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Post by mmthrax on Apr 5, 2021 21:27:16 GMT -7
Some progress: Next is the rear exhaust. Here is the reference photo.  Here are the kit exhaust tips. These simply will not do.  Very carefully drill through the rear valence, just as the factory did, and we end up with this.  Cut some small pieces of aluminum tubing and we are getting closer.  Here we go. I am pleased with this result.  Thanks for looking. |
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Post by RetroSpectKustoms on Apr 6, 2021 15:30:24 GMT -7
That looks spot on with some real tubing coming through.
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 6, 2021 18:14:05 GMT -7
Thanks Bruce. Appreciate that.
I am trying to think of small things that can have a big impact.
If I can get myself to look twice at a model then I feel I'm on the right track.
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Post by mustang1989 on Apr 9, 2021 4:42:45 GMT -7
Man that's PERFECT Mark!! Wow!!!
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 9, 2021 6:41:12 GMT -7
Thanks Joe.
Appreciate the view and comment.
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Post by pete on Apr 9, 2021 12:57:23 GMT -7
Looks great but, you have to polish up the bezels that the tail pipes come through. They need to shine like chrome. Definitely a cool detail to make people look twice.
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 10, 2021 18:41:14 GMT -7
You are correct sir. They will be.
Thanks for the view and comment.
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Post by Deano on Apr 12, 2021 1:00:44 GMT -7
Great attention to the details mate.
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 12, 2021 6:19:24 GMT -7
Thanks Dean.
Appreciate the view and comment.
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 14, 2021 20:53:20 GMT -7
Some progress: This is ludicrous, a travesty. I mean, c'mon. It is not even close to fitting.   So I went to work on the buckets with a file, removing all the chrome on the backside, then fitting and refitting. This is what I ended up with. Much better.  This is the next issue. I reshaped the aperture a bit to get it this far. I don't want to mess with the aperture any more than I have, so I think I will add some styrene to the gaps and make up the space that way.  Thanks for looking. Studio soundtrack: Friedrich Gulda playing Mozart. |
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Post by transammike on Apr 17, 2021 16:19:08 GMT -7
Looking real good Mark. I built this kit quite a long time ago and I came out quite nice and I enjoyed building it. I call mine a '54 tho since it's black  |
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 17, 2021 22:17:34 GMT -7
Thank you Mike. Some progress: Added some styrene and reshaped it. Now the lower valence sits a little better. I hope this all works.    |
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Post by DeeCee on Apr 18, 2021 4:14:33 GMT -7
A lot of GREAT detail work here Mark, this is going to be one awesome build mate.
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Post by mustang1989 on Apr 18, 2021 5:25:08 GMT -7
WOW! Alot of re-working here bro. Looks like you're navigating you way through it all with some relative ease though. Looking forward to the next update.
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Post by pete on Apr 18, 2021 7:14:32 GMT -7
Yup, definitely coming along. You seem to have the same detail oriented affliction I suffer from...
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 19, 2021 22:00:35 GMT -7
Thank you Dale, Joe, and Pete. Appreciate the kind words fellas. Yeah Pete, affliction is not far off. I was wondering why I was going through so much trouble, and the answer I came up with is "Because that's how I think it should look." So I'm just trying to enjoy the process, see if I can get the pictures in my head into the physical world, and share it with you guys. Some progress: Well this is embarrassing. These are actually the exhaust tips the kit gives you. I had been looking at the tail lights.   So test fitting the tail ight revealed another out of scale piece.  So I went back to the aluminum tubing, sliced off two small slices to use as light bezels and then tried to grind the lamp down on some 280 paper to match the bezel. They're not perfect, but within acceptable tolerances, meaning that's all I could tolerate when I was making them.  I'm learning as I go, so perhaps the tail lights on the 55 will be just a little bit better. Here are the results. Used Tamiya X-27 clear red over the kit chrome.   |
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 19, 2021 22:18:08 GMT -7
I was prepping all the chrome for the Humbrol Satin Cote and decided to see what I could do with the windshield. As you can see from the final photo, the kit glass looks like Al Capone's bulletproof spec glass.  It actually mics out at .064", so it is quite thick! I used some .007" clear plastic and glued it in with Formula 560 canopy glue. Carefully trimmed the excess, and I am satisfied with the result.    Thanks for looking. Studio soundtrack: Maxim Vengerov playing Tchaikovsky and Mozart. |
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Post by pete on Apr 20, 2021 13:47:28 GMT -7
Looking good so far man! Clear red sprue Mark...Try some clear round red sprue. Chuck a short length of it in your favorite motor tool and sand it to shape. Grab a bit that closely matches your bezels dia. and go to town. You will not be disappointed.  You can even polish it up after shaping with your favorite polishing papers and compound... |
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 20, 2021 19:27:19 GMT -7
Thanks for the suggestion Pete. That is a super idea! This is only the seventh model I've built as an adult so I appreciate the voice of experience. Having said that, I don't have a huge parts bin to raid. After checking my meager extras, I came up with a 1 1/2" piece of red sprue from the C7R Corvette that donated the engine to my GTO. Literally the only piece of red I have to work with. I will see what I can do. Keep you posted, and thanks again. Ok, it's been about an hour. This is what I started with. I cut off the two nubs with my jewelers saw.  Using my fingertips I fumbled around with some abrasives and some compound and came up with something that looks a little better than what I had. If I had a better starting point I might have a better result, but I can put this in the experience locker and built on it for next time. What is important to me is that this will look better than my previous effort, and my mind has been opened for the next effort. Thanks again Pete.  |
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Post by DeeCee on Apr 21, 2021 1:30:29 GMT -7
Great work on those lens's Mark,
gonna be a cool build with all these little details mate.
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Post by mustang1989 on Apr 22, 2021 19:58:23 GMT -7
VERY good results on those lenses Mark. It's all the little things like this that all add up in the end. Great work.
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Post by mmthrax on Apr 23, 2021 6:52:32 GMT -7
Thank you Dale and Joe.
Appreciate the views and comments.
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Post by pete on Apr 24, 2021 9:18:27 GMT -7
Yes definitely better than the originals Mark. Nice job. Glad I could help man!
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Post by mmthrax on May 2, 2021 11:10:00 GMT -7
Some progress: I managed to get the chassis together. I ended up having to shave the tops of the inner fenders for the bodyshell to sit correctly on the chassis.  Here is the finished article. I used some mesh for the headlights and Molotow for the side chrome. I need to order some license plates. I'll install those later. This kit was a challenge, but turned out well. Completed pics in the On the Road section. Thanks for looking and commenting.   |
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It actually mics out at .064", so it is quite thick!