Rear Tail light conversion

[Snoopy47]

Hey guys. I have started my build on the 1:25 Revell 66' GTO. However, I am trying to convert the GTO tail lights to the Lemans version in order to replicate my Dad's 66' Lemans. I have been away from modeling for many many years. Can you guys tell me what would be the best way to do this; ideas, suggestions?

 

 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Snoopy47

[Snake45]

Looks like some scratchbuilding is in your future. Fortunately, it doesn't look too difficult or elaborate to achieve. 

Or, if you want to do it easy: Just print the picture above at the exact size you need, and paste IT on the model. I've seen guys pull this trick with amazing success. 

[CapSat 6]

I think it's cool that you're building a Lemans...I haven't often seen these done. I think they looked just as good as the GTO's that were based on them.

I'm not too familiar with the '66 GTO kit myself. It would probably depend on how far you want to go, and how skilled you might be, to replicate the Lemans tail panel. Snake's idea of printing a picture of the Lemans panel is not a bad idea- "Trompe L'oeil"- to fool the eye- sometimes works very well in modeling. To go farther with it than that will take some time and effort.   

If I were to do the conversion, I would first fill in the areas where the GTO taillights are.

Are there big square holes where the taillights mount, or just the "vents" that the taillights show through? If the "vents" are molded into the tail panel, I would cut those areas out, and then make flat, rectangular pieces from Plastruct sheet plastic, or even cut from the flat area of a scrap hood or body, glue them into the leftover holes, let the glue set up, then putty them with Squadron white putty or Tamiya Putty, sand the putty smooth, primer and paint. If there are just big, square holes, then just cut the pieces to fit as described above, glue them in, fill them, sand them, primer and paint.

The "Pontiac" lettering looks different in each of those two panels. If that difference bothers you enough, you might also want to remove the lettering, or, it might be worth your while to preserve it if you think it would be harder to replicate it more accurately. I might be inclined to leave it as-is from the GTO panel.   

That would leave you with either a panel with just "Pontiac" lettering, or a flat, featureless panel. Looking at the two different panels, it does also appear that there is a slight character line in the Lemans panel that is not there in the GTO panel. You may or may not want to replicate that as well. I would almost be included to leave it as it is, without the character line. If working with a featureless panel, you could glue a thin strip of Plastruct down the middle of the panel, putty it, and sand it to shape. You would really probably only be able to do this if you removed the Pontiac lettering first.

If you wanted to recreate the lettering, you might be able to find a photoetch sheet for a GTO or another Pontiac that will have "Pontiac" letting of about the same size.

You could also "foil cast" the letters before you remove them- cover each letter with a thin metal foil, pressing it over each letter to shape, press clay onto the foil, carefully pull the shaped foil off of the body with the clay, fill the backside of each letter with small amounts of epoxy or kit plastic melted with model glue, wait for the epoxy or glue to fully set up, pull them out of the clay, cut each letter to shape, and attach them to the new panel. You can probably Google "foil casting" or look it up on YouTube for details on the process.

Lastly, the taillights. Some modelers have taken larger scrap taillights, and carved the needed shapes out of them, or used clear red toothbrush handles to do the same. Once the shapes are carved out & sanded to shape, they can be polished to look glossy again.

It's going to take some practice & skill to make the changes you want, but then again, this one isn't overly-complicated. It might be just the right little project in order for you to get some scratch building experience under your belt. I must say that my success with things like this is so-so at best. I have foil cast emblems in the past and it's not very hard at all, although the little letters you might want to do might drive me crazy. Then again, the same little letters done with photoetch might be the same effort. I have modified scrap taillights to make different ones on occasion, and that isn't extremely hard, either. I have never tried the toothbrush handle thing for taillights, but I have read about it and it the techniques makes sense. I have found that once I start on modifications like this, I'm usually pretty encouraged with the initial results, which makes me want to continue.

I hope that helps. Maybe this will give you a starting strategy...?           

[Tom Geiger]

The photo you had is actually a Tempest.  The Lemans had a bright piece across the back.  Which is actually easier.  Using the Snake's suggestion, I think that could be printed.  You may want to mount it onto very thin Evergreen plastic sheet to give it depth.

 

[CapSat 6]

21 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

The photo you had is actually a Tempest.  The Lemans had a bright piece across the back.  Which is actually easier.  Using the Snake's suggestion, I think that could be printed.  You may want to mount it onto very thin Evergreen plastic sheet to give it depth.

 

Agreed- looking at the Lemans tail panel above, you might just be able to cut a new tail panel out of flat Evergreen plastic or a spare hood/ body, scan and print pictures of the bright piece and taillights, add each picture to some pieces of Evergreen cut to fit, and combine them.   

[NOBLNG]

Any old busted chunk of 1:1 tail light lens plastic could be shaped and sanded to size for the tail  lights also... or a red taillight repair kit from Napa?? Any other sources for thin transparent red plastic?

[Flat32]

Personally I think the Tempest/LeMans tail lights look more attractive than the GTO ones and if they aren't available from any kit then here's where 3D printing can be turned to.  They look to be a relatively simple design to CAD model providing one has access to a 1:1 example. They do turn up on ebay so it's not like hen's teeth.

Mastering CAD modelling may seem daunting to an old phart, but it is not to younger people, even kids.  For them it could even lead to a well paying career.

Sorry for the hijack. I'll climb off my soapbox now with the hope some grandchild gets some potentially useful guidance beyond violent video games. 

[Snoopy47]

WOW, what a ton of good information. I have some sheet plastic ordered so I will play around with that when I get it. 30-35 years ago scratch building was a very easy thing for me. I had my eyesight and my hands didn't shake, LOL. It looks to be a fairly straight forward modification but it will take me some time as I don't move as fast as I used to. I will post of pics of my progress once I get started. 

Thanks for all this great info guys.

  

[Snake45]

2 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Any other sources for thin transparent red plastic?

Not this long after Valentine's Day. 

[ChrisBcritter]

8 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Any other sources for thin transparent red plastic?

The recently reissued '49 Ford has a glass unit molded in red; someone here may not be using one.

However, I found a possible source for lenses: The AMT 1959 Mercury.

Cut where marked and you'll have a good match, right down to the six ribs. Look for junk promos; the lenses show up on eBay now and then.

[Snoopy47]

11 hours ago, ChrisBcritter said:

The recently reissued '49 Ford has a glass unit molded in red; someone here may not be using one.

However, I found a possible source for lenses: The AMT 1959 Mercury.

Cut where marked and you'll have a good match, right down to the six ribs. Look for junk promos; the lenses show up on eBay now and then.

NICE!!!!! That is a good catch. I might just give that one a try. Cutting as you have shown would make an almost perfect duplicate. Thanks,

 

[Scott8950]

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