Another '66 Bug

[rbarlow1]

This is the first model I've built in around 15 years and first ever post on the forum - a '66 Beetle in Tamiya Coral Blue, car and color chosen by my 4-year old daughter. I got back into the hobby when my dad decided to take up the airbrush and I realized the possibilities. Got one myself, and am just now starting to figure things out. Attached some pictures - next thing to figure out is lighting

This one's well on the way to being finished, next project is a '62 Corvette, then maybe an exotic. I've learned a ton from folks on the forum already, much appreciated to all for so willingly sharing their expertise. 

Thanks for looking!

EDIT: got to get that extra flocking out of there! Can't see it in person, but the camera shows up little pieces everywhere!

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by rbarlow1

[bismarck]

Sharp looking bug man!!! Like the color.

[Richard McClelland]

Gorgeous, love the paint highlight!!!

 

[GeeBee]

Looking real nice, loving the paintwork ...

[Tom Geiger]

I love that Tamiya Coral Blue. I just did my '32 Ford roadster in the same color!

About flocking... never use flocking in your model area. I take the one piece I'm going to flock downstairs and flock it on the kitchen table over newspaper. Once done I fold up the newspaper and throw it away.  Even once it's dry and all stuck to the carpet area, little bits of it will travel via static electricity to the inside of your glass and other spots you don't want to see it on your finished model.  So once mine is dry, I give it a shot of hairspray to hold it in place.

 

[vintagercr]

Love the color and nice build

[Davewilly]

Great looking bug.  Paint looks great..smooth and nice and shinny!

[Davewilly]

Great looking bug.  Paint looks great..smooth and nice and shinny!

[Dann Tier]

Coming along great! welcome back to model building!

[rbarlow1]

Thanks so much all, been having a blast. Little girl "helps" by handing me Q-tips, toothpicks, while coloring at her desk.

Next project I'll try out the wiring and things you folks all do so well. I hadn't used bare metal foil, flocking, or even anything other than Testor's bottles before, so there have been some pretty serious bumps along the way as it is. I think this is the fourth paint job that's appeared on the body, and even figuring out how to get the tamiya lacquer off was quite the ordeal. 

Edited February 18, 2016 by rbarlow1

[rbarlow1]

I love that Tamiya Coral Blue. I just did my '32 Ford roadster in the same color!

About flocking... never use flocking in your model area. I take the one piece I'm going to flock downstairs and flock it on the kitchen table over newspaper. Once done I fold up the newspaper and throw it away.  Even once it's dry and all stuck to the carpet area, little bits of it will travel via static electricity to the inside of your glass and other spots you don't want to see it on your finished model.  So once mine is dry, I give it a shot of hairspray to hold it in place.

 

Thanks for the tip Tom - it sure does seem to be sneaky stuff. Hairspray sounds like a pretty great idea, I'll have to try that next time. I've definitely learned some things about the order in which to do different things on the model, seems I've found a new one. 

Edited February 18, 2016 by rbarlow1

[Roadrunner]

I may have to grab one of these kits yet. A friend had a Bug in high school, and we had such fun in that little car.

[rbarlow1]

I may have to grab one of these kits yet. A friend had a Bug in high school, and we had such fun in that little car.

It goes together great - my only complaint would be the fit of the windows, which do fit, but require some touchy work to hold in place and glue in without making a mess, but I've certainly enjoyed it. There's so much room for customization.

[Roadrunner]

I already have the Tamiya and Revell bugs on my Model Roundup wish list. I'll look forward to grabbing the Tamiya kit first, perhaps some time this year.

[Chillyb1]

Your daughter has excellent taste in both cars and colors: 

[rbarlow1]

Your daughter has excellent taste in both cars and colors: 

Ha! I came across your car a while ago, and I have to say that it's absolutely beautiful. I love the foil and fender beading - I'm not going to mess around with that this time around, it's been enough of a challenge to get the paint coming out flat as it is, I don't want to risk messing it up further on this go 'round. I'll have to show it to her. The coral blue just seems like a natural color for these things though, doesn't it? I was sure I was going to end up having to coax her away from the pink cans, and had a metallic purple recommendation at the ready, but she went straight for the coral blue. I'm guessing she recognized it as being similar to the bahama blue on the model box, but I'm not going to complain. 

Is the chrome on your windows chrome foil, alclad, or some other kind of foil? It looks more "muted" than what I've got, and I think I prefer it. I think I might try masking + alclad if I get one of these where the foil goes straight onto the window again - the glass gets very messy with the adhesive, and hasn't been a whole lot of fun to clean up. 

[Roadrunner]

Your paint looks killer too, Rob. Nice job.

[MrBuick]

That thing is beautiful. I'm normally not a big bug fan but this makes me want to build one.

[Chillyb1]

Ha! I came across your car a while ago, and I have to say that it's absolutely beautiful. I love the foil and fender beading - I'm not going to mess around with that this time around, it's been enough of a challenge to get the paint coming out flat as it is, I don't want to risk messing it up further on this go 'round. I'll have to show it to her. The coral blue just seems like a natural color for these things though, doesn't it? I was sure I was going to end up having to coax her away from the pink cans, and had a metallic purple recommendation at the ready, but she went straight for the coral blue. I'm guessing she recognized it as being similar to the bahama blue on the model box, but I'm not going to complain. 

Is the chrome on your windows chrome foil, alclad, or some other kind of foil? It looks more "muted" than what I've got, and I think I prefer it. I think I might try masking + alclad if I get one of these where the foil goes straight onto the window again - the glass gets very messy with the adhesive, and hasn't been a whole lot of fun to clean up. 

It is a gorgeous color on these cars even though it isn't a VW color. And you are wise not to try the fender beading on your first Beetle: This was my first attempt but my fifth or sixth Tamiya Beetle, so I knew what I was getting into. I did it with very careful and very tedious Tamiya masking tape application, and it ain't easy! I'm sure you'll build this kit again because it is addicting if you like VWs. My only real complaint is that the taillights are molded in clear plastic and have to be masked to be painted body color, and that ain't easy either. 

My windows are done with Bare Metal Foil. Here's a helpful tip: put a piece of masking tape over most of the window surface before applying the BMF and you won't get adhesive residue on the "glass" that has to be removed. And to further create a realistic look, you can run a black Sharpie around the window frame on the body to simulate weather stripping, and you can run a fine-point Sharpie around the window frame on the glass parts to both burnish down the foil and to simulate the gasket. 

Good luck with your project and make sure you tell your daughter that I've sent my compliments on her excellent taste in cars and colors.