55 Chrysler Mild Custom

[sk8erdave]

So, this was what I was building for a competition on the UK's hot rod forum, rods n sods, but having lost my job, I've had to put this on hold, and enter something else -  The Black Cobra - check it out in the "Under Glass" section

The story so far...

It needed to be low, so blocks were added to the rear suspension

And for the front, I dropped the spindles by cutting them of and re-attaching them higher up..

.. and added a longer mounting tab to the upper A arms and enlarging the opening in the inner fenders to suit.

Nice and low!

Then on to paint. I first shaved the handles and badges, having to use putty to recreate the upper part of the ridge that runs down between the grilles once the badge was gone. I then used Tamiya fine primer and lots of wet n dry to get a good base to start on. If it looks good in plastic, it'll look good in primer etc Then I used Humbrol gloss black as suggested by the manufacturer as a base. I initially thought the paint was rubbish when sprayed as it settled textured, only to realise once I had bought some more gloss black, this time by Revell, that it was my technique. So, once the black was down, onto colour, which was Humbrol's violet multi effects paint, the only metallic purple I could find, then used Humbrol gloss to finish.

Just after it was done

Outside pics

And thats as far as I have got. I lost my job just before Christmas, and being a third year university student in my mid 20's, you have to make priorities, so until I have work, I can't get the paints needed to finish it the way I want.

I plan to do the engine bay and chassis pearl white and use bare metal foil on the suspension components. The interior will be white with purple inserts (I've started that)

Watch this space.

 

[espo]

Beautiful color. Keep going when you can and hope you can find work soon.

[Roadrunner]

Testors makes Purple-Licious, and it would have looked great, but your solution looks pretty darned good.

[CometMan]

Looks good David! Also, you can get some really cool colors really cheap if you can learn to consider the strange looks you get from folks that see you picking out a basket full of nail polish at the drug store with no lady around as part of the entertainment of model building! They can be quite priceless!!

[sk8erdave]

Thanks guys.

I find being in England I don't readily have access to the model after-market for all the stuff I'd like,(or i just dont know where to get it) so make use of what is available in the UK This is the first time I've used hobby products, I've used general automotive touch up sprays in the past, but think I'll be using more hobby stuff.

How do you use nail varnishes, in an airbrush? If so, I don't own one, or know how to use one lol All of my stuff is done with rattle cans.

Hopefully I can resume this project ASAP, but university comes first right now.

[CometMan]

Yes David, nail polish runs through an airbrush very nicely, no need to thin it or anything! Also, there is a place in the UK called White Ensign that I have dealt with when I do military subjects, that's pretty much all they do, but some things work for all subjects, and I have enjoyed dealing with them. If you are having a hard time finding places close to you they might have some things you can use!

[Roncla]

Thanks guys.

I find being in England I don't readily have access to the model after-market for all the stuff I'd like,(or i just dont know where to get it) so make use of what is available in the UK This is the first time I've used hobby products, I've used general automotive touch up sprays in the past, but think I'll be using more hobby stuff.

How do you use nail varnishes, in an airbrush? If so, I don't own one, or know how to use one lol All of my stuff is done with rattle cans.

Hopefully I can resume this project ASAP, but university comes first right now.

I live out in the colonies but have dealt with Hiroboy in England who carries a big range of aftermarket/ paints ect  and  has always given me great service

http://www.hiroboy.com/home.html

[CometMan]

I live out in the colonies but have dealt with Hiroboy in England who carries a big range of aftermarket/ paints ect  and  has always given me great service

http://www.hiroboy.com/home.html

I learned something new today Ron! I thought the British only referred to the U.S. as "the colonies"!

[426-Hemi]

GORGEOUS paint on that 300......

[Custom Mike]

Thanks guys.

I find being in England I don't readily have access to the model after-market for all the stuff I'd like,(or i just dont know where to get it) so make use of what is available in the UK This is the first time I've used hobby products, I've used general automotive touch up sprays in the past, but think I'll be using more hobby stuff.

How do you use nail varnishes, in an airbrush? If so, I don't own one, or know how to use one lol All of my stuff is done with rattle cans.

Hopefully I can resume this project ASAP, but university comes first right now.

David, using Nail Polish is very simple, all you need is Lacquer thinner, and at least two bottles of the color you want to spray (One to thin down for spraying, a second just in case you mess up, Nail Polish colors change rapidly so the color you buy today will be slightly different in 3-6 months!). Thin the Nail polish down 50/50, or about the consistency of Milk. I usually pour half the Nail Polish out into a paint bottle, and add thinner to the paint bottle, throwing in a BB (Or ball bearing) for mixing, then add some thinner to the Nail Polish bottle so the remainder is also ready to spray. Then you spray as you normally would. One word of advice though, you'll need a good quality Primer/Sealer, because you're using a Lacquer based paint. If you don't use a Primer/Sealer, you'll ruin the styrene. I use Dupli Color Primer/Sealer myself, I'm not sure what the equivalent is in the UK, but I'm sure someone will chime in with that. 

One other warning, some Nail Polish colors are translucent, so they'll require a base color that will make them look right, or tons of color coats to get the color right. Always test the color on a scrap piece first to see if it covers the plastic in one pass or not, prior to thinning it. That way you'll know if you need a base color to help out.

[sk8erdave]

Thanks for the kind words 

I live out in the colonies but have dealt with Hiroboy in England who carries a big range of aftermarket/ paints ect  and  has always given me great service

http://www.hiroboy.com/hom

I've just been put on to hiroboy and had a good look around, I have other websites too, https://www.emodels.co.uk/ the one I got my paints from for this model.

Paints aren't  the issue as such, I also use citadel paints from games workshop as I paint warhammer as well and companies such as humbrol who cater to airfix and hornby offer weathering and metal effects now, Its getting hold of resin hot rod and drag racing parts that is hard, and the one time I got a kit from the US, customs over here added their bit making it non-cost effective. Perhaps because it was an ebay store purchase.

I will at some point order a big order. Also getting hold of kits is hard, as its a case of waiting until one (only one) comes up, or making do with whats on offer from websites such as emodels and ebay. I've been on the US ebay and theres loads of awesome stuff!  But first, I have a reasonably sized to-do pile, then I want to binge on muscle cars, just building them OOB, 'cos theyre muscle cars! whilst hoarding hot rod material. Thats the very long term plan lol

[vintagercr]

That's a great colour.  Hope you are able to find another job so you can finish it up.