Aston Martin Db4-1/25 Revell Monogram Update-May 14, 2012

[simonr]

After I checked the steering boots scale, I also noticed that the brake master cylinders also needed some attention. After I measured, I saw that they were out of scale and that instead being attaching master cylinders I was attaching flashlights!

Here the face to face comparison.

I also did again the chassis part were they will be mounted.

How they look from some distance.

Chassis received an airbrush coat of Faux Fabric in order to replicate the rust undercoating. Aslo a close up of the part.

Here I shooted a coat of Tamiya Semi Gloss black lacquer at night time and with the doors of my garage open to eliminate of some of the high gloss this tamiya spray has. Precisely, I selected Tamiya semi gloss black, because is not as satin as other semi gloss are, it has a little bit more shine and the aston martin undercoat is like this. The cylinders already on the chassis.

My favorite part of the chassis, the rear end. I liked a lot how the Watt link assembly being with the so in scale semi gloss from Gunze Sangyo Mr color #92. The rear axle cover was treated with the rare seen aluminum from the mr. color metalizer line. After I shooted Gunze the semi gloss black to the suspension components, I airbrushed a light coat of the same mr color lacquer gloss black to give it the scale look. Everyting during nightime to avoid excessive gloss caused by warm temperatures. The last detailed I give to this section was some Boyd's enamel clear to the springs, I also did the same with the front ones.

Some bolts from Galtran and washers for detail. Here can be seen the almost dull effect over thte chassis, but, with some gloss.

The whole rear chassis/suspension components together finally.

Simón Rivera

Edited January 25, 2010 by simonr

[simonr]

For the front suspension tubing I painted the with the Gunze Mr color gloss black, but, the steering boots that received the semi gloss black, but, from Gunze not the Tamiya.

Everything is mocked up to see how it looks.

This parts now will received complete wiring and plumbing detail.

Simón P. Rivera Torres

[acura99]

saludos simon esta quedando como siempre brutal yo tengo uno que me regalo un dom asen año por averle montado uno a her esta sellado es revell monogram saludos y que dios los bendigas

[ajulia]

Hello there friend!! I say keep on " Hookin" it up! lol... I've always been fond of the Aston Martins and was really excited to see it in the James Bond movie but! the old schools are to cool! That chassis and susp assembly is looking top notch! Keep on with the keepin on!

Paz

Tito

[RodneyBad]

That is looking Fantastic

all I got is the monogram version.

after seeing your work.

I'll keep mine in the box

[robertw]

Simon,

Been away for a week so this is the first time I've been able to check your progress and I'm very impressed. You asked how the kit was first received when it was issued by Aurora......boy this is going to be a stretch for my old brain cells.

I probably bought the kit because it was different and was in the stores I frequented at the time and I also bought the Maserati 3500 around the same time. It was finished and remains in my collection to this day, although it received a repaint about 20 years ago. Most modelers during that time were more into American iron so AMT & Jo Han annuals outsold Aurora at least 10 to 1. Aurora a/c were also very easy to find during the '60s and I still have a number of them in the stash. I remember being quite impressed with the Aurora 1/25 scale cars with their opening doors and trunks and thinking them equal or better then what AMT was producing but few must have agreed with me because I never saw one of their car kits built during that time and even today few build them. I still have the instruction sheets for both and looking at them before writing this note I was again impressed by them both. I no longer have the Aurora Aston Martin box but recall that the art work was very similar to the one you posted of the mechanic standing beside the red DB4.

The molds must still exist for at least some of these kits so I hope that Revell will do a brief reissue of these cars at some point in the future. I picked up one of the Maserati's only a few years back during a brief but unheralded Revell/Monogram reissue.

I'll continue to follow your build with great interest and look forward to seeing it finished in the future.

Rob W

[simonr]

In this update I will covering the plumbing of thet brake system under the car.

I started working on a scrathbuild caliper, since the model comes just with a engraved over the plastic disc. I cutted it in order to used it as a template to make new ones from a plastic sheet.

After I discarded the plastic disc, I picked up a Detail Master solid one which I chucked to my Dremel in order to have a better used look.

After I did the Dremel treatment, this is how it looks in comparison to an untreated on. Looks more real.

Using a plastic rod, I sliced it to make discs that will simulate the piston housing. Then, I primed them and painted them closely so the paint cover the crack between the caliper and this housing so it can be shown as just one part.

Worked an aluminum sheet to make the caliper

Some primer

A silver paint base

Finally the silver-gold color

Edited March 19, 2010 by simonr

[simonr]

The bridge pipe assembly made out of cooper wire and tiny nuts.

I used this picture in order to make the rear emergency system.

Plastic sheets, wire and plastic rod used to make the system..uff..lots of work!

Already in place along with the calipers.

Another view

This picture was used to make the three way union for the brake fluid feed.

I used plastic rod, cooper wire and nuts.

The parts in place.

Simón P. Rivera Torres

[simonr]

The connector for the brake master cylinder.

The hardest part to design..the mechanism that action the emergency cables by the handbrake lever. In the red circle section the part intended to replicate.

I started using a guitar string that has the perfect scale look and grooves. Aluminum sheet again to replicate the connectors.

More plastic using to make the other unions...ufff more, and more trying and hard work with so small parts!

All the the components before painting.

Simón P. Rivera Torres

Edited March 18, 2010 by simonr

[simonr]

This photo etched alternator bracket was used to make the connector to the whole assembly with the tube that comes from the lever.

Already in place.

I use THE DETAILER black ink to enhance the grooves in the guitar string.

Plastic squares used to make the brake fluid line on the chassis.

The caliper section.

Simón P. Rivera Torres

Edited March 18, 2010 by simonr

[simonr]

Gereral view of everything together.

Simón P. Rivera Torres

[shucky]

WOW! I think that is the most detailed suspension and braking system I've ever seen replicated in scale. Outstanding work and simply stunning scratch building. I've saved all of these pics for future reference lol. Cant wait to see more. Keep up the great work Simon, this is truly a work of art.

[jevries]

Def one of the best detailed chassis I've seen so far!

On the DB5: Really unbelievable that no company offers this iconic model anymore...

Edited March 18, 2010 by jevries

[simonr]

I hope that with the Tamiya's DBS release, more and more Aston show up. This is not a car brand you see every where, but, it's an ezquisite one. I've been studying it while I had been building the DB4 and had found they have an interesting models line up.

Simón P. Rivera Torres

[jevries]

Doyusha had a 1/24 curbside DB5 out for the better part of a decade that only recently appears ot have gone out of production. It's easy to find.

But I read that version proportions are not right... and it is a curbside model as well.

[pharr7226]

Fantastic detailing!!! Keep it up.

[Karmodeler2]

Hey SImon,

Your work continues to amaze me and doing this in 1/24 leaves me speechless.....but I'm still able to type. Very nice work and I'm glad you were able to get the body color you were looking for and that I did not hold you up. I look forward to seeing this build at GSL next year hopefully!!! Your work always stands out on the table and it's a joy to compete against you cause you always show up strong and fierce. Your paint is always clean and realistic and I look forward to seeing all the hours and labor you spent making this one correct. It will be a treat to see all this up close.

David

[rustybill1960]

Hey Simon, Super detailing work Man!!

Really diggin' your build!

Thank You for sharing!

Later

Russ

[jevries]

Well, that's something different than "unbelieveable no company offers..." which is what I was answering.

The kit appears to me to have started as a slot car body. It looks like the rest (chassis and interior) were cobbled up later to make it a static kit. The proportions aren't perfect, but considering the only other 1/24 DB5 kit is the extremely rare and expensive Aifix 007 kit (See my complete DB-series 1/24 history earlier in the thread) and that's your only choice. The fact that it's a curbside...well...most Japanese kits are. If a new kit came out in 2010 it is likely it would be a curbside too.

While I agree it would be great to see a modern tooling of this car, I don't see it happening.

Your right, let me refrain: Unbelievable no MAJOR model kit company has one out. About time someone is going to make resin copies of the Airfix version. I know I would as soon as I lay my hands on one.

[simonr]

Before the new update, I have to give credit to my good friend Dave Morton who pointed me a misplace of the rear brake lines to the correct master cylinder. After had spent so much time looking the underside upside, I forgot what goes up and what goes down:tongue:

Here's the correct placement, thanks Dave!

Ok, here I will go from the downside to the cockpit of the car. Like I said at the beginning, I won't follow the instructions order due to a modification I did to the body.

I started painting the two basic shades for the carpet and leather upholstery. Light blue for carpet, dark for the leather.

I did two simple floor carpets from sandpaper and wire to replicate the molding. Everything was treated with white primer in order to give a light shade of color for the base of the light blue that will be used as a base for the flocking.

The protective carpet guard was made out of plastic sheet. I lightly scribed them in order to replicate the lined pattern on them

Same treatment for the carpet guards.

[simonr]

Masking tape was used to do the shift stick boot and the emergency brake level boots. The shift stick is a Sakatsu one that I altered its shape with my Dremel and the Emergency level with metal tubing.

The side floor panels also were treated with flocking and also were scribed in order to get the lined pattern. Vents controls were made out of thin wire and the knobs are white glue with semi gloss black paint.

General overview of the seats area.

A last time view to the out of the box dash look.

The Dremel and this tiny polishing swabs help me to open the enclosing for the gauges and toggle switches.

I chucked in my Dremel a Sakatsu toggle switch and re-shape it in order to make the glove box lock.

Some bare metal foil to the molding and this is how it looks now.

Model Car Garage black gauges faces and its bezels made the perfect combo for what I had in mind. In order to get the deep look of the bezels, I stocked them one over the other and have what I wanted.

Edited April 6, 2010 by simonr

[simonr]

Toggle switches from Sakatsu, their knobs made out of metal tubing and photo etch washers and photo etch bolt heads made everything look real different. Here's how the final dash looks.

Edited April 6, 2010 by simonr

[simonr]

One of the main attractions of the cockpit is this correct great Derrington Steering wheel kit from Replica & Miniatures of Maryland. I thought to use a Renaissance Nardi one, but, it would be completely incorrect. It comes with the two real wood halves, the photo etch rim, and metal line to make the rivets.

I started sanding it until I could see the light through the inner part of the wood halves.

Finally, the wooden parts for the steering wheel are off.

The rim was perfectly polished, but, I had to hold the temptation to leave as it is, because the correct factory stock look is covered by satin black paint.

After glue the halves, the metal lines are placed trough the rim and the wood. After that a nail cutter is used to give it a flush cut.

Uffff, after 4hours!!!...I finished the part. Next, masking and paint the center.

I take out some old cans of real wood paints and make some tries to see which color I would use. The upper right corner was the winner, after I painted it, I should use the upper center minwax one, but, it was already painted!:confused:

Final look:

[simonr]

For a last alteration of the out of the box components, I cutted the turn signal switch and place instead a metal pin length. Again, with glue and satin black paint made the knob.

Finally, everything is together in place...

This is it....for now!

Simón P. Rivera Torres

[Click]

This is just unbelievable , the amount of effort you put in . WOW !! Keep up the great work