The 2013 Automotive Group Build

ewheeler454

Hi Eagle90,

I think your Mini is looking great. I know what you mean about finding time. It's either work, honey do's or daylight savings time that keeps interfering hehehehe.

L8TR

Eric

Thank you sir!  And you aren't kidding about the interference!  Thanks again!

Eagle90

Hi Eagle90,

I think your Mini is looking great. I know what you mean about finding time. It's either work, honey do's or daylight savings time that keeps interfering hehehehe.

L8TR

Eric

Hey everyone.  Great builds going on!  I'm embarrassed to post my progress.....you folks rock when it comes to autos!  Been a while since I posted any pics (being a federal employee and not getting paid for 3 weeks now, I had to supplement my income with some extra jobs), so I thought I'd finally get some posted.  I admire and respect you auto builders!  Man, this may be a little car, but you can tell I have only put one other car together in my lifetime!    She will get some detail trim work and all the exterior accessories still need to be added (and of course the Union Jack!), but I finally got the chassis and body together.  I took the liberty to do some modifying and cut the windows to give the appearance the front windows were down.  Besides, you will be able to see the interior detail better this way.

I like it Eric. Vibrant. Keep working on your son. What ever it takes :)

Cheers

Tony

I was able to get some of the interior done. I have a few touch-ups around the knobs and another couple of washes on the speakers.

Tony, this is what the color actually looks like after the matte clear.

And here's a test fit.

Thanks,

Eric

Thanks Tony.

The blue is Testors light blue. It looks bright because I took the photo before spraying the matte clear to knock the shine off so the flash really blew it out hehehehe. I'm painting the car a dark blue metallic so I went light for the interior.

I painted the wheels bright silver (it was spray, (I'll post the brand later) and then airbrushed them with model master clear blue.

On a side note, I just about have my son convinced he owes me a certain Mustang Funny Car hehehehe

Later,

Eric

That's another really interesting looking model Eric. The undercarriage looks realistic, I like it a lot. What paints did you use for the anodised blue look ?

The interior is certainly bright, that will look great for the period.

Cheers

Tony

Hey all,

I did get some work done on the '62 Bel Air. This is a well done kit. Very detailed and no pin marks in the carpet.. Yeah me! :)

Here's most of the parts cleaned up and prepped for painting.

I got the under carriage painted, I used a semi-gloss black.

Got the rims painted. These were painted silver and then clear blue. The actually look anodized but they don't show right in the photos. I plan to paint the centers and the spokes chrome.

Here's the under-carriage after dry brushing with Model Master Steel.

And here it is after doing a rusty wash. Once I get all the other stuff on I think it'll look nifty hehehe.

Here's the painted interior. I sprayed the seats and door panels with matte clear to knock the gloss shine off. I have a lot of detail work on this one.

I also did a few other things like painting the engine, painting the stuff to be re-chromed gloss black etc..

Thanks for looking.

Eric

Thanks Tony.

I'll post some progress pics of the Bel Air this weekend. I got my grass cut and the oil changed today, it's supposed to rain tomorrow, so no honey's do's this weekend hehehehe.

Later,

Eric

Hi Eric,

I'll have a look for it over the weekend.

Cheers

Tony

Tony,

If you find it send it my way because I am very interested in improving in this area. I'm scribing all the lines on the Bel Air to get a good defined line to mask on. Hopefully it works, otherwise I've been doing a lot of unnecessary scratching hehehe.

I've just about got all the parts cleaned up. Hoping to start painting this weekend.

Later,

Eric.

Yeah, the trim lines get me too. I saw a how to on how to do it really well once, wish I could find it again.

Cheers

Tony

Thank s Tony.

One thing I learned from this one is to start scribing the door and trim lines. The ones on this one were not very deep and almost disappeared after painting. I do like the way it sits though. hehehehe

It looks like a Charger should look Eric, well done. We don't often see these in Australia, but I happened to drive past one on Saturday. These muscle cars are great, aren't they ?

At least the flaws you describe in the kit aren't obvious in the finished model.

I'll update the build roster.

Cheers

Tony

All,

I finished the Charger today. As I said before I was not too pleased with the quality of this kit. I've built other MPC kits and don't remember them being like this. A lot of fit issues and lack of detail. I've started on the '62 Bel Air and it's like night and day hehehehe. Another fun one.

Later,

Eric.

Thanks Rommelkiste.

I wish I could get mine to the level of detail as you do. I'm still trying though.

Later,

Eric

EW, I wish I could crank the kits out like you do!  I only have two to finish for this GB and have not gotten far, too many things going on.  You guys can count me in on the vette/mustang build, sounds like fun and I have a couple Vettes I wanna smear gloo on!  Nice work, Wheeler.  Rommel

Hi Eric,

Build roster updated.

Cheers

Tony

Tony,

I hate to ask, but can you take the 67 Vette out of my list on this one? I want to save it for the Vette and Mustang group build. I will still have 5 to finish on this one. Now I have to decide if I want to do a 67 Mustang or the 70 Boss.. Decisions decisions hehehehe.

Thanks.

Eric

Hi all,

Here are a few shots of what I got done over the last couple of days. Also have most of the engine done and the interior done. This kit doesn't have a lot of detail in it which is disappointing.

I had to strip the paint and redo it. Here it is in primer doing a test fit to make sure things are clearing. Broken window post has been fixed :) Got a little to aggressive with the steel wool stripping the paint hehehe.

Front bumper is rechromed. The rear one has some waves in the gloss black so I need to redo it.

Repainted and clear-coated. I used Matte clear this time. :)

These are not for the Charger. I found these on Ebay. Fun Fun Fun hehehehe.

Later,

Eric.

Thanks Eric, I've achieved nothing with my car builds since last time, it's the problem with having too many concurrent builds.

I am still very keen on the Corvettes and Mustang GB, I think I'll post in the automobiles section to gauge interest.

Cheers

Tony

Thanks Tony.

Haven't been able to do a lot due to work and other things. I had to strip the first paint job due to a failed experiment hehehehe. Nope no pictures! I will say it was a mess.

It's been primed and repainted so I can spray the clear on it tomorrow. I will post some more pics later this week.

L8TR,

Eric

That looks like a lot of work Eric. It'll be worth it in the end. I like to see these tough ones come about.

GT - responded to your PM.

Cheers

Tony

Tax see your personal messages. Thanks

Here's some progress on the Charger.

I am a little disappointed in this kit.The molding on some of the parts is bad and they don't fit together well without a little persuasion.

I've got the rear tires fitting under without rubbing the fenders now. I'm using the spare set of rims that came with the 70 Chevelle. The rims that came with this kit are solid when they should be open around the spokes. They look like CACA hehehe. Never mind the paint. I still have to wet sand this coat and spray it again. :)

Here's a shot of the original tire vs the new

Trimmed the backing plate shafts to get them to fit. Now they are straight and flat :)

Later,

Eric

HAHAHAHAHA,

Man, did I misread that or what. Ten apiece in 4 months is a bit much I suppose. I got to get me some new glasses hehehehehehe.

Good on you for taking the challenge Eric, I was thinking ten builds from all entrants, so we have some concurrent building going on.

I could almost start now.

Cheers

Tony

I agree on the Monogram kits. They always seem to be well molded. AMT has a lot of choices but it's hit or miss, at least in my experience. I still buy them though since they have a large selection. 10 builds in 4 months?? I'll take that challenge hehehehe. I already have a 10x14 Doghouse. :)

I built that thing a few years back along with a 70 Boss 429, a 69 Mach 1 with a Super Cobra Jet and a '66. The Monogram Boss kits are nice and I'm thinking '70 Mach 1 in Grabber Green this time around. I think that and the Monogram '53 Corvette will get me started. I'd love to get ten or more builds into the GB in a four month period, would be really good.

Cheers

Tony

Tony,

That sounds good. I'm definitely in. :) I've been wanting to build a '70 Boss 302' (the only ford I will ever admit to wanting to own hehehe).

Also, the Charger is coming along. I'll post pics later.

Later,

Eric