Jump to content

Belkits 1/24 Escort Mk.1 1970 London-Mexico World Cup Rally, Mikkola/Palm


Recommended Posts

Looking good Mark, very good. Apologies for beiig away form your build for a while. Things and life are getting in the way... I'm sure you wil understand?

 

Colin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well finally I've managed to get a decent topcoat on the body shell. I'm giving Hycoat rattle cans a try and having been impressed with their primers decided to try the gloss coat which is 'Double Acrylic Concentrated' - wow so much lettering on such a small can. The first attempt wasn't too successful, the finish resembling shiny sandpaper? Yes, warm room, warmed paint etc., etc. I left it to harder off and flatted it down whilst doing other things like the RS2000 masks - which will be appearing at the usual place soon. I recoated the body shell yesterday and this time, using the same application process, success. I think it's good enough to avoid polishing as it will be decalled within an inch of it's life and no doubt weathered after a coat of Alclad Klear Kote.

 

I've also been experimenting with the much discussed Molotow Liquid Chrome pens with impressive results, I think these may be ideal for retouching the sprue attachment points on chromed parts, rather than having to strip and rechrome the part, especially if it's the ballistically hard Belkits chrome! I'll post a photo if anyone's interested and has not seen the You Tube clips.

 

111359.jpg 

 

Edited by mbdesignart
more info & correcting over enthusiastic spellchecker
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've done a couple of tests with the chrome pens. The light bar is part of the Belkits Escort, mistakenly dechromed in over exuberance, and is over primer with the 1mm nib. The Minilite wheel is a test straight onto bare resin, spokes done with a 1mm nib, rim coated with a 4mm nib. I will wait 24 hrs and recoat to see if the surface shine deepens and smooths out. The 'ink' flow is quite hard to control and for any small detail painting it may be wise to decant some liquid into say a depressed wine bottle cap and use a fine brush or cocktail stick, or use a rag to mop up the excess and just dab the part with the fine nib. As ever it's trial and error with new equipment.

 

164801.jpg

Edited by mbdesignart
extra info + typo
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

59 minutes ago, mbdesignart said:

I've done a couple of tests with the chrome pens. The light bar is part of the Belkits Escort, mistakenly dechromed in over exuberance, and is over primer with the 1mm nib. The Minilite wheel is a test straight onto bare resin, spokes done with a 1mm nib, rim coated with a 4mm nib. I will wait 24 hrs and recoat to see if the surface shine deepens and smooths out. The 'ink' flow is quite hard to control and for any small detail painting it may be wise to decant some liquid into say a depressed wine bottle cap and use a fine brush or cocktail stick, or use a rag to mop up the excess and just dab the part with the fine nib. As ever it's trial and error with new equipment.

 

164801.jpg

 

It looks really good, to be honest a lot better than I thought could be done with a paint pen. I think I may have to get one of the refill packs for future builds little bits. 

 

Shaun 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, dstone48 said:

Looking good!

 

out of interest how did you remove the kit chrome?

Lots and lots of sanding, scraping and swearing! Belkits chrome laughs at all the tried and tested chemicals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A little bit more experimenting with the Liquid Chrome pens. I applied a second coat onto the wheel rim and I think it does improve the finish, making the chrome a bit deeper and lustrous. Then I tried part of it coated with acrylic matt varnish just to see what the effect would be, It appears like anodised aluminium. Varying the finish of varnish over the chrome by masking would be useful for weathering panels or differentiating parts.

 

091506.jpg  094136.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool stuff, Mark.

 

My pens arrived this week. I had a quick trial on a beer bottle top and am just as impressed as everyone else seems to be - it really does look like chrome as opposed to silver.

 

Look forward to catching up on Sunday!

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Meanwhile back to the build. After a break whilst the body shell was utilised for a test fit of the RS2000 paint masks today was a big decalling day. All done bar the decals to the anciliary items like the spot lamps. Then it's a coat of clear to seal the decals. Some more work to do on the spotlamps such as covers and mountings and detail painting to window rubbers and the bull bar. The car depicts the vehicle following the return from the London-Mexico Rally when it was 'refreshed' by Ford's competitions department and some of the markings altered from the original. Eagle-eyed viewers will note the rally plaques should really be plates riveted on to the bonnet and boot lid.

 

175650.jpg

 

175716.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking good Mark, remeber the clearcoat should be subdued. In the sixties/seveties the paints were the same luster as you would get a car from the showroom and the vinyl decals a slghtly (less gloss) semi matt/sheen. Not toffee apple gloss as the 43rd guys would have you belive.

 

What I tried once was to paint the body and then polish the decal sheet ahead of application. Not easy but it did give the decals a uniform sheen/gloss.

 

Colin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Subdued? Do I have to hit the varnish bottle with a big stick? The car will be weathered which should knock the shine off it. Don't forget this car is one of Ford's showpiece collection and has been properly painted not done on a 1960's production line in between union strikes. Below is a photo from the Graham Robson book - warning this image may contain some gloss.

 

 

 050222.jpg

Edited by mbdesignart
photo added
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Apologies for the slight break in transmission, I was a bit heavy handed with the Alclad Klear Kote which resulted in having to wait for it to dry, flatting and re-coating. Having fully dried I thought I'd attack the glazing and as NJB discovered the fit of the side windows is less than ideal. I decided to remove these from the 'frame' and separate into individual pieces. With a bit of sanding these are now a push fit and sit better within the body cut-outs [image below shows them as a test push fit]. The screen rubbers and quaterlight upright can now be painted. There are also the plexi blocks to attach to the inner faces of the door windows which are used to slide the windows up.

 

103906.jpg  103959.jpg

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the kind comments.

A little more detail work completed today. The front and rear screen rubbers have been blacked in using a Magic Marker, for the chrome insert on the rear rubber [non on the front on this car] I chromed a strip of 0.4mm Aizu tape using a Molotow marker, left this overnight to dry and applied. I think scale size for the insert would be nearer 0.25 - 0.3mm. The black strips replicate plates that secure the window which are from tape too but need slight adjustment once the bottom edge of the glazing is glued to the body, these may end up being replaced with metal foil. Quite a bit of time was spent sourcing some mesh for the stone guard to the front valance, I finally tracked some down online at The Mesh Company [Warrington] Ltd who have, you guessed it, loads of mesh. Some other small parts have been painted and I'll post some photos once dry.

 

155715.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...