Ford Mustang 1964 1/2 Convertible 1/16 from the Coupe AMT kit: the Indy 500 Pace Car

[busnproplinerfan]

Quite true, keep your model a distinct one.

[Pouln]

Your eye for detail is keeping you busy, Olivier. You seem to find anomalies all over the place. 

What you did to the doors is really great. It looks much better like this.

The tool you used is a nice one. Care to share the brand name? 

Never mind. I was able to read it from the picture (Saeyang).

[Totally Mad Olivier]

On 08/05/2021 at 16:49, Pouln said:

You seem to find anomalies all over the place

Thanks a lot, Poul. Pity, I often find out these anomalies a bit late, what leads me to redo some steps, like for this rib, important element of style.

I would like to become more careful to such details and make the corrections before jumping on my airbrush. Never trust in the kit's proposition, check every aspect, then I would earn time in my builds.

Learn to watch carefully, with a critical eye, is something difficult.

Meanwhile, with the Fiat 806, so wrong, I should have learnt a lot.

But it is so, unless you 100% scratch build (in this case, you start from a blank page), your brain tends to consider the kit's proposition as true, and it is a big effort to reconsider this.

If I had to redo this build, many things would be done differently, it would be an interesting experience, and it would take me probably much less time (but a lot though...).

 

Cheers, Olivier

 

P.S: https://www.my-podologie.com/269-micromoteur-portable-k38-noir-30-000-tr-min-avec-piece-a-main-demontable-1000003985228.html

 

This is a very good price for a "must have" modeler's tool (much much better than my previous Maxicraft mini drill)! I found the same model much more expensive (and without the pedal) on other sites. Highly recommended! 2 cons though compared with the Maxicraft mini drill:

- low engine torque (it is precisely this low torque that allows to have a maximum control)

- only 1 diameter of mandrel possible

 

That is why both tools are in fact complementary. For most of the situations, the K 38 will be fine. In some particular ones (especially a high torque required), the Maxicraft may also be useful.

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

Nick suggested me to use snip it to fix the left bracket problem. I finally could solve it using my MacBook tools:

 

 

And Manu suggested me as well to use Photofiltre to turn clear the background on my "Official" decal. I could not use this software that was developed for Windows. I will first try to apply my custom decals with the film removed and, in case of failure, I will try to find another tool of the same kind, usable on Mac.

 

 

 

For memory, here is the original trim (on Bernard's Mustang):

 

 

Edit a bit later: the Mat BMF was tried too. It was a bit too flat imho and it is the Chrome that wins this little game.

The BMF will be placed later, after the complete varnish/ decal job.

I may so now try to apply my decals...

 

N.B: I didn't need to use the MMFA to increase the adhesion of the BMF, whatever version used. A good new, as the excess of BMF (to remove with a new triangular blade) could have left a little glue on the body, that would have been delicate to eliminate.

 

And even a bit later: the "Official" decal placement with the film totally removed pity failed, as we could expect considering how fragile it was.

The software Photofiltre suggested by Manu being only for Windows, I tried an app that could do the same in the App Store, and found Photoscape X, that allowed me to get the desired transparency. It was then exported on Word (png extension) to get the right size, and it is now printed on the Clear custom decal and I just applied LDF on it:

 

 

Thank you to Manu and Les who learnt me such softwares did allow to do that. As I said above, I learnt something important in this occasion, that could be useful in the future...

 

Cheers,  Olivier

[Ghost69]

Hello
You're welcome, it was a pleasure
I was going to ask you if you had found it (I don't understand what you write on the pictures). 
It seems to be ok, so good and I see that you remembered that you have to save the file as a .png, that's the most important if you want to keep a transparent background.
That's a good thing done, you can now go on with your work.
If you hadn't found it, I was going to suggest that I ask a friend who works on a Mac, but I know that Mac is the reference in graphic design software and that you should find it easily. 
Manu 

 

[Prop Duster]

Once again I must congratulate you on finding and correcting, the problems. I envy you the new micromotor unit, it looks very impressive. 

I was able to catch up with all the work since my last viewing, today as I sit here recovering from a tooth extraction!   coïncidence bizarre hein? 😄

 

As always, stay well, keep the glue off your fingers and the paint smooth, Au revoir

                                                                                 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

5 hours ago, Prop Duster said:

Once again I must congratulate you on finding and correcting, the problems. I envy you the new micromotor unit, it looks very impressive. 

I was able to catch up with all the work since my last viewing, today as I sit here recovering from a tooth extraction!   coïncidence bizarre hein? 😄

Thank you for this message and the funny « Airbus » drawing, Steve!

Yes, I am a happy modeler with this new micromotor unit, and I highly recommend it, even if you have to consider the little drawbacks I added editing in the relevant post (May 1, p. 59)

I wish you a painless experience with your tooth extraction...

 

And stay safe too!

 

Cheers, Olivier

 

And now, tip of the day: in p. 58 (April 8 post), I showed a way to sand precisely and conveniently using custom sanding pads. This means using very frequently dies of several diameters (the most the area to sand is difficult and narrow, the smallest the pad and consequently the die must be). Yet the diameter of my dies is engraved on the tool, not so easy to read. So:

 

 

And I am glad to show my custom decal with the Clear background in place:

 

 

 

 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello again,

 

A new little update, as my decals are now in place both sides:

 

 

N.B: if I decide to paint with Vallejo and a paintbrush the letters MUSTANG, it should be my next step, BEFORE applying a new (and hopefully last) coat of Klear Kote Gloss. The right mix, or nearly so (I can just rely on period pics, that, we all know, are not a true reflection of reality), would be 2/3 Desert Yellow (977) 1/3 Leather Brown (940).

 

 

 

Thanks for watching and for your encouragements       Olivier

[JeroenS]

Well done Olivier, the last picture shows how good it will look. You're doing all these corrections which may seem minor (however, not in effort 😉) but when combined they make the model come to life. 

[Fnick]

That's looking really good Olivier ! You're turning this from a model into a small scale replica! 

 

Nick

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

A new little update, while I have applied the Vallejo mix on my MUSTANG letters:

 

 

 

More soon...

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hi again,

 

As mentioned above, I applied the Klear Kote Gloss, and after about 2 hours, I began the buffing job. It was getting really nice but:

 

 

The best way to fix this problem with the letters D (right door) and N (left door) is imho to print them again, apply the LDF again and place them over these ones. I have though printed the whole INDIANAPOLIS mention:

 

 

N.B:

- the Clear custom decal used is not the HOLI one that was my previous one. I get better results in printing with this one, that I bought on CustomDecal.fr.

- I am aware this attempt to avoid a complete new decal job with these letters is just an attempt... We shall see!

 

Edit later: on the left door, only the N letter was added. On the right door, it appeared that several letters had shortages. In such conditions, the only way to get an acceptable result was to remove completely the decal, keeping though the "500" portion. The MicroSet was used for this removal, with care.

 

 

 

What a pity, while my doors were so neat before this buffing!

Conclusion: using Micro Set to remove the decal was probably not the best option, leading to this kind of tattoing. If I decide to remove as well the whole inscription on the left door, I should use another method...

 

And even later:

 

 

N.B:

- I apologize sharing so much every step of my build, hassles included. But in my conception of sharing, it may be useful for other modelers to see what errors are to avoid.

 

Cheers,   Olivier

 

[Hamden]

 

No need for apologies Olivier I really appreciate your step by step working through your very slight defects.

As said before your attention to the smallest detail will make this the most accurate replica of the iconic Mustang!

 

  Stay safe           Roger  

[JeroenS]

I agree with @Hamden.

 

Olivier, you are driven to perfect the tinyest details. I for one would go mad with this method of modelling, but for you it's already too late so you may as well continue down this path 😉 ... You seem to have accepted that this is your way of modelling, so nothing wrong with that. I think it's good to see the effort you put into your builds, simply posting pictures of the completed model without showing its history would be sort of anticlimactic. 

 

I can accept flaws in my builds, but I sometimes think of what you would do (start over!) and re-do something. Most times I'm happy with the results so you certainly contribute to my modelling in that way. However, to avoid having to change my forum name to "Totally Mad Jeroen" I ask myself the question "will this bother me once the completed model is in my cabinet?". Sometimes the answer is "no", but still it's good to ask yourself such a question every now and then. You're building a replica and that's way more difficult, I once modelled my sister's Fiat 500C and remember how hard it was to model (not replicate, not in my case, no sir) a real life example. 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Thanks a lot to both of you for your kind messages, Roger and Jeroen!

I have just applied the new coat of Klear Kote Gloss (a little thicker coat to avoid the same problems with the buffing...)

 

And about 2 h later:

 

 

 

Cheers,   Olivier

[Prop Duster]

T.M.Oliver. Wheew! you have the patience of a saint and the eye of an eagle.  As noted by another avid viewer, you method of modeling may be more exacting than some of us are used to doing. But to see how you accomplish each step and then produce a self required correction, that is the incredible teaching example you give all of us. 

 Now before you feel I have gone too far, allow me to say Thank You for your examples .

 

 

p.s. I agree with you on your choice for your forum name. 

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Prop Duster

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Thanks so much Steve for these very kind words!

It is true that model making has turned, little by little, to a real passion for me, and that, like the pianist who repeats his scales to always raise his level of play (I could have used as well a tennisman, a painter, a chef or any passionate), I am turning increasingly perfectionist. Building models is also a discipline for me, and I always learn things. 

I learnt a lot with every build, and I still have a very lot to learn. But it also seems that I sometimes forget what I had learnt previously. 

And sharing in this forum allows me not only to share my passion, but also to learn more  and sometimes, to find tricks, techniques, that I had forgotten.  

I will be far from my bench for a week’s holiday.

 

Cheers, thanks for watching, stay safe and... happy modeling to all!

 

Olivier

 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

I am back again. I had a nice holiday at Arcachon with my wife, and I took advantage to visit a real modeler's shop (Bassin Maquette at La Teste de Buch) , one of these that become more and more difficult to find, pity. I wish I had such a shop at St Raphaël... There, I could see a kit that could be my next one (I have many other build options): the Alfa Romeo 8C Roadster Italeri at 1/12 (1931 to 1933 version), a very nice and iconic car too:

 

 

The question about this kit is: is it a really new kit, or a reissue of an old kit (even with small addings), like the Fiat 806?

I admit I would not mind building from a quite good kit this time... 😉

I didn't buy it, but it is somewhere in my head.

I could also talk with the shop manager about the Gloss varnish question. Indeed, the Alclad Klear Kote Gloss is a good one but it is supposed to be used unthinned, and the consequence is a grain effect that you have to remove then using Compounds (it is by doing this buffing that I had problems with my letters, see above).

He recommended the acrylic Hobby Color H30, to be thinned with the thinner of the same brand. I have never used this Gloss varnish, but I had ever noticed that this thinner tended to give (unlike the X-20 A Tamiya) by itself a rather Gloss finish. I thought that so, such a mix could allow me to get a fine grain Gloss effect. I bought the H30 and, back home, made a trial on a test painted part. The result is very interesting: before the buffing job, I already get a brighter surface with less grain effect compared with the Klear Kote, and just a little buffing allows quite easily to get a good state of surface and a nearly mirror effect.

It is a bit too late for this build, but to remember for a next one, if a glossy surface is required.

 

Now what should I do to go on with my build?

I think it is time to attack the front seats. When the latter will be OK, I will be able to assemble the whole upholstery (the latter and the rear bench) and the dashboard...

Regarding the seats, in previous posts (quite long ago, see p. 23 January 13, 2019), I showed that the seat cushion was rather good, but the backrest was too narrow with a wrong trapezoid shape

 

 

I thought: why not, then, use the 2nd kit's seat cushion as backrest (with modifications, of course), whose shape, without being perfect, is ever much closer from truth?

For you to understand why this option sounds interesting to me, look at this period pic made in the Ford factory:

 

 

 

I am aware that this idea will mean a lot of job to get a convincing result, but I think it is worth it. And even if the final result remains a compromise, it will certainly be much better than if I use the AMT backrest.

For memory, and to avoid the reader to go on p. 23, here are the measures I could get for these front seats:

 

 

My intention is not necessary to follow them strictly but just to find the best compromise possible.

 

N.B: I won't represent the seat belts, that we may see on restored cars. If I am correct (and the period pics I have tend to confirm it), the Pace Car was not equipped with seat belts. I don't know if such belts were available in option.

 

To be followed    

 

Cheers    Olivier

 

 

[JeroenS]

Hi Olivier, I thought it was quiet at your end, but you sneaked away on holiday 🙂 ... Very nice, I like that region of France very much. 

 

Is this kit you mention the 110th aniversary one? 

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/italeri-4708-alfa-romeo-8c-2300-roadster--1316752

 

This was a reboxing of the 2019 new tool version: 

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/italeri-4706-alfa-romeo-8c-2300--1193816

 

so it should be a very recent kit. 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Thanks a lot Jeroen for your message!

Yes, like you, I have loved this region of France, where I had never been before. Arcachon is nice, especially the Ville d'hiver, and there are thousands of bike paths all around. We toured the entire Arcachon Bassin, but also went to the Dune du Pilat and farer. The Landes de Gascogne forest is amazing, and the huge beaches great too. And as we love oysters and seafood platters, it was also the occasion to have fun with the pleasures of the table.

Yes, it is indeed this 110th anniversary kit. Thank you for the infos about it. Now I know it is not an old Protar reissue, a good new, but just a different version of the 2019 one. I personally prefer the car with her headlights. 

I had noticed the previous version but found it was too close from the 806 in term of design. The presence of headlights and of 2 windscreens makes this version a bit more different.

Well we shall see... I have, as I said, many other builds in head, ever bought and waiting...

I must focus now and again on my Pony car!

 

Cheers, Olivier

[Ghost69]

8 hours ago, Totally Mad Olivier said:

I had noticed the previous version but found it was too close from the 806 in term of design. The presence of headlights and of 2 windscreens makes this version a bit more different.

Hello olivier
I agree with you 100%.
When I went to the model shops with one of my daughters, we saw the Alfa Romeo, and I hesitated with the 806...in the end as you know I bought the 806 for my scratch build.
This version is really nice with its headlights, its double windscreen.... ...anyway, all these cars are great.
Manu

[Escaflowne]

Always a pleasure to see your work on this wip

Many thanks for all the tips

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

A little update regarding my front seats:

 

 

 

They are getting quite close from truth. I am missing a measure: the thickness of the backrest. If I refer to this pic, it should be quite narrow:

 

 

This measure (5,2 mm) was determined using the rule of 3. I am not sure it is correct. I would need to be sure...

 

N.B: I really love the Tamiya LC Putty. With the latter, unlike with other putties, I may sand immediately, without having to wait hours and hours the setting time. A complementary higher viscosity version would be very welcome...

 

To be followed...    Cheers  Olivier

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

Finally a little update, while I have been very pro busy these last days:

 

 

 

N.B: Patafix was used to act as a spacer between the front and back portions of this backrest, et get the desired offset.

 

 

Thanks for watching, to be followed...       Olivier

 

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello to all,

 

A new little update with my front seats:

 

 

 

to be followed...

 

Cheers, Olivier