roymattblack Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) The original body was carved in Jelutong wood and detailed using car filler, bits of plastic - anything really. I had a friend who was a genius pattern maker who helped me no end when I got stuck - which was fairly often! I'm quite chuffed that he only did minimal detail and clean-up work on the master. I have another friend who is a plastics worker by trade and has a large vac forming machine that can handle sheet of 100 thou and around 3 feet x 3 feet. We tried vac forming the body but it was too complex with too many undercuts etc. In the end it was moulded in rubber and a resin body was cast. A horrible, messy, smelly process that created 4-5 shells that were useless - huge air gaps etc. (No access to a vac chamber that would take the mould.) Screens and front light covers were vac formed off the body in thinner clear plastic. The rubber mould eventually split across the centre - fortunately on the last casting which was fairly good. It's the one I used. My pattern-maker friend still has the wood buck with the promise of improving it but he no longer works in the business as such. A pity as he was a great help with lots of little bits in the past. All of my future builds (Knobbly Lister soon) will be vac form, or even 3D printed bodywork. Resin and fibre glass are just too horrible and messy. It doesn't help that I'm pretty allergic to resin! I've sneezed, lost my sense of taste, had itchy eyes, rash on my hands, ever since I started on the GTO. And that is WITH surgical gloves and great care about dust. Antihystamines every day. Roy. Edited June 15, 2016 by roymattblack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shood23 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) You probably know this already Roy but just in case, it helps when working with resin cutting or sanding if you do it under water or the surface of the resin is kept wet in some way, as yours models are pretty big probably won't fit into a cheap washing up bowl.this eliminates the dust created Shaun Edited June 15, 2016 by shood23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) I do have the 'big' problem with the body etc. I actually wet sanded it in the shower, with me in there too! Anyone watching would have thought it was some kind of new kinky S&M game or something! Smaller bits fit in the sink but TBH, I'm my own worst enemy as all to often, it's idleness when I 'only' need to sand a small part and just do it on my knee. Roy. Edited June 15, 2016 by roymattblack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shood23 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Well this could be britmodellers new section s and m modelling lol I was going to suggest the bath but I gather it's only boats guys play with in there. I fully understand about how you do the little bits I am very similar with those little "it won't hurt me" parts, especially when airbrushing I often don't bother with gloves and inevitably get my hand coated in what ever colour I am using to the point it looks like I have some kind of illness Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny_G Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Thank you Roy for the detailed explanation. I guess I'm not the only one who had no idea how much it took to only make the shell of that beautiful GTO. Sounds to me like the Aventador was a walk in the park for you, sort of 'commercial break' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) Thank you Roy for the detailed explanation. I guess I'm not the only one who had no idea how much it took to only make the shell of that beautiful GTO. Sounds to me like the Aventador was a walk in the park for you, sort of 'commercial break' The Aventador was a great, fun build. I just wish Pocher had come up with something more imaginitive than the Huracan as the new model. All the stuff at present looks a bit minimal but it takes an age to plan, make templates, cut bits (then bin them) and get stuff to fit. The inner rear cabin stuff is almost done. Parcel shelf, some framework, oil filler - sorted. The boot lid was taped in place so that the brass wire hinges I always use could be added. I also added the inner 'lip' and rubber seals around the body where the lid sits. I've cast a first dashboard but there's a lot of cutting and fiddling yet to do. Roy. Edited June 17, 2016 by roymattblack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 I've painted the dash with a black 'fabric texture' paint and although it doesn't show well in the pics, it actually replicates the textured surface of the real dash quite well. The panel area is ordinary satin black. I've also started on some of the switches and knobs. Decals will be added later on. This dash is pretty basic so it shouldn't take anywhere near as long to complete as the one I did for my E Type. Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 (edited) A few extra bits - fixing screws and the 'high tech' cabin ventilation system... Plastic pipes through the dash straight down and through the floor. A few GTO'S were even more high tech - they had waste pipe bends fitted on the tops so the driver could angle them wherever he wanted. Oh for such creature comforts now. I've now also printed the decals I need - the large blue/yellow/red race stickers had to be completely created as I couldn't track down an image on the web. Decals added to the centre switches on the dash. Roy. Edited June 18, 2016 by roymattblack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 Rev counter added... The bezel is made from wire formed around the lid of my wife's nail varnish bottle (honestly - it isn't mine...) Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pouln Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 (edited) Ah, hiding behind your wife. We get it.... LOL. the hairbrush thingies you use as switches are also from your wife's? Dash is looking real good, Roy. Edited June 18, 2016 by Pouln Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) Many thanks Pouln. A little more today. Small dial bezels were cut from a piece of Biro tube and then painted. Gauges were punched out with a hole punch of the right size, stuck in place and the bezels glued on. I'll add half a dozen coats of 'Klear' to all the gauge faces later on. For some odd reason the picture makes the bezels look 'thick' but in reality they look just right. Still more knobs and bits below the dash to add. Roy. Edited June 19, 2016 by roymattblack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_64 Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 This dash looks so good. I do admire the skill that some of you have in building these things and making them look so realistic. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 The fact it's 1/8 scale helps in that respect. The small details are far easier to work with. While I'm fiddling about with the dashboard, I've started to add a few of the body decals. Once they are fully dry I'll cut the panel edges with a new blade and paint in the required bits. Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 Dashboard almost sorted. A relay and steering column to add then it goes in the car. Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) The updates are a bit tedious at present I'm afraid. Nothing looks much different. However - the dash is 'almost' finished. Indicator stalk to add then it's all fitted into the car. The steering wheel was a bit of a challenge as it's a Nardi 3-spoke dished wheel. Hmmm..... All I have are moulds to make Jaguar and Aston wheels. One wheel later - upper spokes cut off as the Jag wheel has 'T' spokes, the Nardi has 'Y' spokes. The centre boss was also pushed back as the Jag wheel is flat, not dished. The two spokes were glued back at '10 to 2' and filler added. A lick of paint later, a 'Y' spoke, dished wheel. Nardi wheels are famous for the black line around the face so that added by sitting the wheel in the chuck of a slow power screwdriver, and the line added with a fine 'Sharpie'. I was quite surprised that it worked! Centre Ferrari badge still to add. Onwards and upwards... Roy. Edited June 20, 2016 by roymattblack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pouln Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Looking real good, Roy. Great results. If I'm correct, the profile of the small instrument bezels differs from the profile of the big one. The big one seems to be more rounded causing the effect that it looks slimmer thans the small ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 You'se dead right there. The photo's emphasise it as there are shadows, false flash etc. In reality, it really doesn't show. As I seem to be building (mainly) 1/8 scratch stuff nowadays, I'm going to cast up a whole variety of different size bezels in resin that are all the same shape/profile. That way, it will actually be far easier to make the gauges in future, and get the bezels all identical. I'm also going to look into getting a sheet in fairly thick etch, but I'm concerned that they will all then be a 'square' profile BUT the bonus is they will be polished metal. Anyway - dash now finished and ready to fit. Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 Ok... At the risk of boring everyone stiff with the current seemingly endless updates on the same little bits - The dashboard is in! It took a bit of wiggling and jiggling and inventing brackets that won't be seen, as well as the side supports that will be seen, Also tested that the floor/firewall and centre tunnel still all fit ok. I'll be starting on the back end next - frame, diff, suspension, axles and wheels etc but the inner boot and fuel tank first. Roy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny_G Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Fantastic work! And those who are bored by your updates may be in the wrong forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pouln Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Totally agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Very, very, nice! Was the steering wheel really that low? It looks as though the driver would have his view of the instruments blocked by the top of the wheel..... Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 22, 2016 Author Share Posted June 22, 2016 Very, very, nice! Was the steering wheel really that low? It looks as though the driver would have his view of the instruments blocked by the top of the wheel..... Ian Funnily enough I thought the same thing myself. It's currently in the midst of being raised a tad. Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 22, 2016 Author Share Posted June 22, 2016 I have raised my wheel and angled it a bit higher but actually, the GTO did seemingly have quite a low wheel that covered up the upper parts of the gauges, particularly the outer ones. I read somewhere before that the Itailan driving position tends to be low wheel, close to the chest and pedals miles away at your feet. Any truth - ? not really sure but the GTO seems to be a bit like it. Roy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pascal Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 Just discovered this thread. Amazing work. Sorry to hijack you WIP, but how on earth did you make the master for the body ? As far as I know there are no scale plans of this car. Sincerely Pascal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roymattblack Posted June 22, 2016 Author Share Posted June 22, 2016 There are actually lots of plans for the car just on Google images. It was a case of find the highest res plans possible and then re-scale them to the right size. They were printed out on several A4 sheets and taped together. The original master was carved in Jelutong wood with umpteen layers of car filler and sanding. It was constantly compared to the drawings and tweaked so that in reality, it is probably more of an 'Artists impression' of the car. It does fit well with all the drawings and plans though, and stands up well against photo's of the real car. Surface detail was added by a now 'given up' friend of mine who used to be a pattern maker. It was eventually moulded and cast in resin - NEVER again. Horribly, smelly, messy, nasty - all of it. Future models will start with a 3D printed shell, or a vac moulding, such as my D Type and Aston DBR1. Roy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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