kforbus Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) This is my first build in almost 30 years. I'm actually building a kit that I bought back in the 80's (better late than never, right?). I built it once back then and I remember it being a total pain because of ill-fitting parts. This one hasn't been that bad, though. This is also my first time airbrushing and using BMF....Please be gentle. lol. Anyway, here is the progress that I've made so far. Please excuse the photography. Edited January 29, 2016 by kforbus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Looks like your doing a clean job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforbus Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 Thanks, cobraman. i have discovered a couple of things have changed since my last build.1. i can't see as well2. my hands shake more than i remember. (i'm only 44...yikes!).Hopefully this will turn out alright. It's all coming back to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang1989 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 First off , welcome aboard Kevin!!Secondly , you're doing fine. Cant wait to see the rest of the build!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Nice work, those of us who've built that kit from when it came out as "The Bad Man" to the Street Machine... It just didn't get any better, it fit like that from the get go! For a kid it was a "glue bomb" in a box! With a little patience and a lot of fitting it can be built into a rather nice "Period Correct" Blown Gasser. It sits right for the gassers of the late '60's and early '70's time period right out of the box. From the looks of things you've got this one under control its gonna look really sweet when you get it finished. Would be neat to find the Bad Man decals from the original kit. Your model brings back a few great memories, thanks for sharing it.Never understood why Monogram took Tom Daniels artwork and then designed some of the oversimplified kits they did, they could have done some really cool stuff with them rather than shoot for Skill Level 1 with a great deal of fitting!! I remember paying a whopping .99 cents for the first Bad Man kit along with a couple of .99 cent Pie Wagons to build as a "rumble seat" coupe (Model Car Science article) at a K-mart "Grand Opening"!! (A few years ago I went to the same store's "going belly up" sale.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) Looking very nice! This has to be one of my all time favorite kits! Not the most accurate or complex one, but just fun! Edited January 29, 2016 by Daddyfink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 I have never built this kit since I have always thought the general body shape just didn't look right to me. You have a clean build going here, your paint looks very smooth and even and the engine looks better than I ever thought it would. I do have a question about the exhaust. From the picture of the chassis it looks like the exhaust has some sort of hole thru it as if there is a small resonator or something along side the gas tank and the spare tire well. This looks like it is something that's molded into the exhaust system so I'm just wondering if this is mentioned in the instructions or do you have an idea what they were trying to represent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy_Styles Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Nice work so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforbus Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 I have never built this kit since I have always thought the general body shape just didn't look right to me. You have a clean build going here, your paint looks very smooth and even and the engine looks better than I ever thought it would. I do have a question about the exhaust. From the picture of the chassis it looks like the exhaust has some sort of hole thru it as if there is a small resonator or something along side the gas tank and the spare tire well. This looks like it is something that's molded into the exhaust system so I'm just wondering if this is mentioned in the instructions or do you have an idea what they were trying to represent.I don't remember what goes there. I'll have to look when I get home tonight. Can't find any online instructions that I can access from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geemoney Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 perhaps the BADMAN wheelie bars went in those slots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geemoney Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Nice work, those of us who've built that kit from when it came out as "The Bad Man" to the Street Machine... It just didn't get any better, it fit like that from the get go! For a kid it was a "glue bomb" in a box! With a little patience and a lot of fitting it can be built into a rather nice "Period Correct" Blown Gasser. It sits right for the gassers of the late '60's and early '70's time period right out of the box. From the looks of things you've got this one under control its gonna look really sweet when you get it finished. Would be neat to find the Bad Man decals from the original kit. Your model brings back a few great memories, thanks for sharing it.Never understood why Monogram took Tom Daniels artwork and then designed some of the oversimplified kits they did, they could have done some really cool stuff with them rather than shoot for Skill Level 1 with a great deal of fitting!! I remember paying a whopping .99 cents for the first Bad Man kit along with a couple of .99 cent Pie Wagons to build as a "rumble seat" coupe (Model Car Science article) at a K-mart "Grand Opening"!! (A few years ago I went to the same store's "going belly up" sale.). I never understood the box art/decal sheet saying 396, when it has a small block Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geewhiz Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 You're doing a great build of a mediocre at best kit!!! Looks like you've not lost your skills and know how. Unfortunately, the sight and shaking issues are a casualty of our age (yeah, that's my stuff, too)...you'll learn to compensate as you go with more light, magnifiers, etc. and working slower than normal. The goal hasn't changed, just have fun and build for yourself. You only have to make you happy because it is still a fun, stress reducing hobby.???????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforbus Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 perhaps the BADMAN wheelie bars went in those slotsLooks like we have a winner, folks. I just found the Bad Man instruction sheet and it shows the wheelie bars going in those slots. I'll have to figure out what i want to do with the slots, if anything. This one won't have a mirror under it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforbus Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 You're doing a great build of a mediocre at best kit!!! Looks like you've not lost your skills and know how. Unfortunately, the sight and shaking issues are a casualty of our age (yeah, that's my stuff, too)...you'll learn to compensate as you go with more light, magnifiers, etc. and working slower than normal. The goal hasn't changed, just have fun and build for yourself. You only have to make you happy because it is still a fun, stress reducing hobby.???????? thanks. I had to buy a magnifying visor the other day...I felt old in the process. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Don't feel bad about the visor. I've been looking thru a light with a 4" magnifying glass in the middle for several years now. Between that and my bifocal glasses I some how get along. Getting older is only for the brave. Glad to find out what the exhaust hole was about. I'd just cut it out and run a smooth exhaust back how every you think looks best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyrichard Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedfreak Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Kevin, looks great so far man! Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DumpyDan Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Looking good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforbus Posted February 1, 2016 Author Share Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) Thanks for all of the compliments, everyone. Here are some progress pics. It's still moving slowly due to work, family, etc. Not happy with the BMF on the driver's side windows, but i don't dislike it enough to redo it. Edited February 1, 2016 by kforbus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkflyrer 50 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I dont blame you on the bmf..it will drive you nuts sometimes..to me bmf can be a blessing and can be a curse..its caused me to mess up a couple of nice paint jobs with my xacto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagercr Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kforbus Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 Hello everyone. I managed to get a little more work done on the '55. Finished the BMF on the driver's side. Painted the inside of the side chrome strips black (not sure if you can tell...you know, bad lighting + cell phone cam=bad pic). The windows and front turn signals are in as well as the headlights...those big, chrome headlights. What do you guys do to make chrome headlights look more realistic. As far as the front turn signals I thought about going for a more original look with white signals. I was thinking paint the BMF flat white and maybe drop some clear fingernail polish in to simulate a lens??? here are the pics: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedfreak Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 you're doing a nice job on this Kevin. There's another thread on here ('69 GTX) where someone is trying to figure out what to do with chrome head lights. Be interesting to see what you guys come up with. I haven't had to deal with that problem in a while, for a 'streetable' car. when i was a kid I would have painted them flat black. lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 On the smaller parking lamp lenses the white paint is probably the easiest. On the head lights a couple of easy things to try, paint the lens with a semi flat clear or even a flat clear. This would give it a less shinny look compared to the chrome trim ring. Beyond that you could drill it out and use a spare headlight lens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willieman Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Good lookin' build so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.