swede70 Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 (edited) Greetings... Sort of an unexpected project this, for long I didn't give the Welly (or rebadged as NEX) 1:18the scale 1986 Mustang SVO release much attention given the build quality didn't seem all that great, the price point (when new) suggesting something cut rate and far less compelling than the GMP release(s) of old. With an example in-hand, my opinion has revised, although (choke choke) - so too has the second hand market price asked for such which likely can't be justified irrespective if one is intrigued by what I write and upload in terms of photos here. First, some initial photos: What isn't immediately apparent for reviewing the images discerned above is the parts count. I was greatly surprised to note that all of the perimeter trim (i.e. rub strips, etc.) are separately rendered, are easily removed (melted tabs accessible from behind can be ground off without issue), while most of the tooling is pretty sound and less toy-like than initially feared. - Seen below would be the same model with the wheels refinished with Revell of Germany 'Chrom' aerosol can spray which really perks things up even as the product is $30+ purchase, while from the 1985 model year the exterior trim was finished in a charcoal hue versus black, lending considerable contrast as-witnessed. Many parts (specifically, the side windows plus trim) are off the model at this juncture, but still - better than expected. - Likewise, an effort to refinish the tail light clusters largely succeeds even if I didn't hazard stripping the lenses entire for fear of burning the clear plastic panels/parts rendered by Welly. Mostly what's made out here is a combination of Tamiya lacquers combined with tinted and pearlescent clears from the same firm. The framing witnessed around the colored elements was likewise redone, needing to be charcoal-colored to match the rest of the exterior trim refinished up to this point. Not perfect, although far from terrible. - ...and finally, a quick interior door panel/interior door trim project. The Welly release comes through as a normal high-standard equipment iteration versus a comparatively bare Competition Prep. version sans power door locks, power window lifts, A/C or radio. Here I ground out the door controls, fit refinished Yat Ming/Road Legends 1970 Rebel Machine window cranks, and carefully refinished the surfaces for employing what seemed miles of Tamiya yellow masking tape. The project is unfolding smoothly enough - thus far anyhow! Thanks for your review of this post... Mike K./Swede70 Edited February 16 by swede70 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Interesting project. These Welly SVO's are not that bad, you'll probably surpass the GMP quality on this transformation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 (edited) Thanks for the interest expressed - whereas hoping indeed to work up something qualitatively better (in some respects) versus the admittedly very early GMP effort brought to market so many years ago... Seen here would be some underhood progress, with various bits painted, the rather difficult intercooler stripe detail done with delicate bands of sheet plastic painted to suit and applied with a dental pick after dipping the tip of such in petroleum jelly to grab hold of what I couldn't have positioned accurately with fingers alone. Much is missing as I stumble and move along, although certainly the total effect is better than before. Silly Putty was employed as a masking agent for the top strut mount plates, noticed here finished in a dark gray that mimics an unpainted metal surface. Said putty is terrific for in situ. masking of detail(s) found on irregular surfaces, and although a bit tedious to setup and handle, it's nevertheless something inexpensive that generates results when thoughtfully employed. Not immediately apparent unless one has this particular model and/or tool to examine, the A/C compressor, drive to the same and compressor mount have been carefully removed consistent with this replicating a Competition Prep. credit option package. Also made out will be a rare 1:18th 1985 Mustang Twister II decal sheet blown up from the Ray's Decals art out of The Netherlands. Apparently from 2024 the option of having his 1:25th sheets enlarged to suit bigger scales is no longer offered, hence very fortunate I am to have secured one as discernible below. Some underhood decals afforded here will help matters out, in particular the battery decals and some warnings/declarations relating to service requirements, etc. Kind thanks for your review of this project update.... Mike K./Swede70 Edited February 25 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 (edited) Greetings... Even with limitless funds and if one is on the hunt for an '80's performance topic in the American mold, usually the best examples are low-mileage 'survivors'; i.e. almost freakishly clean in a cosmetic sense, although rarely gone through with an eye towards achieving a high score at a concours level event. Not really knowing how to tackle things across the chassis for the dearth of fully restored examples otherwise not discovered online, here I've attempted to mimic the underbody condition of what equate to the best as-found examples that do pop up on the market. The 'Quadrashock' setup Ford employed in period to control movement of the rear suspension is being worked up, although it hasn't been fully sorted and is missing from these photos. Thanks... Sorry - this a huge 1:1 topic image. Neat that the tires here are original... Enormous again, but then it's helpful if one is referring to such to add assembly line paint markings, approximate corrosion across suspension components, etc. Note that the actually unibody is as clean as they come for all the distressing cosmetics of the various suspension bits. Hard to make out from my photos, each trailing arm was painted a light gray, the axle a dull iron before being overshot with Rustoleum Paprika (hoping too that at some point it'll decide to dry). Revell of Germany 'Chrom' aerosol spray was applied to the exhaust tips/extensions at what seemed an appropriate point, while note too that even as the tire sidewalls bear no markings, Welly did opt to accurately reproduce the Goodyear VR-50 'Gatorback' directional tread which is a nice touch. The differential 'X' paint mark was added, so too the slightly messy yellow paint blob applied to what appears a differential weight of some kind, along with other odd additions I hope equate to something reasoned. The front steer rack and pinion system wasn't tooled, hence I've made do with painting up the spurious rear steer worm and sector system to suggest a faintly weather rack and pinion setup. Thanks for your review of this post. Mike K./Swede70 Edited March 6 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 (edited) Greetings, Not an epic project update this, but some movement for adding tail light pinstripe decals to suggest SVO/'93 Cobra Mustang-specific issue lenses as well as adding a photo etched lock cylinder to the hatch after first painting the same Testor's Model Master Titanium. The wheel paint was redone to address some irregularities along the edges, whereas interior work otherwise invisible was further attempted. Ugh - just adding four lines was a trial here, whereas my chances of cleanly adding eight more to complete the lense pinstripes seem hopeless. Still - a modest and useful difference... Concerning the wheels, previously I'd not painted the same from behind - namely in an aluminum hue with the slots taking up a bit of the finish. Here they've been redone, with the faces resprayed with Revell of Germany's 'Chrom' to clean up matters. Again - the latter is good stuff even as it's expensive to source. Thanks for your review of this post. Mike K./Swede70 Edited April 3 by swede70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted April 17 Author Share Posted April 17 (edited) Greetings... Not very pleasant to do, all the side window trim as well as the front and rear screen perimeter trim here has been masked and painted in gray versus the as-delivered spec. in black. The side 'glass' could be removed to facilitate the work undertaken, although the front and rear 'glass' was left in-place, masking carefully performed, then finish was applied with the relevant assemblies sprayed in-situ. A mess was made of the front 'glass' for poor masking, allowing for material creep behind what I'd imperfectly applied and requiring much effort to save for concerted polishing to remove burns inflicted upon what ought to remain clear. Most of the damage (albeit not all) was addressed, but very discouraging in total, whereas pleased this not so nice aspect of the rebuild has been seen to. Note that a black wash was applied to the window frame part and parcel of the door glass positioned 'up'. Usually 1:18th diecast models have open windows and little to offer here, whereas the few models that do sometimes sport an undesired budget look given the detail can appear out of scale, distorted, or too plastic for words. Some polishing of the panels was performed which helped a bit, while the side exterior mirrors were refinished as well just after cutting and fitting thin plastic panels to mask the mirrored surfaces on the back of each. The rear hatch 'glass' was the most challenging to mask given the presence here of some unexpected curves, although saving the effort for last ensured that a technique had been worked up to more or less ensure quality work could be performed. Effort to screen scrape and subsequently reduce said image(s) to something legible came to nothing, hence a 1:1 reproduction emissions system decal for use under the hood was ordered... Here the reduced image is fit atop a scratch built weather shield/heat insulator resting atop where key ignition components are sited on the SVO Mustang inner fender well. It's coming along then. Thanks for your review of this project update. Mike K./Swede70 Edited April 18 by swede70 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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