What skills do I need to learn next? (Automotive models)

keavdog

And the heater hoses and battery wiring.  I've yet to have success with braided lines, tried once but the braid wicked up the super glue.  I've also done brake cables and fuel lines a couple times before - under the car.

 

I found a neat thread from Micheals, It is a heavt gauge aluminized thread, and is twist is pretty high so they look reasonably like corrogations. It glues well with gel CA.

Aha!

      Here's some more info. If you want your doors to fit right Don't make your hinges as duplicates of the stock hinges. It is possible, but, then you will have door weight issues!

Great information.  Thank you.

The Door!

    An interesting and complex yet simple part of every model car. The hard part is yes, making the gap solid. I do it simple.I drop the interior into the body and tape it at the windowsills. Then I measure the distance between the bottom and the body.

      NO WAY!! After I have installed temporarily, the interior WITH the interior and exterior, of the door already separated. I then put a strip of paper in there wide enough to fill the gap.Then carefully draw the inside of the gap on the strip.

     That then is my pattern for cutting supports away from the jambs. Remember the jambs are different from outer edge to inner panel. Go to your car and take a photo of the area and you will figure out exactly what I am saying,

     Oh I forgot the most Important one. PATIENCE !! No one modeler I know of became a trophy Winner overnight. Sometimes weeks, months, or even years were required. Why? in each, the biggest thing was the measure of patience the person had! Be patient with yourself and if a part or assembly stumps you, go drink a soda , cup of Coffee or just take a breath, It'll come to you!

Thanks for the input.  I do wire engines.

I was trying to gear this more towards skills used in my latest adventure of scratch building and modifying.

Some examples:

Creating panel lines where there are none.
Body fillers and shaping techniques.

And another big one for me is how to trick my brain into seeing simple shapes in things when trying to scratch build complex things.

I am also learning door hinges, but I am really struggling with the details. Like adding thickness to the door so the interior panel fits right when the door is closed.

keavdog

And the heater hoses and battery wiring.  I've yet to have success with braided lines, tried once but the braid wicked up the super glue.  I've also done brake cables and fuel lines a couple times before - under the car.

 

Just have a quickie suggestion. Whenever you see electronics being thrown away, salvage scraps of the different sizes of wire in them. Any type of model can can use a piece of wire for different reasons. I have a shoe box that is full of any size that I have needed over the last oooooooh 50 years. With all the people using lights in their models, it really comes in handy. Saves a little bit of  too. Those rolls of wire are getting a little expensive lately.

Hope that this helps. 

Stay Safe.

Jim 

And the heater hoses and battery wiring.  I've yet to have success with braided lines, tried once but the braid wicked up the super glue.  I've also done brake cables and fuel lines a couple times before - under the car.

If your not already doing it learn how to wire an engine.  Drilling the holes, using various methods for clamps, using lead wire, using braided hose, and vinyl tube.  I'm still learning myself but it makes for a much more authentic car model.