Larry Watson style 59 Cadillac - New pics added 12/5/14

[geetee66]

When I saw some photos of Larry Watson's work, I knew I had to try and do something similar.

I like most custom styles...everything has it's place. But late 50's / early 60's with these paint jobs, Bellflowers, Lancers and Appletons, really please my eye.

This is what gave me the inspiration:

So I laid down some Audi Alumin(i)um silver, then gave the roof a dusting of glitter. I polished with Micromesh down to 4000 grit, then used Meguires Scratch-X, Tamiya medium compound and Meguires deep crystal polish.

I'll mask off a border, leaving the silver underneath, then hit it with candy red. My pattern will differ from Larry's, in that his car was a series 62 (I think....Please correct me if I'm wrong) and this kit is an Eldorado, which has a chrome strip running from the rear, up the top edge of the panels, to the windshield.

I decided that adding a side-spear like Larry's, would make the sides too cluttered.

They're busy enough as it is.

The cross-bar wheels from Pegasus were a fairly good match to the ones on the original.

To keep the clear red tidy, while flowing it into the cross-hatched centre, I first paint in a bit of clear thinner. It kind of helps the red to form a level edge without having to touch the sides with a brush...

Thanks for looking

More pics soon

Edited May 12, 2014 by geetee66

[Ramfins59]

I love what you are making here. Watson's car had '59 Dodge Royal Lancer 4 bar spinner hubcaps, which you can get from Modelhaus. The Pegasus wheels you are using are a fairly good match as you said.

I look forward to seeing this finished.

[BKcustoms]

I cant wait to see more of the paint! What did you use for the glitter on the roof?

[jbwelda]

that's a great tip on the clear red, and those hubcaps look great.

jb

[mrm]

that's a great tip on the clear red, and those hubcaps look great.

jb

+1

Something new every day. The roof on the Caddy is blinding.

[1 bad55 stan]

Sarh-weeet geetee.

[Robberbaron]

Looks like this will be nice, gonna keep my eye on this one.

[slusher]

Great solid start. Love the wheels and ideas for this build...

[donb]

I cant wait to see more of the paint! What did you use for the glitter on the roof?

I'd like to know too. And great start looking forward to more!

[am73grand]

Looking forward to seeing more of this one!!!

[geetee66]

Thanks everyone.

Billy and Don, this is what I used for the glitter roof:

Halfords is an auto-parts retailer here in the UK, but I dare say similar paint could be found online or in craft stores worldwide.

Here are some new pics. I've done the interior now.

I added some period stalk-ends to the shifter and the other column ( I guess it's lights or indicators)

I recently discovered 3M Spray Mount to be the best method for applying flocking to the floor. Mask everything but the floor. Spray on a mist of the glue, sieve the flocking using a wire mesh tea strainer (So you don't get lumps)

Dump it on generously, gently press it down with your fingers, give it a minute for the glue to get hold of the flocking powder, then turn the interior upside-down and gently tap the sides to remove the excess flocking.

You'll get smooth results.

I've been doing a bit on the chassis, too.

You can see in this picture that I've chopped-off the ends of the exhausts and inserted wire pins. This is where my solder sections to the Bellflowers will attach. I'll probably drill small holes for pins in the Bellflowers and invisibly fix them to the chassis. I'll work out positions/sizes once the body is on the chassis as the position and length of the pipes is critical.

I didn't want a spotless chassis. I noticed Larry parked his car on a gravel forecourt in the photos I've seen and I envisaged this car would be a daily driver (of sorts) and would pick up road dirt.

I imagined someone with a top-of-the-range Caddy, rolling up to Watson's and saying:

'Larry, I like what you've done with your car. I'd like you to paint mine in a similar way. While you're at it, put some Bellflowers and Appletons on it and lose the stock 'caps.'

This is a nicely engineered kit. It took a while to find the hardtop version. The Biarritz version abounds, but these are in short supply (just like the 1:1's)

The engine is quite nice, too. The engine bay is nicely detailed. I'll add plug wires and some bracketry for the various pumps, etc.

I foiled the valve covers and the oil filter lid. I'll add a fuel line, too and maybe copper pipes from the compressor to the reservoir.

I have a small problem with a wrinkle finish on some of the chrome parts. I'll be able to fix it with BMF

It's going to take me a few days to mask the body and get it sprayed, but I'll post more pics asap.

Thanks for looking

Edited April 29, 2014 by geetee66

[John Goschke]

Great start! That Caddy was one of the best paint jobs Larry ever did, just enough to accentuate the lines of the car without being overdone.

Looking forward to more!

[Mooneyzs]

This is going to be one killer build. I love the inspirstion and love the direction and progress you habe made so far. Itbis looking great. Looking forward to seeing more on this build.

[crazyrichard]

ooh awsome !1

[rustybill1960]

I have thought of a "Watson" type paint build also . . . .

till I saw your "shiny" top!

Very impressive work, that chassis is really nice, as is the interior!

How did you do those knobs on the ends of the levers?

This is one I will be following.

Thank You for sharing

Later

Russ

[High octane]

That Caddy is lookin' great so far and I just love all the work you've done on the interior as well.

[geetee66]

Thanks everyone

Russ, the teardrop knobs are from Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland. I used a red sharpie to put the lines on them.

You get a variety of sizes in the pack. It's quite difficult to drill a hole in the ends of them, though. I used a 0.5mm drill, after making a countersunk start with the tip of a #11 blade. Be careful not to slip and jab your finger with the blade...I found the best way to hold them was with fingers. Pin vice jaws leave marks in the resin.

[Casey]

Love this.

[BIG NICKY]

lookin real nice, keep the updates comin

[rustybill1960]

GeeTee thanks for the info on the knobs and the fingers!

Engine is looking great!

[geetee66]

Here's the latest I've managed to do...

I decided to paint the top of the air filter with the candy red I'm using on the body.

Here's a shot of the fuel line. Nothing fancy, just routed a bit of fine wire. The air filter's large and covers the top of the engine, so further detailing would be wasted. I might add a throttle cable though.

I've put some hoses on the compressor and the pump, which will join up with the aircon hoses and air reservoir...well, that's the plan!

I drilled-out the kit distributor and installed the plug leads. The kit's coil was good enough to use. This is a nicely made kit and the parts have great definition.

It took a while to mask the body, but I got it painted with the candy red earlier today. I opted to remove the masking tape before the paint was properly hard, because I was worried the candy might flake-off at the edges. I gave it a coat of clear before the candy red, to try and eliminate bleed under the tape.

It was moderately successful. But could've been better. I've got a little bit of clean-up to do, but it's nothing major. A lot of what looks like bleed-through in the photo, are actually flakes that came off the tape, but didn't separate completely from the rest of the paint. Once the paint is hard, a little wet sanding here and there will sort it out.

More pics once I get the paint cleaned up and the foil on. I've got a couple of weeks left on this, I reckon.

Thanks for looking

[Wonderbread Kustomz]

Wow! That's nice!

[Tuffy's Garage]

_{Watson was one of my favorites your Caddy looks great}

[afx]

I really like the engine and the additional detail your adding. I'm not very knowledgeable on Cadillacs or 50s cars, is this the Monogram kit?

[geetee66]

Thanks guys

JC, you're correct. This is the Monogram kit.