`71 Oldsmobile 442

[Andy Oldenburg]

This model was introduced in Europe as "NEW!". Don´t know if it is already selling in the US but I hope for you that it does. Splendid molding, everything crisp and detailed?.

I´ve got the engine done and pushed my detailing a bit forward. I found many images on the web so it was easy to see where the lines and cables are going. The distributor is home made. The belt system has several pulleys, which I all deconstructed from the kit part. I filed the pulley wheels for the belt and had to add a some styrene slices to adapt a second or third belt. The belt is a 0.5mm cut off a thin rubber place mat. To help the pulleys stand the tension of the rubber belt, I connected them to the block with 0.8mm brass rods and was able to cover them up. The foam ring on the air filter is 400grit wet sandpaper. The engine received a bit of weathering and grime.

I´ve started working on the interior now and will show more after Easter. Going on holiday first.

Thanks for watching!

 

[espo]

Great looking engine. The paint details as well as the wiring are all well done. The color and finish on the exhaust manifolds look dead on. The paint flaking off the Oil Pan is something I have seen on many cars from that era. 

[gotnitro?]

Excellent work! 

We had a 71 Cutlass Supreme convertible a few yrs back, you've nailed the engine bay 

[Slotto]

[Andy Oldenburg]

Next step is done. I´ve got the interior finished. The seats and the door panels are enhanced with extra buttons (1mm styrene) and strips. I could not get goods pics of the seat belts used back then so I did my best to catch the feeling. I treated the seats a bit to give them a used look. The floor is flocked in anthracite. I added extra chrome lining to the dash by using 0.4mm silver wire, same with the gauge rings. The knobs and levers on the dash are 1.5mm glass beads and (very) short pieces of 1x1mm styrene rod. The window cranks on the molded panels were shaved off and replaced with cranks made of 2mm styrene, 0.5mm brass rod and my trusty glass beads. I did have my issues with the decals.... Seems I´m on a warpath with decals and I have to watch a few tutorials again. I messed it quite good on this one and only the others details distract from a few rips. OK, so will take a Zen attitude and do better next time.

 

I´m working on the chassis right now and will show up again with the next images.

Thanks for watching!

[Slotto]

Beautiful interior

[Andy Oldenburg]

I´m past the chassis by now. I really don´t like those "spring" parts they add to the kits. It´s quite easy to wind springs from wire, in this case a 1mm aluminum wire for the front and the back. Very soft and easy to wind around a rod. The parking brake line has a different setup than I have usually encountered. I used 0.4 mm wire attached to 0.6 mm hooks. The brake and fuel lines are connected with fine wires leading to the upper side of the chassis. Therefore the pieces of tape covering the wire ends on the inside. Added disc brakes to the front suspension like the original 442 had. Still need to put a bit of detail to the brakes.

 

Here is a quick mock up with the body. This build will be strictly 70´s look, as if the original 442 has been well looked after for the last 52 years. No wild paint job, no fancy rims, no low stance. A bit jacked up like it was common in the 70´s. I have not finally decided what color..... But this model didn´t have bright colors back then.

The front grill minus the grill... I cut out the plastic and inserted a fine steel mesh. Next replaced the kit headlamps with epoxy on steel lenses from scale production.

The ram air hood will get a treatment as well. Hard to believe, but to keep leaves and such from the intake there was wire mesh (like chicken wire) on the inside. The wire will be applied after painting.

Now I have to make that color decision.....

 

[espo]

Great attention to chassis details. 

[Andy Oldenburg]

Due to too many business trips I had to push my work on the 442. The body had to wait, but now I´m just about finished. I cut the glue-on sun visors apart to turn them into "real" visors. Made them tip into different positions for the driver and gunshot. 0.5mm brass wire connected to small stubs so I can just glue them.

Someone introduced this trick of connecting door handles and mirrors with wire and the idea just stunned me. To the unknown model master a great shout out and thank you! I can disclose that it turned out very well in the end.  0.5mm brass wire.

I didn´t like the idea of decals for the side lamps so I drilled/cut open the body and glued a thin piece of styrene on the inside.

I finally made a decision which color. After the primer I like to spray the color coat with Schmincke Aero Color Airbrush acrylic. I usually mix around until I´m happy and ended up with a mustard yellow. Fits good into the ´70s era, and the roof would get a vinyl cover. Of course this means a clear coat for the shine.

I wasn´t happy with the look of the headlamps. Since they were a bit too big I pulled them off again and sanded them to fit. The taillights in the kit are crystal clear and needed a red coating on the inside. Bumpers are done.

After two coats of clear I applied the bare metal. I have made it a habit to cover the bare metal with the last clear coat. The edges are smooth and it takes a very clumsy finger to peel off the foil. For the wheel housing I masked the body with elastic tape and did the chrome with a Molotow pen.

Here is the wire mesh for the air filter.

The vinyl roof is finished. It is Molotow Gold series rattle can paint in a tone called "coke", a kind of anthracite. The clear coat for the mustard yellow is Tamiya TS-65 Pearl Clear. The pearl gives it a very nice sparkle, but also dries with a VERY light wrinkle. I was able to polish to a very high shine, but each layer kept challenging me.

The sun visors attached. I will do the final assembly today and show the finished build in the "under glass" forum. Thanks for your patience and for the kind response!