VW Beetle Work in progress (maybe)

Well I've finally finished.. I'm quite happy with the result for my first attempt at both weathering and building a car.. I've learnt a lot of do's and do not's what will work and what won't.. So maybe I'll have another attempt at some point in the future.. 

Just a quick update... Finally finished the chassis and now have most of the interior fitted... I tried to replicate worn and torn seats with tissue paper and sponge.. Didn't turn out like I'd hoped though.. I'm just waiting on some washes now to add some dirt and grime to the interior and seats... So i guess my next post will be of the finished model. 

Thank you both for the kind words of encouragement, I'm quite happy with how it's progressing ive kinda surprised myself lol.. it's slow going but I'm getting there...

As for the ship idea it sounds pretty cool and who knows I may venture down that path... I never thought I'd attempt a car but there we go :) 

I agree with your wife - a variety of chipped paint panels really adds interest. Very cool.

I'm really impressed with how you've mastered weathering, chipping and rust after so few model builds, it's a real art. I don't know if you have any interest in ship models but I imagine you could do a great job using these techniques on a beached rusted out old steel ship. 

WOW!!!!! Nice Work! 

Looks better than some I've seen at shows.

In a lot better shape than the 1/1 '64 I owned until the front end fell out from under the car.

Jim 

Stay Safe.

Not really an update I'm just looking for some thoughts opinions advice now.. I started to paint the body work today and got to this point with further intentions of painting the rest in vw beetle blue with chipping of course.. However the wife chipped in and said that I should leave as is... And now I'm unsure of myself! 

@Tanker-Builder .. thank you very much for that it's certainly put my mind at ease over the to much weathering conundrum lol... Seems  my imagination is my only limits as to where I take the weathering :)

I think my issue was... Initially it was going to be a complete abandoned vw... But after starting I decided it was going to be a "worn" but servicable vw.. Hence why I questioned myself... I mean how rusty can an engine get and still run? lol

Okay!

 Enough debate here! How is it possible to overdo weathering on an old Bug? I dunno, I had an inch of muddy dirt Inside mine for years. Then my foot went through the floor one day. Put a piece of scrap wood in over the hole and tarred it heavily outside and in and kept drivng it!

    I kept old Beach Towels on the seats because the stuffing was starting to come out. It was just a fun old car. It never seemed to break mechanically. Quarter window fell out in a parking lot one day. Hinges had rusted away and the latch broke. Picked it up, Got some packing tape, Cleaned the glass and frame around it and stuck it on, as best I could and drove it like that till it got squished by an out of control semi near a jobsite.

    Can You say Bugpancake! He had a load of steel for a bridge project and rolled into the employee parking area and I was there with a forman checking on something. Well, Nuff said. Your bug Should reflect a well used Bug, as it does. No Bugpancakes though,Please?

Hey!

    Put that back in my car !! Right Now!!! Kool!

She looks great!  When I was a kid, my mom had a '65 Beetle that would go anywhere in salty Wyoming winters.  The thing I remember most is that the side boards under the door were always full of rust holes.  Car ran like a top but I think rust cancer was killing it.

OK so I'm finished with the chassis, I tried to replicate oil build up rust and corrosion.. So this allowed me to start some assembly... Looking at it now I'm not sure if I've over done the weathering a tad.. Either way I'll take something from this.. So I'm on to the interior now and scratching my head... So if anyone has any hints tips or methods for weathering an interior I'd appreciate some guidance... I'm looking for used but definitely serviceable.. This will be a running car ty in advance.. 

Regards Richard

OK so things came to a hault whilst I tried to figure out the best way to go about painting and fitting parts to the chassis.. Still haven't worked it out so thought I'd try my hand at hairspray chipping on the wheels... Didn't turn out like I'd imagined but I'm still pretty happy with the look.. 

I often use drybrushing for that kind of weathering.

Looking for some advice or ideas how best I coukd go about trying replicate the texture and build up of oil and grime on the under chassis as in pic!. Thanks in advance 

Awesome. 

aaqee

Very nice. I like that rusty exhaust, it's looking real. I'm actually building the same model. Are you going to make any wires on engine?

 

Very nice. I like that rusty exhaust, it's looking real. I'm actually building the same model. Are you going to make any wires on engine?

So for my next stage I decided to tackle the engine again with a rusty look.. Spent a couple of days looking at photos trying to decide how to go about it.. In the end I did away with the air brush and paint brushes, all this was done by sponge dabbing various colours.. All this is new to me, I'm posting this WIP more for my benifit to help me progress.. So comments, advice and constructive criticism is welcomed.. Although it looks worn I appreciate that it still may look clean so I may add some washes to it before final clear coat... (I think lol) 

(colours may look brighter than they actually are) 

Tanker-Builder

I do Have to ask;

 Is the interior going to reflect the same condition?

 

I do Have to ask;

 Is the interior going to reflect the same condition?

Sorry this will be the last pics of this stage... I've added some filler to replicate corrosion... I think I'm done with the rust base now... My question is can I seal this with acrylic varnish baring in mind it's an acrylic base and it will be an acrylic top coat over the chipping medium? I've read it should be an enamal clear coat?.. Sorry if this is a noob question but hey I'm a noob :)

Foxy

the vallejo German brown/red is a primer :) but thank you for the heads up much appreciated

You are exactly right, I stand corrected. And you're welcome.

Forgot Vallejo now has lots of colored primers in their lineup.

Your bug body is looking better than I could do already!

Ok it seems I'm unable to leave well alone so decided to play with some other colours and techniques.. So i sponge applied a rust mix in several places.. Hopefully it's an improvement?... My quandary now is no i leave as is now and go for an all out abandoned care or stick to my guns and apply a colour coat and salt/hairspray chip.... Hmmmm! 

Greg

I've considered this kit, I shall enjoy watching.

 

 

Foxy

Body primed with vallejo German brown topped with some random spraying of the 2 darker colours from the vallejo rust range.

 

 

I say this with the intent of saving you future trouble. I hope you mean you used the Vallejo German brown as your first color coat over an actual primer. Never a good idea to use Vallejo over an unprimed surface on anything, certainly not a vehicle body.

 

 

I've considered this kit, I shall enjoy watching.

Foxy

Body primed with vallejo German brown topped with some random spraying of the 2 darker colours from the vallejo rust range.

I say this with the intent of saving you future trouble. I hope you mean you used the Vallejo German brown as your first color coat over an actual primer. Never a good idea to use Vallejo over an unprimed surface on anything, certainly not a vehicle body.

midnightprowler

Nice start. Which kit is this? 

 

:) 

If it was out here it would have moss in every seam, be half buried in leaves and fir needles, the other half covered in blackberry briars.

Oh Gee;

   That looks just like my last bug after I defeated all her rust! I would leave her like that and make the interior look like it was the next point of work. Dirty up the engine and lose the wheel-covers but don't do more to the body. maybe crack a window.