Russ Davis Ford Thunderbolt

[Sixgunner68]

Just started on this kit today. If anybody has any experience on this one, please feel free to let me know of any pitfalls to watch out for!

I have only built a couple of models before, but none of them were ever modeled in color, so that's throwing me a little bit. There is a whole lot of orange plastic in this kit!!!

On my other build I had used "Dupli-Color Perfect Match Scratch Filler Primer". It seemed to work very well (and laid down nice), but I had pretty much run out and when I went to the auto parts store they didn't have any, so I picked up some "Dupli-Color Sandable Primer". I got both the "Gray Hot Rod Primer" and "White Primer". (I had tried using Krylon primer on a model a couple years ago and it was a disaster, so I switched to the Dupli-Color).

I am wondering if the gray will stop any bleed through? Any advice you guys have would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

[slusher]

The primer should stop your bleed thru. Dupli color is a good brand. Walmart color place primer is really good but getting harder to find. l really like tamiya grey and white primer but its 7 dollars a can. Looking forward to your build....

[Sixgunner68]

Thanks for the advice Carl! I have used the Tamiya primer, but its been awhile and you're right, it is expensive and it's a small can so it doesn't go as far as I would like.

[Gluhead]

The hotter the primer or paint, the more likely the plastic color will bleed through. Duplicolor all tends to be on the hot side.

Your best bet is to get rid of your mold lines, polish those areas back up a bit, then give it a couple coats of Future floor polish. It'll act as a barrier for the subsequent primer and paint.

As far as the kit itself goes, it's a very good one. I can't remember any specific issues, but it has been a long time since I built it.

[kylexgore]

Hey Everett, I have Revell's Tasca Ford Thunderbolt. I believe it was from the same exact mold as this one. As far fitting issues go. It's perfect. It goes together very well.

[Erik Smith]

I know for certain that Duplicolor Clear will bring that orange plastic to the surface through layers of Duplicolor sealer, primer, and paint. The paint had no issues with bleed, but as soon as I hit it with the clear, the orange bled.

Be sure to check the grill and the windshield before you paint - I have built two of the T-Bolt kits and had issues with the grill on both (the body contour doesnt match the grill profile) and the windshield across the top doesn't want to set high enough to hide the curved portion. Oh, and the windshield wipers don't conform to the windshield very well - I replaced them on my second build with a PE set.

[Sixgunner68]

Thanks for the heads up guys!

I was afraid that the orange plastic was going to be a problem. Makes me wonder why companies would mold a kit in color knowing that it will be a problem for the builders? I might understand if they molded it in the actual body color, but this kit is not even the right color!

I read somewhere about putting a silver base coat on after the primer and then using a primer sealer over that, but I'll have to dig that article up and read it again. I didn't pay much attention to it before because all my car kits were molded in white.

[freakshow12]

I have built several of these kits and they are fun to play with. I use dupli color products all the time. hit that thing with the sandable primer and then the sealer and go to town. I have never had a problem.

Edited February 22, 2013 by freakshow12

[geemoney]

love this car!, i have at least 4.

for me, the coolest thing is the two transmissions!

[Sixgunner68]

love this car!, i have at least 4.

for me, the coolest thing is the two transmissions!

I thought that was pretty cool too. I haven't seen that before. I haven't been building for too long, so I don't have much in the way of spare parts, so I was glad to see that I could add a transmission to the "spares" box! Now I just have to figure out which one to use.

Here's a pic of them (for those of you who haven't seen them before). Well, what do you know? Orange!.

What do you guys think, automatic or manual? I just wish they had a seperate trans pan, instead of having it split down the middle (would have liked that for the oil pan too).

[gtx6970]

You got me thinking, But I am about 99% sure the Gas Ronda car was a 4 speed.

I've built a couple of these ( long time ago ) , 1st as Gas Rondas cars and the 2nd as Hubert Platts car. I painted the GR car testors orange trying to replicat the original Poppy red , but now there are other sources to get the correct shade. I think Testors hugger orange is close. ( don't hold me to that comment ) If your repainting it as Gas's car theres no worry about color bleed thru

I don't remember any fit or assembly issues, but that was several years back when I did mine

The one thing I will suggest is add some spacer blocks between the suspsension points and the chassis to get the car up off it's butt. The real cars never sat as low as the completed model does

[mr moto]

I thought that was pretty cool too. I haven't seen that before. I haven't been building for too long, so I don't have much in the way of spare parts, so I was glad to see that I could add a transmission to the "spares" box! Now I just have to figure out which one to use.

Here's a pic of them (for those of you who haven't seen them before). Well, what do you know? Orange!.

What do you guys think, automatic or manual? I just wish they had a seperate trans pan, instead of having it split down the middle (would have liked that for the oil pan too).

I'd try to Google up some reference material and find out which trans the real car used. If that doesn't work, my best guess would be that since it's a Ford the standard would probably be the faster choice. Mopars usually ran better with automatics.

[gtx6970]

One more thing.

ALL thunderbolts were the same silvery gold color interior.

Best I've found so far is Tamaya Champange Gold metallic. sprayed over a dark grey base coat

[W-409]

Real Ford Thunderbolt Drag Cars did have only driver's side Windshield wiper, the other one was removed as a weight saving method. See here:

Also the front bumber seems to be Aluminium, not chromed. I guess it could be replicated by spraying some Flat clear/Dullcoat over the bumber. I'm currently building one Thunderbolt, too and so far it is really great kit. Mine is the reissue, though.

I'll be watching!

[Sixgunner68]

Real Ford Thunderbolt Drag Cars did have only driver's side Windshield wiper, the other one was removed as a weight saving method. See here:

Also the front bumber seems to be Aluminium, not chromed. I guess it could be replicated by spraying some Flat clear/Dullcoat over the bumber. I'm currently building one Thunderbolt, too and so far it is really great kit. Mine is the reissue, though.

I'll be watching!

Thanks for the pic! it answers my other question - I see a manual transmission! That means an automatic for the spares box.

P.S. I don't mind you watching, but please no pointing and laughing!

[W-409]

Glad it helped, there were 49 cars built with Manual Transmission and 51 with Automatic, if I remember correct.

I'm always interested in these Vintage Drag Car builds and I'm looking forward to the progress. No laughing from me, I'm not a professional builder either .

[bogger44]

I happen to be building the same kit right now. I haven't come across any fitment issues so far, but I did raise the suspension some so it doesn't have the lowrider look to it, as Bill mentioned above. Blocks out back, and up front, cut the bosses of the spindles and re-glued them lower. x3 on it being a manual transmission as well. Good luck, and keep us updated.

[scalenut]

Thanks for the heads up guys!

I was afraid that the orange plastic was going to be a problem. Makes me wonder why companies would mold a kit in color knowing that it will be a problem for the builders? I might understand if they molded it in the actual body color, but this kit is not even the right color!

I read somewhere about putting a silver base coat on after the primer and then using a primer sealer over that, but I'll have to dig that article up and read it again. I didn't pay much attention to it before because all my car kits were molded in white.

this will solve the problem

[Duntov]

Andy.... thanks for posting this.... I use it all the time.... it is a constant in my paint line up......

Thanks!!!

Bill

[Sixgunner68]

Just a quick update:

I did some digging around on the net looking for some more info. It seems more than likely this car was a four speed. When I searched around for some clarification on the color of this car, it shows that it was Poppy Red. The automotive paint websites I looked at said that the "Poppy Red" was the same color that Ford calls: Calypso Coral, Competition Orange, Medium Coral, and of course Poppy Red (color codes 1, 2A, 3, M1730A, and S). It sure looks alot more like orange, than it does red to me (from the box art, I thought that this car was supposed to be red).

I've got the following items dechroming:

Front bumper (the chrome plating was missing on about 25% of this piece, plus everything I read said this bumper was aluminum), valve covers (these were badly scratched), fan, intake manifold, carbs, air intake box, and two of the rims.

I saw alot of pictures with painted steel wheels in the back, and plated rims up front (so I figured that I would try that look). I use Liquid Drano Max Gel to dechrome, it takes less than 30 seconds, but I usually let it set over night anyway.

I thought it was funny that Ford tried to use a fiberglass bumper, but the NHRA said "no", so they went to the aluminum bumper which ended up weighing less than the fiberglass one.

Sorry I don't have any pictures yet. I'm pretty busy during the week, so I usually only have time to try and get some modeling done on the weekend (so bear with me).

The more I read, and watch about the Thunderbolts, the more I like 'em. I may have to pick up a spare kit (or two)!!!

Here's a cool video about the Thunderbolts: http://youtu.be/p7506a6KipU

[Gluhead]

If you're going with a red version, then there's no real need to be concerned with the orange bleeding through. The worst it can do is make your red a tad brighter over time, which in turn itself will likely darken a tad anyway.

[gtx6970]

Correct,,,, the car was in fact poppy red, (most of the time) but in real life it looks more orange ( very similarr to the color of the plastic so that should give you a basis to match )

wheels were easily changed from race to race , even some during the same race.

HUGE thread over at the hamb on these cars .

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?s=3a038516c17937a24e3803fb7fa051f1&t=136384

Edited February 27, 2013 by gtx6970

[1972coronet]

According to MrMike ( http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showuser=5234 ) , the aerosol sealer called "Killz" works best to seal red and red-ish coloured plastic .

[Sixgunner68]

Correct,,,, the car was in fact poppy red, (most of the time) but in real life it looks more orange ( very similarr to the color of the plastic so that should give you a basis to match )

wheels were easily changed from race to race , even some during the same race.

HUGE thread over at the hamb on these cars .

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?s=3a038516c17937a24e3803fb7fa051f1&t=136384

Thanks for the link Bill! I stumbled across it once, but couldn't remember where it was! There is a lot of pics on there (I haven't gotten through the whole thing yet - 170+ pages! Wow!). It seems like they had as many different setups as they did races!

Thanks for the input guys!

[gtx6970]

When I do searches on Google, a lot of pictures end up leading me there .

170 pages is nuttin,,,,,

You should see the one on drag cars in motion. Last time I ck'd it, it was over 1300 pages

these also a good one on 1962-65 Mopar superstock cars as well . just gotta find it