Futuristic Space Race Show Car Scale Clay Models

[regular guy]

 

Pulled the trigger last night and bought a General Motors Craftsman's Guild Contest booklet off of Ebay.

That made me read the .PDF of one I had on  the computer again.

Figured out the using tracing paper to draw pictures from magazines trick.

Caught on to the using templates to get both sides of clay model to look the same.

Anybody else making custom car clay models?

 

Edited March 19, 2017 by regular guy

[Ace-Garageguy]

Anybody else making sustom car clay models?

 

Yeah. For years. Many years.

This full scale body kit began life as a clay styling exercise on a Revell 1/25 Porsche 914.

     

And this full-scale mockup was also originally developed as a clay in 1/10 scale...

    <<<  You can see the projector in the background I used to blow the 1/10 scale stations ("templates") up to 1:1

.                                                               

 

 

[regular guy]

 

Plan is to make Bucket T replacement bodies and matching noses/grill shells.

Then some bodies for big block Lotus 7 type chassis/racecar.

1/4 scale seems like the way to go. It's a little big for full bodied cars but

just right for these projects.

Might do some 1/8 scale's first.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1/4 scale seems like the way to go.

Having done kinda a lot of design work, I'd respectfully suggest you work in a scale where you can already get mechanical components and wheels / tires. 1/10 is the easiest one to do the math in, but all you can get is RC tires and wheels (which is what's on my clay above).

If your intent is to make things that could actually WORK in the real world of full-scale, you need to have scale guts already made to keep your fitting honest. There's a fair amount of stuff in 1/8.

It'll save you a LOT of time to not have to measure every component you might want to use.

I'd probably not go with a "big-block" in a "Lotus 7 type" chassis either. My Series 2 Lotus 7 only weighed 850 pounds, and the current production versions are under 2000. They're tiny, delicate, nimble cars, and a "big-block" would be counter to the entire idea...and ruin the handling.

This knockoff from Donkervoort maintains it's light weight, has 380HP (with a turbo 5-cylinder engine) and does 0-60 in 2.8 seconds.

 

[regular guy]

To keep it simple.

A frame that narrows at the front to leave room for independent front suspension.

Wide for the rear suspension and passenger compartment.

Low two seater Open engine compartment.

Design a body and nose cone to make it all look good.

We're going to build ours racecar space frame like sprint cars so

underhood won't look as clean as Bucket T;s.

Add in a big block. The only way to fly!

Edited March 20, 2017 by regular guy

[mike 51]

Yet another comical thread....

keep em coming...

[regular guy]

We use 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 scale to test shapes before building full scale.

Right now have some Chavant clay and some Amoco clay.

Need to test them and see how they stick to foam.

Probalby build a simple body part to get warmed up.

That's about what's going on.

Looking into tracing table. The kind with the light under it.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

We use 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 scale to test shapes before building full scale.

 

Who's "we" ?

Chavant markets at least 20 different grades of clay. Which ones are you using? Hot?

Do you have a full set of steels and wires and rakes?

What procedure do you use to enlarge your work from scale to 1:1?  Do you have a set of sweeps?

What are you using for your armatures? Are you pulling your molds directly from the clay? 

Many clays contain sulfur, and this will play merry hell with most silicone mold-making materials. Plaster or latex can work directly against sulfur-bearing clays, but you really need to figure out what you're doing...thoroughly...and what works with what.

Clays marketed as "industrial design clay" very often DON'T have sulfur in them, so molds can be made directly from the clay model without inter-steps.

Edited March 21, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[regular guy]

That 'tracing' idea in General Motors Guild Booklet looks like a good idea for anybody else

starting out in this.

To find one to get search 'light box'.Amazon has a ton of them.

I'd rather have one with a wall power adapter instead of USB powered.

I was sitting on the fence about the Amaco sculpting tool kit but now

that's a slam dunk.

Already have Amaco clay craft oven(you'll need one of those) it will smell up girlfriend's/wife's oven).

So just moving along here.

[Ace-Garageguy]

For an oven to heat the clay, I just use cheap pawn-shop toaster ovens.

A light-table is very easily made with nothing more than a sheet of white plastic (sign shop castoffs), a simple frame, and a light source... here are some DIY links 

http://www.willem-art.com/2014/11/         

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_r5u49EFXk                 

...unless you think you have to spend a ton of money.

Essential tools include: wires...    steels...  

rakes...   ...   

Proportional dividers are always nice to have too...    

Edited March 21, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[regular guy]

 

Thanks Ace!

Here's the beginner light box from Walmart.

Link was huge. Good ole' Walmart. It's a Darice 6"x9" for crocheting or something.

Here's the link for sculpting tool set from Hobblinc.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/aac/aac11035m.htm

I always start small and build. Do tend to end up with extra stuff that way though!

Anybody else reading this: You have to heat this kind of clay.

Ace can explain why better than I can probably.

So it becomes hard basiclly. To seal and take molds off of. That's about all I've figured out about that.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Here's some videos you need to see.

Chavant 1123 Auto-Style SULFUR FREE industrial design clay...     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_r5u49EFXk

Design school working in these materials...   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZvBDi4cPXo

Time lapse clay model building...   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-6Ml79VA9c

1:10 scale buildup. This is how you do it (but the finished model shown here sucks)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoXAdFgpMU0

Edited March 22, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[regular guy]

Okay. I'll watch them.

You're talking to someone that owns Y2K, Auto Style and 525 Chavant clays.

What's 525 clay? The original GM Craftsman's Guild Contest clay.

How cool is that?

I'm strangely drawn to this Amaco clay.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/american-art-clay-x33-brown-permoplast-clay-1lb-clay-art-kit-90056g

I was surprised when it turned out to be hard like Chavant.

I want to try the grey clay. I know everybody works in brown.

The grey is like the old Amt kits color. I think there's something to it.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Do whatever you want.

525 contains sulfur.

The Armaco clay you posted a link to is NOT industrial design clay, and most likely contains sulfur, which makes it useless for pulling silicone molds.

Same for the gray X33.

I posted information as to how it's actually done by people who need consistent and 100% predictable results.

If you'd prefer to reinvent the wheel, go for it.

Good luck.   

Edited March 22, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[regular guy]

No need to 'pick up your marbles and go home'.

How was I supposed to know what sulfur means?

I'm not going to be making anything worth taking a mold from for awhile.

Might as well use the sulphur clay.

Like that gray color. Like those olf AMT kits. Has a 'Design Studio' look.

[Ace-Garageguy]

No need to 'pick up your marbles and go home'.

How was I supposed to know what sulfur means?

I'm not going to be making anything worth taking a mold from for awhile.

Might as well use the sulphur clay.

Like that gray color. Like those olf AMT kits. Has a 'Design Studio' look.

Hmmmm. 

In my 3rd post above I mentioned the necessity of using sulfur-free clay if you plan to make silicone molds of your work.

As I said, good luck. It's very enjoyable to make something entirely from your own imagination, and the soft clays are acceptable to develop sculptural skills if you haven't done much of this stuff before.

The soft clays do handle and finish very differently from the real "industrial design" product, so just keep that in mind.

I'm sure many folks here would be interested to see your experiments and practice results, so be sure to share your experiences.   

One more thing about the hard clays...if you keep them free of contaminants, they can be recycled almost indefinitely. I'm still using clay I bought well over 20 years ago.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Some great info Ace. The clay process has some interesting applications.