My 70 GTO

[cuhail]

Okay, I promised in another thread that I would post a new build. Thus, here is that build.
Let me start with the picture that inspired me to build this version.


Sweet huh? I found it on the web and I hope I don't ruffle any feathers by posting some guys GTO, but, I love this car!
I did a 72 GTO not too long ago and it's very similar, but, different in the fact that I DIDN'T tub out the rear wheelwells and narrow the rearend. I HATE how it looks, but, it was built to look like the same model I did in the early 80's.


Yuck, huh? It looks so silly with the tires sticking out like that. I want them tucked in. So, I salvaged a new rear chassis and narrow axle from an AMT '66 Chevelle I had laying in the "Junk Yard". I cut the GTO frame right in front of the wheelwells, and the Chevelle frame in the same place. I welded them together and after some putty and plastic bits, the frames matched up nice.



While letting that set up, I went to work on the interior. I wanted it very "Race-Ready" and the stock interior was not very convincing. So, I buttoned up all the seats and panels with sheet plastic.



The dashboard and gauges were wrong (In my opinion) and so I covered the heat controls, vents, radio, etc with sheet plastic and added some bits of wire as switches and a new gauge. A little putty and some sanding made it ready for paint.



Sooo....that's where I am so far. In the comparisons, the red parts are from an MPC 72 GTO that I will be turning into a 71 GTO in the future. It worked well as MOST of the parts are the exact same.

Now.....COMMENT!

Cuhail

[dude]

The paintjob could use some Novus, but a great altogether build!

[Bluecorsair]

Its really looking good but it would look spectacular with some Bare-metal foil though!! Just don't get ultra-bright BMF, get the chrome BMF. The ultra-bright looks horrible and it doesn't stick worth a darn. In my opinion, ultra bright BMF is completely useless.

[cuhail]

Yeah, I'm gonna have a "Chrome Day" and do a whole bunch of chrome work in one day. A whole bunch of models I've built are waiting patiently for the chrome fairey to arrive!

Dude, I have yet to purchase and use NOVUS. As a modeler, I have spent a lot of time in the Armor category where flat is beautiful so, I haven't had to polish yet. It's rapidly becoming time, though, isn't it?.

Thank you guys for the imput. That's what I need. I know my engines are pretty good and my subjects are cool, but, there are places I need work, and finishes are Number One on the "to Learn" list.

Cuhail

[Bluecorsair]

If you're trying to improve your paintjobs, this tutorial may come in handy:

www.briansmodelcars.com/tutorials/tutorial.asp?TutorialID=12&CurPage=1

[cuhail]

Dan, that is an awesome article! I bookmarked it to study again, and again, and again. I have everything I would need to follow his instructions except the temp range. But, Sping arrived today at noon or so and I am looking forward to my first try on that old Chevelle body. (Why practice on the one I want spectacular?)
Thank you sir!

Cuhail

[Bluecorsair]

cuhail said:

Dan, that is an awesome article! I bookmarked it to study again, and again, and again. I have everything I would need to follow his instructions except the temp range. But, Sping arrived today at noon or so and I am looking forward to my first try on that old Chevelle body. (Why practice on the one I want spectacular?)
Thank you sir!

Cuhail

The temp range isn't that important, it shouldn't be much of a factor. One thing that you'll really need to watch is the humidity though.

[cuhail]

Well, it's dry as INSIDE the house, but, I have to spray (rattle, rattle) outside. I can't touch a thing INSIDE with out getting popped with 1000volts (it seems). Ha!

Question: Have you ever done a model in a flat color, buffed the &$#@ out of it and then sprayed a gloss over THAT? I always tend to use a flat enamel, in the color I want the car in, as the primer. Then, I use a paper coffee filter as sandpaper and I get a very nice semi-gloss finish. I then spray the gloss color coats and THAT'S where my finishes get crappy. what if I just skip the gloss color and gloss the color primer after buffing it out?

Do I make sense here?

Cuhail

[dude]

cuhail said:

Well, it's dry as INSIDE the house, but, I have to spray (rattle, rattle) outside. I can't touch a thing INSIDE with out getting popped with 1000volts (it seems). Ha!

Question: Have you ever done a model in a flat color, buffed the &$#@ out of it and then sprayed a gloss over THAT? I always tend to use a flat enamel, in the color I want the car in, as the primer. Then, I use a paper coffee filter as sandpaper and I get a very nice semi-gloss finish. I then spray the gloss color coats and THAT'S where my finishes get crappy. what if I just skip the gloss color and gloss the color primer after buffing it out?

Do I make sense here?

Cuhail

Yes, you could gloss coat over the flat paint without applying a gloss color first. Thats quite common actually. But wet sand the flat color before you put down the clear coat.

[cuhail]

Cool, I'll try that.

I will be setting up an airbrush rig this Spring too, so, things should look up with finishes there too.

Thanks guys,
Cuhail

[cuhail]

Okay, I made some progress and took some pictures.

I finished up the rear end and painted it up.


I love the stance so much better low. It just looks faster this way!


And the engine is coming along nicely with a donated blower setup.


Soooooooo, that's the progress so far. I'll wrap up the engine this week, I think, and hopefully pop off some pics too!


Thanks for looking,
Cuhail