cruz Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 (edited) Hi there fellas!!! Time to start on a new project and one that I have been putting off for quite a while. The inspiration for this one is 2 things, first, I am quite burned with the Muscle Car projects and second, I just want to do something different and European for a change. First thing I want to do is thank my good friend Randy Kern for giving me this kit, all I said was that I have always loved the lines on this car and also that I loved this kit and he just decided to give it to me! Thanks Randy, you are the best and I owe you big!!!! The other inspiration for my decision to build this kit is Mr. Alex Kustov, as a lot of you guys know, he has a very unique and phenomenal website called italianhorses.net. Even though he decided to paint his in a Bright Blue, Tamiya color, I decided to do mine in a different shade of blue but basically, I will be doing mine very similar to his, hopefully I will have the same success he had with his. The reference photos will also be of great help so, again, thank you Mr. Kustov! This image shows the actual box art and kit from Hasegawa, very easy to get sucked into building it with this nice art work! Hosted on Fotki I purchased the photo-etch detail set for this kit but will not be using all of the parts in it. The part for replicating the grill does not fit at all so I will not be using it. Instead, I will work with the one in the kit which looks pretty good. I did have to get rid of the chrome but decided to leave the signal light bezels intact, they should be chrome and will help me later when mounting the lenses onto them. What I did was just brush on a bit of Easy-Off oven cleaner on the grill section of the front bumper and sand and smooth the rest of it off. Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki I will also have to remove the chrome from the wheels since they will be painted brass using Testor's Metallizers line of paints. I wasn't too happy with the way the chrome looked on the rims anyway, it was kind of grainy looking. Again, I just dumped them in Easy-Off and in a matter of seconds the chrome was gone! Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Edited October 4, 2010 by cruz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 This is the actual photo-etch detail set. Hosted on Fotki After removing the chrome from the wheels, I went ahead and drilled some very small holes to add valve stems using some wire from my parts box. I airbrushed some primer and after this was dry, I added the brass paint and finished off with 2 coats of Tamiya clear. I added a black wash, installed the stems, added and also black washed the center knock offs and used the photo-etch emblems to finish them off. Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbler75 Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 After seein' your other work. You'll do this car true justice. The work so far is stunning and I can't wait to see how this one unfolds as you come along with the build. The valve stems are a nice touch to the rims. Keep the updates comin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 I also went ahead and started working with the body. I am finding out that the plastic on this kit is very brittle and fragile, I just have to make sure to keep that in mind specially when I start polishing off the body at the end after finishing up with the painting phase. As usual, I rescribed all the panel lines and smoothed and wetsanded the plastic with a 2400 grid sanding cloth. One of the things I didn't like was the fit of the 2 small hood grills, there was nothing to hold them in place. I decided to add a bit of plastic sheet stock from the bottom to create kind of a small lip to be able to accomplish this step. Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 Sunday evening I went ahead and painted the body. After letting it dry for 2 days, I added the brass color on the underside. Next will be the clear to bring it all together. I think these 2 colors really compliment each other well and once the rims and tires are added, it will really look nice..... Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jairus Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 My very favorite vintage sports car just barely edging out the Daytona 'cause the styling was so much better. Beautiful work so far, just beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbler75 Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Very fitting colour for sure. I can see why you chose this combo! The wheels will look great with this. This is getting better with each update and pic. Keep up the great work! I like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward smith Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Surely glad you are starting on this project since I have 2 of these kits and always wanted someone to build it just to see how well it goes together. The work on the rims really turned out well with the valve stems and the photo etch emblems in the middle. Thanks for sharing this, I will be very busy following this build. Oh, by the way, the color you chose is much better than the bright color Mr. Kustov decided to go with, I know you will do just as good as he did, you guys are great modelers and there is a lot we can all learn from you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward smith Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 By the way, which color is that? Looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 Thanks guys! The color is Pontiac Bristol Blue from Scalefinishes. I will take some outside shots so that the true color can be seen once I add the clear to it, the inside lighting is making it difficult to appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Barrow Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Subscribed!!! I've got this one in the stash, too, really looking forward to seeing what you do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nova-ss Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Good job.I like your thoughts on the vents that need something to bind to.the wheels look great! it will look amazing when you are done.Thanks,Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gibbons Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Looking great so far; excellent job on the wheels. This is also one of my all time favorite car designs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 looks good man (not sure what you meant with the muscle car build comment, that one ended half a year ago didnt it?) are you planning on keeping those tires ? they look a little ofroadish to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noname Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 I saw Lamborghini and thought, "oh no not another exotic!". I'm glad I looked further because that is a nice looking car and you are doing a killer job so far. I love the vintage European exotics. Just like every other car, the old ones have sooo much more character to me. How old is this kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted September 22, 2010 Author Share Posted September 22, 2010 I saw Lamborghini and thought, "oh no not another exotic!". I'm glad I looked further because that is a nice looking car and you are doing a killer job so far. I love the vintage European exotics. Just like every other car, the old ones have sooo much more character to me. How old is this kit? Thanks bro, don't know how old the kit is but it's nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted September 22, 2010 Author Share Posted September 22, 2010 Marcos, i have to say it's just nice seeing a kit from my collection actually being built. i swapped it to Randy and i guess he passed it to you i bought it after seeing the one that Alex built and wanted to do something similar, i really liked the gold toned wheels especially. as nice as his was i really like the color combo you are doing! definitely keep us posted!Thanks Dave! Anything else in your collection you might want to give him? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 are you planning on keeping those tires ? they look a little ofroadish to me I agree. Those tires would look more at home on a Jeep 4x4, not an exotic sports car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Barrow Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 (edited) I think the tires look just fine when the kit is built - Here's a photo of Mr. Kustov's. Of course he had to have it posed in what looks like sand!!! ;) Edited September 22, 2010 by Brett Barrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railfreak78 Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 This may sound really dumb but is there a difference between a Lambo Miura and a Lambo Jota? Outside of just a couple fasia changes? I got this kit recently and they look the same besites kit scale. Nice project Marcos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted September 22, 2010 Author Share Posted September 22, 2010 I am keeping the tires, they will look good at the end and they don't look that "off-roadish" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Bowers Jr. Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 hey Marcos, Would you believe that I have the very same kit in work on my bench?! And for the very same reasons as you. Do great minds really think alike? Actually I'm thinking black for mine, but the dark silver looks great on yours. And with the same idea for the brass/gold colored wheels. I can't live with the kit supplied tires, so I'll have to dig up some acceptable replacements. This is cool!!! See you in December with 'em? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lombardo Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Great looking build so far. You can really see how all of those "small" things like re-scribing panel lines, and fine sanding the body and adjusting the grilles make such a big difference in the end......very nice work. I really like the color choice too...I am growing tired of red Italian sports cars. I have this exact same kit....some day I most likely will get to build it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meaneyme Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Very nice project Cruz, all the small details will really add on at the end. I think the tires are just right, people forget that in the seventies these tires looked exactly like that, I would also keep them. Can't wait to see how the true color looks under the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 I'm really liking how this is looking. All the thoughtful detailing is really adding to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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