Bridgebuster Posted December 9, 2009 Posted December 9, 2009 I'm building a 71 Chevelle to replicate the 1:1 we rebuilt for my son's first car. His was a Malibu so had the sweeper speedo type dash, as opposed to the SS dash. We pulled out the sweeper and fabricated an aluminum panel to put in its place with white-faced Autometer Guages. So, the kit I have has the SS type dash. I don't want to just glue a panel over the SS guages as it would look awful and stick out too far. I've got clear decals for the guages and PE bezels. I've got sheet styrene in .010, .020 and .040. The dash panel itself needs to be satin black while the decals need to be put over white styrene to have the white faces. Is this best done with one piece of styrene? Looks to me like if I do it with one sheet, I would need to just sit the bezels on the styrene to get rough spacing, then apply decals, then glue bezels, then paint outside the bezels satin black. That's some mighty intricate painting, though and I fear getting satin black everywhere If I use two sheets, I could just construct the first panel (to go in back) as described above. Then take a second piece of styrene painted satin black and try to get holes into the top panel so the mounted guages would stick through still showing white-face. I'm not sure which would be hardest or if there is yet another way to do this. I have zero experience with this kind of stuff, so I can use all the help I can get. If you can take the time to help me out, please give very specific instructions. This seems like a daunting task to me, but I have to learn to do stuff like this. Thanks for any help!!!!!
MikeMc Posted December 9, 2009 Posted December 9, 2009 So go try your ideas....hold off paint till you can make what you want...Revells 69 nova kit has two dash styles the race version might be a starting point...
Eric Stone Posted December 9, 2009 Posted December 9, 2009 Post a pic of the 1:1 dash so we are sure we know what you're describing... I think I got it in my head, but... I would cut out the area of the kit dash that will be covered, fabricate an appropriately-sized panel to replicate the real one, drill holes in it in the right spots, add the bezels, and then just put the gauge decals behind it (without applying them to anything), assuming the gauge decals are the right color and everything on the decal paper. There are a few kits (RM 66 El Camino comes to mind) that have gauge decals that you can do this way, and it ends up looking pretty nice.
Bridgebuster Posted December 11, 2009 Author Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) Post a pic of the 1:1 dash so we are sure we know what you're describing... I think I got it in my head, but... I would cut out the area of the kit dash that will be covered, fabricate an appropriately-sized panel to replicate the real one, drill holes in it in the right spots, add the bezels, and then just put the gauge decals behind it (without applying them to anything), assuming the gauge decals are the right color and everything on the decal paper. There are a few kits (RM 66 El Camino comes to mind) that have gauge decals that you can do this way, and it ends up looking pretty nice. Good idea. This is the 1:1. And . . . thanks for the response. I've just begun modeling again after a generation "off" (or more) and although I'm making progress in the areas of improvisation and technique, I still need all the help I can get imagining the "how to". Thanks again and I'll still appreciate any additional input. Edited December 11, 2009 by Phil Harkins
Harry P. Posted December 11, 2009 Posted December 11, 2009 Here's how I'd do it: Apply the decals to the white styrene, then carefully brush paint the panel flat black around the gauge faces, then finally glue the bezels in place.
Eric Stone Posted December 11, 2009 Posted December 11, 2009 After seeing the 1:1, I agree with Harry. I was thinking the gauges would be set deeper into the panel or something, I guess... Are you using the AMT 72 Chevelle kit for this build? I'm looking at my AMT 72, and I'm thinking a 70 dash would look closer to the 1:1 pic than the 72's kit dash. The 72 kit dash doesn't have that horizontal separation line below the idiot lights. Your 1:1 looks just like my 1:1 70, but mine still has the stock sweeper speedo with the gas gauge off to the side and the row of idiot lights below.
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