2019 Corvette C7 ZR1 model starting with a diecast

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  So the baddest Corvette of them all, the mighty C7 ZR1 has never been offered in a plastic scale model. What a shame! The C7 Corvette generation in general has not been kitted. Only the snap Stingray and the "glue version" which is not much better.  I fear we'll be in the same situation with the C8 and C8R but that's another topic.
So I either had to wait forever or get creative.  You know where this is going.  The only starting point in 1/24 - 1/25 scale would be one of those cheap diecasts. 
MotorMax finally released the ZR1 in 1/24 scale.  
Typical diecast, the paint is bad, the door gaps are ridiculously huge, mirrors are cast into the doors, the rear spoiler is a joke, the wheels are a tad undersized, the interior is a joke... and I can fill a page of wrong things with it.  But: I told myself "It is what it is!  Shut up, Suck it up and jump in!"
Is it even worth a try with so many great kits I have started or about to start?  Why not?  I've never claimed to be normal.
So here it is:




Grilles are molded in... ouch!  That will be the limiting factor in this "build".

 

I like the stripper.... wait, that doesn't sound right.  The stripper did a good job quickly... no wait... that doesn't sound right.... whatever! 




So here is where I am now.  Several other projects are on the bench so I'm not sure how quickly I'll work on this one, but it is officially started.







Thanks,

[Snake45]

Very cool! I have one of these in the same color and I like it a lot. I did about an hour's worth of Snake-Fu tweaks on it but will be interested in your work to see if there's anything else I should or can do. Drive on! 

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by Snake45

[randyc]

Can't wait to see what you do with it.  But for me, the OOB version looks like a Corvette, whether it's right or worng.  Not something I'll be by=uying but I do love to see the modifications and such that can be done.   I can always learn somethng and get to see a nice transformation.  

Thanks for sharing as you go.

 

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Mr Dremel was here! 

Funny how I am doing metal bodywork on a diecast model of a plastic real car.  Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?   



Thanks,
Ismael

[Gramps46]

I will be watching.  I have it in yellow and will just leave it as is on the shelf as my focus is on the C2 family at this time.

 

 

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  With so many started projects and so many excellent kits in the stash, why am I wasting my precious little time in a sub-par turd of a project?  I have no idea!
Lost count of how many hours used in this door.  No in progress pictures but below that primer there are dozens of little styrene strips glued here there and everywhere, superglue, putty and what not to make it halfway decent.



Just as a reference, here is the other side, still untouched.


Thanks,

Read more: http://race-car-models.proboards.com/thread/1846/2019-c7-zr1-corvette#ixzz6DEDwC5SQ

[ismaelg]

Hello,

     There were two big holes in the back for the spoiler.




That has been addressed and no longer there.


Molded emblems (front and back bumper's center) were sanded down.  No longer there.

 

Thanks,

[Snake45]

Very nice work! What kind of putty are you using to fill the holes? 

[ismaelg]

Thank you Snake!

I used Apoxie Sculpt for the spoiler holes.  But for general filler on the doors after adding material I'm using Bondo Glazing and Spot putty.

Thanks,

[Sam I Am]

Ismael, after watching what you did with the Viper, I have no doubt you will be happy with this one. 

Sam

[kilrathy10]

I'm diggin' the improvements to the door, for sure....That dog leg wasn't working for me... Very interested to see what you can do to this baby....

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Thanks to forum member and fellow Corvette enthusiast/modeler AJM for providing a set of Revell C7 mirrors. Already started modifying them to fit this project.
Thank you  Al!




Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,
Doors have been attached.  First complete primer coat. 








Thanks,

[kilrathy10]

Looking pretty good, Man.... The hard is already showing, here....

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Just landed from a business trip to Houston.  My Scalefinishes order  was waiting for me in the mailbox.


I know, orange ZR1s are a "cliché", but I really like it.
Hope to get back to the workbench soon.  I need to work that primer a bit more before color can be applied.

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

First 3 very light coats of paint.






How light?  Look how much paint has been used.


Yes, I took an orange car and stripped it to paint it orange.  Never claimed to be normal...
Thanks,
Ismael

[randyc]

Looking really nice, even if you aren't normal...  ?

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Pretty much done painting.  Look how much paint was used!  That's 5 or 6 coats.









Thanks,

[randyc]

Looks good so far.   You;re confusing me with this and the other Vette.   I am easily confused on these new Vettes on which is which.  Can't wait to see this thing all shined up though.  

[ismaelg]

Thanks Randy!

The other one is the badass Z06.  This is the badass on steroids ZR1

Thanks,

[Len Woodruff]

Any updates coming in the near future.

BTW What stripper did you use?

 

[ismaelg]

Hi Len,

    Been very busy so I haven't touched it since February.

 For stripping, I used ZEP aerosol paint remover.  I think I got it from Auto Zone or maybe Pep Boys.  It works very well and it is not as harsh as aircraft aluminum stripper.


 

Thanks,
Ismael

[ismaelg]

Hello, 

   Sorry I did not update this thread.  Let me get you up to speed:

Last month my airbrush went on a rabid rampage that included clearcoating the ZR1.

(The blue Viper is finished and posted in this forum.)

 I am really beginning to dislike working on diecasts.  I do it only because of the subject.
Anyways, this sucker is polished.  For the life of me I can't get a painted diecast to polish like a plastic model despite using the same primer, paint, clear and technique.  Don't know why.




What?  Two days on a single decal? No wonder I never finish anything....
So I made a tape template of the roof. Transferred to a SMS CF decal and carefully cut it.  Carefully but frighten as hell I applied it.  Decal Sol worked beautifully.  Coated it with Future floor polish. 

Thanks,
Ismael

[randyc]

Looks darn good to me.  

[ismaelg]

Thanks Randy!

  Alright, bear with me.  By now there should be absolutely no doubt about me not been normal.  
After the ordeal of stripping an orange car to repaint in ...  orange,  it should be a matter of putting it back together, right?
WRONG!
The car came with an unusable  toy rear spoiler that supposedly represents option ZTK (High Downforce aero package).  That package also includes additional aero parts in the front splitter  as you can see in this picture of the untouched model out of the package.

 

This has 2 problems: First, No way I'm using that spoiler, Second (and here is the trouble) I want my ZR1 with the low downforce package for higher top speed.  Not the ZTK High wing that reduces top speed from 212MPH to a mundane 202 MPH.
So I need to make my own Low Wing rear spoiler.  No sure yet on how to do that (I have some ideas I need to try) but that's another story.
But in order to make it a lower downforce kit, the front splitter needs to be modified.  Those aero fences must go. Problem is everything is molded in and very thick.  I Also found out too late the body has notches to accommodate this.
So here we go:
I made 2 filler panels to address the notches in the body.  Having I noticed this earlier I would have blended them before painting but these will do.



The splitter was severely modified and it is now looking like this:






I also opened the molded exhaust.




The interior is beyond hope. Everything is molded in one piece and the seats are not only nowhere near what they should be, but probably the worst seats I've ever seen since my Tonkas of the 70's.  I wonder how GM licensed this.   It will all be black to hide it.  There is a HUGE hole behind the seats. I made a paper template and transferred to sheet plastic.  Will be painted black.

 

Thanks,