1/24th TDR Aston Martin 1959 DBR1

[DaytonaTim]

Hello

I usually post in the "Big Boys" forum but I am going to try my hand at one of the smaller scale models this time. Hopefully I can get my 10 thumbs to work on this small stuff.

I made the computer model for this car about 3 years ago. My intentions were to print it out in 1/18th scale so I could add it to my diecast collection. Three years ago nobody made a 1/18th scale version of this car. But......now Shelby Collectables makes it.....so I just bought a diecast version and put it up in the collecton.

So I printed out this 1/24th scale version as a test print and I am going to try and finish it out as a curbside kit. The surface finish from the rapid prototype machine is about equal to a sheet of 180 to 200 grit sand paper, so I have some finishing out to do on the body. At first I will do a quick sanding of the body using some 180 grit paper, dry. This is just to knock off the "big stuff". Then I will do another pass with 400 paper, wet, to get the model nice and smooth. I will then hit it with one or two coats of high build primer and then do my final wet sanding with about 600 grit paper.

The first thing I will do is make the panel lines a little deeper though. I don't want to loose them when I start to sand the body.

Well, enough talk, here are some pictures of what I am starting with.

[MrObsessive]

Ahhhhh, now this is my kind of build! I'm a real big fan of '50's racers and the Aston Martin DBR1 is one of my favorites!

Keep us posted as you go along!

[Guest 85Biarittz]

Will be watching to see how this comes out. Still trying to decide in what scale to order in.

[DaytonaTim]

Hey Bill, I don't know if you remember me, we met a couple of years ago at the Toledo model show. I was the one that brought the 1/12th scale Quad-Al. I remember a Jag D type you did a few years back.....it was a work of art.

Oh, I just noticed you had a pic posted of the D type, in your response......it is even better than I remembered.

I know exactly what you are saying, I love the race cars of the 50's too. The ones that were designed to be aerodynamic by artist....not engineers. Cars really seemed to lose a lot of styling come the mid 60's

Well I did some quick scribing on the panel lines, what few there are. Since all of the doors, hood, and trunk are separate there are no lines to do around these. This should keep them visible during the finishing work. I only made the body .040" thick so I have to be carefull and not go too deep. I don't want to separate the parts.

Edited April 2, 2010 by DaytonaTim

[Bernard Kron]

The DBR1 is about as pretty as it gets for that period. The main objection to going down to 1/24th using rapid prototyping , as I understand it, is the resolution of the printer, so I'll be interested to see your progress on cleaning up the body. I guess for larger objects like bodies it's something that can be overcome but it pretty much eliminates component parts in the smaller scale. Too bad, since the TDR stuff is outstanding as well as imaginative and unique. I guess we'll have to wait for the technology to progress some more...

[Karmodeler2]

Hey Tim,

I have the paint code for this car and got it from AM in England. They are VERY helpful if you do the following. You can go to their website (in England, not the U.S. one) and go to their tech support or the archive section. Email one of the techs and let them know that you are a serious model builder and not just some one bugging them cause you can. Let them know that you take your hobby very serious and that you like to build as close to the real thing as you can get. Ask them the questions you have and they will answer them. It will take about 2 days, but they will email you back and they are extremely helpful. They gave me the codes for this car (from '57) and the PPG equivialent. I don't have it with me but it's at home and I can get it for you by Sunday if you need it. You can PM me if you have questions.

Here is the R&D Unique kit with some major modifications/added parts. This is the PPG two stage paint that I used from the paint code from AM of England. I have several codes for the early DB's and the Zagato's as well. PPG also has an Aston Martin specific book that is nothing but AM colors. It is loaded with so many shades of green, it will make your head spin. It was an awesome experience.

David

[DaytonaTim]

The DBR1 is about as pretty as it gets for that period. The main objection to going down to 1/24th using rapid prototyping , as I understand it, is the resolution of the printer, so I'll be interested to see your progress on cleaning up the body. I guess for larger objects like bodies it's something that can be overcome but it pretty much eliminates component parts in the smaller scale. Too bad, since the TDR stuff is outstanding as well as imaginative and unique. I guess we'll have to wait for the technology to progress some more...

The technology is actally already there......we just need to wait for the price to come down. The next resolution level printers cost about 4 to 5 times more than the one we are currently using. When the price moves down, as it always does in technology, we at TDR will have an even larger parts library ready to go. We already have over 100 kits available for the larger scale guys and we are working on even more.

Thanks for the good words and hang in there, the time will come.

David, thanks for the info. I will drop them an email when the time comes. Did you model the AM shown in your post? If so.....nice....very nice!!

Well I sat down and watched the NIT championship game lastnight and at the same time did the 1st (200 grit) sanding on all the body panels. Things are looking good with only about 1.5 hours of work. I will post up some pics later today

[simonr]

Totally agree with Dave. I did it thanks to his advise, and this people got to me in a couple of days. Also, like he says, look in the Aston sites, it has a lot of helpfull information, specially, the HERITAGE, section.

Simón P. Rivera Torres

Hey Tim,

I have the paint code for this car and got it from AM in England. They are VERY helpful if you do the following. You can go to their website (in England, not the U.S. one) and go to their tech support or the archive section. Email one of the techs and let them know that you are a serious model builder and not just some one bugging them cause you can. Let them know that you take your hobby very serious and that you like to build as close to the real thing as you can get. Ask them the questions you have and they will answer them. It will take about 2 days, but they will email you back and they are extremely helpful. They gave me the codes for this car (from '57) and the PPG equivialent. I don't have it with me but it's at home and I can get it for you by Sunday if you need it. You can PM me if you have questions.

Here is the R&D Unique kit with some major modifications/added parts. This is the PPG two stage paint that I used from the paint code from AM of England. I have several codes for the early DB's and the Zagato's as well. PPG also has an Aston Martin specific book that is nothing but AM colors. It is loaded with so many shades of green, it will make your head spin. It was an awesome experience.

David

[MrObsessive]

Hey Bill, I don't know if you remember me, we met a couple of years ago at the Toledo model show. I was the one that brought the 1/12th scale Quad-Al. I remember a Jag D type you did a few years back.....it was a work of art.

Oh, I just noticed you had a pic posted of the D type, in your response......it is even better than I remembered.

I know exactly what you are saying, I love the race cars of the 50's too. The ones that were designed to be aerodynamic by artist....not engineers. Cars really seemed to lose a lot of styling come the mid 60's

Thanks for the compliment Tim and yes, I DO remember your fantastic model at the Toledo show in '08!

Yes, you're right about the designers losing some of their styling panache after about the mid '60's. Spoilers started to rule the day, and while they look great on some cars and can be purposeful, I like the simpler yet aggresive styling that the '50's early '60's cars had.

[Harry P.]

The technology is actally already there......we just need to wait for the price to come down. The next resolution level printers cost about 4 to 5 times more than the one we are currently using. When the price moves down, as it always does in technology, we at TDR will have an even larger parts library ready to go.

Remember when the first VCRs came out? They cost a bundle, but as time went on the prices kept dropping until VCRs were so cheap that it was literally cheaper to throw away a broken one and buy another than it would have been to repair the broken one.

Same thing happened with flatscreen TVs, digital cameras, etc.

Same thing is going to happen with these RP printers... it's just a matter of time. Who knows, maybe one day they will become so cheap that the average modeler will have one on his workbench.

[Foxer]

Remember when the first VCRs came out? They cost a bundle, but as time went on the prices kept dropping until VCRs were so cheap that it was literally cheaper to throw away a broken one and buy another than it would have been to repair the broken one.

Same thing happened with flatscreen TVs, digital cameras, etc.

Same thing is going to happen with these RP printers... it's just a matter of time. Who knows, maybe one day they will become so cheap that the average modeler will have one on his workbench.

Yeah, but I'll bet they NEVER lower the price of 3ds Max or Maya!

[Deckerz]

Iv never really been a fan of aston martin even though im from england but you have my attention.

Are you painting it british racing green?

[DaytonaTim]

Iv never really been a fan of aston martin even though im from england but you have my attention.

Are you painting it british racing green?

Is there any other color to paint a british racing car???... Yes, I think that would be the best color for it.

I cannot say I am a big AM fan either. I guess I came to this car because of the Carrol Shelby connection. I am a big time shelby fan!!

[DaytonaTim]

Well, like I said earlier, I got the first dry 200 grit sanding job done. I did it while watching the NIT finals. This body has very few hard lines to it so it was pretty easy to sand while watching TV at the same time.

Though....I did get some mean looks fromt the wife......I was sitting on our new couch while sanding.........!!!!!

here are some pics of the the finished job......some of the parts kind of look like they are made out of wood......kind of a neat effect

This material sands very easily and it takes no time at all to knock the "rough stuff off".

[Karmodeler2]

Hey Tim

the codes you need are as follows for the DBR1:

Aston Martin OEM 1140

PPG's Deltron 2000 line (cheaper than the top grade, but same color)

DBC 400525

Almond Green

Yes, the picture is of the model I built. Thanks for the compliment. I had fun as I have always been a fan of the Astons and the Austins and basically anything British. I have 2 British cars and would have a 100 if my wife would let me. The brits built some beautiful cars in the 50-60s in my opinion, some think they are not so beautiful. Thats okay too!!!

David

and it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who gets the "look" when I am working on a model on the brand new "fill in new piece of furniture of your choice"

[DaytonaTim]

Thanks David for the codes. I will have to make a trip to the ole PPG store and see if I can get some mixed up. I am planning on going to the NNL East here in a couple of weeks, so I hope to have it atleast painted before then.

I have been thinking about just making a tonnue (SP??) cover for the cockpit area, it would help make it more presentable come NNL East time. It would be nice to get some actual leather like material to make it out of, I just don't know if I can find anything thin enough to make look to scale. If I cannot, I will have to model something up in the computer and print it out at a later date.

Well, I did somemore wet sanding.....on the wife's new furnature again..... There was not much visual difference between the first and second sanding so I did not bother with any pics. There was a big difference in the feel though, it started smoothing out realy nice. This morning I shot it with some "high build" primer, from the auto parts store. I layed on on kind of thick because I am planning on sanding about 70% of it off. This should really start to pull the roughness out of the surface and start making it much more smooth

Here are some pics of the body in primer. I have not sanded the primer any at all yet. You can see that the most work needs to be done around the edges of the car. It might be a good idea to glue or tape the hood, trunk and doors in place to help make sure I do not sand off, or round off, any edges. We will see......

[Karmodeler2]

Hey Tim,

I am really enjoying seeing this car come to life. I think it was one of the most beautiful designs and it reminds me of a woman laying on her side. Similar to the XK 120's, the Healey's and the MGA/TR3. It has that beautiful dip at the "waist line".

There is a paint that gives a realistic leather finish when you airbrush it. It has just the right sheen to look like leather/vinyl and it is not over done like one dripping in Armorall. Model Master Black Chrome Trim...thin it with lacquer thinner, very thin, and airbrush it on in layers. It will dry like vinyl. I have a '57 BMW 507 (model...don't I wish I had the real thing) and people think the top and seats are scale vinyl. It's the MM Black Chrome trim. I use it all the time. Also, if it's too "new" looking for you, then try Tamiya's Matt black. It too is close to rubber tire sheen and is about a notch below the MM BCT.

Speaking of paint, let me offer you some tips, that you probably already know. Because the paint you are planning on using is metallic, your body work must be ABSOLUTELY perfect, as if you were doing a black car. These dark metallics (and most of the light ones) will show EVERY little speck or imperfection in the body. The metallics will lay in these flaws differently than the rest of the flat panel and it will draw your eye to it like a freight train going through your living room....you won't be able to NOT look!!!

So, a tip I found that has helped a lot with metallics, is to do all your prep work and when you think you are ready for the base coat, shoot a thin coat of silver (I use Tamiya's silver leaf or Alclad's white aluminum because both dry really fast...the alclad the fastest) on your car. If you don't see any flaws, you are good to go with the green. I have found stuff this way that I could not see with my eyes or feel with my hands. I think it will shock you the first time you do this. I know it was a shock to me because I thought I was ready for base.

Sand your flaws, fix them, prime and do one more silver in the area you fixed. It's up to you if you want to prime the whole thing one more time before the green coat. If I was shooting a light color, I would prime (white primer is all I use. It makes a world of different under EVERY color I use) one more time and then shoot the light color. That green is so dark, I don't think the silver will make that much of a difference in the final color.

Hope this helps. I will not make it to the "East", But I have some friends that I have told to look out for this model. I look forward to the reports!

David

[DaytonaTim]

LOL....David......keep the suggestions coming and don't assume I know anything.....I have only been back to building models for about a year now. So I have everything to learn!!

I swore off of models when I was about 13.....that was about 35 years ago. I had just completed an old 1926 Mack truck model that I had spent about 2 months building, 2 months is a lifetime when you are 13. I had just put it up on my dresser for display........when my 5 year old cousin came to visit.......... It could not be salvaged.....parts were missing.....!!

I guess I had modeling in my blood though and that is what got me into computer modeling. I can always make backups of computer models..lol.

So I am just applying stuff that I have learned from 35 years of building 1:1 cars and I have never painted a car with a metalic paint. So please.....I need all the info I can get.

I usually paint my cars black, just so I can find the bad spots in them. That is what I will probably do with this one. Paint it black, fix the bad spots, sand all of the black off, then paint it my final color.

Just for laughs I have included a pic of my current 1/8th scale project with the AM in the foreground. LOL.....like I said before I usually work in the larger scale. Quite a difference in size, wouldn't you say!!!!! The Carb on the Allison is larger than the whole motor would be on the AM!!

[DaytonaTim]

I managed to work in a little sanding today between the family activities.

I wet sanded with some 400 grit paper and tried to concentrate on the areas that are hard to get to, so were missed on first two sanding passes. The primer really lets you see these areas. I tried to sand off most of the primer to reduce its buildup and still fill in the low spots.

I also added little tabs to the door, hood, and trunk openings. This let these parts be placed while I was sanding to reduce the chance I would round off the edges around these openings. I will use these to mount these parts for final assembly.

Here are a few pics to show where I sanded too.

[rustybill1960]

WOW!

That is "one" sexy little car!

I like your shots of the work so far, time consuming to say the least, but, super sharp!

I am also very intrigued by this "RP" process?

Looks most impressive so far!

Thank You for sharing

Later Dude

Russ