Making body parts

[Kaleb]

Im wanting to make a body kit for a mustang that im building so that I can make a 1:24 of my car. Ive seen some hoods etc that have been built, what do I need to get to do this?

[jbwelda]

well not knowing exactly body kit you want, nor if it is available in a kit or aftermarket resin set, i would say you need to build it yourself. get some thin sheet plastic and some rods or square or channel plastic pieces as necessary to fabricate the kit you want, and some tamiya (best) body putty to fill in the gaps. then its up to you man!

plastruct makes all the plastic for scratchbuilding, its carried in many hobby shops, craft shops, etc or here is their catalogue:

well, seems their site is down but perhaps it will come back:

http://www.plastruct.com/Pages/OnlineCatalog.lasso

[Art Anderson]

Im wanting to make a body kit for a mustang that im building so that I can make a 1:24 of my car. Ive seen some hoods etc that have been built, what do I need to get to do this?

For just about any body panel or part one wants, there are pretty much three sources: Another kit which might supply at least a basic part that can be modified as needed; a resin part from the aftermarket IF someone else has already done the hard stuff so you don't have to; or make the part(s)/conversion yourself, which is of course, your question.

For a hood, given its thin material cross-section, and compound curves, might best be modified from an existing kit hood, using sheet and/or strip styrene to create the basic shapes of the modifications, and putty (suggest using catalyzed autobody spot & glaze putty here), along with whatever carving, filing and sanding needed to achieve the desired results.

There are two major sources for sheet and strip styrene out there in hobby shops (of course, those preprinted plastic signs one finds in hardware or home improvement sections of mass retailers, or even dedicated stores of that type, can be used, but they are rather thick, and may not give you the basic materials you might need), Evergreen Scale Models, and Plastruct.

Evergreen is pretty much the original source for styrene sheet, strips, rod, tubing and structural shapes, having been around since the very late 1970's. Plastruct started about the same time, but their first line of product was ABS plastic, which doesn't work nearly as well for modifying styrene plastic model car kits, as ABS plastic is very difficult to glue securely to styrene, due to the dissimilarity between the two kinds of plastic. Plastruct did, however, in the late 1990's, begin their own line of real styrene sheets, strips and shapes, many of their styrene shapes being either sizes or types that Evergreen didn't and still doesn't produce. Plastruct, however, isn't as readily available as Evergreen, due to being still kinda the "new kid on the block", but check any local hobby shop you can get to, in their construction supplies section for one or the other brand.

It's pretty hard to address questions of a general nature with regard to scratchbuilding or modifying a model car kit or body, as sometimes the answer that works for you will need pretty specific question asked. A pic or two (or even 3 or 4) of what one wants advice on how to make in model form, but of the real car can go a long, long way to helping others give you suggestions, in addition to being pretty good references for your use as well--so consider that when asking this kind of question.

Hope this helps!!!!!

Art

[jbwelda]

yeah art, i agree (you basically said what i said but with a lot more detail) and youre right about the evergreen vs plastruct...go with evergreen. its what i got in my box, i just fixated on the plastruct brand for a second.

[Art Anderson]

yeah art, i agree (you basically said what i said but with a lot more detail) and youre right about the evergreen vs plastruct...go with evergreen. its what i got in my box, i just fixated on the plastruct brand for a second.

I would not denigrate Plastruct's STYRENE in a heartbeat. Other than the fact that it's not as readily available in stores many places as Evergreen, they do have some sizes and shapes that Evergreen never thought of.

Art

[Kaleb]

Figured out the side scoops(aka C scoops). Then ill work on the lower scoops for more of the cobra look. I want to build a front bumper

[Dave Ambrose]

Check out the RC airplane section too. I found some streamlined shapes in there which will make nice hood or side panel scoops when cut in half lengthwise. They may be carbonfibre, which will need to be glued with epoxy or cyanoacrylic glues.