Cars: Muscle Cars
60's & 70's Classics
1953/54/55 Corvettes - The Legend Begins Here
Szmann
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Posted: Friday, July 12, 2019 - 01:09 AM UTC

Quoted Text


I spent a bit of time tinkering with the 3-piece headlight assembly, it took some sanding and trimming to get the outer glass to fit neatly, but it's all done and glued in place with Testor's Clear Parts Cement now.



Looks good, D.!
Lately I took the habit of painting the outer edge of the light lenses with black marker, even if the original car doesn't have rubber gaskets. It gives a "cleaner" look and the glass shows thinner.

Gabriel
Joel_W
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Posted: Friday, July 12, 2019 - 02:24 AM UTC

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Hi Joel. It is white glue, water based, and dries perfectly clear. Some folks I have seen use it to create small windows in aircraft and ship builds. I apply it with a fine brush and also use it as a gap filler around badly fitting clear parts.

Cheers, D



D,

Thanks for the clarification. So it's like Microscale's Krystal Kleer which I've used literally since it 1st came out. Still have it in my glue bins. And yes, it dries perfectly clear, well, most of the time it does.

Joel
AussieReg
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Posted: Saturday, July 13, 2019 - 01:31 PM UTC
First shot of primer show that the body is pretty good apart from the boot (trunk) area, a bit more filling/sanding/scribing in my future I foresee.




It honestly looks like the moulds weren't well lined up at the back end, or there might have been some junk stopping them from coming together perfectly. There was a large misalignment on the LHS from the visible fault across to the tail "fins" which I have already mostly dealt with, and the bottom line of the boot lid doesn't line up really well with the shell. Bearing in mind that the boot lid is part of the main body shell, not a separate part that is glued in. The remnants of the mould line on the RHS of the boot lid still need a bit of work as well.

Cheers, D
RussellE
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Posted: Saturday, July 13, 2019 - 11:20 PM UTC

Quoted Text

First shot of primer show that the body is pretty good apart from the boot (trunk) area, a bit more filling/sanding/scribing in my future I foresee.



Bringing out the absolutely beautiful lines of ol girl nicely mate



Quoted Text

It honestly looks like the moulds weren't well lined up at the back end, or there might have been some junk stopping them from coming together perfectly. There was a large misalignment on the LHS from the visible fault across to the tail "fins" which I have already mostly dealt with, and the bottom line of the boot lid doesn't line up really well with the shell. Bearing in mind that the boot lid is part of the main body shell, not a separate part that is glued in.
Cheers, D


Nah, that's just sloppy tool making by the manufacturer, Damian
AussieReg
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Posted: Sunday, July 14, 2019 - 01:25 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Bringing out the absolutely beautiful lines of ol girl nicely mate



Thanks Russ. A classic for sure!


Quoted Text

Nah, that's just sloppy tool making by the manufacturer, Damian



What!?! Never
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Posted: Sunday, July 14, 2019 - 03:32 AM UTC
D,
I'm sure that the age of the molds, plus the allowable tolerances back then, all contributed to the issues you're faced with now. But I have 100% confidence in your modeling abilities to correct every issue, and bring those areas up to today's standards.

Joel
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Posted: Monday, July 15, 2019 - 06:25 PM UTC
Panel shop time, tools of the trade today are the Fibreglass Pen from AK Interactive and the Thinny Stick from Ultimate Modelling Products. Careful sanding to reduce the body profile beside the bottom LHS of the boot lid and remove more of the mould line without touching the little tail fins.


I have now applied some Mr Surface 500 Grey, thinned with a little MLT and brushed on, to fill the hole along the boot line, as well as a couple of other small sink marks.

Cheers, D
Szmann
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Posted: Monday, July 15, 2019 - 10:58 PM UTC
Nice job, D.! I've learnt it in the hard way what an insufficient body preparation can do to your finish.

What is your impression on the fiber pen?

Gabriel
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Posted: Monday, July 15, 2019 - 11:08 PM UTC
Hi Gabriel.

The fibre pen is a really handy piece of kit, I use it almost every time I sit down at the bench. The ability to point sand in tight places is great, and I don’t know if any other tool that can perform the same task other than making your own. I have seen this done with a small disc of sandpaper glued to the end of a piece of sprue, but it didn’t last long.

Cheers, D
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 01:26 AM UTC
D,
the body work looks perfect.

I'm at a total loss about that AK Fiberglass pen, as I've never seen nor heard of it before. Is it some kind of miniature sanding stick, or does it lay down a small, controlled amount of body filler?

For sanding small confined areas I've been doing with mixed results what you suggested, cutting small pcs of various grades of emery cloth, and using double sided tape attaching them to the surfaces of various shaped miniature files. But the pen if it's for sanding sure seems to be a much better way to go about it.

Joel
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 03:13 AM UTC

Quoted Text

D, the body work looks perfect.



Thanks Joel. It's not quite perfect, but getting there.



Quoted Text

I'm at a total loss about that AK Fiberglass pen, as I've never seen nor heard of it before. Is it some kind of miniature sanding stick, or does it lay down a small, controlled amount of body filler?



It is a sanding "pen" for want of a better term. There is a wad of glass fibres inside that can be extended out to varying lengths to give either a loose and light sanding effect, or if barely extended quite a harsh and rapid sanding effect.

Close up of the tip shows the wad of glass fibres, which can be replaced in the existing body once they are worn down.

The pen is part number AK-8058, and a pack of spare fibres (3 refills) is part number AK-8065.

Cheers, D
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 03:16 AM UTC
Joel, those pens are originally used in the electronics industry when manufacturing and repairing circuit boards. IIRC, there are four types: fiberglass, nylon, brass, stainless steel. The AK ones are the fiberglass (or fibreglass (?) to those outside the U.S.) ones branded for them.

That said, I have a few and had never thought about using them for model building. Going to give them a try (if I can figure out where I stashed them).
Joel_W
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 06:37 AM UTC
D,
That rear fender really is blending in quite well. Thanks for the info on the AK sanding pen. I'm going to order one, and check it out for myself. Sure seems like a better way then I've been going at it.

Joel
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 09:09 AM UTC
Somewhere in the back of the tool box, I have a fiberglass sanding pen. Iirc, I got it years ago in the auto parts section of a department store. Bunch of warnings on it about how dangerous fiberglass bits are.
RussellE
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Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 09:20 AM UTC
Some very fine and delicate work there Damian, to maintain those luscious lines of the ol gal.

Yep, handy bit of kit that AK pen. Like it was mentioned unless you make your own, there's no other way.

For example, you could use a piece of wooden dowel or metal rod with the sand paper glued to the end of it, like I did for the KGV for small flat areas


For concave surfaces you could glue the paper to the side of a wooden dowel rod using PVA glue choosing an appropriate diameter to suit your work piece...
AussieReg
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Posted: Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 02:57 AM UTC
Another shot of primer and after curing time a quick wet sand to check for those nasty little defects, the ones that hide until after you've applied the clear coat!

Well, close inspection found a few of them so it was sanding time once again.





Another shot of primer, another lot of curing time, another fine sand and a hit with a tack cloth to get the dust off.



A close look this time didn't turn anything up that needed attention, so it was time for a shot of white lacquer.


This will get an overnight cure and a fine sand and close look tomorrow night to check for any last minute rectification works, then hopefully a second good coat of white. Once that is cured and polished out I might put a top coat of white pearl on as well.

Cheers, D
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Posted: Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 03:10 AM UTC
D,
That's one excellent white top coat. I'd vote for the Pearl just to put it over the top.
Joel
RussellE
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Posted: Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 09:14 AM UTC
I second what Joel says!
AussieReg
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Posted: Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 02:09 AM UTC
Bring on the BLING!!



Many thanks for your input guys!

Cheers, D
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Posted: Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 04:08 AM UTC
D,
Talk about White with a POP. Now that's impressive to say the least.

Joel
RussellE
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Posted: Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 09:39 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Bring on the BLING!!



Cheers, D



Phwoar!!!
AussieReg
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Posted: Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 03:31 PM UTC
Thanks guys, once again I appreciate the feedback. I'm really happy with the finish on the White/Pearl paint job. It might just get a couple of coats of clear gloss tonight. The sun is out today so a couple of shots in nice natural light are in order.



I was also poking around in a box of kits and dug out something that gave me one of those head-scratching moments and then I remembered this (from about half way down page 1 of this thread):

Quoted Text

I have noticed in the instructions that I can build the '54 Vette from this kit as well, the only difference is the Carburettor, Air Cleaner and Valve Cover. It looks like I might have to pick another one of these kits up then. What a disappointing turn of events . . . . .



Well apparently I acted on this notion

The top box is the current WIP, the bottom box is either something I came home with one day, or else they're breeding

The engine assembly step in the instructions is the only variation point to build either a '53 or '54 version.


Following very careful (and very short) consideration, I have decided to double-up in this thread and build both kits, so the thread title has now been amended to show this.

Cheers, D
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Posted: Friday, July 19, 2019 - 01:24 AM UTC
D,
I vote for the breeding theory.

And what body color will you be doing for the 1954 Vette?

Joel
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Posted: Friday, July 19, 2019 - 03:15 AM UTC
Hi Joel.

I'm quite liking this one, original "Penant Blue" with a buff interior.



I just need to dig around and find the right paint.

Cheers, D
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Posted: Friday, July 19, 2019 - 05:16 AM UTC
D,
Perfect choice, and it works perfectly with the Pearl White.
Joel