Monogram's 1955 Lincoln Futura Concept Car: WIP

[customline]

Welcome home, Gramps, glad you had a nice time. ??

[David G.]

19 hours ago, customline said:

Welcome home, Gramps, glad you had a nice time. ??

Thanks Jim, it's good to be back.

Now all I have to do is get the ol' bench rhythm back. 

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

I guess it's time to get back to matching up that mismatched mess of the bumpers and side moldings. *sigh* They're such a prominent visual feature of the car that I feel the need to get them done as correctly as I can.

If I'm going to get the bumpers and side moldings to work and play well with one another, I first need to get the bumpers into a satisfactory state. I've stripped off the "chrome" plating and done a little pre-primer cleanup.

 

 

Let's start with these annoying ejector pin marks! Kudos to the designer for trying to conceal in this manner but it just won't do for my tastes.

 

 

First some putty to fill in the low spots.

 

 

Then a little sanding to knock down the high spots and some primer to show me what it looks like. There is some improvement but I think I can do better.

 

As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to comment if you wish.

David G.

[Bullybeef]

Just absolutely love this build, it’s a kit I’ve wanted for a long time.

[customline]

Sanding out those small, extremely concave areas would make me crazy, David. I admire your perseverance and attention to detail. Removing ejector marks and copyright script from floor pans is something I need to be more diligent about. I find them when it's too late. Even if I found those marks on that bumper, I'm pretty sure I would just live with them. I would be concerned about damaging the grille.

[David G.]

22 hours ago, Bullybeef said:

Just absolutely love this build, it’s a kit I’ve wanted for a long time.

Thank you Bil. It's been on my list for a while too. I'm glad to finally be building it.

 

22 hours ago, customline said:

Sanding out those small, extremely concave areas would make me crazy, David. I admire your perseverance and attention to detail. Removing ejector marks and copyright script from floor pans is something I need to be more diligent about. I find them when it's too late. Even if I found those marks on that bumper, I'm pretty sure I would just live with them. I would be concerned about damaging the grille.

Thanks Jim. It does take a little patience.

You do some pretty amazing corrective body mods and other work. I'm really impressed with how you beat that Plymouth into shape. 

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

It seems that the more things I do on this build the more things I discover that need to be done!

Here's the next one of those.  

Getting back to the rear bumper, there's one feature not represented in the model. The two finned openings which I presume are exhaust ports. In the model, the ports are there but the fins are not.

 

 

After sanding away the ejector pin marks, I did some quick eyeball measurements and marked out the locations for the future fins.

 

 

Taking some scrap styrene sheet, I fashioned some fins and glued them in place with Tamiya Extra Thin Cement.

 

 

With a few quick snips and a coat of primer we're good to go! I'll just need to get a stiff brush and clean up the little bits of debris but other than that, on to the next step!

 

As always, thanks for looking. Please feel free to post any comments you may have.

David G.

[customline]

That's kinda an obvious detail the Monogram designers missed. Good eye, David! I like the way you corrected it.  Did Mr. Monogram provide the license plate?

[LennyB]

That makes it look a whole lot better, good job!

[David G.]

22 hours ago, customline said:

That's kinda an obvious detail the Monogram designers missed. Good eye, David! I like the way you corrected it.  Did Mr. Monogram provide the license plate?

Thank you Jim! And no, Monogram didn't provide a plate.   I usually "register" most of my builds but this is a concept car I think I can forgo that on this one.

 

22 hours ago, LennyB said:

That makes it look a whole lot better, good job!

Thanks Len, I appreciate that.

David G.

[customline]

2 hours ago, David G. said:

Thank you Jim! And no, Monogram didn't provide a plate.   I usually "register" most of my builds but this is a concept car I think I can forgo that on this 

David G.

What I was referring to was a plate (a decal?) With the "Futura" script like on the 1:1 reference photo. I'm just a little down on Monogram these days, don't mind me ?

[David G.]

1 hour ago, customline said:

What I was referring to was a plate (a decal?) With the "Futura" script like on the 1:1 reference photo. I'm just a little down on Monogram these days, don't mind me ?

In either case, no they didn't.

[LennyB]

23 hours ago, customline said:

What I was referring to was a plate (a decal?) With the "Futura" script like on the 1:1 reference photo. I'm just a little down on Monogram these days, don't mind me ?

So we’re off the AMT bandwagon and now it’s Monogram ?

[customline]

1 hour ago, LennyB said:

So we’re off the AMT bandwagon and now it’s Monogram ?

Yeah....I know.....sorry ?

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

Work on the Lincoln Futura continues and here's proof!

The next step is to get the rear bumper to fit flush with the body.

 

 

Remember those corners I built out? I intentionally overbuilt them to allow room for adjustment. Well, it's time for that adjustment.

 

 

Much better!

 

As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to post any comments you may have.

David G.

[customline]

Uh....mmmm.....no. but in my defense, I have "CRS" . That was good thinking, David! Your planning paid off ....uh.....as planned! ?

[LennyB]

2 hours ago, David G. said:

 

In this view it looks like it's getting ready to devour something, of someone... ?

[David G.]

23 hours ago, LennyB said:

In this view it looks like it's getting ready to devour something, of someone... ?

Yeah, it kinda does!

Based on the front view, I've come to think of it as "The Devil's Catfish"  

 

 

 

David G.

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2024 by David G.
typo

[LennyB]

45 minutes ago, David G. said:

Yeah, it kinda does!

Based on the front view, I've come to think of it as "The Devil's Catfish"  

 

 

 

David G.

 

 

 

You just need to add whiskers.

[David G.]

40 minutes ago, LennyB said:

You just need to add whiskers.

Don't think I haven't considered it!

If I had multiple kits.... 

David G.

[Bainford]

It's all coming along nicely, David. 

Mr. Barris gets a lot of credit for building the Batmobile, but it's pretty clear from all your photos that converting the Futura into the Batmobile didn't over tax him to any degree. A weird fake turbine engine built from shop scraps, some tacky add-ons, and some black paint and suddenly he is credited with creating a masterpiece.

[David G.]

22 hours ago, Bainford said:

It's all coming along nicely, David. 

Mr. Barris gets a lot of credit for building the Batmobile, but it's pretty clear from all your photos that converting the Futura into the Batmobile didn't over tax him to any degree. A weird fake turbine engine built from shop scraps, some tacky add-ons, and some black paint and suddenly he is credited with creating a masterpiece.

Thank you Trevor.

I think George Barris converting the Futura to the Batmobile not only created a pop culture icon in the Batmobile but also rescued the Futura from falling into obscurity.

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

I've been saying since shortly after I started this build, "This kit may be simple but it's certainly not easy."

It continues proving that to me every time I work on it.

With the top of the rear bumper fitting to the body a little better, it's time to address some of the other issues it has. Like these horrible gaps it has on either side.

 

 

Each side gets a little scrap of styrene reinforced with CA and baking soda. These will support the putty that I will use to contour the bumper ends to better meet with the side moldings and body.

 

 

Now we're getting somewhere!

 

I'm still not sure how I'll manage to blend it all together but "one step at a time" as the saying goes.

Thanks for stopping by and please feel free to post any comments you may wish to share.

David G.

[LennyB]

When you started this build David you made me want to build one, but the more I see what you need to do to make a decent job of it the more that feeling fades.  ?

[customline]

35 minutes ago, LennyB said:

When you started this build David you made me want to build one, but the more I see what you need to do to make a decent job of it the more that feeling fades.  ?

Yeah, ditto that. I spent a few ebay sessions trying to find one at a decent price but I'm glad I gave up ( I'm happy with my Edsel ?.)  It takes a very methodical, patient, experienced....any way, that's why I gave up on it, the truth be known.

I like the idea of adding filler to CA; I need to try that. Nice work, David!