And a last couple of photos, showing the display case/base. I chose a case by Pioneer Plastics. It has the clear top, and the base is clear, too. I had to use a plastic mirror for the base. Off to one side, I printed a set of stripes that match the lower racing stripes, in red and white like the car.
I also printed out a GT350 emblem (the one from found on the front fender). This went on a 1/16" thick plastic sheet which I covered in Bare Metal Foil. Then I overlaid the printed emblem with a clear plastic sheet (same material the car windows were made from), again with it's edges chromed with Bare Metal Foil for a bit of added depth.
The case is a bit large, but with the model sitting at an angle, at least I can display it with both the doors open if I want, and still it has plenty of clearance. The mirror adds quite a nice effect.
It's been a fun project. Took right at 2 years, with some down time/recharge time in there. And it became much more involved than I had imagined at the outset. But it was fun trying my hand nearly anything I had seen others doing with their builds.
Biggest lessons:
1) Use an externally vented booth when airbrushing!
2) Getting a smooth, clean, glossy finish is hard work!
3) When I am having to wear white cotton gloves while working, to protect stuff... things have probably gone too far!
It is fitting that I should mention a man who sparked my interest in building models, when I was a child. Manuel Olive. I remember reading his articles in old "Rod & Custom" magazines (issues probably 15 years older than myself!), and I checked out a library book which featured many of his fantastic models, I must have been 12 years old. Building models was never something that really stuck with me in my teenage years (and still not something I will likely do again anytime soon). But I have always remembered the attention to detail that Mr. Olive displayed. Digging into this project gave me the chance to explore some that fun, in some small way.
Thanks for following the progress, and all the nice comments!
