What Did You Accomplish Today? (Model Car Work)

[Tabbysdaddy]

2 hours ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

Began the rebuild of one of THEE worst kits I had put together, my 1980 something Cadillac. Revell’s low rider kit seems to be the only way to get a nice Cadillac from the 80s era but when I got it I was in no position to alter the body or use filler in certain places -UNTIL NOW! When originally building it I tried to make it stock but with the parts I had I ended up making some atrocious, confused looking clown car out of it and kinda hated what I had done to it.

The plan is to turn this…

…into this, a stock 1983 Coupe DeVille, this particular car being one I’ve had my eye on for years but is unfortunately just rotting away on a mechanic lot.

To make this happen, on the plastic car I had to sand off the top trim separating the vinyl top from the roof as it will be pushed back a bit. Have to cut the opera window openings larger, and put in new windows. Sanded off the side trim as I will have to use filler once the body side mouldings are glued in ( gotta sand those down too) and I also have to get rid of the sun roof, which may or may not be easy. The rest are minor detail, but I should be able to at least make it better than that clown car I originally made it out to be.

I have two of those kits, the lowrider version and the donk version. I want to use them to build two cars I've owned, a '78 Coupe Deville and an '84 Buick Electra.

[johnyrotten]

Paint work on the corvette. 

[JollySipper]

My man can go from building crusty pickups to clean Corvettes....... and do a good job with Both!  

[johnyrotten]

8 hours ago, JollySipper said:

My man can go from building crusty pickups to clean Corvettes....... and do a good job with Both!  

Thank you. These one piece chassis are tricky to detail. It needs some touch ups here and there. 

[Falcon Ranchero]

The Caddy’s all sanded, including the glued on body side mouldings and hood and trunk. Later today going to use filler for the first time to smooth out the gaps between the body side mouldings and had the sunroof glued in so I can smooth that over too since there will be no sunroof. Snipped the front bumper shorter on both sides and put in a piece of plastic on each side of the body between the front wheel opening and the bumper to fill the space. Still have yet to actually buy the spray paint for the car, just want to make sure the body is totally ready to be re painted.

Might be tricky to find a can of 1983 Cadillac sand grey but I’d settle for something pretty darn close.

Edited February 28 by Falcon Ranchero

[Falcon Ranchero]

So far successful in using the filler, may put one more layer on a little later before sanding it down. Still on the list are to cut out some new side windows, using a sheet of clear plastic that came in my 1962 Pontiac kit. Also have to re paint the headlights and the interior. Had to use steel wool to remove the purple decals I have placed on the unpainted interior; that went pretty poorly. Those decals were way too strong but I got most of the remnants off.

[oldcarfan]

I got my Cannonball into subassemblies to see how it will look. Happy with the progress so I can relax a little and work on other projects as I round up more parts I'll need.

Official notice, Little Debbie did not pay for the advertisement! LOL

[johnyrotten]

31 minutes ago, oldcarfan said:

I got my Cannonball into subassemblies to see how it will look. Happy with the progress so I can relax a little and work on other projects as I round up more parts I'll need.

Official notice, Little Debbie did not pay for the advertisement! LOL

Looking awesome 

[lordairgtar]

On 2/27/2025 at 9:50 AM, Falcon Ranchero said:

Began the rebuild of one of THEE worst kits I had put together, my 1980 something Cadillac. Revell’s low rider kit seems to be the only way to get a nice Cadillac from the 80s era but when I got it I was in no position to alter the body or use filler in certain places -UNTIL NOW! When originally building it I tried to make it stock but with the parts I had I ended up making some atrocious, confused looking clown car out of it and kinda hated what I had done to it.

The plan is to turn this…

…into this, a stock 1983 Coupe DeVille, this particular car being one I’ve had my eye on for years but is unfortunately just rotting away on a mechanic lot.

To make this happen, on the plastic car I had to sand off the top trim separating the vinyl top from the roof as it will be pushed back a bit. Have to cut the opera window openings larger, and put in new windows. Sanded off the side trim as I will have to use filler once the body side mouldings are glued in ( gotta sand those down too) and I also have to get rid of the sun roof, which may or may not be easy. The rest are minor detail, but I should be able to at least make it better than that clown car I originally made it out to be.

Looks like you will have shorten the bumper sides too.

[lordairgtar]

8 hours ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

The Caddy’s all sanded, including the glued on body side mouldings and hood and trunk. Later today going to use filler for the first time to smooth out the gaps between the body side mouldings and had the sunroof glued in so I can smooth that over too since there will be no sunroof. Snipped the front bumper shorter on both sides and put in a piece of plastic on each side of the body between the front wheel opening and the bumper to fill the space. Still have yet to actually buy the spray paint for the car, just want to make sure the body is totally ready to be re painted.

Might be tricky to find a can of 1983 Cadillac sand grey but I’d settle for something pretty darn close.

Costly but NAPA can get a spray bomb made with the exact color you need. You can get single stage and be sure to use a good primer first.

[Falcon Ranchero]

18 hours ago, lordairgtar said:

Looks like you will have shorten the bumper sides too.

Already done 👍

[Falcon Ranchero]

17 hours ago, lordairgtar said:

Costly but NAPA can get a spray bomb made with the exact color you need. You can get single stage and be sure to use a good primer first.

Ended up getting a relatively similar paint for it

[johnyrotten]

Finished with the corvettes chassis. Added some washes and touched up a few places. my engine parts came in, so back on the 34. This is a fun filler project. 

[Falcon Ranchero]

The Caddy’s coming along nicely; had it sprayed the first coat and it doesn’t look half bad considering this was my first time using filler. Sanded it down pretty good. Sometime this week it’ll be done.

[Dpate]

Some progress on the BMW. 

[Rodent]

On 2/23/2025 at 8:24 PM, chryslerjunkandstuff said:

Got some California black plates in progress too

Just an FYI, the yellow on black came out in 1963. 1956-62 looked like this one. Not sure if you are going for the "brand new" look or day 2 with your build.

 

[oldcarfan]

I needed more of some parts so I did a mold using Hobby Lobby mold rubber and I'll try to cast some parts tomorrow. Wish me luck, last time I had a reaction to something, probably sanding dust. I'll be more careful this time.

[chryslerjunkandstuff]

1 hour ago, Rodent said:

Just an FYI, the yellow on black came out in 1963. 1956-62 looked like this one. Not sure if you are going for the "brand new" look or day 2 with your build.

 

Thanks for that, and yeah, I like to primarily use Year of Manufacture plates on my stuff, but, at the moment, am just goin with what I have on hand..

[rattle can man]

second round of bodyline work on a custom Torino, front end Chassis work on a 51 Chevy, decals on a model T delivery, Frame and running board mods almost complete on 25 T and original Ala Kart (parts box build) kit bash, and found a few kits to trade

[Falcon Ranchero]

Started the second redemption model today, my 1953 Ford Truck ( Have three models going to be redone, my Cadillac has been already redone). Originally a red and white full custom, the paint job was kinda like the skin of an orange but white, and I took the tires off for something else, and a bunch of other stuff fell off it over time and I just don’t like how it looks so I thought it deserved better. Pulled the DeSoto engine out in favour of the stock flathead, but exterior wise it’ll be a mild custom, so stock rear fenders, and mild custom grille, and stock hubcaps. Though it will be a two tone again, just a more pleasing combination. 
It doesn’t look half bad in the photos, here, but this is when I had just completed it in 2023; not as nice anymore though.

The trailer’s not the same anymore, either; took the tires off for something else also, and also the rims. Just has some junky blackwall bias plys and just the wheel backs. Won’t be fixing that up right now.

[Falcon Ranchero]

The '53 Ford truck looks like it'll be completed sometime this evening, though no pictures 'till Thursday. On the weekend I painted and assebled the flathead engine, and put it in the chassis. Quick change of wheels, and a body repaint over the course of yesterday and today; definitely a quicker rebuild as I'm not doing anything as drastic as the modifications of my Cadillac.

[Old Buckaroo]

The much loved MPC / AMT '69 Dodge Daytona prototype for more future Nascar builds of same kit is taking shape. 

 

 

Edited 10 hours ago by Old Buckaroo
pic update

[Pierre Rivard]

Completed a paint & decal job without the usual "gaffe". Time to buy a lottery ticket?

 

Edited 15 hours ago by Pierre Rivard