Well, it's clear that I've lost my mind. I thought for sure I saw that this Bel Air logo was already chromed.

D,
A word of caution with the pens, the ink really flows out of them. Even when I use a 2mm tip I have a hard time controlling the flow. For really small, delicate jobs I still prefer a the finest brush I have working slowly and holding my breath.

Joel

I was in a contemplative mood tonight, enjoying a JD on ice and looking over my multiple builds to assure myself that I am on track, and I decided to put some finishing touches on the '55 Convertible.

The moulded trim on the door and front quarter has had a couple of "mask&paint" attempts that were worn off quite quickly with handling, so it was time to drag out the "Ultra Bright Chrome" BMF and give it a proper job.


Once that was done I used some medium CA to fix the windscreen, aerial and side mirror in place (as well as the door handle that I knocked off ).







All that's left now is a drop of chrome for the keyholes on the doors and a drybrush of chrome on the Bel Air side emblems, then I will get some decent photos in natural light.

Cheers, D

D,
she's looking better & better as you're nearly completion.
Joel

Time to drag out the tiny brush and steady hand for the last little loose ends.

Chrome paint on the Bel Air side emblems and panel line wash (super thin black enamel) in the door lines.


Panel line wash in the fuel filler door and boot (trunk ) recesses.





Time to cure then glamour shots.

Cheers, D

Overcast today but still quite bright outside, good diffused natural light, not too much glare.

This one is finished and off the bench












As always, many thanks to all who have followed along and I hope I have kept you entertained.

Now, what's next????

Cheers, D

EDIT: I just spotted the emblems under the tail lights that I forgot to paint while I was doing the side emblems and door key hole surrounds. Oh well, next time I get the chrome paint out it will take 5 minutes!

D,
I'd say you did one heck of a fine job. The finished build looks simply outstanding. Love the color combination, and I like it better with the top down, but that's just me.

Joel

As Joel said, you nail the color combo every single time! Fine job!
I would never have noticed the side emblem if you didn't say it

Off topic: did you took the pictures with a mobile phone?

Gwbriel

Beautiful work Damian!

another fine addition to the garage (collection)

thanks for sharing

Many thanks for the feedback guys as always. Much appreciated.




Yes, I have an iPhone 8. I don't play around with the settings at all, just point and shoot. I download them to my computer, use "Paint" to resize them to 1008x756, then into the Kitmaker Gallery. I don't have any online image store following the Photobucket fiasco.

Cheers, D

Yes, the quality is as good as it gets and the colors the same, but the depth of field is very shallow. You can see that best in the first three pictures.
You can bypass that by taking the pictures from further away of the subject, aim at the middle, then crop the picture. Only if you are interested, of course
I8 should have a good enough resolution to allow for larger crops. You might even achieve a better white balance, depending where the weight of focus is.

Gabriel

D,
If you didn't tell me that your pictures were by a I8 Cell, I'd have sworn that they were via a DSL/Mirrorless camera. Most of the time I can tell Just by the White Balance. Your cell does an excellent job with the basics.

DOF is always an issue the closer you get to your subject. I have a Nikkor 105mm Macro lens, and the smallest aperture is f32, which really helps. As Gabriel suggested, try to focus about 1/3 of the way into the picture, as most camera software has the field of focus at 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind the point of focus.

Your use of the Gallery is quite amazing. usually the pictures are smaller, but yours fill the frame just fine. Again, if you didn't mention it, I'd have thought that you were using a hosting service.

I walked away from Photobucket when they 1st started having issues on the free accounts. I moved to Image Shack which has been fantastic since day 1. I have the basic package for $3.99/month. Like you and so many others, I'd never go back to Photobucket. But there are free online hosting sites. Take a look at Fotki @:https://www.fotki.com/us/en/ Everyone I know that uses it, loves it. I keep on saying that I should switch, but old habits are so hard to break.

Joel

With my current plan for WIP reduction, once I move a build into the "Completed" status, I go to my Scalemates profile and look through the "Started" lists to see what I can follow on with.

Next up on the '55 play list is the old Monogram 1/24 Street Machine.





I started tinkering with this kit a couple of years back, glued the engine block and heads and started cleaning up the parts. Here's where it's at right now.


While the airbrush is active on my other builds I will start priming this one and test fitting parts.

I'm thinking, rather than the traditional black, of an overall white finish on this one, maybe with a tinted pearl for some bling.

Cheers, D

Looks pretty mean. Good luck with it!

D,
Now there's a 55 Chevy Dragster from the past that I do actually remember from my trips to National Speedway back in the late 60s early 70s, as almost all my gearhead friends were into straight line speed. Just a handful of us even knew about road racing, and Bridgehampton was only a little more then a hour's drive east.

So once again I'll be pulling up my old man's rocking chair, and following your build.

Joel

I had some fun experimenting with paints tonight on the '55. The standard MS1500/MLT mix was applied a week or so back then tidied up and touched up, so tonight was all about the colour.


First up SMS Premium White as an undercoat.


Then an Olive Green Pearl as a different base.


Then Clear Red for a Candy finish colour coat.


I will let this cure for a few days then give it a fine wet sand ready for the clear gloss.

Cheers, D

Now that's going to be one super bright Candy Apple Red finish. Just one question. Why a White base coat, then the Olive Green Pearl base? Is it just that you wanted to go with a different color or as a 2 part base?

Joel

Thanks Joel. I used the white as a base to really kick the pearl colours to see how they look under the clear red. The pearl doesn't show up anywhere near as much over a grey primer base. I also wanted something a bit different from the traditional clear-over-silver candy finish, and in different lighting the olive green does vary the colour a bit.

Cheers, D

Great choice, of color, for a classic Chevy

It might not show, in the images, but I'm sure your choice of base coat, will have quite an impact, on the candy red. I have made a few experiments, with base coats, for candy red, such as gold, various shades of gunmetal, silver, aluminium and steel. The 3 later colors don't make that much of a difference, for a single color paint scheme, but if you use them for graphics, you can see the difference.

Clear Gloss Saturday today




Cheers, D

D,
The color Candy Red coat with the clear gloss looks outstanding.

Joel

That's a good looking gloss candy red Damian.

Beautiful work D... reminds me of a certain song "Candy, Candy, Candy! "

Thanks guys! I'm happy with the way this one is shaping up, and I'm enjoying keeping the "Tri-5" series rolling along.

The underside was primed with MS1500 Grey, then shot with MRP-172 Super Gloss Black, because I had the bottle there and it needs to be used up. After a day curing I hand painted the tank and pipes with the Vallejo Metal Color Chrome.


Just in case you can't see them all, there are 25 ejector pin marks on this piece!

I'm thinking a white interior with pale grey carpets and trim highlights for this one.

Cheers, D