ctruss53 Posted March 29, 2023 Share Posted March 29, 2023 (edited) I normally don't like to share WIP material because it nearly always jinxes the build. I post progress and then I screw it up and the build either ends up in the trash, or I hide it in the basement never to be seen again. However on this build, I have already screwed it up once. So maybe I can post progress and get input on how to proceed as I build. So here we go..... The 1935 Mercedes 500k is a beautiful car. But I have never built a scale model hot rod before. So this Johan Mercedes told me it wanted to be a hot rod. The box. So the first thing I did when I unpacked the kit was I proceeded to cut the fenders off. Then I stripped the chrome off of the parts I was using. The chrome is really bright and there is a ton of flash. So I want to redo the parts and the chrome. LA's Totally Awesome stripped the chrome in a few minutes. Since these photos were taken I have finished the engine. I added wiring and hot rodded the engine a bit. I'll post pics tonight or tomorrow. And since these photos were taken I have screwed up the body, bought a second kit, and started over on the body. So in future photos the body will be molded in green. HAHA Edited March 29, 2023 by ctruss53 Fix pic links 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordairgtar Posted March 29, 2023 Share Posted March 29, 2023 Cant wait to see what you do with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ea0863 Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Looking forward to your creation. Wilder the better, I say! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctruss53 Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 Through the magic of time travel, I have changed the color the body was molded in. But really, I am on kit number two trying to get this just right. Here is the floor with all of the fenders and the running boards cut off. And roughly sanded to shape. Here is the chassis. And here I marked the parts I am going to remove to give it a smooth hot rod look. Chassis smoothed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctruss53 Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 (edited) And here is the engine. I have been done with the engine for a couple weeks now. I finished it while I was hunting down another kit so I could redo the mistakes I made with the body. I replaced the air cleaner on the end of the plenum with a "scoop." And instead of using the exhaust manifold with only two outlets, I made 8 straight pipes. I had to bend an "s" into the 3rd pipe from the front to get it around the intake. EDIT: Oh! That maroon color on the intake plenum is what color the body and chassis will be painted. All chrome on the engine is done with SMS Hyperchrome. My new favorite chrome paint. Edited March 30, 2023 by ctruss53 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctruss53 Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 And here is a little sample of where I am ate right now. With the body and engine sitting on the chassis. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89AKurt Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 I've been tempted to get that kit, and do something along the lines you are doing. Looking good so far! And I totally understand about showing a WIP, I have at least three that are in the dustbin on this forum, one is a Mercedes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Like the direction of your body and engine mods. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stavanzer Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Looks Cool! I've seen a couple of these kits built as rods in the last 30 years. Yours has a different vibe, as the others I've seen did not retain the Merc Engine. Good Luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelRick Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Like the way you are going with this build. That is going to be one loud ride. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ea0863 Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Karl Benz is rolling over in his grave as we speak. Love it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctruss53 Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 49 minutes ago, ea0863 said: Karl Benz is rolling over in his grave as we speak. Love it! HAHAHAHAHAA On another note, I just picked up some Splash BBS Gold paint for the steelies that I am going to use on this. I figure Maroon and BBS Gold will look nice together. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 Cool project. Love the engine. That thing is going to bark. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeRS Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 Love it👍🏼 A shame that a car like this would probably never be modified in the 1:1 world, and that’s what makes building models so great! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctruss53 Posted April 8, 2023 Author Share Posted April 8, 2023 (edited) Got the body and chassis painted last night. I wanted to try a new (to me) paint brand. So I painted this hot rod with Mission Models MMP-015 Rotbraun RAL 8012. Mission Models paints are strange. Typical guy thing, I didn't follow instructions for how to use the paint. The first time I used it I just mixed the paint 50:50 with water, like I do with most acrylic paints.... especially Tamiya. The paint applied fine, but it took like a million coats to get the color to show correctly. But a bunch of garbage fell in the paint so I had to strip it and start over anyways. So I looked up the video from Mission Models to see how to mix the paint. They say use 10 parts paint, 1 part Poly clear, and 1 part Thinner. So I gave that a shot. The paint was thick, almost too thick for my airbrush. But it coated well and went on smooth. I experimented more and found the sweet spot for me. I mixed 10 parts paint, 3 parts Poly clear, and 4 parts thinner. When mixed in this ratio the paint behaves better in the airbrush and still coats very well and lays down nice and smooth. With this mix I went back to the hot rod and sprayed on 3 coats. First coat was light, second coat was medium, and the final coat was medium-heavy. And then I applied my favorite clearcoat. Mr Super Clear UV Cut. I applied it like I always do. 2 Mist coats, 3 minutes apart. Then 2 medium-kinda wet coats, 5 minutes apart. And then a final heavy wet coat like so heavy it is just about to run. This is my show car clear process. For race cars I leave out the last heavy clearcoat. I still need to polish it out. I have to wait another day for the clear coat to cure. I like to wait at least 48 hours. Enough words, here are some pictures. Here are some floor pan pics. Here is the chassis. The body. And then I set it all together. Edited April 9, 2023 by ctruss53 Oops, I used a dirty word. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctruss53 Posted May 12, 2023 Author Share Posted May 12, 2023 (edited) I have a rolling chassis. The interior and body are ready to mount. I just didn't take pics yet. And I need to complete the driveshaft. That is what came in this horrible kit. Doesn't even connect. Edited May 12, 2023 by ctruss53 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomicholiday Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 This is looking really good so far. I was having a hard time envisioning the concept at the beginning of the thread, but now I completely get it. Gonna be an awesome ride. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Rivard Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 This is wild, imaginative and beautiful. Gives me inspiration to try something like this. Thanks for sharing this wonderful build 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctruss53 Posted May 12, 2023 Author Share Posted May 12, 2023 (edited) Thanks. I am excited to finish it up. I have to get it done by the 21st for a local show. Like I said the body and interior are all done, I just have to glue them on to the chassis. But I still have to figure out the grille, headlights, and other miscillaneous bits. Edited May 12, 2023 by ctruss53 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickcaps55 Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 WOW ! this is looking awesome love it.!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 (edited) I like the spin you are putting on this. Back years ago when Okey Spalding bought what was left of JoHan he had a booth at the RCHTA hobby show in Chicago. One of the new series he was going to produce was a 'Luxo' version of the classic car kits. The new JoHan showed many 'coming' kits at that show....only two ever made it to the shelf.....Rambler surf wagon and snap Turbine car. None of the other saw daylight. I feel you are filling that whole in a way!! Edited May 12, 2023 by Dave Van Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctruss53 Posted May 12, 2023 Author Share Posted May 12, 2023 10 minutes ago, Dave Van said: I like the spin you are putting on this. Back years ago when Okey Spalding bought what was left of JoHan he had a booth at the RCHTA hobby show in Chicago. One of the new series he was going to produce was a 'Luxo' version of the classic car kits. The new JoHan showed many 'coming' kits at that show....only two ever made it to the shelf.....Rambler surf wagon and snap Turbine car. None of the other saw daylight. I feel you are filling that whole in a way!! Wow! That is super cool! My exhaust is better. haha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelbuilder Mark Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 I cannot see any of your pics tho, all I get are errors like these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 I had to reload the page a few times for the pics to show......host server may be having issues. I'd try later.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino246gt Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 I've always wondered how cool that body would be on a fenderless, shortened frame, NOW I see it looks fabulous! Really diggin' it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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