Mike, looking pretty sweet! I love your attention to detail on this(even though its not a "tracked" vehicle) Any way good to see your still hammering away at it! Lets see more updates! Cheers Kevin

Here you go Kevin! What I was mixin' the black paint for!


The underside is really starting to shape up. I just went through a few ML of paint/thinner...shot everything to blend the new plastic into the old. The three pieces of brass (in the center on the clothes pin) were primed and shot black at the same time. Once everything is dry, I'll "put things together" and do a composite picture.....I really do think the black brass will either do a "BAMM!!" or an "oops!" Not sure yet.

In the upper left of the pic, you can see one of the headrests. I'm painting the "cushion" the light color..the main body of them will be the dark gray blue.

Needless to say, I'm getting closer to the body's exterior paint. Gawd, I hope this will come out!

MTF!

Mike

Quick update on this evening's work.

Top of the picture shows the undercarriage and body together...pretty nice and seamless. It'll work well.

Below that is the cabin with the brass pieces attached and painted metallic black. That too will work...yep, it'll stay. I've also done a bit of touch up painting to the seats. Immediately to the left are the headrests and to the right is the upper console.

At the bottom is the steering wheel (aluminum "spokes," black grips, and black horn button), steering wheel "stem," and gear shift (boot is flat black, stem is metallic black, and knob is the light blue gray).



Mike

Progress is looking good.

So, the steering wheel is going to come off the pedistal to the right side of the drivers seat? That'll make an interesting visual point.

Another non-picture update: started work on the axles and leaf springs and prepping the Pegasus Hobbies' brakes and rim/tire set. Once these components are painted, I'll take some pictures and post them.

I had to re-bore the rims for the front axle. When I have the rims/tires attached, I'll then add the leaf springs and get things centered. The rear axle/pumpkin are a bit different in that it uses a metal rod (through the axle/pumpkin) that the rims fit to nicely. Again, a wee bit of tweeking to get them centered. Getting a little bit worried that the new tires will be too wide/tall. IF that happens, I'll push them out with some card stock and maybe raise them a tad. We'll see how it goes.

I've also been working on the gauge panels for the cabin....changed up the paint scheme some, and doing some fine tuning of the this' and that's. School tomorrow night, so I'll probably get some more done come Tuesday evening.

Mike

You are definitely making good progress Mike. The styrene stifiners look really good.

Just so you guys don't think I've totally slacked (yea, been over a week), I'm playing with a suspension color idea:



Mike

A quick down-n-dirty update....

I've continued the darker blue theme to the rear suspension...the front and rear of the rear drive "pumpkin" has been painted aluminum and the drive shaft will be the same blue. The front and rear shocks may be aluminum or blue...not sure. I'm thinking there will be some nice contrasts to the underside with the blue, aluminum, FDBG, and the black.

Mike

Hey all....still around, still building (slowly). I have a lot going on again, so I'm doing what I can, as I can....

Here's a picture that'll give a good idea of the Deora's underside coloring.......Dark blue, FDBG, Aluminum........the drive shaft will be dark blue (going between the engine and tranny). The brake's calipers will also be the dark blue (as shown).


More to follow as I juggle some things.

Mike!

Great job. love the blue.
How about the oil pan, is it gray or aluminum? It looks a bit gray and I'd like it aluminum.


Coming along well.

The oil pan is the FDBG.....the aluminum comes into play around the rear diff's pumpkin (both sides) and the "teet" for the tranny to pumpkin. The "kinda neat thing" about the coloring is in pics the alu and FDBG look similar...tho they are quite different "in person." Just another "I got lucky with the blends" with regards to my choices of colors....I'm thinkin'!

Mike

Alrighty then! Control panels are in....heater vent (bottom center of the console) is in.....seats with head rests are in.....Yea, could tweek the passenger side......rear diff is done....

So, without further blathering, here it is:



Mike

Hey, hey! Got some more done.

This pic shows the engine and drive train in place. It also shows some yellow on the oil pan......there was a seam that was there, and I didn't like it (duh), so I filed it down and put some glue in there. Once it's dried, I'll smooth everything out:

This next one shows the view from the top, but with the cockpit sitting on the framework:


I just hope with all the "doo-dads" attached, I can mate the framing with the body....without jackin' things up.

Mike

Bit more done "down under."

Engine and radiator are in......added the upper and lower radiator hoses (you can see the silverish lower hose just to the front left of the engine's pan) and placed (not glued) the "custom" exhaust. I'll have to tweek it's placement (left to right and up and down) some, and then make PE/lead sheet brackets. Not too worried about the "left to right".....but need to consider the "up and down" in relation to the angle of the pipe's angled cut and the "ground." (assuming that makes sense )

Mike

Morning all! Got up way too early so.....

Pretty much just added the steering wheel to the cockpit and also realized I forgot two gauges that go on the driver's side front (to the left of the steering wheel). I'll paint those up today and add them.
The little gray "arrow-shaped" part on the far right of the pic goes inside the upper body cockpit area (there are two - one for each side). No clue what they "represent," but they'll get the lighter of the two interior colors.

Front view of the same:


I've been "playing" with the fit of the upper body/lower body in relation to the Pegasus Hobbies wheels...the rear will fit quite nicely. No issues with any clearances. However, I'm having problems with the front wheels. When the upper/lower are together, the tires rub the fender wells. I can either "tub it" and remove some of the fender well, or I can attempt to remove the front suspension and "raise it" a little. Not sure which route I'll go yet, but I really don't want to cut the body.....

Mike

Great shots love the head rests. I'd tub the wells,sounds like an easier proposition than removing suspension.

Couple of shots of the cockpit in the upper body. I've added the front grill area and (can't see it) the rear piece that holds the light panel.



Still debating about the front fender wells....

Mike

Wound up redoing the rear window in thicker plastic sheet and raised the "cutout" up some (which needs to be smoothed out).

This first shot it's going to look way out of wack - like it's way too high:

However, because it's going to have the tonneau cover on it, it doesn't look too bad:

Mike

Looking good Mike. The position of the cut away looks fine, when the Tonneau is in place.

This is coming along nicely. I like the cut out, that coupled long with the cover make the back very cohesive.

Nice

Good morning!

The Dremel came out and using a carbide bit, I tubbed out the front fender wells. This shot gives you the intial trimming:

I've since trimmed a little more and sanded it smooth and rounder. Oh, don't pay any mind to the setting of the brake calipers (seen through the rims), they're just set that way for the photo.

MTF!

Mike

Where at I at now? Lemme see........

Upper body: I've done some filling inside at the back window "plate," some more filling around the nose and grill (going to make it 'seamless', per se), and sanded the front wheel wells smooth.

Interior cockpit: Pretty much done. There may be some touch up's needed once it's installed.

Under carriage: I still need to add the steering linkage (I'm going to have to do a fair amount of modification to get the wheel backer-plates installed [make new ones out of sheet stock] and get the linkage set up correctly for the front wheels [may have to cut the linkage down to get it to fit - it's too long]), shocks are in, I'll have to modify the "custom" muffler some - cut the inner part down some, and make some PE brackets so it doesn't appear to be 'floating' off the body.

I'm getting closer to paint....and may be going slowly because I'm not "mentally" ready to shoot it. There are a few body panels left (front and rear) to get ready for paint. I'd like to be able to completely assemble the Deora, then paint the upper and lower colors. I've got to take a close look-see to see if I can do it this way. If I can go this route, there's going to be a lot of tissue used (some for crying eyes) and tape used for masking (under carriage, cabin, window......).

MTF!

Mike

Hey all. Yep, I'm still here and the Deora is still going on. I've been working on my A-40 some, and inbetween, the "D."

I've been messing with how the "car will come together" and have finally figured it out. Most of the "tweeking" is done. Basically, I need to shoot the exterior next...at least the top color. After that is putting the windows in, then the cabin, then touch up the undercarriage, then install the undercarriage, then hit the lower color, then the wheels/tires, and finally the steering linkage. Sounds like a lot, but (upon further thought) it's not too much. Oh, and finalize the muffler placement.

Mike

Another "body part" has been attached. I added the lower "flip down" panel to the front. I also added the side air intakes and will use a couple of the air conditioner vents from Aber that I reviewed here. The windshield frame is really warped, so it's rubber banded to a plastic cylinder:

Mike

Looking awesome! Can't wait to see it finished.