2014 Ford Mustang Thunderbirds Tribute

You guys are too kind. I guess I will see how to submit it to FSM. Probably some directions out here somewhere. Can't thank you enough FSM Forum members for the encouragement. I really fed off the ideas and when things are fun they seem to just go better!

Ditto on submitting the build to FSM. When I saw the first picture I wondered how you were able to get an F-16 to fit in your yard. The car looks like you could get in and drive it away. Very cool.

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL.  Submit to FSM.  That is worthy of a mag article

That is down right spectacular! What a beautiful paint job. You are to be commended on an amazing performance my friend. Bravo!!!!

And she's done!

A huge shout out to all who had suggestions on the build. Throw back a cold one on me  

So here's what I started with...

here's what I was trying for...

and here's what I got!

This is where fotofrank & goldhammer really turned it up a notch from my perspective! Not realizing how big of a picture window that rear hatch area would be without the stripes and headrest trim this would have been an ugly black hole...

Went to put on the side mirrors. Do they look big to you?

While I was waiting on paint to dry on the mufflers there was time to make a chin spoiler. Not sure where this got lost earlier on but it's on now!

The big reveal to close it all out...and the reason why this car caught my attention early on, the skid plate   This is also out of 0.005" sheet.

Thanks for checking in and adding your ideaas to a super fun build! This one now sits with my 6 Thunderbirds planes. Now maybe I'll start the Spitfire one...

TheMongoose

Dang this is a fun build!

Great shifter solution....filed away for future use.

Oh and happy anniversary!!!

Awesome lewbud! Lots of trolling the net is gonna come from your help. I do have the tire size. I tried the kit rubber and it's too small. I thought about trying to open it up, it's just a mm but it doesn't look like I can cut the rubber cleanly. Thinking that if i just use the kit wheels for now I can take my time finding the right tires and then do it up right. No hurry here at the moment. I'm gonna look for the wing as well then to.

So for an update. I thought for sure I'd lost a sprue or a part. Was looking all over for the shifter knob. There was a stick and a boot on the console. Dang I must have lost it spreading parts all over the workroom when I was painting. Ok, guess I'll have to give up and look at the instructions...can you believe they didn't include one! Who does that lol

The solution, cut off the stick, drill a hole and install a silver pin that I found in the wife's jewelry basket. Lucky i didn't stick myself messing around in there.

Here's the state of the underside. This is the last time 3/4 of it will be seen as the skid pan covers tons. I have to paint the mufflers today and maybe some little details on the frame.

If all goes well I should be done late today, maybe tomorrow as it's our 26th wedding anniversary today so I won't be doing any modeling after the wife gets off work at 3:30 hehe...

Mongoose,

This is really cool project.  What size are the wheels on the real thing?  Did you try the aftermarket wheels on the kit tires to see if they fit?  If they don't fit, and you know what size the real ones are (i.e. 18", 20" etc.), then Fujimi may have the answer. Fujimi makes a ton of aftermarket wheel and tire sets for 1/24 cars.  They also make rear spoiler sets and may have one that is similar to the one on your car.  I'd find a set that matches the size of the real thing and order it.  The set comes with wheels and tires, so don't worry about what the wheels look like. I don't know of any stateside retailers that carry the Fujimi aftermarket automotive line.  A good place to start is http://rocketfin.com/model_car_links.html. I know Hobby Link Japan stocks them, but depending on your shipping choice, may take a while to get here.  BNA models out of Australia is pretty quick getting stuff to the States. Since all you really want is a set of tires, eBay may be your friend here as well.  Looking forward to more!

fotofrank

It's one of the last six cylinders. Three hundred horsepower!

 

ok, I'm hijacking my own thread here LMAO...that's amazing as my 1990 LX 5.0 had 225hp 

It's one of the last six cylinders. Three hundred horsepower!

fotofrank

Mongoose, this is too cool. The stripe down the center of the interior works.

I have a 2012 convertible. Do you work 1/1 scale?

 

Yep sure do. Haven't had a Pony in a few years though. '59 El Camino is taking all my restoration time right now :-) It's a love/hate relationship!

I get my fix when traveling for work. Have gotten to rent a feww convertibles in FL as well as other areas of the country when on the road. So far my favorite has been the 4cyl turbo, oddly. Love your red convertible. Drop tops all the way.

Mongoose, this is too cool. The stripe down the center of the interior works.

I have a 2012 convertible. Do you work 1/1 scale?

I like you idea on the seats better than mine.

As to a T-bird, you could always dig up one of the old NASCAR rides.  They kind of aero'ed those a little.

fotofrank I've got 3 P-51's in the stash and this may just be a future for 1 of them lol

Love the ideas you guys have been coming up with. I put a few of them together and went through my stash of decals. What do you think of this...

On the front seats are the helmet logos for the Opposing Solo, #5, from the 2004 & 2005 season. Back seats are the straight up USAF logos. To pull that together the pilot & ssgt names are on the doors. I only had a 1/32 scale flag series for the countries they performed in so I sectioned it off to fit the space and placed them above the AC number. That number is great now but ohh what an escapade I had with it. Seems this car was a rash of 3's...It took me 3 times to get the skid pad right (not shown, saving that for big reveal), and 3 times to get the AC number right. 1st I tried decals I had in the correct size because the stars were really crisp. I couldn't get rid of the yellowing even in the sunlight though. Then I painted larger ones on the door like a race car but I goofed up the centering and they had to come off...which meant I had to redo the doors altogether. Back to the drawing board. Since I didn't want to modify the car I had left the 5.0 nameplate on (molded into car). Hey, why not use that. Sizing the mask to just go around it made the stars big enough to cut on my Silhouette. Thus was born the Opposing Solo theme :-)

Folks are suggesting that a Thunderbird would be a better choice but unless the Thunderbird is a 2002 or later -- well the Mustang body style is just right for this. At Stallion51 in Kissimmee, it seems all the pilots drive Shelby's.

BTW: Just found this for you airplane builders.

Goldhammer and fotofrank got me think'n! Looking through all my Thunderbirds decals now to see what I can use on the interior. Which also reminded me it should have pilot and Crew Chief names on the roof!

Question - I have these 1:24 Forgiato wheels for the car. One of the only accessories I've ever bought for a car as they were an exact match for what Ford has been putting on these. Now the problem...they didn't come with tires. Do any of you guys who build cars routinely know where I can find tires for this? I just don't know the good sites for car accessories.

Looking great.

I think red and white stripes (either down the center or two sets in the center section) on the blue would be eye catching.  But not the subtle look you are going for.  But the paint schemes on the a/c aren't subtle either.

Along with the other guys, I was AF from 72-76. Saw them twice once at Beale and at Shaw.  Phantoms and Talons

This looks awesome!

Looks great and moving right along!

When I first saw the interior, my eye went right for the steering wheel, do you think you can do it on the headrests too?

Edit- sorry for apparent dupe. Got bit by that stupid ad box when posting the last one and it appeared it didn't save. Turns out it was just the 19 web pages about winning a spin that buggled it up.

Mississippivol that looks sweet! Haven't seen that one. might just have to do it if I decide to do the whole set of these. 

Justinryan I wish they made them again for sure. It would be better with a Thunderbird. maybe that's another good idea for a what-if build. Just the opposite of the P-51 Mustang they do in what-if Thunderbirds motiff. Wonder why they keep trying to make Mustangs into Thunderbirds is what you have me wondering now 

fotofrank you've got the era matched up for sure. Would have to be an original Thunderbird, not that Thunderchicken they did in the 90's lol

Here's where I'm at this afternoon. The interior is put together. I found a pic of the interior and it was a let-down. Just black Recaro's with a logo on the headrest. I went just a little further with dark blue interior inlays. Oriignally I went for suttle so as not to take away from the car. Using a black primer instead of light gray created a different hue. You can see the difference between the engine and the seats.

Now I had this idea for the steering wheel but didn't consider the overall theme. I say that as it feels somewhat bold against the rest of the interior. Opinions please?

This is going back some:

While this project is completely badazz...wouldnt a Ford Thunderbird be more appropriate? :P

Nice work!

My opinion is that it needs a wingman! Like this one from Ford a year or so ago:

Welcome to the car show fotofrank!

Got some pics in the sun to show the custom interior. The one I found of the actual car only has black recaro seats with a small Thunderbirds emblem on the headrest. I thought America's Ambassadors in Blue needed more presence in the interior. See what you think of this.

My thought was to be subtle. To do that the blue is over a black primer rather than a lighter grey shade. If you compare the seats to the engine the difference is clear in the shade difference. What do you guys think?

Like Brandon, I'm an Air Force veteran, 1966-1970, so yeah, Thunderbirds! Looking forward to the finished car. It's going to be very cool...

Moving right along as there are surprisingly few parts in this kit. Spent till midnight painting parts and the interior. Today should be alot of assembly line. Here's the engine in Thunderbirds Blue  

looks like the chrome needs another coat maybe?

Here I sprayed a coat of satin lacquer, then filled the lettering with Vallejo  Metals acrylic chrome, followed by a quick scrape with water and my thumbnail on the surface to remove the excess. Comes off the clear coat pretty well. Shows the soft edges on the lettering tho but it seems to add something from normal viewing with the mk1 eyeball