How to remove molded plastic wipers and recreate cowl grill (vent)

[Fortheloveofgassers]

I like to build drag race cars and no self respecting gasser would have wiper blades. Unfortunately many gasser candidate bodies have molded wiper arms and blades. I would like tips on removing the excess equipment and recreating the cowl grill (vent).

I have successfully scraped the blades and arms off and attempted to re-scribe the grill with a panel scribe, but I am still not completely happy with the result.

I would love to get pointers from others who have successfully done this. OR others who have successfully cut out the whole mess and replaced it with a photo etched cowl vent. Which brings me to another question does anyone have a lead on a fellow hobbyist who does photo etching?

Thanks in advance for all suggestions and comments.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I haven't perfected the technique yet, but it's looking like very fine diamond-tipped grinder bits (1/8" shank) in a variable speed Dremel will ultimately be the way to finish scribing the vents after the wiper material is removed.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[Harry P.]

The easiest way to do it is to cut away the whole lower windshield molding, including the wipers. Scribe along the lower molding with the back side of an X-acto blade until you can just sort of snap off the molding. The wipers will most likely overlap the molding–if so, no problem... just remove the parts of the molding on either side of the wipers. Then cut or grind the wipers away, then carefully cut away what's left of the existing cowl grille. Replace the grille with a section of v-groove styrene sheet cut to fit the space of the old grille...

http://www.google.com/#q=HO+scale+evergreen+v+groove+styrene&safe=off&tbm=shop

and then replace the missing lower windshield molding with strips of Evergreen styrene strip. Use liquid glue to do all the reconstruction.

Much easier to cut away the unwanted details and replace what's missing with new stock than to try and remove the wipers and then rescribe the windshield trim and cowl grille back. You'll never get it to look clean and crisp that way unless you have some sort of superhuman skills.

[Casey]

I have successfully scraped the blades and arms off and attempted to re-scribe the grill with a panel scribe, but I am still not completely happy with the result.

I would love to get pointers from others who have successfully done this. OR others who have successfully cut out the whole mess and replaced it with a photo etched cowl vent.

I wasn't happy with it, either, so I went the route you're thinking of going. You sound like you know what you're in for and you know the risks, so here's where I'm at right now on the Revell '69 Dart cowl vent grille: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=59517&p=951626

Using a p/e part seemed like the easiest way to pull this off successfully since the perfect spacing between bars and gaps is there from the start, but you've also got to get the p/e section flush with the surrounding area, both ends of the gaps have to be correct, and you have to make sure you don't bend one, and...yeah, you get the picture. If I could've found a piece of p/e which was both the correct length and width, it would've been much easier, so hopefully you can get a custom piece made for this purpose.

[blunc]

maybe there might be a way to encourage the PE makers to start producing cowl vent PE, they already make PE wipers.....

[Mike Kucaba]

There is also filling in the vents and using a decal. It looks better than it sounds.

[Fortheloveofgassers]

Thanks Bill, Harry, Casey, Roger, Mike, and Mike, I sincerely appreciate all your responses and ideas! I will beginning trying many of your suggestions and post the results in the on the bench forum.

Ed