MPC 1970 Super Bee

[Dragline]

So, I usually put my projects up until the days start to get longer and cooler. I've been doing that since I was a kid. You know, get out and play while you can and the weather is nice.

Well that was many moons ago and I live in Baltimore where the weather is nicer than my new England upbringing.

I have been busy browsing and offering a word here or there but this site makes me crazy. The bug and fire stay lit. I thank all of you for this and so I am eschewing my past habit to build during the warm days of summer.

I will be dusting off the super detailed Garlits 1R build at some point but I thought I'd do a simpler less detailed build and I could think of nothing better than a 60's Mopar Muscle Car to get the juices flowing. OK, so it's a 1970 car. Sue me...... LOL

Paint is the absolutley stunning Testors Gomango. As you can see this paint lays down quite nicely.

There is a complete can of paint on this and it's so thin I was completely stunned it didn't build up. I just kept adding color and it kept getting richer.

Holes and lower valance filled with Squadron of course. Tamiya fine white primer was layed down as a base. Do they make grey????

I filed off the bee on the hood so I could apply the decal. I think it'll look nicer

Motor and undercarriage get paint today. I using the Hemi of course. Plug wires, battery and a few other details will be added. Lots of BMF as well.

I'm kinda doing this as a modified restoration so I'll be painting the scoops semi gloss black and I sanded off the drip edge for a cleaner look. The interior leaves a lot to be desired but I'll pick out details in paint and call it a day. The undercarriage will get a slightly used look with wear and some rust perhaps. Like it's loved but not a trailer queen ya know?

Bob Frias

Dragline

Edited August 17, 2009 by Dragline

[my name is nobody]

My very first 1:1 that was ever titled in my name was a 1970 Super Bee.

it was a stripe delete car, with just a big super bee decal on the quarter panel.

my car was FK5 Dark Burnt Orange Metallic.

and it was optioned up pretty good.

but I do remember a Go Man Go Challenger at my High school

back in 1978, and your color on this great Dodge is spot-on.

I personally LOVE the '70 Front end.

I've built a replica of my first ride, but I used an AMT kit.

will be waiting to see yours completed.

Edited August 1, 2009 by CJTORINO

[george 53]

Bob, if I 'member corectly, it was called"Go Mango" But then again, it WAS a little while ago,an I's IS gettin old!

[Dragline]

Bob, if I 'member corectly, it was called"Go Mango" But then again, it WAS a little while ago,an I's IS gettin old!

You are correct sir! It is Go Mango. I checked the top of the can since the paper surround was lost when I heated the can in warm water.

Your memory serves you well George.

I have the chassis and motor primed and painted. When they can be moved I'll snap a couple of pix. Interesting thing about this kit is that the front coils and radiator shroud are not mentioned in the directions, yet there they are. Which is great of course. Not sure which Air Grabber or air cleaner goes with the Hemi though. I painted both Air Grabbers Tamiya orange. What a striking color. I painted the non plated air cleaner and I hope that is the one. I'd rather not dechrome. As it is I had to dechrome the valve covers and shock absorbers.

oh well.... That's what makes it fun....

Bob Frias

Edited August 1, 2009 by Dragline

[Dragline]

An update since yesterday. The chassis is drying after a reshoot to cover some minor holidays but the running gear is all dry and the motor will get atention today. Not certain which Air Grabber is correct, but they are both orange and I can mock em to make sure. Once the chassis is dry i'll lightly weather it to look somewhat used and get it assembled.

Turning out fun, which is the idea.

Should I clearcoat or just wax the Go Mango? I'm thinking wax since it's super smooth. I may end up decaling it and applying BMF today with a wax job in the near future.

Any thoughts?

EDIT: Thanks Bluesman Mark for the primer heads up. I went to my LHS and there they were. I bought a can of each of the ones you mentioned. I now have grey! Yeay!

Edited August 2, 2009 by Dragline

[Ron Hamilton]

The Testors' Lacquers are meant to be used with their high gloss lacquer clearcoat. Waxing will not get you much of a shine.

Nice looking build though. If it were me, I would clear it.

[Dragline]

The Testors' Lacquers are meant to be used with their high gloss lacquer clearcoat. Waxing will not get you much of a shine.

Nice looking build though. If it were me, I would clear it.

And so, taking Ron's words to heart I will clear coat it. it seems to me I remember cars not really shining that much years ago. But memory is a subjective thing I think.

So here are a few progress shots of todays and last night festivities. I decalled it when I got home from work and the rest is from last night. This is so much more fun that a detailed over the top build. I must do this more often and save the detail builds for gradual completetion this way I can enjoy this hobby of ours/mine more.

[Dragline]

I laid down 3 Med coats of Testors 1814 clear and the result is better than I could have hoped for.

Thanks to Ron Hamilton for the inspiration and wisdom.

My pics don't do it justice, and I am pleased with how my skills keep moving forward.

I attribute this to ModelCarsMag Forums, and all you nice people.

[Pat Cardz]

Paintjob looks really good.

Ill have to try these new paints the results look great when applied properly.

Keep us posted.

[Dragline]

A few things have been going on at the workbench and wanted to share.

Got the wheels looking pretty good as well as the motor. Got it wired up and ready to be finished tomorrow. I'm going to polish the paint this weekend and picked up Tamiya's polishing system. Looks pretty good so the results should be decent. Got the rear part of the exhaust done and it came out great with Testors buffing metalizer. Love that stuff!

I stuck a dipstick on the motor as well as a coil. Vacuum line looks positively HUGE in the pic, but it scales out OK when it's in person. Weird.. I'm not going to do any fuel lines or any of that. I calmed down several times and told myself to just let it go. I'm making progress Dr., just like you said... hahaha.. hehehe.....

Enjoy.

Bob F

[RodneyBad]

Great looking Bee.

Motor looks good.

Paint and decal looks good too.

My Dad's Fav Yr Bee.

Not mine, I just can't get passed the bumper/grill

[Dragline]

Tonight I was staring at the grill when Zuke's comments came to mind about his not liking the grill.

I kind of went into a little trance trying to picture options in my head and decided to do something different.

I have dechromed the grill, rear valance and bumper as well as the mirrors.

I'm going black on them. I have the grill already painted and it is striking indeed. I think it will look great with the black C stripe and black chrome BMF.

The black interior will tie it all together quite nicely and it should look very custom indeed. Perhaps a departure from what others here have been expecting to see, but I'm not one to do what others think usually.

Pix tomorrow of course.

Bob F

[Ron Hamilton]

I laid down 3 Med coats of Testors 1814 clear and the result is better than I could have hoped for.

Thanks to Ron Hamilton for the inspiration and wisdom.

My pics don't do it justice, and I am pleased with how my skills keep moving forward.

I attribute this to ModelCarsMag Forums, and all you nice people.

You are very welcome. The car looks very good, so far.

[Dragline]

How timely Ron. I have update pix here.

Threw the chassis in to see how the engine bay is fitting. This kit is a real winner in my book.

Also getting to like the blackout thing on the chrome pieces.

I'm not going to use BMF black chrome, I'm going to mask and paint the trim. Using Tamiya tape as per an article I have here somewhere........

It's getting there.

[george 53]

Bob, beleive it or not, there was a guy here who had plated the FRONT and REAR bumpers in 24K gold! His 70 SuperBee, was the same Dark coppery metalic color Chuck mentioned. When I first saw it,it WAS kinda gaudy, but the more I did see it, it grew on me! Now all these decades later, I wonder what happened to that car. So the black bumpers won't look too odd on it, after all, I've seen 'em in GOLD!!!!

[RodneyBad]

Tonight I was staring at the grill when Zuke's comments came to mind about his not liking the grill.

I kind of went into a little trance trying to picture options in my head and decided to do something different.

O I see, Blame me

Grill looks great with the chrome fins.

or is the Black that Glossie it looks like chrome fins?

Motor is looking Excellent..

[Dragline]

O I see, Blame me

Grill looks great with the chrome fins.

or is the Black that Glossie it looks like chrome fins?

Motor is looking Excellent..

Blame?? Nothing of the sort... I sort of feel the same way kinda....

That is shine from the gloss black. It's actually already in the purple pond so it may recieve PROPER paint. I didn't prime and it showed....

So.... to recap.

I don't blame you [though it is tempting LOL], but truth be told it is my way of doing things.

Thanks for the comment on the motor, I am quite proud of the restraint I showed.

Gooder things on the way.

Bob F

[Dragline]

Only one real update here for now. I am polishing out the clearcoat with a Novus kit now since the Tamiya kit cannot be imported into this country.

Is this correct? I ordered it a while back and the LHS [Overlea Hobbies Baltimore] said no worries. I went the other day and he said we cannot get it imported.

Interesting. He had a Novus kit there for 9.99 so i grabbed it. It works VERY nice and the orange peel [what there was of it], simply melted away. I am hooked on it now.

But this post is about george53 and the HEMI decal he sent me. What a pal.....

Take a look and I hope to have some finished pix [maybe an update or two], within the next week. I have a Rommel's Rod I NEED to build right after this.

Bob F

[my name is nobody]

Thats a very nicely detailed engine compartment.

Looks terrific.

Do you have the "Ramcharger" decal for the underhood airbox?

if not, let me know, I just may have an extra.

[Dragline]

I finally dug this out last week as my Reher Morrison car was drying to try and finish it quickly. I should know better than that.

Still got a few more items like mirrors and the bumper but it's largely done. The interior is not the greatest in this kit but it turns into a repsectable shelf model when finished.

Still thinking about adding some width to the front end. Looks kinda narrow to me. I widended the rear and now it looks a tad strange. No worries there though. Easy fix

I have some Go Mango in a jar to hit between the front bumpers. It looks odd with it chrome I think.

Bob

Edited February 5, 2010 by Dragline

[Casey]

The '70 Dodge B-bodies always look good in orange, and this one proves it. Looks great.

I wish AMT would've included the bee emblem on the leading edge of the hood as a decal. That cast-in bee is impossible to detail paint after the body's been painted.