 Roadrunner!
Stay tuned, more to follow!

no offense. But no mopar of this era ever had the hood unsulation do e this way. 

they way youve  sbown is a GM style

[426-Hemi]

no offense. But no mopar of this era ever had the hood unsulation do e this way. 

they way youve  sbown is a GM style

-Then you tell me WHY they make them to sell? See below!

http://www.moparmall.com/OE-Style-Molded-Hood-Insulation-Pad-for-1968-1969-p/827-035-_-825-336-x25.htm

[426-Hemi]

Nice work John!

Here's something you might want to try just for kicks.

I've been using embossing powder to replicate the hood insulation on my builds lately.

It looks pretty good & it's not at all difficult to do.

Just mask off the body color areas, brush on some Elmers or whatever kind of adhesive you would like, & sprinkle it on.

I used to do all of my builds with just flat black paint, but I picked up this tip somewhere & thought I'd try it out.

I like the look.

Flocking would probably work well also.

 

Steve

 

What exact color of Embossing Powder is that!? That does look good! -I use the Embossing Powder for my interior carpeting! -NICE tip!

[gtx6970]

-Then you tell me WHY they make them to sell? See below!

http://www.moparmall.com/OE-Style-Molded-Hood-Insulation-Pad-for-1968-1969-p/827-035-_-825-336-x25.htm

mopar hood pads are 1 piece. Your painted hood makes it look like its multiple pieces...aka no  body  color ribbing  shown

[Hunter_alexander]

Just read through the whole thread. Looking fantastic. Great work. I love the brake and fuel lines, and all the little detail work. Very inspirational.