Fiberfab Avenger GT-12

[Scale-Master]

After I built up the engine I realized there really was no reason to make the rear hatch operational.

But now I can finish the forming the rear panel.  I added material to the bottom of the rear end while I blended the brass taillight bezels into the rear panel.  I thought it would look better if the lenses were set in deeper so I cut out the openings.

[Scale-Master]

Turns out the taillights were not molded in clear red but factory painted by IMC and the paint was coming off.    This is actually a good thing.  A little 91% alcohol did a nice job of removing the paint (from both sides).

[Scale-Master]

While I was making the decals for the dash I also made Cragar S/S decals for the center caps too.

[Scale-Master]

The interior is actually pretty nice in this kit especially considering its age.  The seats are well done as is the engraving on the door panels and the floor.  But the steering wheels included are on the weak side.  One is a stock 60's VW wheel and the other is a cheesy "dragster" wheel.  Since the real cars use a little bit of Mustang, I swapped in a 1970 Mach I wheel.  I made an adaptor to fit it to the stock steering shaft.

I added aluminum tips to the exhaust, but left the engine as it builds.

[Scale-Master]

The suspension sits very high if built as it fits together.  I lowered the front end almost ¼ of an inch and lowered the rear about 1/8 of an inch.  I think I got the camber right on the rear.

[Scale-Master]

The headlights are supposed to be cemented to the body, but that makes them stand too proud and the outer ones would have to be moved more inward to compensate for the thickness of the headlight covers.  I drilled out buckets/openings and tried to make the angled stagger the real cars have as much as possible to capture one aspect of the personality of the car.

[SpikeSchumacher]

Wow, Mark, you are doing some amazing work on this one. ?

[Pierre Rivard]

Essentially OOB hey? Wonderful what you are doing with this kit. The wheels are magnificient!

[Lone Wolf]

Scale-Master, you're doing a fantastic job, very impressive. Thanks for the useful unintentional-tip on the headlight repair- modification (I have one of these). If you ever need an original part to create a mould, for a resin copy, feel free to ask, mines not going together anytime soon. Good luck with the rest.

[Scale-Master]

Thanks for the kind words and offer of parts guys!

 

The rear window was missing from my kit so I made a new one from a leftover Monte Carlo stock car back window.  (The real car used a '66 Mustang window, but I didn't want to sacrifice one from another kit even if it would fit.) 

[Scale-Master]

I found an equally vintage bottle of never opened Testors enamel paint (1121 Green) that looks pretty close to Fiberfab Green.  It had been sitting for decades and was clearly separated (green/white/carrier) so to really shake it up I put it in my sock for my morning run each day and mixed it for 30 miles.  These older Testors paints still work very well.  I used the same techniques on this as I used back in the '70s when I was building box art for the model companies with it; reduced with lacquer thinner (I don't claim to have "invented" that) and was pleased to see/smell/feel how well it dried in the first 24 hours.  Now to let it cure for a while…

[Lone Wolf]

Pretty close match sir. Do you have and plan to use the (lower side stripe or ?) decals?

[Scale-Master]

I was thinking of not using the side stripes. 

I have the decal sheet, but as old and rough as they are I can create cleaner ones if I decide to put them on.

[Lone Wolf]

OK, got you. I don't normally use decals and was planning to offer some, old like yours.

[slusher]

Love the color', wheels, and interior, top notch work, Mark!

[mikemodeler]

Always enjoy watching your builds. They are clean, well executed and full of tips that are helpful. You always seem to pick the unique kits to build, which adds to the fun.

[Scale-Master]

Thanks Mike!!

 

I reworked the mounting pylons on the side mirrors from the same '70 Mustang that provided the steering wheel to fit the Avenger body.  The chrome mirror faces were not with them so I made new ones out of Mylar.  I used Mylar for the interior VW mirror that came in the kit.

[espo]

Great looking paint finish. 

[Scale-Master]

I let the body dry for the better part of two weeks in direct sunlight.  The window frames have been foiled and the headlight buckets painted black.  The headlights have been installed and the decal I made for the gas door has been applied.  It looks like "that tire" had a light snack on one of the clear headlight covers too so I repaired the damage using the same process as I used on the windshield.

The headlight covers fit OK, again especially considering the age of the kit.

[Bainford]

Looking good, Mark. I really dig the colour. I had never heard of this colour from Testors before.

[Scale-Master]

There is also this 1124 Green from Testors too.  It 's a little less olive but shares the same characteristics and is very workable.

[Lone Wolf]

Mark, excellent work to date. Is it safe to say the black you painted the headlight buckets with is flat black, or is it an optical illusion and gloss in reality? Please forgive my detailed interest, the Fiberfab Valkyrie has always been my ultimate dream machine, and the direction I plan to take with my Avenger kit.

[ismaelg]

Fabulous project!  I was not aware of this car nor the model.

[Lone Wolf]

This IMC Avenger model has been out of production for a long time. If you're able and willing to spend the money for one, they occasionally show up on Ebay, but not very often these days.

[Scale-Master]

Thanks Ken!  Yes, the headlight buckets are flat black, not gloss. 

It's very probable that the molds for this body are long gone/lost.  So if someone wants one they should grab it when they can.  They are out there for under $100.00 if you look and wait.

 

The taillight lenses have been installed and I made a bright silver panel for the interior so you can't see the engine when looking through them.