1962 Pontiac 421 SD F/SA circa 2024 edition

[Tony Coomer]

This definitely is going to be a modern style dragster, great job so far…

[R. Thorne]

20 hours ago, Tony Coomer said:

This definitely is going to be a modern style dragster, great job so far…

Thanks, Tony.  I’m having fun with it.  Applied some dull coat.

[R. Thorne]

After finally finishing one of my 65 Dodges, I am back on this one.  A pic of what ceramic coated headers look like.  Glued the calipers/rotors/wheels/tires on.  Couldn’t resist some more pics of Norm Warling’s car.

[R. Thorne]

Put some marker on the tubing I will use for the roll bar.  This will save me from removing  it to paint after I have bent it in position.  Could have painted the straight tubing, but the marker was easy to do and less likely to crack or flake off during bending.  Put some putty on the original shifter area after trimming it off.  Going to try some embossing powder for carpet.  Will probably use Elmer’s first.

[R. Thorne]

Cut the back seat out and replaced it with styrene.

[Straightliner59]

I use, and would recommend a like-colored paint, to apply the embossing powder. It's easier to handle than any kind of adhesive, and it goes on thin! It's looking really nice, Ron!

[R. Thorne]

On 11/16/2024 at 9:53 PM, Straightliner59 said:

I use, and would recommend a like-colored paint, to apply the embossing powder. It's easier to handle than any kind of adhesive, and it goes on thin! It's looking really nice, Ron!

Your comments and suggestions are always much appreciated, Daniel.  Thank you.  While that paint was drying, I worked on the chrome trim.  I used Hasegawa, BMF, and Flysea pens.  The BMF looked the worst, so took it off.  The trim around the windshield(s) is extremely thin.  Mostly, Hasegawa was used, but chrome pen used on some areas.  Not thrilled with the results.  Got some clean up to do(if I can stay motivated).  I am gonna try to cut some spear headed Hasegawa for the front of the side trim.

[R. Thorne]

Cut off a piece of chrome, applied a “spear” cut with scissors.  Looks a little better.  One of the deficiencies of Hasegawa is the thickness and subsequently, less conformability .  Used Elmer’s thinned with a few drops of water applied with a brush for the embossing powder.  Didn’t want to mask everything off again in order to spray paint as a base for the powder.  Next time will try paint as Daniel suggested.

[R. Thorne]

Sanded and cleaned up some racing seats I casted.  Put some primer and paint on them.  Used those great markers to “paint” and detail the tach.

[R. Thorne]

Steering wheel and Tamiya panel line grille work.

[Straightliner59]

On 11/18/2024 at 8:24 PM, R. Thorne said:

Your comments and suggestions are always much appreciated, Daniel.  Thank you.

It's nice to know I might have picked up a worthwhile thing or two, over the last five decades!😃 You're most welcome, and, thank you for saying that. I appreciate it!

You mentioned masking off the interior for paint, to apply the embossing powder. I just brush it in--it creates a bit thicker coat that stays wet long enough to get the powder dumped in, and distributed. That's how I did this Monza.

I noticed the photos you posted are of a Division V racer out of Colorado. I build most of mine as "High And Mighty" cars!

[R. Thorne]

Some personal stuff going on, but back trying to finish this thing.  Thanks again, Daniel for your input.  Much appreciated.  My friend, Bob Michael, here in Div 3 (land of winners), also has a 62 Pontiac with a 389 in stock class.  Started a model of his a few years back (gee, wish I could finish more of my builds).  Anyway, got the tach, steering wheel, dash, and shifter installed.  Sure would be a lot more tedious without super glue and kicker.

[R. Thorne]

Baby steps.  Got some letters/numbers on the windshields.

[R. Thorne]

More small steps.  Used the acrylic black marker to touch up the hood and under hood area.  Much easier (and quicker) than painting.  Then super glued and “kicked” the windshields in.

[Brutalform]

Do you plan on fabricating vent windows? I don’t understand why they are not included with the clear parts on an otherwise, exceptional model kit? 

[R. Thorne]

4 hours ago, Brutalform said:

Do you plan on fabricating vent windows? I don’t understand why they are not included with the clear parts on an otherwise, exceptional model kit? 

I am on the fence right now on that issue.  If I do the vent windows, I will do the front and rear windows also, and make a chrome window separator, too.  This would also allow placement of the class designations.  Got a little more done today.  Tailights and parking lights, radiator hoses,white acrylic marker on the dome light, battery, aftermarket dual master cylinder, silver acrylic marker touched up with black acrylic marker on door handles.  Next to last pic shows the flatness of the marker on the radiator support.  Finally, installed the chassis to set the roll bar height and super glued in place.  Installed the master cylinder with super glue on the firewall and kicker on the master cylinder, making for an almost instant bond.  

[R. Thorne]

Finished roll bar, installed scratch built head rest, used some novus to remove some spots on body.  Succeeded in knocking off rear view mirror, one front fender chrome spear, and removing chrome from door handles (sigh…).

Edited December 5, 2024 by R. Thorne
Add on.

[R. Thorne]

Got her shined up and some windows cut out.  Done for the day.

[Tony Coomer]

Very nice work 

[R. Thorne]

3 hours ago, Tony Coomer said:

Very nice work 

Thank you, Tony.  I keep plugging.  Gonna use some .010”x.030” for the posts after installing the windows.  Taped the windows in, then applied super glue.  Used Gold super glue, kicker, and the Glue Loopers to put the windows on.  So far, so good.  Gonna let it dry and came up with a different way to mount the separators.  Tackle that tomorrow.

[R. Thorne]

Another burnout.  Had to gather some sanity and built a quickie and cheap P-51 airplane for diversion.  Shot some ts30 Tamiya on it and used the new acrylic markers for all other painting.  Now I am back on the 62 Pontiac.

Edited December 19, 2024 by R. Thorne

[R. Thorne]

Cut some .010”x.030” pieces, stuck them side by side onto a piece of double back tape.  Tried a couple types of foil on them, but ended up with some Flysea instead and “taped” them on to the windows.  Now, it is on to some class designations.

[R. Thorne]

Looks similar to the real thing.

[R. Thorne]

Finally got the numbers/letters on the side windows.  On individual decals like these, I had forgotten to soak each one on a paper towel to remove excess liquid, until I was about halfway through.  Keeps the decal more stabil on the window to position it easier.

[R. Thorne]

Needs a good dust off and maybe a polishing, but you gotta stop sometimes.  Assembled with the usual quirks that comes from changing even minor stuff.  CA gold stuff and accelerator are my friends.  More pics in the finished section.  Learned a little, now on to the next one.