ModelcarJR Posted November 26, 2023 Share Posted November 26, 2023 I bought this Testors kit years ago, mid-90s I think, on a mark down at Larry's Hobby Shop which has been gone for about 20 years. I don't even have the box anymore and the parts and instructions have been stored in another box. I have most of the parts painted, mainly body, engine, and chassis parts. I don't know if I'll be able to finish tomorrow as it is suppose to rain. But I have plenty to get started with. I painted the fender unit Dupli-Color Universal Black and the body parts are Dupli-Color Flash Red. So I am off to a good start. Thanks for looking! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted November 26, 2023 Share Posted November 26, 2023 I've built that kit showroom stock and the soft top version as a street rod. Looks like a good start......good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted November 26, 2023 Share Posted November 26, 2023 I don’t know that kit. I will watch you build it… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted November 27, 2023 Author Share Posted November 27, 2023 Thanks, Dave and Carl! I appreciate your comments! Off to a good start I think. I put the frame together and everything looks square. I also built the engine and it is in the frame. I would have wired it up but I don't have a pre-wired distributor for a 16 cyl. engine and I don't think I can drill 16 holes in this distributor. I finished all the other painting today as it didn't rain. Cool and breezy but the humidity was good. I'll rub out the paint tomorrow and move on to the chassis exhaust and suspension. Thanks for looking! 😎 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted November 27, 2023 Share Posted November 27, 2023 I like these I have a monogram Cadillac to build. Nice start John … Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted November 28, 2023 Author Share Posted November 28, 2023 Thanks, Carl! I appreciate your comment! Finished the chassis today. I kept looking for problems in these old instructions or parts that didn't fit but I haven't found anything yet. Everything went together well with good pins and pin locating holes. Gas tank, exhaust pipes, front and rear suspensions, engine, and driveshaft all located well and are complete. I knocked off an exhaust tip but I'll wait and add it back after its on wheels. I also rubbed out the fender unit and in the morning I'll get started putting the interior together. Thanks for looking! 😎 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippi Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 The ole Caddy is looking pretty good so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 Nice progress on this, everything looks great so far. David G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 Nice clean work John, Cadillac is looking 👀 great buddy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papajohn97 Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 Enjoying your progress so far John on this classic. Very neat tidy paint & assembly results so far on the chassis. I built the Italeri Mercedes 540K a few years ago and remember the challenging of painting and assembling the body in pieces, hoping you’re able to bring it all together without damaging the red paint. Love these 1/24 Testors / Italeri/ Monogram classic kits, they are a nice change from the AMT/ Revell auto kits and are a good base to add extra detailing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted November 29, 2023 Author Share Posted November 29, 2023 (edited) Thanks, Bob, David, Carl and John! I appreciate your comments! I looked a few photos of this Caddy and decided I would jazz this one up a little. I foiled the steering column and installed it. But I should have installed it before the engine as it was a real challenge installing it after the engine is in on the inside of the frame rail, especially since the bottom of the frame is closed off around the engine. I enjoy foiling but it does take a lot of time and patience. I started by foiling the edges of the fender unit on the left side. But after a couple of hours, I took a break and then when returning thought about getting another body painted since its gonna rain on Thursday. I picked a 65 Ford Galaxie 500 XL out of the closet and prepped the body. This model has an opening trunk but I have glued it shut. Tomorrow, I'll foil the small lettering on the trunk, hood, and front fender before paint to be revealed after paint. I'm also gonna put on a vinyl top, using masking tape since the border is already built into the body. Next is paint for the body which will be Tamiya Maroon. The interior will be black and white. But for now, I just get the body painted and continue on the Caddy. Thanks for looking! 😎 Edited November 29, 2023 by ModelcarJR Copy text Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 65. Ford look really good John ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customline Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 John, are you decanting or spraying from the can? Your paint jobs look great and I wondered if you are using an airbrush. Also, why not go ahead and use some plastic or aluminum tubing and make a distributor that you can fill with 17 wires? Nobody really knows what a '33 Caddy distributor looks like anyway so why not fake one? The look of a wired engine has some wow factor and however you can fake the distributor is better than a sixteen cylinder engine with no ignition wires! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted December 1, 2023 Author Share Posted December 1, 2023 Thanks, Carl and Jim! I appreciate your comments! Jim, I usually just spray from a rattle can. I have two airbrushes and a compressor and I use them occasionally. The reason I don't use them more is because I have to paint outside. I wish I had a workshop or even a paint booth but don't. There isn't anywhere in this house that I could vent a paint booth out of a window. All the windows are double-paned heavy composite frames with screens and Grandma would have a cow if I opened them and vented outside. So wishing isn't going to do me any good. hen I do airbrush, I carry my compressor outside and set it up on my patio table where I do all my painting. Once have it plugged into an extension cord and set up so it will run, I then carry out my airbrush, thinner, paint, two bottles, a rag and a screwdriver to open the can of thinner. Once I mix the paint, set my PSI and I'm ready to paint it takes about 5 minutes. Then I have to clean the brush, clean the bottles, get rid of the dirty thinner, and carry everything back in because I can't leave it out in the weather to collect moister and dirt. The whole ordeal takes about an hour for 5 minutes of paint. Whereas, I can heat a rattle can grab it and the model and go. I can be done in about 10 minutes for paint and another 10 for clear in both cases. That's why I use rattle cans. As for the wired distributor, I learned on another website that the sixteen spark plugs are in the valley. So the 16 wires go from the distributor on the front of the engine right down into the valley and and then the valley cover goes over them. So the wires woud be visible for about 3 scale inches I could leave the valley cover loose and remove it to show off the work... Naw, not worth it. Here's where I am so far. No big issues yet. The windshield frame was difficult to foil and I might have painted it with Alclad but I never have had much luck with that. One benefit to foil is that I didn't need to use any glue for the windshield. Its in tight without it. I'm sure I'm in for it when I try to put the body sides and rear on. Should be fun. Thanks for looking! 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customline Posted December 1, 2023 Share Posted December 1, 2023 9 minutes ago, ModelcarJR said: Thanks, Carl and Jim! I appreciate your comments! Jim, I usually just spray from a rattle can. I have two airbrushes and a compressor and I use them occasionally. The reason I don't use them more is because I have to paint outside. I wish I had a workshop or even a paint booth but don't. There isn't anywhere in this house that I could vent a paint booth out of a window. All the windows are double-paned heavy composite frames with screens and Grandma would have a cow if I opened them and vented outside. So wishing isn't going to do me any good. hen I do airbrush, I carry my compressor outside and set it up on my patio table where I do all my painting. Once have it plugged into an extension cord and set up so it will run, I then carry out my airbrush, thinner, paint, two bottles, a rag and a screwdriver to open the can of thinner. Once I mix the paint, set my PSI and I'm ready to paint it takes about 5 minutes. Then I have to clean the brush, clean the bottles, get rid of the dirty thinner, and carry everything back in because I can't leave it out in the weather to collect moister and dirt. The whole ordeal takes about an hour for 5 minutes of paint. Whereas, I can heat a rattle can grab it and the model and go. I can be done in about 10 minutes for paint and another 10 for clear in both cases. That's why I use rattle cans. As for the wired distributor, I learned on another website that the sixteen spark plugs are in the valley. So the 16 wires go from the distributor on the front of the engine right down into the valley and and then the valley cover goes over them. So the wires woud be visible for about 3 scale inches I could leave the valley cover loose and remove it to show off the work... Naw, not worth it. Here's where I am so far. No big issues yet. The windshield frame was difficult to foil and I might have painted it with Alclad but I never have had much luck with that. One benefit to foil is that I didn't need to use any glue for the windshield. Its in tight without it. I'm sure I'm in for it when I try to put the body sides and rear on. Should be fun. Thanks for looking! 😎 Yup. Totally get you on the airbrush. I have a detached garage for painting. Not the best situation. Winter is almost here. The Caddy looks fantastic, JR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louis Carabott Posted December 1, 2023 Share Posted December 1, 2023 Coming on nicely Sir 👌 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted December 2, 2023 Author Share Posted December 2, 2023 Thanks, Jim and Louis! I appreciate your comments! I've been working all day on this one and I think I am finally making some progress toward the final product. I really didn't pay much attention to the sprue attachment spots on the hood and thought I could live with them when I first started this kit. But after further inspection, I can't live with them. So I sanded off the edges and the raised engraved edge that I think was meant to be foiled down the center of the hood. It never got less than 60% humidity today. I added a half-round piece of plastic strip to the middle of the hood after gluing the halves together and painted it with some primer. I'll have to wait for the rest of the painting later as it started raining again this evening. I did manage to get the left door foiled, windows in, interior door panels, door handles and window cranks installed and then mounted the door. One more door to finish and I can get this one on wheels and do all the final hardware. I think it will work out that the top will snap in place and I won't have to glue it. I would keep my fingers crossed but then I wouldn't get much done! Thanks for looking! 😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted December 2, 2023 Share Posted December 2, 2023 Lots of progress since I last visited. Great work and progress, John.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugatti Fan Posted December 2, 2023 Share Posted December 2, 2023 Inter war classics tend to be a bit of a Cinderella to kit manufucturers, so it is nice to see one being built to a high standard like this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted December 2, 2023 Author Share Posted December 2, 2023 Thanks, Carl and Noel! I appreciate your comments! Finished the right side and the body is complete! I think I'll finish the rest of the hardware and then put the wheels on since it is going well, knock on wood. The top sits on it well with no glue. I might change the color of the top to Ivory since this color looks a bit dark. But I can do that last. Thanks for looking! 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 I finished all the hardware on the rear and then I thought I better put the wheels on it or I might knock some of the hardware off trying to wait until the end. So I've installed the wheels now, knocking off the rear bumper in the process but everything is together now. I also installed the right spare tire and cover. Still waiting on the weather to finish the hood but I have plenty of pieces up front to install. Thanks for looking! 😎 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Street Rod Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 Looking superb! Very clean and all the finishes look correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 Moving along very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan Dan Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 Looks gorgeous so far. Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customline Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 OK, now I want one 🥰 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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