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'63 Impala....making the best...


customline

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I'm waiting for the instrument cluster printout from Best Model Products to complete the interior but I just want to point out something I noticed after it was too late to do anything about it. (It was an "oh well..." moment.) The tub is made for a convertible. Just sayin'. ?

But it's not too late to cut off the roof!IMG_3985.thumb.jpg.4d9d9a3dbf20c051c8dd0d3dc570ba14.jpg  just kidding  ?

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On 5/12/2023 at 10:58 AM, Supernurd said:

At least the latest release has instrument and emblem decals and the body aside from needing body work to straighten it out is pretty decent.  It builds into a decent shelf model.

Oh yeah, the kit I'm working with is an older one with lots of flash in the worst places like the A pillars and the rear deck trim. I don't mind a few sink holes, but you need good smooth trim if you want the foil to look good.

I hope to see more decal sheets including the instrument panels, but I really think Michael Hansen's photo reduced panels (Best Model Products) are the cat's pajamas. I think they look better than the decals.

The white on the A pillars is filler, trying to smooth out the horrible mess left behind by the flash and subsequent restoration of the lines. The left post is so bad that I may need to cut it out and try to replace it with strip styrene( I hope not ?). Very tedious.

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5 hours ago, Slotto said:

Great looking interior Jim. Hang in there

Thanks, Steve. I gotta say that B.M.P. instrument panel is extremely sharp and clear. I only use them when i need to but they make a tremendous difference and, on this particular dash, it's the star of the show. Love 'em!

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I've been noticing this lately on even some of the "good" kits and I wonder if anyone else has. Not a big thing but....huh? How could they miss this?  I guess nobody in the design department ever changed out a front fender.

IMG_3994.jpg.cdf50c87a728441be4edb2bbdd444784.jpgIMG_4002.thumb.jpg.975bc677e0fe170a4431cfecb7633f0f.jpgIMG_4003.thumb.jpg.50797c9c439d40cdbfc0fb2800cd14fd.jpg

Check yours! ?

Edited by customline
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7 minutes ago, customline said:

I've been noticing this lately on even some of the "good" kits and I wonder if anyone else has. Not a big thing but....huh? How could they miss this?  I guess nobody in the design department ever changed out a front fender. ?IMG_3994.jpg.cdf50c87a728441be4edb2bbdd444784.jpg

Jim, you have to understand that this kit is older than some of the members of this forum.

60 years old to be exact.

None of the models from that period, regardless of manufacturer, exhibited panel lines on the rocker panels or cowls.

It just wasn’t done.

It’s nothing new to have to scribe in those lines if you want them.

 

 

 

Steve

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9 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Jim, you have to understand that this kit is older than some of the members of this forum.

60 years old to be exact.

None of the models from that period, regardless of manufacturer, exhibited panel lines on the rocker panels or cowls.

It just wasn’t done.

It’s nothing new to have to scribe in those lines if you want them.

 

 

 

Steve

OK, I get that...I was pointing it out because it's very easy to overlook it and if accuracy is a goal, it would need to be addressed. And I'm in that kind of a mood. ?

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1 hour ago, Slotto said:

Those types of things occur to me after the painting is done ?

 

Exactly, Steve. Exactly ?   I'm kinda anal about this sort of stuff and I didn't think much about it the first time I noticed it. But recently (like yesterday ?) I noticed it again.  So now I have a new thing to be anal about. YAY! ?  I've only been at this since about 1962 but my anal retention tendency didn't show until sometime in the 21st century (but it's only this stuff, I couldn't care less about everything else.)      ?

Edited by customline
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7 hours ago, customline said:

OK, I get that...I was pointing it out because it's very easy to overlook it and if accuracy is a goal, it would need to be addressed. And I'm in that kind of a mood. ?

Then check 'em good.

It's generally not just the rocker panel separation.

It's almost inevitably the cowl/ front quarter/ door separations, and very often fender caps, which are often missed even if the others are caught.

Then there are also often tulip panel seams.

 

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On my current '64 Pontiac build, I added the rear quarter panel cap separations.

Something that you rarely see anybody do, but when they exist, they're just as evident, (or in my view, even more so) than the rocker panel gaps.

 

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Steve

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3 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Then check 'em good.

It's generally not just the rocker panel separation.

It's almost inevitably the cowl/ front quarter/ door separations, and very often fender caps, which are often missed even if the others are caught.

Then there are also often tulip panel seams.

 

spacer.png

spacer.png

 

On my current '64 Pontiac build, I added the rear quarter panel cap separations.

Something that you rarely see anybody do, but when they exist, they're just as evident, (or in my view, even more so) than the rocker panel gaps.

 

spacer.png

 

 

 

 

Steve

All righty, then, thank you, Steven.  I dunno, is it important? As long as we are aware of this issue, we can fix it if we want to. We spend a lot of time adding wires and starter solenoids and dash panel print-outs because we are trying to achieve a level of realism. Panel lines kinda fall into that realm. It's just something to be aware of if you want to be accurate. Am I being petty? I suppose so. Compared to the firewall issue with this kit, it's nothing, really. I rest my case. ?  by the way, Steven, that ragtop is very likely a "best in show". Outstanding!

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10 hours ago, customline said:

All righty, then, thank you, Steven.  I dunno, is it important? As long as we are aware of this issue, we can fix it if we want to. We spend a lot of time adding wires and starter solenoids and dash panel print-outs because we are trying to achieve a level of realism. Panel lines kinda fall into that realm. It's just something to be aware of if you want to be accurate. Am I being petty? I suppose so. Compared to the firewall issue with this kit, it's nothing, really. I rest my case. ?  by the way, Steven, that ragtop is very likely a "best in show". Outstanding!

No, you’re not being petty.

The missing panel lines on a lot of kits are something to consider if you’re looking for that extra dash of sauce.

Something that I never really paid any attention to for years either.

The only reason for my posts was to help people understand that the rocker panel gaps can be just the tip of the iceberg and to suggest doing some research to determine where all of these panel lines exist on a particular car.

If you’re going to take the time to scribe in one, you just as well do the rest.

It will help to keep this particular phase of the build from appearing half baked. ?

And of course, these kinds of alterations are the type of thing that most people will never notice at first glance, but they can be the difference between a model looking very realistic, or like a toy.

 

Steve

Edited by StevenGuthmiller
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3 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

No, you’re not being petty.

The missing panel lines on a lot of kits are something to consider if you’re looking for that extra dash of sauce.

Something that I never really paid any attention to for years either.

The only reason for my posts was to help people understand that the rocker panel gaps can be just the tip of the iceberg and to suggest doing some research to determine where all of these panel lines exist on a particular car.

If you’re going to take the time to scribe in one, you just as well do the rest.

It will help to keep this particular phase of the build from appearing half baked. ?

And of course, these kinds of alterations are the type of thing that most people will never notice at first glance, but they can be the difference between a model looking very realistic, or like a toy.

 

Steve

Gotcha. You are absolutely right. Truthfully though, it irks me that I have to scribe those lines. Some of them are difficult to do cleanly. One little slip with a #11 and you add an extra step in paint prep. For anyone interested in adding panel lines, Dymo tape makes a great guide. Just stick it on.

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1 hour ago, customline said:

Gotcha. You are absolutely right. Truthfully though, it irks me that I have to scribe those lines. Some of them are difficult to do cleanly. One little slip with a #11 and you add an extra step in paint prep. For anyone interested in adding panel lines, Dymo tape makes a great guide. Just stick it on.

I get it.

I’d rather not have to do them either.

But, it is what it is.

Paying attention to little details like this are what separates the men from the boys. ?

 

 

Steve

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5 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Don't use a #11 blade. Its intended use is to cut, not scribe. Get some stainless PE scribes like Hauler HQT004 Stainless Scribers. They are .3mm thick.

Track [48] > Scribers & Templates > Hauler HQT004: Stainless ScribersSearch: scriber | HLJ.com

Thanks for a great tip, Joe.  I will check it out!

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OK, I did it. I made bullets. With my Micro. On low. ?. Problem is the clear red sprue stock is not really round. But it fit in the Micro and I was off and running. I'm happy with 'em and that's all I'm saying. ?.

I also drilled the lights out. I'm commited. Done deal. Wish me luck.

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