My next (current) project:


My model locomotive project has shown just how inexperienced I am at painting models with the airbrush. The paint job on the train will work, but it's not by anything but luck. Here is the current state of the train, for those who haven't seen it. Work is slow here since most of the parts are scratch built.


To remedy this, I'm going to start a new kit and learn and improve as I go. After standing around looking at kits in the hobby shop too long, I chose the Shelby GT350 by AMT. This kit has the full frame components modeled, rather than the simple metal axle some of the AMT re-releases have. As fun as some of the gassers looked, the extra detail in this kit should provide many more opportunities for painting and detailing experience.

Besides, I've said it before (as have many others). Back when I last built a model kit 20 years ago, I didn't have an airbrush. Well now I do... it would be a shame to never build a kit now! To do the job right, I've bought some Vallejo Model Color airbrush paints. Red, White, Black Grey, and Silver. These along with my Badger airbrush paints should get me anywhere I'll need to go with this kit. The body will be red with white stripes, the interior parchment and black.

There aren't any specific photo etch or detailing aftermarket kits for this model, so it'll be pretty much built out of the box. Maybe a few scratch detailing parts from styrene, and some engine wiring details will be added. First thing is having to dechrome the plated plastic. As typical with these kits, the sprues join to the parts such that there will be holes in the plating after assembly, so I'll just dechrome the entire part tree and then use the silver paint to make all of it match.

Some progress this weekend. First the early assembly of the engine. The engine block parts fit well, but the transmission halves didn't want to close tight. The big problem was the intersection of the transmission and engine left some huge gaps all around the face of the bell housing, which would have been visible when examining the underside of the model.

I considered filling this gap with putty, but this would have mean some masking when airbrushing the block and transmission colors. Instead, I cut away all the offending elements from the engine block parts, and filled in the opening on the bell housing with sheet styrene.



Next, apparently there was no molding of the oil filter on the engine. My reference photos show it there, but nothing on the model anywhere. So I sculpted an oil filter from Milliput, also used some Milliput as filler on the transmission fix and to help close the gaps along the transmission halves. You can also see the wire oil dip stick I have crafted and glued in place, too.



I also took the time to cut the fuel pump free of the water pump molding, just for easier painting.

And I did work on removing the plating. Most of the job was done in moments with regular bleach, but one side was apparently (and only partially) sprayed with a protective coating. So hit and miss removal on one side, but easy enough to continue here.

Nice engine work! Is that a current kit or a vintage one?

Kit is dated December 2013, labeled as made in China by Round 2. I bought it at the hobby shop straight off the shelf Saturday.

http://round2models.com/models/amt/gt-shelby

That page says it's a modern tooling, no mention of a reissue. But searching shows this same (or very similar) kit has been around for many years.

adlabs6,

Good work so far. Always a challenge to figure out how to improve fit of the parts. What air brush are you using? Hopefully you have a regulator for air pressure. You'll find that quite helpful in controlling your paint flow and in distance from item your painting.

You'll find this site helpful as your into railroad and cars;

http://www.protechmodelparts.com/

I've used a number of his products like the braided wire hoses in this build.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=5812646#post5812646

That build went to the shelf as I still haven't come up with how to attach the windscreen and find or make a hose attachment to connect the carbs to the Paxtons yet. Well some day:).

Look forward to your updates.

WingNuts

Thanks. I'm using a Badger 155 Anthem airbrush with a Paasche D500 compressor. I do have an SMC regulator mounted on the wall, as well as a long coiled hose that acts as a low volume tank to buffer the compressor.

I am doing some practice with the airbrushing. Last night I managed some decent results on smooth and textured plastic practice pieces, all unprimed. I have not had a chance today to check on the adhesion after the paint is well dried, but will tonight.

WingNuts, I just got a chance to browse those links. Thanks. Really nice work on that Cobra. Between that and the fine work on display in the galleries of some of the webpages found through your link to Protech... Really gives me something to shoot for as I try my hand at these things.

This kit probably won't see too many aftermarket parts, outside of whatever small modifications I may scratch build. But I have a sort of interest to build a gasser or dragster should I build some decent skill. If it ever comes to that, some of those detailing parts would be on the list.

More engine progress. The molding for the pulleys and belt was one piece, and it alone held the alternator in place... floating way in in space. The actual vehicle, the alternator is in a bracket that mounts to the head, much closer than the molding presents. Stock piece shown here:



And the stock alternator piece that glues onto the belt molding (I drilled that tiny hole in it before remembering to take a photo):


I cut the molded belt and pulleys apart, and discarded the belt. For the alternator, I created a mounting bracket from sheet styrene, and used a piece of insulated telephone wire for the bolt rod. The head was drilled to accept the assembly. The alternator pulley I cut from the original piece was glued on front of the new alternator assembly, shown test fitted here:



And after priming and painting. Also you can see the new belt here. It was created from a couple of wraps of masking tape, which I soaked (in place) with CA glue to harden it. Then painted. Works pretty well. The fan blades were also thinned by about 50% from the back side for a better scale effect.

Nice Adlabs!

You should do some weathering on that. A bit of ink and also some dry brushing will get it looking nice and worn in.

Tiger, I have done a bit of dry brush and some airbrushed shading, but the inking is something I've never tried. I do intend to try to learn how to use the technique on this build, though.

Another bit of progress. Valve covers are dechomed and painted. I had to build the oil fill cap from Milliput and painted silver, as there was nothing but a little dot molded there on the stock molding. You can also see the hole drilled in the side of the carb to hold the vent line from the oil fill cap.

The wire shift levers are shown, too. I cut off all the plastic rods, keeping only the levers which I drilled to accept the wire rods.

Also shown in this pic is the included distributor, and the new one I am building from scrap sprue. My ignition wiring won't fit comfortably on that stock part, so the replacement is drilled for better fit. I will try to show this better (and with a bit more completed I hope) in my next update.

And yes, the engine and table has a bit of white dust on it. Too much drilling tiny holes in styrene.

Looks like it's coming along nicely!

Very nice job so far. A couple things for accuracy. Shelby painted their engines black and if the holes you drilled in the heads are for plug wires they are too low.

Thanks.

Regarding the blue engine, I am finding this very common in my photos. I've got a book here with the same blue on the 1967 examples, too.

http://www.performancemotorsofhanover.com/inventory/1967_shelby_gt_350c.html

Thanks for the info on the plug holes, I'll have to double check that!

Well after looking you are probably right about the blue engine. Ford was more involved in Shelby Mustang production in 67 so they were using off the shelf Ford K engines instead of the Shelby massaged engines of 65-66.
As for the plug holes. You have them in the right spot accuracy wise but from experience you are going to have trouble with the exhaust manifolds getting in the way if you use the kit parts. If you move them up a bit they will be easier to install.

These make wiring an engine much easier as well
http://www.madmodeling.com/store/ccp0-catshow/distributors.html

Hi again,

According to what I've read, yes Ford was much more involved with the 1967 year forward (I think they moved production to Michigan in '68, IIRC). The earliest photos I have found of blue engines in Shelby GTs are the Hertz rental cars from 1966.

And those resin cast pre-wired distributors are good looking, and the price is right, too. I've not got photos of it yet, but I've already logged a few hours on the ignition Sunday evening. Slow and tedious work, but shaping up! Hopefully next weekend I'll have something worth showing.

I haven't drilled 1/24-1/25 scale distributor cap (or my fingers while in the process lol)since finding these about 4 years ago.

LOL, yea drilling the fingers is no fun! I'm going to try filling my scratch built distributor with Milliput epoxy putty, and sinking the individual 90 degree boots into the putty and let it set. No drilling, and easy to start over (well, within an hour or so before the putty sets up!).

I took a few better photos with a better depth of field.

These are the little ignition wire guides, formed from 26 gauge steel wire. I drilled holes in the valve covers and sunk these in place. They are visible installed in the later pics.



Some time clearing out the openings in the wheels. Drilled to remove material, then cleared. Sanding to come.



And shots of the engine with better depth of field. I also dusted with a paint brush, but I still see a few shards of plastic dust. You can see the plug boots glued in the holes, with 90 degree boots on the outside ends. These will be duplicated on the distributor, then have .010 steel wire glued into the boots and painted. Heater hoses are there, and the valve cover vent line.

Wow! Great drybrushing effect.

Regarding the brushing to get rid of dust and hairs, there are special non-static brushes available. Bit expensive maybe, but also very useful before you start airbrushing the body of the car.

Looking good.