Shadowbox Coupe - Final Update before Completion

[Fletch]

The matte black look is cool and certainly fits in with the original, but do you fear loosing the details in the darkness?

Alyn, it is indeed something that I am concerned about. The Tamiya Matte Black is so black that perhaps it's to black. I have some nail polish that is called Midnight Satin that is super dark Blue/Purple, it is so dark that in the right light it looks black but not a black as this Matte Black. A couple of coats of the nail polish might be an option to tone down the black. The Tamiya Matte Black would be prefect for '60 and '70 Muscle Cars but as the single color on a body I'm beginning to feel it's a bit much. I have other bodies floating around that are in black primer and they are not as dead black as this Tamiya color.

I think before I go much farther with the assembly I am going to get the interior panels and seat painted and see if with the top opened as it is if that will make a noticeable difference. The dash from a Revell '40 Ford Coupe is getting added to the interior and will be the same HoK Blue Blood Red as the wheels and engine so that might help with the Matte Black. One other thing I have thought about is adding a rolled up piece of Linen to the roof to replicate the insert being rolled back. Even though that is not in the original photo it's something that may have been there at some point in time.

[Fletch]

Today was relatively productive with the '$0 Ford Dash modified to fit in place to the stock '30 unit. Got the initial cuts made in the seat bottom to accommodate the drive shaft tunnel. The seat and interior panels were painted with Krylon Make it Suede, I'll go back and do some highlight work prior to final assembly.

The Engine block, wheels and dashboard got painted with HoK SG105 Blue Blood Red. The still need a coat of clear as most HoK paints are Base Coat -> Clear Coat operations with the HoK base coat being flat when dried.

So here in photos is the progress for the day:

The fabrication that still needs completed is to convert the '37 Pickup grille and surround into that of a '35/'36 pickup grille. Fabricate the new floor boards from K&S Aluminum sheet. Most of this should or will be completed over the weekend which will allow next week for detail work and we should be good to go for the Spring Classic NNL on the 13th.

I was hoping that with the addition of the other colors that the black hole effect of the Tamiya Matte Black would not be so noticeable but not the case. So, it's time to consider some other color over the Matter Black. The colors that I am considering to use as the base coat over the Matte Black as ground coat are:

HoK BC03 Galaxy Grey

Tamiya TS40 Metallic Black

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Both are Greyish Black with graphite metal flake, both would lighten up the overall color of the build. The HoK Galaxy Grey is sitting on the bench the Tamiya Metallic Black wil require a trip to the LHS (how could that be a bad thing?).

[Ryan S.]

This is looking great. That chassis is a work of art, well done. I love that red too, nice choice. Keep it going, I can't wait to see this one finished!

[Fletch]

Well after much tossing and turning The body went back to the paint booth this morning for a makeover. The Tamiya Matte Black became the ground coat for the new base coat of HoK Galaxy Grey.

Details such as the corrected body line are now visible, and the main body color doesn't suck the life out of all the other colors. The color is just as it came out of the airbrush no clear coat has been added yet, I plan to gloss clear coat the Dashboard and wheels, not sure about the body at this point.

What do you think of the new color? Thumbs up or Thumbs down? I'd like to hear your thoughts on the change.

A quick commentary on House of Kolor Paints, if you haven't tried HoK paints you're doing yourself a disservice. This paint goes on thin, coverage is fantastic and the price by comparison to that of Testors or Tamiya, HoK wins hands down. The 4oz Airbrush Bottles retail for $19, the jobber I buy from here in Portland gives a discount to any and every customer, the 4oz bottle runs me $14.50. The Airbrush Bottles come ready to use, just dump it into your color cup and fire up the compressor. Back to the build.

Got a couple more tweeks to do with the frame it should be in paint tomorrow afternoon at the latest.

The initial pieces were cut for the floor pans using K&S .005 Aluminum sheet (this is the stuff that comes in rolls) they are ok but I think I'll give it another shot and pick the 2 best for the final assembly.

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That's it for today, what do you think, your comments and critiques are always welcome.

[Alyn]

So, you took the plunge...

Deep breath and start spraying. I think it looks good. You can see all the body lines. As far as the clear coat goes, that will probably make it look a bit less traditional. It has a nice satin finish now. You're the one that sees it in person though.

One thing that I'm not sure about is the top bows. I'm not sure why you went with round rod rather than a square or rectangular section. I'd probably have used the square section rod and colored them in some sort of wood tone, maybe a sun bleached and weathered light grayish hue.

She's looking good though. I really like the rear three quarter view, showing off the slicks.

[brett]

Color looks much better in the fact that your extra work shows up now. As Alyn has said a satin clear or leaving as is would be more traditional than a gloss would be but again that would bw your choice.

[Deckerz]

I like it!

Do HOK colours come ready to spray? if not are they water soluble?

[Fletch]

I like it!

Do HOK colours come ready to spray? if not are they water soluble?

Decker, I know at one point that HoK was available in spray cans through Black Gold. They would repackage the HoK paints into spray cans and different size cans and bottles then those available from HoK. Going over their website all I see available now is Primer, Base Coats and Clear Coats in spray. The assortment of colors no longer show up on their site but if you were to contact them directly it may be different. http://shop.blackgoldweb.com/main.sc

HoK colors are not water soluble, HoK's site does not give them a specific type like Lacquer or Enamel instead it list them as Photochemically Reactive, I guess it's their way of saying "if we told you we'd have to kill you." But they back up their statement of "unique chemical make-up", with the fact that they can be clear coated with either acrylic lacquer or urethane enamel. Being able to be clear coated with Urethane Enamel is not that out of the norm, but to be able to bet clear coated with Acrylic Lacquer as well is somewhat uncommon.

I know that there are systems available that allow you to add paint to a container and pressurizer the container and spray from it. I have never tried any or have any idea as to how effective they are but it is an option.

I guess my commentary on HoK paints was more along the lines of don't limit yourself to model paints only. In my building and painting I use model paints, craft paints, automotive paints, and a lot of fingernail polish. Model building would be pretty dull if we were confined to the color chart from Tamiya or Testors.

Back to the bench, more of the Shadowbox Coupe to come soon.

Edited March 7, 2010 by Fletch

[Jon Carr]

Hey Fletch, are you gonna use a "photoetch" 34 ford car grill? for the surround? I'm doing this same exact project.just waiting for my body to come in the mail.

[Fletch]

Hey Fletch, are you gonna use a "photoetch" 34 ford car grill? for the surround? I'm doing this same exact project.just waiting for my body to come in the mail.

Jon, I hadn't planned on using one of the MCG photoetched grilles for the project as the grille surround is not complete. Even with gluing it to the cross member it would still be weak enough that I don't think a photoeteched grille would survive very long. Unless you were to build a custom fit box for the completed build to sit in I think just the normal packing/unpacking routine for events would end up damaging the grille in a very short period of time. And the unique feature would end up being more problematic then it would be an attraction.

So, I'll use the Revell '37 Pickup surround and an AMT '34 Grille and do the required detail painting.

I look froward to seeing your rendition of this great Traditional Hot Rod, keep us posted on your progress.

Edited March 8, 2010 by Fletch

[Jon Carr]

Oh,cool. Yeah mine isn't going to be exact, like the front hubcaps are 53 stude

[Fletch]

Oh,cool. Yeah mine isn't going to be exact, like the front hubcaps are 53 stude

Jon, I've got an extra set of the front caps. If you're interested in them I can bring them along to the NNL this weekend. Let me know.

[Jon Carr]

Jon, I've got an extra set of the front caps. If you're interested in them I can bring them along to the NNL this weekend. Let me know.

Cool yeah, Thank You Fletch

Oh and I want your opinion on something, would the hemi work from the lil coffin kit? because I think Stan has some junker lil coffins

Edited March 10, 2010 by Jon Carr

[Fletch]

Cool yeah, Thank You Fletch

Oh and I want your opinion on something, would the hemi work from the lil coffin kit? because I think Stan has some junker lil coffins

Jon, I don't see anything wrong using the Hemi from the Lil Coffin for a build inspired by the photo of this Hot Rod. Realize of course the valve covers on the Lil Coffin have the covers over the spark plugs so you don't have the open plug wells as you would with these RMoM heads and valve cover replacements for the Hemi out of the Revell '32 Ford 5 Window Coupe. The other thing to take into consideration is from the photo that you and I both are working from you can't tell anything about the exhaust manifolds. There are many details on this Rod that you can't tell from the photo, so use it as the basis of your build but unless you can come up with better photos, it would almost impossible to build a 100% correct replica.

[Fletch]

Made some more progress on the Shadowbox Coupe, it seems things like the daily driver breaking down and needing repaired took precedence over model building. Anyway the 1:1 is back on the road and I get to go back and play at the bench.

Since we last visited the frame has gotten a couple of coats of Krylon Semi-Flat Black (about the only color from Krylon worth using anymore). Tire and wheel assemblies are now epoxied to the brake drums. The interior pans are in place, they need a final trim so the trans and drive shaft tunnels can be built.

Beings there is so much of this coupe that we don't know about from the single photo a bit of artistic license is coming into play. I have no idea how the steering linkage attaches to the steering column then out to the steering arm. The solution I came up with is to make it cowl steering, using a bit of brass rod, the bell arm from the '31 Sedan I was able to fashion the linkage to the cowl and still have it functional. I'll use brass rod and tubing to build the steering arm during final assembly.

The other bit of artistic license that I chose to take is with the Grille and Surround. Instead of converting the '37 Pickup grille and shell to work with an AMT '34 Ford grille I've chosen to shorten the '37 Grille and Surround and do the necessary detail painting to make it work for the build.

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The valve covers are awaiting a coat of AlcladII chrome then they will go on the heads the we'll get to the wiring. The bicycle fenders are being fashioned out of the spare tire cover from the '37 Pickup, both of them and the grille surround should be ready for paint later today or Thursday morning.

That's it for now, the finish line is in sight.

[Alyn]

Stance = ~50% of the "look". You got it down!

I'm looking forward to the cycle style fenders, Fletch. They're a real throw-back to the old days that you just don't see much anymore.

P.S. Remember to use black plug wires to be period correct.

[Jon Carr]

ok. Yeah i'm trying to track down more pics, but so far no luck. Well I could use the hemi valve covers from "miss Deal" stude

[Fletch]

ok. Yeah i'm trying to track down more pics, but so far no luck. Well I could use the hemi valve covers from "miss Deal" stude

Different scales the valve covers from the Miss Deal Funny Car may not fit the Lil Coffin Hemi heads, but it's worth a shot if it works then I'd use then.

[Jon Carr]

Different scales the valve covers from the Miss Deal Funny Car may not fit the Lil Coffin Hemi heads, but it's worth a shot if it works then I'd use then.

All right, I'll give that a try. The biggest thing I'm gonna have trouble with is building the frame. Have you seen this coupe? caled the little monster(owned by a hamber) it's a 50's hot rod,very similar to the shadowbox coupe

[Fletch]

All right, I'll give that a try. The biggest thing I'm gonna have trouble with is building the frame. Have you seen this coupe? caled the little monster(owned by a hamber) it's a 50's hot rod,very similar to the shadowbox coupe

I had not seen that coupe before, but man that is seriously cool, that is what Traditional Hot Rodding is all about.

As for the frame, my best suggestion is do what I did, scratch build it out of Evergreen Styrene. All we know about the frame is that the frame rails that stick out by the Grille are 2X3 rectangular stock, beyond that it's anybodies guess, so you really can't go wrong.

Even if the Coupe isn't completed by Saturday I'll bring it along and you can take a look at it.

[Jon Carr]

Yeah'll probably gonna have to scratch build it, the thing is I suck at making frames I just made the 35 Grill using your method...I'm gonna run chrome reverse wheels in the back

[Dr. Cranky]

Sweet looking ride. I love it. I hope you make more progress soon.

[Fletch]

Spent the major part of the day getting the headers for the Coupe together. It was one of those should have been simple tasks that took hours. I knew in my minds eye what I wanted to accomplish but just couldn't quite figure it out. It also helped that every time I attempted to bend the K&S or Evergreen tubing it either broke at the bend or collapsed. Finally, after exhausting the supply of aluminum and styrene tubing I went searching and found a piece of sprue that was the right diameter, heated it up to the bend that I wanted, cooled it off in cold water, a couple of cuts and sanding later and the header tips were finished.

The headers are a mix of parts from different kits with the exhaust flanges coming from the Revell '32 5 Window Coupe. The headers themselves from the AMT Phantom Vicky, and header flanges from Detail Master.

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Perfect they are not, but they will serve the purpose, they'll get a trip through the paint booth for some Model Masters Metalizer and be ready for final assembly.

More to come soon, the PNW Model Fest is 1 week away.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Fletch

[vizio93]

Wow man, thats lookin' sharp. Those headers look real good too !!! Can't wait to see them on it

[Dr. Cranky]

Looking sweet, man. Keep it going!