Koenig Specials 500 SL

[FujimiLover]

Hello there. I decided to take a step back and do something less complicated. Fujimi's Koenig Specials Mercedes 500 SL BlackStar.

However, mine is going to be pure white, with a brown interior.

The model comes molded in black,

so I'll be masking off areas I want black, I'll use white primer, then Tamiya TS-26 Pure white, and so on. Interior will be painted with Model Master's 2910 Sand Beige with black trim.

First step is body prep.

Edited April 21, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

Masked and primed! Wait for this to dry, then do the bottom!

I'm not sure what color to do the roof. I dont' know if I want to leave it black, paint it brown to match the interior, or paint it white to match the body.

[janositamas]

You hooked on this Koenig-theme, eh?! Looks to be a good project! The white body with black/brownbeige interior sounds good, I would definitely paint the roof body color also! Good luck!

[FujimiLover]

Thank's! I've always been a fan of Koenig since the 80's. In fact, I even tried to visit their home in Munich Germany in the 90's when I was in high-school. I was attending a co-ed boarding school in Florida and every spring brake about 20 of us students would visit Europe. One year, we went to Munich Germany upon my request and that's when I tried to visit Koenig, but they didn't accept visitors for some reason. So, I never got to see'em.

So yes, I love Koenig!

[B_rad88]

hey fujimilover, wuz up man? in my opinion i think you should paint the roof white to match the body. for one reason only: the top looks like the hardtop not the soft top. but what ever you chose that car will look great.

[FujimiLover]

Yes it is a removable hard top and is already primed. I also primed the bottom of the car as well. So later this evening I'll flip her over again and paint the top pure white.

[FujimiLover]

Not really sure if you can tell by the photo or not, but the first coat of pure-white is on. And so far, so good!

Will wait for this to dry, flip it over, and paint the underside! Far cry from being black aint' it?

Will work on chassis/interior soon.

Edited April 22, 2009 by FujimiLover

[LDO]

Lookin' good, man. I like your color choice.

Are you going to modify any kits that Koenig built but aren't available in scale?

[FujimiLover]

If I can find a nicely done Ferrari 355 I might do that one. Although my modifying skills are highly questionable. I still have yet to finish my Veilside MR2. However, I did finally get my hands on the Superfine White Milliput and will work with that. If the VeilMR2 is successful, I will attempt such a mod. But need the right Ferrari kit to do so.

Pic of KS 355. It's either 355 or 348 not sure which.

I'd also like to find a nice model kit of the BMW 850 as it's my favorite BMW of all and Koenig has done a really awesome job at it.

Pic of KS BMW 850. The 850 has been widened some, but not drastically, has a nice airdam, and a small F-40 style rear wing. It is very tastfully done, but done enough to really make the 850 a hot-looking car! Would love to do a 1/24 model of this, but probably in a dark gun-metal color.

Does that answer your question?

[FujimiLover]

FYI, I saved the seats and steering wheel from the spare Testarossa kit and will be useing those parts on this 500 SL as it's seats and steering wheel are ugly. It'll give it that extra "tuner" look!

[FujimiLover]

I primed the chassis, seats, and steering wheel. I will paint the chassis silver, and probably do some of the exaust system in gun-metal colors.

Steering wheel rim will be brown, and seats will also be brown with black seatbelts. Center of steering wheel black with silver trim.

Edited April 23, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

I noticed that the stock seats sit up higher than the racing seats do. So, I decided before I prime the interior, that I would raise the aftermarket seats off the floor by about 1mm useing peice of wood left over from a helicopter fuselage.

This will get the "drivers head" at the right hight!

Edited April 23, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

Chassis painted silver, and seats painted Sand Beige. I like this beige color, really will look hot against the white body!

The tape you see there on the sides of the seats is my attempt to mask the seat belts. I couldn't do the backsides as easily but I've had good luck painting that part. It's just these side peices that give me trouble. So hopefully the masking job will work.

Also primed the interior. Gotta wait a while for paint to dry before I can start working again.

Edited April 23, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

Man these seat belts are a pain in the azz to paint!

Do I repaint the beige over this ugly black? How can I get this perfected? These are near impossible to mask in this tight area!

Suggestions? I want perfection!

Edited April 24, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

Some chassis detailing. Decided to go ahead and paint the exaust system gun-metal with a titanium gold CAT. Interior, 2nd coat of paint on body, and painted roof.

Seats are just sitting in place, not glued yet. Just posing for pic's.

White paint came out nice, alot better than the red Testarossa.

Roof

[FujimiLover]

I'm pissed. I was about to apply the decal for the instrument panel which was a really nice set of white dials too. Damed decal folded over itselfe and in trying to fix it I ripped it in three peices to where it was unrecoverable. I'm really ticked at my selfe cause this is the second 500 SL kit I purchased because I lost the entire decal set on the FIRST ONE! That decal set is loooooooooong gone.

So, I had to hand-paint in the white dials which really sucks cause I was aiming for perfection and authenticity here. Mad as heck!

No way I'll be able to find another one of these kit's anytime soon and I seriously doubt anyone will have a spare decal sheet.

I think what I'll do tomarrow is see if any of the local hobby shop's has at least Tamiya's 500 SL model and use it's decal sheet for instrument panel. I'm sure it's the same thing, maybe different color.

Edited April 24, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

Well, no luck. I found only one Set of Decals, from the Tamiya AMG 500SL, but the only thing missing was the Instrument panel.

Of coarse! The only one peice I need. Thank you for your help anyway. Last night I went down town to the closest hobby shop and they didn't have one. Today I will look for it at the other two hobby stores. I bet Complete Games and Hobbies will have it as they have the best sellection. If you do happen to find one, let me know. I hate buying a full kit just for one part, although I was planning on building the AMG Mercedes anyway, so when I build it I'll just black-out the windows so nobody will know somethings missing anyway! I dont' want to do that on this one since I worked so hard on the interior already.

I appreciate your efforts. I'm also looking forward to receiving the 928! Maybe I should try and find a plane'ol 928 kit as well for back-up decal set!

[FujimiLover]

Okay, back in the game. I went to C.G.H today, and they did not have the Tamiya AMG version I was hoping to find. However, I did find Fujimi's bone-stock version of the same exact car. While at the hobby shop, I was able to open her up and make sure everything was identical and sure enough, it is the same car. So, for 20 buck's, I picked her up. So wish me luck with not screwing up this decal! LOL!

This stock Mercedes 500 SL, came with a nice grey/white almost chequred pattern decal set for the seats which I'll probably use on another model. Not sure what to do with the rest of the kit.

So, after some lunch, I'll CAREFULLY apply the instrument panel!

[atenzapower]

Nice kit,i am glad that you find some decals for it.

I have buildthis koeing to.and whit mine kit the rear lights did not fit very good.

This is mine koenig.

http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n131/at...pecial%20600sl/

And good luck.

[FujimiLover]

Thank's, here's an update. Instrument panel successful, found an interesting secondary color for the interior. A color called French Chestnut. Done some trim work on the body as well. ###### I hate painting those thin lines! Especially on white cars where the slightest error is amplified! EEEEEEK! I think it turned out pretty darn good! Will try and get a better pic of the instrument panel later.

You can see the Chestnut color in the center console here.

Body paint

Will need to touch this up with matching white.

You can see the reflection off the gloss white on the roof here!

Remember, this used to be all molded in black!

Edited April 25, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

Here are a couple of teaser-shot's for yea! I hope you like cause I sure do!

[atenzapower]

Thats came out nice.

Very soon i comming whit the koeing diablo.So watch me.

[FujimiLover]

Thats came out nice.

Very soon i comming whit the koeing diablo.So watch me.

Thank's, it's still way's to go. I'm still waiting for delivery my KS Diablo and KS 911. I've tracked it down to departing N.Y. on the 23rd, so I expect it to arrive Monday.

Next step is to get the chassis finished and mount the interior to it. Then, finish up the body.

[FujimiLover]

Suggestion's please. Should I chrome the grill with Bare-Metal-Foil, or leave it black?

[atenzapower]

Suggestion's please. Should I chrome the grill with Bare-Metal-Foil, or leave it black?

Leave it black.whit a silver star.

Or use the koenig logo,its a pain in the ass to paint it.