Art Anderson Posted January 19, 2016 Posted January 19, 2016 (edited) Got a decent start on this kit! It's one that was an almost unanimous recommendation from those of us who were asked, by Moebius, to come up with a short list of model car subjects for their consideration, way back in the spring of 2008.I started with the 8-lug wheels, and as Bill "Mr. Obsessive" Geary has shown, the wheel rims can benefit from having their inner flanges thinned down a bit, which I did using my Sherline mill and a 1/8" square-nosed carbide cutter. A word of caution here: Do not thin these down too much, as the styrene is a bit brittle, especially with a sharply definded "corner" between the inside of the rim and the flange--I broke a flange completely out of its rim due to my making it a bit too thin--fortunately I have a set of final round test shots, which provided a replacement). The finned center of these wheels is actually the finned, cast aluminum brake drum, which was not polished, just left as dull aluminum castings at the factory. I painted mine with Tamiya TS-30 Silver Leaf dulled down with just a tiny bit of TS-29 Semi Gloss Black from Tamiya (both decanted from spray cans, and airbrushed on). The rims are TS-30 Silver Leaf over red oxide primer, with the lug nuts detailed using a Pilot brand bright metallic sliver .5mm artist's pen. I drilled a .020" hole into each plated beauty ring, and inserted a short bit of .020" brass rod which is painted black, for the valve stems. I simply press-fitted the beauty rings into the rims, seating them in place with my fingernails, no glue needed as they are a rather snug fit. Again, due their somewhat tight fit, care is suggested here, as the beauty rings are a bit fragile; pushing them in carelessly will break them!. After gluing the brake drums into the rims (be sure that the small round raised "indicators" showing between every 2nd and 3rd fin align with a lug nut "tab" for correct fit and appearance here.In this pic, the wheel on the left nearest the camera is as the parts are molded, the wheel in the background has a modified lug nut flange:http://images34.fotki.com/v1633/fileisKX/e6d27/4/43743/3168549/Venturawheelfinished.jpgAssembled and finished rim:http://images34.fotki.com/v1633/fileisKX/e6d27/4/43743/3168549/Venturawheelfinished.jpgAssembled chassis with wheels installed. Note that you can set the front wheels in a turned pose, as the kingpins are round, very precise fit into the A-arms.http://images60.fotki.com/v662/fileafyv/e6d27/4/43743/3168549/61Venturachassisrightside.jpgArt Edited January 24, 2016 by Art Anderson
chopper430 Posted January 19, 2016 Posted January 19, 2016 looking good so far art haven't started mine yet but soon.
MrObsessive Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 Wheels look great Art! Aren't those Pilot Pens neat? I've used them from time to time when you want a REALLY bright silver, but chrome or BMF won't do. Just don't clear over them as it can lose its brilliance.
Harry P. Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 Why not post the photos here directly instead of the links?
Custom Mike Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 I'm along for the ride Art, I just got mine last week, and once my shoulder allows it, I'm going to start slinging glue again with this beauty as my first build back!
Rob Hall Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 Why not post the photos here directly instead of the links?Good luck with that...I haven't been able to post here from Fotki.
Custom Mike Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) Since I've been sidelined, I haven't tried posting any pics for a while, and Rob's right, the "Img" option is missing from the reply tab....what happened?Art, I've got one question, does your front bumper have the big seam on the sides? Mine's going to need to be stripped, smoothed out, and re-chromed, That's the biggest problem I've seen on this kit so far, so I'm extremely happy with it. Edited January 20, 2016 by Custom Mike
Art Anderson Posted January 20, 2016 Author Posted January 20, 2016 Since I've been sidelined, I haven't tried posting any pics for a while, and Rob's right, the "Img" option is missing from the reply tab....what happened?Art, I've got one question, does your front bumper have the big seam on the sides? Mine's going to need to be stripped, smoothed out, and re-chromed, That's the biggest problem I've seen on this kit so far, so I'm extremely happy with it.That mold parting line was inevitable, due to the shapes of the bumper. Without having the mold come open in that area, you'd NEVER get the bumper out of the mold--due to the severe undercut due to the "wrapped" curved bumper ends at the wheel arch. Such parting lines happen virtually every time a bumper with that shape to the ends of it has to be molded in a model kit.Art
Mr. Metallic Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 Good luck with that...I haven't been able to post here from Fotki. I don't want to hijack this thread, so admin feel free to delete.I post from fotki all the time. In fotki, right click on the image, click copy. Then on this forum click in your message just like you type words and right click, then click paste.
StevenGuthmiller Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 I don't want to hijack this thread, so admin feel free to delete. I post from fotki all the time. In fotki, right click on the image, click copy. Then on this forum click in your message just like you type words and right click, then click paste. Exactly the same way I post from Photobucket. Easy as pie! Steve
John Goschke Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 Great start! Wheels in the chassis shot look outstanding.
Art Anderson Posted January 20, 2016 Author Posted January 20, 2016 Why not post the photos here directly instead of the links?I tried, but it wouldn't let me.
Chuck Kourouklis Posted January 20, 2016 Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) ART ANDERSON'S PICS: Just a straight copy of the image right into the reply window, Art. Thanks to you and Bill for the wheel tips, btw. Edited January 20, 2016 by Chuck Kourouklis
espo Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 Appreciate all of the insight on the '61 Ventura. This is my next build also so I'm along for the ride.
Custom Mike Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) That mold parting line was inevitable, due to the shapes of the bumper. Without having the mold come open in that area, you'd NEVER get the bumper out of the mold--due to the severe undercut due to the "wrapped" curved bumper ends at the wheel arch. Such parting lines happen virtually every time a bumper with that shape to the ends of it has to be molded in a model kit.ArtI kind of figured it was unavoidable, but you've got much more knowledge when it comes to things like that than I do. I just throw glue and paint at 'em and hope for the best!Craig, thanks for the tip, I tried it and it works great. Much different than before, but actually easier! Edited January 22, 2016 by Custom Mike
Art Anderson Posted January 24, 2016 Author Posted January 24, 2016 Engine is assembled, added a dip stick to it, mixed my own turquoise engine paint (turquoise was the color for Pontiac engines 1959-65) from several colors of Testors enamels). Test fitted into the rolling chassis.
RamJet327 Posted January 24, 2016 Posted January 24, 2016 Is anyone gonna tell him that 1961 Pontiac engines are Light Blue?
hedotwo Posted January 24, 2016 Posted January 24, 2016 I think you just did. But, knowing how the colors in pix posted here don't always show up correctly maybe his is closer to light blue than it looks in the pic.
RamJet327 Posted January 24, 2016 Posted January 24, 2016 Then the website must've changed his spelling of 'Light Blue' as well
StevenGuthmiller Posted January 24, 2016 Posted January 24, 2016 Is anyone gonna tell him that 1961 Pontiac engines are Light Blue? I don't know guys. According to a lot of photos I've seen, I think he hit it pretty close! Steve
hedotwo Posted January 24, 2016 Posted January 24, 2016 Exactly my point about colors not always appearing here as they are in person. Besides, my wife always says I'm colorblind so I'm definitely NOT the one to judge color. Engine color doesn't take away from a great build which this is heading towards.
Art Anderson Posted January 24, 2016 Author Posted January 24, 2016 Is anyone gonna tell him that 1961 Pontiac engines are Light Blue?Earl, Pontiac engines, from 1959 through 1965 were an aqua (or a light turquoise) color, which is what I replicated to the best of my ability, not having a paint chip to compare with--it can show up slightly different in artificial light, and on some computer monitors. Pontiac went to a light metallic blue for 1966-70, then a straight, non-metallic light blue after for a few years. Art
StevenGuthmiller Posted January 24, 2016 Posted January 24, 2016 I'm not exactly sure which colors were used which years for Pontiac motors, but the engine in my '69 Grand Prix was a light blue without any metallic in it. This photo is after the engine rebuild, but it is the original color. even in '69 they were a bit on the "aqua" side. I think you nailed it pretty close to the photo in my previous post Art. Steve
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