‘40 Ford coupe appreciation build

[atomicholiday]

The hubcaps are chrome at last.  I used Gaianotes premium mirror chrome over gloss black.  I think I should have stopped after the first coat.  They were a bit more reflective than after the second one.

 

 

[atomicholiday]

Over the weekend I decided to make my own shifter.  Here’s the boot, made from layers of sheet styrene cut with a leather hole punch.  

 

Today the body got its first few coats of paint.  I had to stop after the third coat because I found a bad spot on the body shell.  I’ll let it cure, lightly wet sand, and reshoot it as time allows.  I am LOVING this paint.

[slusher]

Real nice work and paint looks awesome!

[atomicholiday]

11 hours ago, slusher said:

Real nice work and paint looks awesome!

Thanks Carl!  The hood and fenders came out pretty nice, but the body needs a little attention.  I’m hoping to have it resprayed before the weekend.

[Zippi]

Looks pretty nice there Jeremy.  That chrome came out mighty fine.

[atomicholiday]

Ok guys, this is my first attempt at flocking.  How’d I do? Honest critique and feedback please.  I'd like to improve on this. 

To my eyes it looks a little thin in spots and thick in others.

 

Edited September 11, 2024 by atomicholiday

[atomicholiday]

Pretty minor update (it seems like most are doesn’t it?).  The kit radiator with 3D printed fan is done.  This part came out exactly as I was hoping.

[atomicholiday]

Wheels are tires are done!

[slusher]

 Real nice progress, Jeremy!

[atomicholiday]

23 minutes ago, slusher said:

 Real nice progress, Jeremy!

Thanks buddy!   I build very slowly,  and frequently will hit a roadblock that will send a kit into a stall.  But for whatever reason I seem to have found my muse with this kit,  and things are flowing pretty smoothly.   

Excuse me while I go knock on wood...?  

[James2]

Looking good so far.....

[atomicholiday]

Got a little more detail work done today.

[atomicholiday]

I’m calling the interior done.

 

[atomicholiday]

Finished spraying color on the body today.  Now I’ll let it gas out and then shoot clear when I get a chance.

It went on very smooth and glossy.  But I tried a technique I heard about for spraying metallics.  On the final coat, I pulled the brush a little further back and just dusted the model.  With luck, after clearing it, it should create a nice even flake in the paint.

 

[TopherMcGinnis]

MCW paints are KILLER! Your project is looking Mighty Fine! Your Pops will love it!

[atomicholiday]

Thanks Topher.  I hate to jinx myself by saying it, but so far everything is going together pretty smoothly.  

[atomicholiday]

Yesterday I started the polishing process.  I took it up to 6000 grit and stopped.  I decided it would be best to paint the running boards before I went any further.

So today the running boards were taped off and shot with Tamiya semi gloss black.  It always makes me nervous putting tape on a nice paint job.  To avoid complications I removed it 20 minutes after applying the paint.  No problems!?

Hopefully I can finish polishing out the body this weekend.

Now I really need to make a decision about what to do with the exhaust…?

[atomicholiday]

Body is all buffed out now.  Here’s a quick mockup for test fitting.

 

[BK9300]

Nice work on your paint - the tires look like real rubber!

[dragcarz]

Very cool 40, 

[Zippi]

That is just looing pretty nice man.  I really like the 40 Ford body style.  Great stance.

[slusher]

Jeremy,ford looks beautiful!

[atomicholiday]

Working on the exhaust system today.  I finally have a plan thanks to some tips I got on Facebook.

The tubing is the bendable stuff you can get at hobby lobby in the model kit isle.  First time I’ve used it.  I have to cut the kit muffler from the chassis plate to clear the new part.  The hole was then filled with a piece of evergreen styrene.  Once everything is figured out and fitting the way I want, I’ll repaint the chassis.

Mounting brackets are the next step.

[slusher]

What did you cut the muffler out with?

[atomicholiday]

4 hours ago, slusher said:

What did you cut the muffler out with?

I used the backside of a #11 blade.  I scored around it until it came free.  Then the hole was cleaned up with a file, and styrene sheet was used to fill the opening.   

It's no where near perfect,  but the new muffler will cover  most of it.