1955 AMT Cameo, kind of straggly ...

[Jonathan]

Our local model car club holds an "It's All In The Cards" build-off every year.  The idea is that each person draws two cards and they have until the end of the year (or whatever date) to build something that meets the criteria of the two cards.  For example, a person might draw "Race Car" / "Paintbrush Only", or "1950's /  Shiny", or "Snap Kit" /  "Spray Paint Only" ... you get the idea.   

It's a lot of fun.  This year, I drew "1950's" and "Rat Rod".   The rule is that nobody can show what they're building until the night the challenge closes.  This year, I didn't finish in time (no surprise there!) so I think it's ok to share as the deadline was earlier this month.   I decided to limit myself to raiding parts from two kits as much as possible.  Most of the parts came from either the AMT / Round2 1955 Cameo or from the Revell 1930 Ford Model A Coupe.  Some parts were scrounged from my parts box.   The fuel tank was in some parts given me by a club member a while back.  Decals are mostly from the Model A kit. 

Everyone had some really cool ideas - I wish I had grabbed some pictures of the other builds.

Anywho, on to what I've done so far ....

I set some basic guidelines for myself

• use only two kits (as much as possible) as noted above
• use only what I think would have been available prior to 1960

I thinned out some of the lower portions of the cab for rust holes, I nicked up the lower portions of the cab some, and I cut out the roof of the Cameo cab, with the idea of doing a rag top - ala VW Bug.  Difficult to see here, but I also cut out the side and back panels of the interior tub and grafted in the "open' parts from the Revell Model A.  Aiming for a bare-bones look:

After spraying the cab with Tamiya Red Oxide primer, and adding some rust colors randomly using various reds, browns, and blacks; I sealed everything with trust Testors Dull Cote Lacquer (may it RIP).  And then ... I sprayed the body with hair spray and ended up with this mess:

What in tarnation? 

Pressing on, because why not, I mixed up some various Tamiya blue / gray colors (Acrylic) and went over the cab with the old Badger 150 airbrush.   I used some darker shades near the lower portions of the cab, and lighter shades on the upper portions. I then used water and an old paintbrush to remove some of the color and reveal the "rust" underneath.  I followed this with an oil based "dot filter" (I have mixed results with this).  Finally, everything was sealed under a final coat of Dull Cote. 

I was debating on using some "plywood" to mimic covering where the floor might have rusted through.  But, when I started working on using the Model A's Buick Nailhead, I discovered that I will have to remove some significant portion of the floorboard to make it fit.  (Planning ahead, what's this planning ahead you speak of?)  So, I'm not 100% sure on the final treatment for the floor.  I did mold in a portion of the Model A floorboard to provide (hopefully) clearance for the Nailhead.  But, I like the idea of either a partially wooden floor or just having the back of the engine / transmission exposed.  To be determined ... 

And here is where I stand now.

 I plan to use the bomber seats from the Model A, and possibly the wheels.  The fuel tank on the back is from a club member, and I think was part of an older Ford hot rod; AMT maybe?  I removed the "Ford" script that was on each end of the tank.  The few decals are from the Model A sheet.  

 

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by Jonathan

[Mattilacken]

Cool build and cool idea for picking subjects! Will be great with such a start!

[David G.]

Excellent work on the rust and distress effects, very convincing.

David G.

[Street Rod]

Like what you’ve got going so far! 

[slusher]

Looking very nice!

[Jonathan]

23 hours ago, Mattilacken said:

Cool build and cool idea for picking subjects! Will be great with such a start!

Thank you.  I wouldn't have expected the interior parts from the Model A to work, but it seems to be fine for this.

22 hours ago, David G. said:

Excellent work on the rust and distress effects, very convincing.

David G.

Thank you, the first time I did this was on a VW Bug and it turned out decent.  Tamiya Primer, various Tamiya Acrylics and washes, sealed under Testors lacquer (I guess any brand would work), hairspray, Tamiya acrylic for the color coats, and then a wet paint brush to scrape the paint off and reveal the "rust".  With the bug, I did some oil pin washes and then sealed it all under a final coat of Testors Dull Cote.  I picked this up from an article in Fine Scale Modeler some years ago.  I think we can pick up some good ideas from the military model guys sometimes.

 

10 hours ago, Street Rod said:

Like what you’ve got going so far! 

Thank you; I hope I can finish it the way I envision it being.  I sometimes get distracted and move on to another project before coming back later (years later, sometimes!)

5 hours ago, slusher said:

Looking very nice!

Thanks!

[Jantrix]

On 7/26/2022 at 11:17 AM, Jonathan said:

Our local model car club holds an "It's All In The Cards" build-off every year.  The idea is that each person draws two cards and they have until the end of the year (or whatever date) to build something that meets the criteria of the two cards.  For example, a person might draw "Race Car" / "Paintbrush Only", or "1950's /  Shiny", or "Snap Kit" /  "Spray Paint Only" ... you get the idea.   

It's a lot of fun.  This year, I drew "1950's" and "Rat Rod". 

That's a great build off idea. Lots of options. I'd love to know what all the cards were.

The Chevy is coming along great. It's right up my alley. Keep it going.