Der Beetle Bus

[Psychographic]

New wheels have arrived!!!

I have to say, I'd better learn how to do a decent job of assembling PE spokes as I just cant stand to look at the stock ones anymore. Even though I did between a fair, but closer to poor job on my first attempt on the PE spokes, they still look WAY better than stock.

 

I ordered the first set from Tom's Modelwork's and they were shipped out super fast, unfortunately they aren't very good at returning emails. I've been waiting a week for a reply. The pic that shows the PE spokes show 8 cross laced pieces, but you get 4 radial and 4 cross laced. I'm trying to find out if the sheet with all cross laced is available. So for ordering and shipping they get a 5 star review, for communication, minus 5.

 

My plan right now is to mock up a clear center for the wheel and see how that looks.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Psychographic

[mustang1989]

Will be watching for continued progress....................

[cobraman]

It's amazing that such a cool model can come from such a simple kit. Of coarse some talent is required and we can all see that here.

[Psychographic]

I mocked up a quick clear wheel, it looks better than stock. What do you guys think? The plastic piece sitting on the ground is a buck for what will hopefully be a back window with a recess for a license plate.

 

Edited October 7, 2016 by Psychographic

[OldNYJim]

Ohh, the clear wheels are cool! 

[DumpyDan]

What can I say that hasn't been said. Just love the build.

[Foxer]

The clear wheel looks like it belongs.

It looks like a blurred spinning thin spoke in your photo! 

[Psychographic]

I am officially at the end of my patience with this build! After being excited at having new front wheels to finish it off, now one half of one of the rims has gone missing. I have one of those coffee mug warmers that I use to keep the fluids warm to speed the stripping of chrome and the clear base. I put a couple of stir sticks across it to raise the cup enough to get the temps just right. First round is with Purple Power to strip the chrome, the second is with 91% alcohol to strip the lacquer. Four rim halves went in and after about 15 minutes I give them a scrub and put them back in for another 15. Somehow one rim half got lost in the shuffle.

 

I either want to put this in a box so it's out of sight, or stomp it into a million pieces so I don't have to deal with it anymore!

[cobraman]

Don't stomp it !  This is way too cool not to finish. Put it away for a spell if you must but it deserves to be finished.

[Psychographic]

Thanks Ray, I needed to hear that. So I woke up this morning and decided this thing is NOT going to beat me. I searched all over and could not find the missing half, I did find and was able to dissect the wheel with the screwed up PE center. I've got front wheels, although I still have to glue them together somehow.

 

[bobthehobbyguy]

Glad you resisted tge urge to stomo it. This is way too cool. Also there is way too much nice work.  Once in a while you get some that decide they want to fight you.

[disconovaman]

That was never really an option anyway... Model building at this level is not only an emence skill but you have to have a wealth of patience as well as extreme imagination and vision. If my patience is being tested I'll just leave it alone for a few days. With a project this involved that is the best thing you can do.

[gatorincebu]

 

   Glad you did not stomp it. That would be a terrible waste !

 

 

 

    Be Well

     Gator

[Psychographic]

I found the missing wheel half, and it's a good thing because I decided I didn't like how the Alclad came out  the first time. The one wheel half I saved fell apart while sanding the inside edge, so into the rotation goes the found one. I made new outer hubs and stripped the inner ones, all are in the booth with a coat of black. I'm going to polish up the clear centers a bit before they go together this time too. I've also started assembling the linkages on the front suspension. Pics will come later.

[Psychographic]

Polished 2 clear centers, lost one clear center, made new clear center. Two steps forward, one back seems to be the theme of this build. I'd like to try to finish this for a show on Saturday, but I doubt it will happen.

The redo on the front wheels looks much better. Now to stretch the tires over those hoops without damaging them.

 

Edited October 12, 2016 by Psychographic

[Psychographic]

I sanded and buffed the body this morning. As I had the door gaps pretty tight, I went easy on the clear. I should have given it one more wet coat as I went through the black on the edges of the door jambs. I'm going to try to touch it up with a black Sharpie. I think that will give me the thinnest coverage and hopefully the least noticeable.

The troublesome front wheels are done. Now it's on to finish painting the interior.

 

[OldNYJim]

Wow!!!  It's looking INCREDIBLE dude!

[Psychographic]

I learned something from this build, make your interior parts separate from the body. It's not easy painting little lines near the back from through the windshield openings! I didn't do a very good job, but once the seats are in you can barely see it anyway. I also screwed up by not remembering to do the fade colors into the back interior panels. I decided to make them grey and just have the graphic panels in the doors. I'll hit these spots with some flat clear in the morning.

 

 

[mustang1989]

Man Dave............do I ever know that feeling. It seems that no matter how much planning I do or how hard I try I always tend to forget something. Looking forward to seeing you work your magic here and as always......she's still looking killer!

Edited October 14, 2016 by mustang1989

[bobthehobbyguy]

Loving it. This is such a great model.

Unfortunately it looks like Murphy has come to help you out with your model.  Hopefully he will goes somewhere else on your next build.

Edited October 14, 2016 by bobthehobbyguy

[Psychographic]

Thanks guys. For a build that I wanted to keep fairly simple and ease me back into building, this thing is sure kicking my behind! As i said before, I was hoping to get this done for a show tomorrow, but that ain't happnin'. I just pulled out my PE racing harness which I thought had enough parts to do 2 more seats, and there is only enough to do one seat and a few left over parts. I just ordered a set, and hopefully they will be here next week. I honestly think this is a good thing as now I won't rush anything.

 

I threw the floorpan and seats in place to see how bad my sloppy painting on the rear interior panels will look. I got lucky as you really don't see that area very well. Now just so you know, my luck hasn't changed much. Somehow I managed to get this far without breaking the window posts on the doors. I even sanded and buffed them without a problem, but that has come to an end. Luckily it's in the black paint and will be easy to fix and won't show. I guess I should make the vent windows and hopefully add a little strength to the posts.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2016 by Psychographic

[mustang1989]

Wow!! Sorry about not having it done for the show. Every step is one closer to the finish line brother. BTW.....my bus was supposed to be OOB. What a laugh that turned out to be. lol

[Psychographic]

Like an idiot I decided to take it to the show unfinished. I broke a front wheel stub somehow on the trip. Of course this had to happen after the front spindles are permanently mounted. No there weren't 15 others like it, but there was one LRW with the same idea.

 

 

[Psychographic]

I think we have a back window with a recessed license plate box.

 

I fixed the broken stub on the front spindle, so we are one step ahead right now.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2016 by Psychographic

[mustang1989]

Man I hate that when that happens in transit. I have an Fw190 D-9 that I detailed all out and took to a show in Austin last year and the starboard wing separated at the wing root!!!! I managed to place 3rd with it even like that but it was a painstaking and tedious repair when I returned home. It paid off 6 months later when I took "Best Luftwaffe Aircraft of Show" with it. It was up for "Best Aircraft of Show" but a guy in a 32nd scale F-4 Phantom beat me out. I'm pretty well certain this bad boy is gonna rock the house in the next show you put it in Dave.

Edited October 16, 2016 by mustang1989