Here we go again...Updated Dec. 13, 2009

[Bernard Kron]

This thing gets more real with every detail and cut you make. The front wheel flares fit beautifully around the tire and the Group C flavored rear section is superb. Can't wait to see the sketched in headlights become "real", too. Then that front end should really come to life! I get the feeling this is a very improvisiational build where the sculpture that became the body has in turn become the canvas on which you are "drawing" a completed automobile. What fun!

[Corvette.Jeff]

This is absolutley amazing

[Peter Lombardo]

Last night and this morning I got some more finished so I thought one more post for this weekend.

I have been building up the interior, section by section. I lowered the center floor section down about a scale 10 inches to get the passengers down as low as possible.

Little by little I built the interior sides up and finished off the foot wells. Next I added two small side panel contours that will have switches on them.

Over the top I added the dashboard top which will house the video monitor in the center, and sweeps down on the two outer sides to connect to the side panels.

Right now there is a little putty on the pieces at the point where the two panels connect which will be sanded smooth later. The dash top, small center console (omitted now) and the outer side panels will be decaled with carbon fiber later.

My intention is to have a tight close cockpit on this car.

The driver cockpit area was designed to simulate the look and feel of a fighter jet, especially with the joystick control and the look of the windshield and side windows. The tight surroundings and the center monitor just enhances that feel.

One of the interesting points of this design, with the central joystick, is that this car would be at home in Great Britain, Japan or America. It could be driven on either side of the road as a left hand or a right hand drive vehicle.

As I mentioned before, there will be a large video screen in the center of the dash, viewable from either seat, obviously, and on the joystick there would be buttons to control the display. A driver could switch between camera views behind him, to his rear quarter sides, for lane changing, navigation maps, the current news, and traffic, all with a digital display as a “heads upâ€, on the inner windshield of speed and RPM, if so desired. All other items monitored, like fuel, temps, electrical, etc…would be displayed with the push of a button.

To the rear of the car, I have completed the firewall with a small built in recess for the engine front.

I built up the lower sides next to the engine where an overflow tank for engine oil and a small tank for transmission oil will be situated. All of the bulkheads will be covered in carbon fiber decals. I will also build the upper frame support bars that run just under the rear decking cover from the fuel tank area up to the firewall bulkhead. The radiators for the oil and trans fluid will be attached to the frame rods right where the lower air inlet openings are just ahead of the rear wheel wells, The engine air intake tubes will be attached to the engine manifold rear and draw air from the upper openings in front of the rear wheels.

I have attached the two valve cover covers.

I painted them Dupli-color chrome from a spray can and when dry, covered them with Tamiya clear red. When that dried, I lightly sanded off the red from the word Corvette so they will be chrome letters. The kit decals are black and I wanted something brighter. Once sanded, I put a coat of Future over the top to seal in a shine.

To the rear of the engine, I put a top cover on the fuel tanks which are behind the car. These will be covered in carbon fiber decals and the filler is open directly to the center rear of the rear cover. You can just see the area where the fuel filler goes.

The tail light openings are going in, three are done and the last will be completed later as I have to wait for the glue to dry in that area….that is where one of the small imperfections was from the molding process…no big deal. The rear cover will tilt to the rear, hinged just above the rear grill area.

I have to open the headlights later and build the various headlight projection array of bulbs. High beam, low beams, fog lights and turn signals, all housed under a clear cover.

I have chosen the exact color for the car. The interior will have a carbon fiber dash and side panel coverings but the seats will be tan with red 4 point seat belts. The body will be painted appliance white with a lower bottom fade (about a quarter of an inch or so) of desert sand. The entire car will then get a top coat of pearl white/gold interference gold mixed with clear lacquer. Then the car gets clear top coat over that. This will be unique. The more I work on it, the more I think I want to do a race version of it. Front lower air dam, big rear wing, single seat, left of center with a conventional steering wheel and foot petals. Why not?

[vizio93]

I have chosen the exact color for the car. The interior will have a carbon fiber dash and side panel coverings but the seats will be tan with red 4 point seat belts. The body will be painted appliance white with a lower bottom fade (about a quarter of an inch or so) of desert sand. The entire car will then get a top coat of pearl white/gold interference gold mixed with clear lacquer. Then the car gets clear top coat over that. This will be unique. The more I work on it, the more I think I want to do a race version of it. Front lower air dam, big rear wing, single seat, left of center with a conventional steering wheel and foot petals. Why not?

Sweet I can't wait to see it in color !!! A race version would be an awesome thing to see. Maybe you could make all versions of the vette's ( Grandsport, Z06, Zr1). I hope you made alot of copies of this mold

[charlie8575]

The color sounds interesting; sometimes I wish I did customs, you get to have so much fun with the colors and effects.

Charlie Larkin

[Jason Vandergriff]

How much for a few copies cause i would like to do a race version. Nice work all around. Following with great intent learn something new.

[seeker589]

Seeing the updates has me thinking about how you did many of these things.

What must be going through you mind!?

I think the Camaro wheels fit better here than on the Camaro!

[Tony T]

Thanks for the updates. This 'Vette is moving along very nicely. Fantastic work and imagineering going on. Fabulous that you have all the elements visualized, and all the peripherals (radiator, fuel, etc), to go with it! A true concept through and through.

A race version would be neat to see, too!

[Bernard Kron]

You're moving along at warp speed now! The color scheme sounds fabulous. It will be exciting to see the surfaces "solidify" in their various colors and textures. The contrast between the exterior color(s) and the carbon fiber details peaking through the large windows and in the engine compartment should be especially cool.

[customsrus]

Pete I knew this was going to be kooool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. more of your great work. Are you going to sell any bodies, If so put me down for one. I will be watching this one for sure.

[customsrus]

any progress on your corvette ?

[James Flowers]

You have such fertile mind. I love to see projects like this. Nice to see how you solve the problems of a build like this. Keep up the great work.

[Peter Lombardo]

Thanks for all of the positive feedback...you realize that you guys are just driving on to try even more crazy ideas. Thanks, and I really do appreciate the support.

I was not planning on posting anything on the XP45C right now, but it is almost completely painted so I may as well post some shots.

I have opened up the headlight areas and built up the inside light housings. These have clear covers that I cut from the body that I vacuum formed in clear. I have a series of HO by M.V. Products that will form the headlight array within the lighting housings.

First off, the lighting is terrible here as we are getting ready for rain, so it is very overcast, and the lighting in my work room is not the best…why is that? Anyway, the paint has been a multi-step process that has taken a few days to complete. Any yes, there are a few dust specks that I did not see until I loaded the pictures into the computer.

After the car was primered, I put on the first two coats of Appliance White Lacquer which was lightly sanded once dry.

Than I layered on two coats of Pearl White Lacquer to set up the base for the top coat.

I mixed up two ounces of Clear Lacquer with a half of ounce of Jacquard Products #674 Interference Gold Pearl Pigment and then thinned this down with about ¾ of an ounce of thinner. This was airbrushed over the Pearl White. Once that was set up, I airbrushed on a soft fade to the lower portion of the car, some Mopar Desert Sand which is an earthy looking Dark Gold Metallic. It is difficult to see in the pictures but in person this looks very striking. The main color has a very deep pearl glow and depending on the light, it has either a Pearl White look or a soft Gold hue or even a little slight Silver look to it. There is a gentle fade from the Desert Sand up to the Gold/White top color that has some very pale yellow/gold highlights to it. Honestly, this is a paint scheme that must be seen to appreciate. Neither my description nor the pictures even come close to the how this looks in sunlight.

( notice, the Aero Coupe is in the background…I am also working on that too)

This has multiple layers of Clear Lacquer applied with the Corvette crossed flag logo on the nose and the name Corvette on the tail (the decal is one of the head cover decals from the engine) sandwiched in-between. I still need one more clear coat to cover a small correction I made to the passenger side rear wheel cover.

The taillights are all scratch built.

I opened up the four openings (seen in the last picture postings) for the lights. Then I cut a thin piece of styrene equal to the circumference of the opening. This was glued in place so that a generous portion was sticking out both the inside and the outside of the rear fascia of the car. Once dry I sanded the outside down to about one sixty-fourth of an inch so as to provide a small outer lip. Next, I sealed up the inside area with a piece of styrene. I drilled a hole in the center of each light and glued in a piece of brass rod to replicate the light bulb inside. Then I mixed up a small batch of 5 minute epoxy and Tamiya Clear Red and dropped that into each taillight cavity.

I slightly over filled each one so that the lens, once dry, would have a convex shape.

Up front by the front wheel wells, you can see the hinges for the door/side window. The clear plastic windows will pivot upwards from that point. In the interior, you can see the on the center of the dash area where the large monitor is. This display will house all of the driver information needed…..speed, tach., engine gauges, navigation, and rear video feeds, news and all entertainment.

Obviously, I am getting a little carried away with this, but I can’t help myself. For the 30+ years I was in the car business, I would see all of the new concept cars and designs and think how great it would be to be part of the exciting area of the automobile industry. Well, in my own little way I can now participate. Whatever concepts I create, and I will create more….I have killer Viper Concept laid out and, what I think, is a beautiful redesigned Chrysler 300EX, more on that later, I try and give them purpose and plausibility. They must make sense and be a logical step to either future design or new technology. This is really fun!!

[Lownslow]

im diggin that paint scheme

[seeker589]

Thank You for the update Peter.

I was just thinking - with a fertile imagination such as yours - what ideas are you having in your head that DON'T get to be drawn or made into 3D representation?!

What I really like from your posts - they are more encouraging then intimidating - even if some of us never reach this level of scratchbuilding - you make us feel as if we can. Thank YOU.

[customsrus]

thanks for the update, keep up the great work. Paint is looking outstanding.

[seeker589]

Have any progress on this - I'm going into Lombardo withdrawal!

[Tony T]

This one is now Under Glass.