Adding a "crease" to a model car body?

[Hawk312]

As you can see from the pictures below, the crease that exists in the real car, running front to back down the side of the car, is much more defined than the model body. This results in the model body appearing more "slab-sided" and the bottom of the body along the sides sticking out much further between the front and back wheels. What would you guys do to make the sides look more realistic? Heat with hot water and bend? I am kinda worried, with how much bending is needed, that it might distort the roof and window area. 

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

No way I'd try to get that fixed by heating it.

This is going to require some care and precision. Heating and bending while you pray isn't going to get it.

If I were doing it, first I'd lay a strip of Dymo tape along the convex crease that runs through the PENNZOIL logo, as a scribing guide.

Then I'd scribe the crease deep enough so the body side would fold relatively easily on the line.

Then look at where the rockers end up.

After it's OK, I'd jig the thing to hold it in position, and run liquid cement into the scribe to soften it, as it should set in the correct position as it dries overnight.

Probably reinforce the inside too, with a strip of folded styrene to help hold the new shape.

The crispness of the body side fold can be brought back by masking and lightly filling (with something like Tamiya white) up to the mask, then pulling the mask, re-mask to the other side of the line, and do another very fine fill...as many times as necessary to get it perfect.

I sharpen lines this way on real cars and models all the time.

 

Edited July 27, 2020 by Ace-Garageguy

[stitchdup]

I would probably try some tape along the bottom edge of the crease, then block sand the crease in, moving the tape to the top edge and doing the same again (sand it away from the tape for a good edge). It wont take very much to make it show as a sharper edge but make sure there is enough thickness to the plastic first. The tamiya white stretch tape is good for this, or masking tape with the top covered in ordinary sticky tape

[Mark]

I'd first find a photo of the 1:1 car that has no connection to the kit box art.  The manufacturers are notorious for retouching photos to more closely match the contents of the box.  The kit could be closer to the 1:1 car (or further off from it) than you might think.

[Plowboy]

I just use putty and careful sanding. Anyone familiar with this kit knows how rounded and misaligned the body crease is as well as the top corner of the bed. 

[Hawk312]

Thanks guys! That gives me some ideas to start with. 

That truck looks fantastic Plowboy!

 

  On 7/27/2020 at 9:37 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

No way I'd try to get that fixed by heating it.

This is going to require some care and precision. Heating and bending while you pray isn't going to get it.

If I were doing it, first I'd lay a strip of Dymo tape along the convex crease that runs through the PENNZOIL logo, as a scribing guide.

Then I'd scribe the crease deep enough so the body side would fold relatively easily on the line.

Then look at where the rockers end up.

After it's OK, I'd jig the thing to hold it in position, and run liquid cement into the scribe to soften it, as it should set in the correct position as it dries overnight.

Probably reinforce the inside too, with a strip of folded styrene to help hold the new shape.

The crispness of the body side fold can be brought back by masking and lightly filling (with something like Tamiya white) up to the mask, then pulling the mask, re-mask to the other side of the line, and do another very fine fill...as many times as necessary to get it perfect.

I sharpen lines this way on real cars and models all the time.

 

Expand  

Thanks Ace.

I am wondering if scribing the back side where the crease should be would make this look more "clean" than scribing on the front side. Have you ever done that?

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 7/28/2020 at 12:41 PM, Hawk312 said:

I am wondering if scribing the back side where the crease should be would make this look more "clean" than scribing on the front side. Have you ever done that?

Expand  

Yes, that's an alternative.

But stop for a minute and think about what's happening when you try to fold the plastic on the scribed line.

If you scribe on the outside, the line opens up as you bend away from it.

If you scribe on the inside, the scribe tries to close as you bend towards it. 

This can have the effect to trying to stretch the plastic on the outside, which can weaken it further, and cause a complete split.

This can work for you or against you, depending on a variety of factors.

How far do you have to bend? How hard (and brittle) is the plastic?

In general, if you're going to scribe on the inside, try to make a shallow V rather than just a fine scribed line, to give the surrounding material somewhere to go as you hinge on the scribe.

It's also a really good idea to practice these techniques on scrap parts before you commit to doing anything drastic to your model.

 

[Plowboy]

If you're going to scribe it, definitely do it on the inside. That way, the line will close and it can be glued easily. Scribing on the outside will cause the line to open up and require filling. Before scribing on either side, check to make sure the fit between the body and chassis has enough room for the amount you'll be bending the body to make the crease sharper. Bending both sides in at the bottom will reduce the width even if it's a small amount.   

[NOBLNG]

How about gluing some very tiny (.020-.030?) half round to the body and then Blending it in using filler on either side of it?

[bisc63]

  On 7/29/2020 at 11:52 PM, NOBLNG said:

How about gluing some very tiny (.020-.030?) half round to the body and then Blending it in using filler on either side of it?

Expand  

This.