mrmike Posted February 27, 2021 Posted February 27, 2021 My new project is the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon from 4 years ago. This is a curbside kit, which means there is no engine or transmission to assemble. The body will be painted with Model Master Big Bad Blue Lacquer and the interior will be painted with a combination of Tamiya Nato Black, Tamiya Semi Gloss Black and Model Master Acryl Gunship Gray. One of the things I am considering is changing the back of the roll cage to protect the rear passengers. Currently, the roll cage design shows a raciness with a fastback style. More Wrangler to come...
NOBLNG Posted February 27, 2021 Posted February 27, 2021 It’s too bad Revell didn’t make this a full detail kit or include a full top.? That said it is a nice little kit.
mrmike Posted February 27, 2021 Author Posted February 27, 2021 True. But, sometimes you can become bogged down by adding details like wiring and such. I like this kit as it is somewhat simplistic in its design and adding the revised rollbar has allowed some of my creative juices come out. I have been working on the roll cage for this Wrangler. I cut off the rear bars and trimmed them to sit level at 1 1/16 inch and then I added a 1 1/16 inch length of .100X.100 styrene stock to the bottom of the rear uprights. I plan on adding a strip of .080X.188 styrene stock for a rear crossmember. More Wrangler to come...
Tom Geiger Posted February 27, 2021 Posted February 27, 2021 That does lend itself to working well. Results? I much more usable truck
mrmike Posted February 27, 2021 Author Posted February 27, 2021 Thanks Tom! I thought it would make a more useable Jeep! If I was to take passengers with me, they would have no protection at all from a possible roll-over.
mrmike Posted February 28, 2021 Author Posted February 28, 2021 I got the paintbooth up and running and sprayed the Jeep this afternoon. The body and the chassis was painted with Model Master AMC Big Bad Blue. The flipside of the chassis is the interior floor and that got a coat of Tamiya Gunship Grey. Then I ran out of paint! Off to the LHS tomorrow. The frame got a coat of Tamiya TS-29 Semi Gloss Black and tomorrow I'll detail the rest of the frame. More Wrangler to come...
mrmike Posted February 28, 2021 Author Posted February 28, 2021 Thanks Greg! I put the wheels and tires together and what a job that was! I figured the installation would be easy to do, but it was difficult due to the stiff hollow tires. A quick mockup to check my progress. More Wrangler to come...
espo Posted February 28, 2021 Posted February 28, 2021 Very nice paint. The tires look very aggressive.
NOBLNG Posted February 28, 2021 Posted February 28, 2021 41 minutes ago, espo said: Very nice paint. The tires look very aggressive. The tires are very nice, and so are the rims...but they should really only be 5 lug.
mrmike Posted March 1, 2021 Author Posted March 1, 2021 I finished the suspensions last night before turning in. Red springs on an otherwise black suspension which will need some detailing anyway. I did a mockup to check my progress! More Wrangler to come...
mrmike Posted March 1, 2021 Author Posted March 1, 2021 I went to find the hood latches to paint them and they were gone! I must have used them elsewhere. With ingenuity being the mother of invention, I created a set of hood latches. The interior is mostly done. I just have to add a rear cross bar and do some touchups. More Wrangler to come...
mrmike Posted March 1, 2021 Author Posted March 1, 2021 Guess what I found...the hood latches! I had this one piece floating around the bench top and I never really looked at it until a short while ago. It got me to thinking, "Where did I see one just like it?" I looked in the box and there it was on the bottom! Why there were seperated from the parts sprue, I don't know. After looking at some pictures on Goggle Images, some Jeeps had lights mounted on the front bumper and I got to wondering if I had any left over from my '32 Fords and I did! With the lenses! Now, to decided which decals I need before I apply my clearcoat. More Wrangler to come...
mrmike Posted March 2, 2021 Author Posted March 2, 2021 This was not easy to do! Adding aluminium-colored foil to the rear of the body. Too many "bumps" to work around and I ended up tearing the foil in a couple of spots. The sides was easier to do, but presented there own challenges with dealing with the rough surface. More Wrangler to come...
kelson Posted March 2, 2021 Posted March 2, 2021 Would it have been easier to mask the rear of the body and side trim and spray paint it Aluminum?.
mrmike Posted March 2, 2021 Author Posted March 2, 2021 It might have been easier, but I had the foil and I wanted to try using it instead of breaking out the airbrush and doing all that masking. It came out fairly nice with the foil, but it could be better.
Tom Geiger Posted March 2, 2021 Posted March 2, 2021 Yea, I'm not a fan of the diamond plate on this kit. That's the thing that's kept me from building it.
mrmike Posted March 2, 2021 Author Posted March 2, 2021 I had forgotten about the diamond plate until I added the decals and was looking to place the Jeep logo to the back tailgate. I'll keep at it! I worked on the lights this afternoon. I drilled a 1/16th inch hole and added a piece of 1/16th inch styrene rod and left it a little long so I can detemine how and where I want to mount the lights later. I painted and added the side steps and the exhaust tip. While I was at it, I added a piece of styrene to the back of the winch since it was open and I don't like leaving things open even if they don't show. More Wrangler to come...
mrmike Posted March 3, 2021 Author Posted March 3, 2021 Happiness is clearcoating with NO problems! The body, rear bumper and fender flares have been clearcoated and will be assembled shortly. These parts were painted with Tamiya TS-29 Semi Gloss Black and will be ready for assembly soon. More Wrangler to come...
NOBLNG Posted March 3, 2021 Posted March 3, 2021 22 hours ago, mrmike said: This was not easy to do! Adding aluminium-colored foil to the rear of the body. Too many "bumps" to work around and I ended up tearing the foil in a couple of spots. The sides was easier to do, but presented there own challenges with dealing with the rough surface. More Wrangler to come... For foiling rough surfaces like this I have used a large soft eraser to press the foil down. I also have an eyeliner pen I got from the wife that has a very soft rubber tip on it that I use sometimes.
mrmike Posted March 4, 2021 Author Posted March 4, 2021 I use makeup applicators, Q-tips or a soft straight edge on a bumpy surface with BMF. I have finished my Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and it is posted in Under Glass. I would plike to thanks all those of have viewed and commented on my WIP.
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