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AMT's 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 XL: WIP


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On 6/15/2024 at 6:31 AM, David G. said:

Hello Everybody!

It's time for the next Ford Galaxie update!

The interior is completed!

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Basic black upholstery with chrome trim accents. Simple and to the point.

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Though no one will likely ever see it, I did manage to work some dashboard detail into the scene.

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

David G.

Kudos for finding a great way to replicate those seat backs.  Your solution wouldn't have even occurred to me.  Also really like the rest of the interior, especially the dash.  Do any "recent" releases (Jolly Green Gasser) have a speedometer decal, or is that sourced from ebay?  (I think I've seen them there).  Either way, it looks great.   Lastly, I made notes of what you did with the wheelbacks etc to improve the stance and make the poseable wheels/tires work more accurately, so thanks for that as well.  

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20 hours ago, Monty said:

Kudos for finding a great way to replicate those seat backs.  Your solution wouldn't have even occurred to me.  Also really like the rest of the interior, especially the dash.  Do any "recent" releases (Jolly Green Gasser) have a speedometer decal, or is that sourced from ebay?  (I think I've seen them there).  Either way, it looks great.   Lastly, I made notes of what you did with the wheelbacks etc to improve the stance and make the poseable wheels/tires work more accurately, so thanks for that as well.  

Thank you very much for your kind comment Monty. I don't know for certain what is provided in other versions of this kit. I did have the Gasser kit in my hands at my LHS the other day and I did notice that AMT got the hood scoop the right way around on that one! :D 

The dashboard is so deeply hooded on this car that I doubt if anyone will notice the speedometer or much of the dash detail once it's all assembled. Still, I detailed the speedometer using my usual method of painting it then scraping the paint away from the numbers allowing the white styrene beneath to show.

I'm glad to know that my WIP helped you in some way Monty. When I started building models again back in 2009, I got soooo much help and inspiration from this site and others like it. It's good knowing that I can help others in a similar fashion.

Thanks again,

David G.

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Hello Everybody!

For those who may be interested, here's the next update on the Ford Galaxie 500 XL by AMT.

I've applied some Tamiya dull coat and Panel Line Accent Color to the bumper/grille assembly. The dull coat gives the Panel Line Accent Color something to stick to and kills what I call "the unholy plastic shine".

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On chrome pieces like this it sometimes takes two or more applications of Panel Line Accent Color to achieve the desired result. I allow each application to dry over night and clean up any sloppiness the next day using a cotton bud lightly moistened with mineral spirits.

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After I'm satisfied with the results of the panel line washes, I allow wash it as I would for paint prep then hit it with some Tamiya clear coat. I find that this process gives a nice shine to the kit chrome.

Most times.

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That's all for this update, I'll have more to post soon.

Thank you for your interest, please feel free to share any comments.

David G.

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11 hours ago, LennyB said:

Nice to see you broke out the holy water to vanquish that unholy plastic shine.

Yes, the exorcism is complete! :D 

11 hours ago, slusher said:

Grill looks great!

Thanks Carl, I'm glad you like it.

David G.

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Hello Everybody!

It's time for the latest update on the Ford Galaxie.

After color sanding and a good wash and dry, the second coat looks pretty good. 

65_Galaxie_39.jpg.b5ca93c03f04bdcdfe8114348675c91b.jpg

 

 

Even the panel lines I scribed for the fuel door came out well.

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Unfortunately, the strange paint flaws are "back in the hood" so to speak. I think this may be the result of me trying to remove the hood scoop so I could more easily clean up the previous flaws. I used some Tamiya cement as a solvent on the inside seam hoping to soften and release the bond. It didn't work. So after sanding out the first flaws, I cleaned it up and repainted. Only to have the flaws return with the second coat. :(

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As always, thanks for watching!

David G.

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9 hours ago, David G. said:

Hello Everybody!

It's time for the latest update on the Ford Galaxie.

After color sanding and a good wash and dry, the second coat looks pretty good. 

65_Galaxie_39.jpg.b5ca93c03f04bdcdfe8114348675c91b.jpg

 

 

Even the panel lines I scribed for the fuel door came out well.

65_Galaxie_40.jpg.0fa359c725d89b95e5cca6e47217e53d.jpg

 

 

Unfortunately, the strange paint flaws are "back in the hood" so to speak. I think this may be the result of me trying to remove the hood scoop so I could more easily clean up the previous flaws. I used some Tamiya cement as a solvent on the inside seam hoping to soften and release the bond. It didn't work. So after sanding out the first flaws, I cleaned it up and repainted. Only to have the flaws return with the second coat. :(

65_Galaxie_41.jpg.9e7d23d682084f7b4b5cd19f9770fff0.jpg

 

As always, thanks for watching!

David G.

David

 

I would agree that’s probably because of the solvent.  May have been some that wasn’t  fully cured in the seam of the scoop when you did the second coat that wicked out into the paint. I would throw it in the dehydrator for a while before you lay on another coat.   You’ll beat it into submission yet😬

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23 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

It’s coming along nicely David.👍 Interesting treatment method for the grill…I’ll have to try that on something. Thanks!😎

Thank you Greg. That process works most of the time, if the chrome is in pretty good shape to start with. The rear bumper on this kit has some awkward casting seams so I ended up stripping the chrome on it. After I file the seams down I'll probably prime and polish it then hit it with some Rustoleum chrome spray.

 

14 hours ago, LennyB said:

David

 

I would agree that’s probably because of the solvent.  May have been some that wasn’t  fully cured in the seam of the scoop when you did the second coat that wicked out into the paint. I would throw it in the dehydrator for a while before you lay on another coat.   You’ll beat it into submission yet😬

Right now the hood is on its third or fourth day in the Purple Pond. The Purple Penalty Box maybe? I checked on it after the first day and after a good scrubbing with some Dawn dish soap and a toothbrush there was still some paint stubbornly clinging to it so I decided to let it languish in the luxury of the Lavender Lake until it can get its purpose in life sorted.

I'm hoping that the extra time in detention will help to change its attitude.  

"Now you just sit in there and think about what you want to be when you get out!" :D 

Seriously though, I'm hoping that allowing it to soak for a few days will let the solvents leach out or completely cure any residual chemical interactions going on.

David G.

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Hello Everybody!

While I continue to work on the paint problems I'm having with the hood, here is a pleasant little diversion.

Because the trunk on this kit opens, AMT thoughtfully provided a bumper jack and spare wheel to place in the trunk. This is the rim they provided for the spare. It's nice but not what I would expect for a spare wheel.

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So I found a suitable steel rim in the parts box and drilled out the center cap and holes for the wheel studs.

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After a coat of flat black I mounted the rim into the wheel. Now that's more like what I had in mind!

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

David G.

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Your flat black steel wheel for the spare in the trunk is much better than the spare wheel supplied in the kit box David . . .

I hadn't noticed that you were building this 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 . . . You are certainly a busy builder !

David W.

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14 minutes ago, Anglia105E said:

Your flat black steel wheel for the spare in the trunk is much better than the spare wheel supplied in the kit box David . . .

I hadn't noticed that you were building this 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 . . . You are certainly a busy builder !

David W.

Thank you David.

The Cragar S/S wheel would have been a much better spare if it didn't have the center cap and lugs cast into it. I'm not sure I would have used it but it would have been nice to have had that option.

Since I've retired, I do try to keep busy. It's amazing how some of us tend to find jobs for ourselves. 

David G.

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4 minutes ago, David G. said:

Thank you David.

The Cragar S/S wheel would have been a much better spare if it didn't have the center cap and lugs cast into it. I'm not sure I would have used it but it would have been nice to have had that option.

Since I've retired, I do try to keep busy. It's amazing how some of us tend to find jobs for ourselves. 

David G.

Absolutely David, and I try to keep busy on a daily basis . . . because basically we don't know for sure how many days we have remaining.

Since I retired five years ago, I would say that the hobby of scale model car building has been my favourite daytime pastime by far. My wife does not see things that way, sadly . . . ( understandably though I must admit ).

David W.

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22 hours ago, Anglia105E said:

Absolutely David, and I try to keep busy on a daily basis . . . because basically we don't know for sure how many days we have remaining.

Since I retired five years ago, I would say that the hobby of scale model car building has been my favourite daytime pastime by far. My wife does not see things that way, sadly . . . ( understandably though I must admit ).

David W.

I'm very fortunate in that regard David. My wife's undergraduate degree is in Painting and Studio Arts and she's an artist by avocation. She sees the art in my model building hobby and supports me in it. She has her own hobbies and interests which support in turn. It all works out very well.

I truly am blessed.

11 minutes ago, slusher said:

Beautiful paint finish and I’m sure you’ll fix the hood. I have one if you want a different one and it’s unpainted..

Thank you very much Carl. Thank you also for your offer but I think I can find a way to make this one work. I'll certainly keep it in mind though.

David G.

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Hello Everybody!

AMT's 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 XL, here's the next update!

I've sanded out the flaws near the hood scoop and a few others I've found. Looking at the way these defects sanded out, I'm thinking that they are actually casting artifacts.

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After sanding them smooth and spraying a fresh coat of paint, the flaws remain. :( 

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Even the ones on the front are still there. The paint is beginning to get too thick and I'm done mucking about with it. Into the Purple Pond it goes!

65_Galaxie_47.jpg.f6c85e70f050ed3d8045a587b2efb563.jpg

 

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

David G.

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My 2 cents: if the next paint job ends up the same way I would take Carl up on his kind offer and if you must put a scoop on it, use CA and give it a day or two curing time to be safe. This is so frustrating and who needs that?  I'm so sorry, Dave; I know it would make me crazy 😖

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On 7/2/2024 at 7:27 PM, customline said:

My 2 cents: if the next paint job ends up the same way I would take Carl up on his kind offer and if you must put a scoop on it, use CA and give it a day or two curing time to be safe. This is so frustrating and who needs that?  I'm so sorry, Dave; I know it would make me crazy 😖

Thank you Jim, I appreciate your thoughtful comment. I believe that I will find a way to make this work, it's just going to take a little more time and patience than I originally planned.

And who knows, I may learn something!

David G.

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Hello Everybody!

I'm still working to get the paint issues on the hood sorted. Meanwhile, the rest of the build continues!

The color sanding has been done and the masking is applied, it's time for the (hopefully) final coat of paint!

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Everything looks good! After about an hour the paint is dry enough to remove the masking and still soft enough not to break and chip while doing so.

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With the masking removed, it's time to let this one cure for a few days while I get the paint issues on the hood worked out.

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

David G.

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On 7/4/2024 at 5:56 AM, Zippi said:

Looking good David.  I'm digging the color.  That hood will turn out alright.  Just stay after it.

Thank you Bob.

I'll get the hood figured out. It's like I say, "Ain' nuthin to it but the work to do it!"

David G.

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