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

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

First thanks a lot for your kind encouragements (likes) that are the best encouragement to go on.

As you will see below, I have changed my mind about the logos left side, not removing completely the painting job done previously. I was a bit lazy and decided to rather improve them, inspired by the close-ups I had:

 

 

 

I consider now these logos acceptable (far from being perfect, definitely) now.

And the next step should be the top cover, a step for which I feel like I'm diving into the unknown. Of course, Jeroen's job on his Fiat 500 will be a source of inspiration, but creating from nothing a soft cover with a complex shape will though be another challenge...

 

Cheers, O

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hi again,

 

A new update tonight, with my dashboard in place (!):

 

 

More soon...

 

Cheers, O

[JeroenS]

Wow, this is really starting to come together Olivier. 

[Prop Duster]

The dash board causes a conflict?      Time for the angle grinder!  Off with the offending part- I say.   Give it no quarter.😡 

 Ah, perhaps I went a bit overboard there,😉 I'll leave the correction in your very capable hands   

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

2 hours ago, JeroenS said:

Wow, this is really starting to come together Olivier. 

Yes, Jeroen, indeed, even if there is still a lot to do. Finally, you could add, as I began this new build and thread nearly 3 years ago! (with a 14 months interruption in the middle). This means though 22 months building (and it is not over...), what makes it the longest build I've ever done (the Fiat 806 is far, about 13 months). 

 

1 hour ago, Prop Duster said:

The dash board causes a conflict?      Time for the angle grinder!  Off with the offending part- I say.   Give it no quarter.😡 

 Ah, perhaps I went a bit overboard there,😉 I'll leave the correction in your very capable hands   

 

Thanks for this funny message, Steve! In fact, the hardest for this grinding job is to avoid tiny dust of polystyren on the felt. I spent about 50 mn to remove patiently most of this dust ever present, and I would like to avoid a new cleaning! I would need a third hand to suck up this dust along the grinding job. I will ask my wife...

 

Waiting for this delicate grinding job, yesterday night, I strengthened my dash assembly with TEP, putting it in a syringe for a more precise application:

 

 

 

 

 

 

N.B: the label about the decal on the last pic is not to take in consideration, it was before Daniel's 3D air inlet... But this pic shows very well this rim running along the dash, that I will try to represent as well as possible...

 

Cheers, O

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hi again guys,

 

My wife was too busy (we have friends at home end of afternoon) to give me a hand and suck the dust while I was doing the grinding job. As I couldn't wait more, I did both myself, holding the vacuum cleaner in my left hand while I was grinding the excess polystyrene with my right hand (happily, the model was heavy enough not to move). And, little by little, I could finally "close" both doors, without dust (or so few) to remove on the felt:

 

 

N.B: the hood is a dry fit too for now...

 

 

Cheers, O

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hi again,

Even if it is not my next step, I think about the option I will choose for the rear of this Pace Car. Indeed, on some pics, you can see her without flags support, like on this pic, fe:

 

 

On some other pics, such the one below, you can see the supports but the flags are not yet in place:

 

 

And on some other ones, the flags are present, but here too, 2 options:

- the Pace Car used for the race itself had no checkered board but a single color (which color??):

 

 

 

- but the checkered board reappear on this pic taken probably after the end of the race, with the winner on board:

 

 

These differences are easy to explain, as we know several Mustang were used on that day, and 3 were specifically dedicated to the race...

 

What do you think? what option do you prefer? 

Personally, I would prefer either the one without support (the most simple) either the one with the ckeckered flags (the most difficult). Imho, it would be a pity to scratchbuild the supports and put no flag. But the single color is a good option too, especially if I may determine what color it was (only BW pics up to now)...

 

Cheers, O

 

Edit a bit later: I could determine that during the race, the flags were yellow. I showed a You Tube video in color showing the race and made these screen captures:

 

 

 

Cheers, O

[Prop Duster]

Oliver . You are correct the Yellow flags are  "Caution" (i.e. careful/ possible danger ahead/ be watchful ahead of you) for track officials to slow the cars down indicating  an unusual condition ahead, No passing is allowed when running under the Yellow flag   So in using the Yellow flags on the Pace Car, it keeps the drivers aware that the race has not begun and they are to stay in their starting line-up positions while running a reduced speed. Also during the race if a "yellow caution flag" is used by the officials and the race needs to be restarted the cars line up in their race positions (where they were at the time of the yellow flag) and the Pace Car is used at that time to keep cars in race order  until the Green flag is waved to start or restart the race . At this same time the pace car will quickly run like a scared rabbit  off to the pit lane to avoid being run over by the race cars getting very very quickly back up to racing speed  (think of ZOOOM)     prendre plaisir      

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Thanks Steve for these interesting precisions. Considering the terrible accident that happened during that race (that cost the life of two pilots), the latter was indeed interrupted and a restart was given (we don't see this restart in the video). That said, my decision should be to represent the checkered board flags (and so the Pace Car at the end of the race).

 

Cheers, O

[Prop Duster]

Olivier, I would agree, the  checkered flags, have more panache to the general viewer. They are known through out the world as a "Winner" thus totally approprié  to your fine model.

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps 😉,

 

A new little update today. Unlike what I said, the top cover should finally not be my next step. I prefer to go on with engine compartment first in order to assemble very soon the hood:

 

 

 

 

Why taking so much time for so slightly visible details, especially since the Mustang will be exposed in a showcase?

It is just that my model could take part one day to a contest, and the judges would certainly appreciate this level of detail on a priori invisible areas…

 

Cheers, O

[Hamden]

 

More nice detail Olivier you could always display it over a mirror so that the under side could be seen

 

   Stay safe          Roger

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Thanks a lot Roger. I will indeed probably display my Mustang on a mirror as I usually do but to really see the engine and underbody with their details, it will be necessary to take the model in (clean) hands and return it, what will rarely be but should be done in the context of a modelers contest.

 

Cheers and stay safe too, O

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

Here are what should be my next steps:

- I should go on with the front part of the car first: before assembling the hood, I have to build and paint the calander (some details must be added between the grille and the radiator such the horns)

- I will also probably add the front lights and the Indy plate

- I should then focus on doors, trying to get the best fitting with the body (get the smallest gaps possible), adding the missing elements (handles, armrests) and assemble the doors (with possible WW painting touch-ups)

- it is only then that the top cover should be scratchbuilt

- then the windshield should be added (the windscreen wipers are yet to scratchbuild too...)

- and then the bumpers (with a new challenge for the rear one, as I intend to represent the supports with checkered flags) in turn

- and other missing details such the tank cap on the rear hood...

 

 

To be followed...

 

Cheers, O

 

P.S: congrats to the English soccer team for qualification in the Euro final 👍!

[kpnuts]

An amazing build thus far.

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

Focus on the horns: they will be just slightly visible through the grille, but I will try to represent them though:

Here are some of my best pics showing them:

 

 

 

On Bernard's Mustang:

 

I have also used, as a useful reference, the ones present on the 1/24 Indy Pace Car Monogram kit:

 

 

Notice that the orientation of the horns is different on the Monogram kit (trunk under the spiral shape)) vs on Bernard's car (trunk over the spiral shape). I could also find on other pics the horn oriented differently... I will follow the Bernard's car version from this point of view...

 

A few hours later:

 

 

N.B: my horn is clearly oversized for now, it will be reduced of about 40%...

 

I use the drying time of the horn to go on with the calender area and other details to improve:

 

 

Cheers, O

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps 🎂 🎂🎂!

Precisely 3 years ago, July 11 2018, I began this thread and my Mustang build. I was far from imagining that 3 years later, I wouldn't have gotten over it!

Ok, there has been an interruption of about 14 months in the middle (with another build and another thread, the Nieuport 11 at 1/48). 

But things go on (slowly) and I hope my build will be over in less than 3 months.

Here is, in the meantime, a little update (if I may say so, as one more time, the modeler has to do 1 step back when he (or she) makes 2 steps forward):

 

 

To be followed...

 

[Prop Duster]

Oliver it is good to see your progress-regardless of the speed.  I am glad you have created the horns, I'm sure they will be as accurate to the full size Mustang as only you can do it.

p.s.  As you are constructing the horns would they be instead of  being automobile horns, now be called  French Horns ?  Never Mind   it is time for my nap

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Thanks a lot Steve for your kind and encouraging words (I am indeed working on improving the horns, that really  needed that).

Thanks also for the funny wink 😂!

You often bring a touch of humour to my thread that could be probably a bit boring otherwise…

 

While I go on with the horns and the calender lower Chrome trim, I also begin to focus on the main Chrome trim, with the Mustang horse, using measures I had done with Bernard long ago:

 

 

 

With Bernard, we measured the rod on its widest portion, but it gets more thin going outward:

 

 

N.B: the value of 0,7 mm was determined by the rule of 3. I could of course ask Bernard to confirm this value...

 

The central frame with the horse is nearly OK in width:

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers, O

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

the horns are OK or nearly so now, ready to be assembled:

 

 

Btw, I began to improve the Chrome trim with the logo, but there is still a lot to do to get something really acceptable, considering how important is this element:

 

 

 

I could decide to remove the horse, take the 2nd kit horse and graft it in the frame. It is imho the only way to improve significantly this important element of my build, by thinning the inside portion of the frame that, too thick, that crushes the logo...

 

 

And about 2 hours later:

 

 

To be followed...

[Prop Duster]

The skilled Mustang craftsman at his labors     and then  .

  It is all coming along brilliantly n'est ce pas?

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

A little update: as soon as I was glad with the frame and the rods, I could glue the 2nd kit horse inside:

 

 

 

Today, one of my patients, Jean-Pierre, is gonna come to see my workbench (he is a modeler too, even if it is quite a long way since he made his last build). Maybe the last painting step will be done in his presence...

 

Edit a few hours later: Jean-Pierre is gone after having spent nearly 2 hours here. I think he was glad to see my workbench and he was here when I applied the TS-14 (airbrushed) on my trims. Even if I like to share with you on Brit the many steps of my build, It was a pleasure for me to share with someone in the flesh my modeling work, while in my circle of friends, there is no one particularly interested in model making.

Jean-Pierre, like some of my other patients, on the contrary, is always very complimentary when he comes in my cabinet waiting room, where are exposed most of my models.

Of course, I couldn't show him the final result with the Alclad Chrome coat, as I had to wait a few hours of setting for the Gloss Black...

 

To be followed...

 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello to all,

 

It was difficult for me to judge the result of my trim rods/ emblem after the many corrections done, since I had used a mat Black as primer. It was definitely an error. A Grey would have enhanced the little defects. It appears that the Alclad Chrome coat is deceptive and that I can't accept the result as it is now, especially for such a visible and important element. That is why I am gonna rework the whole part (if possible without removing the horse inside the frame).

I also must get more shiny surfaces, by improving more than I did (I didn't use Micromesh) the latter...

Only the final result matters, and I am determined to get a fine result for this Chrome trim...

 

 

 

 

To be followed...

 

Cheers, O

 

 

 

[mustang1989]

It's been waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long since I've chimed in here on this build. Outstanding progress so far Oliver. 

[Totally Mad Olivier]

Hello chaps,

 

First thanks a lot to all (and to mustang 1989, especially, for your kind words, much appreciated, as always)!

I spent quite a lot of time to get the below result. The horse was removed and dipped a few minutes in Tamiya Paint Remover (the Mr Surfacer had erased some little details, I wanted to get them back). The left and right arms were cut too (only way to improve the outside portion of the frame. The removal of the horse allowed me to improve seriously the inside portion of the frame.

I decided to add the up and low supports, hoping my dimensions, determined approximately, will be OK:

 

 

 

 

 

N.B: in fact, there is still a little gap. I will have to still check and do carefully the last corrections to get a complete closure of the hood. I am glad I could find this Aber honeycomb grille that matches quite well with the Mustang one.

 

Here are the docs I use for the grille job:

1) front view (aftermarket sale): this pic was very useful to cut the grille at the right dimensions. Notice that I have to add vertical rods both sides:

 

2) 3/4 view: gives another angle of view and shows the necessary slight bending:

 

3) Bernard's Mustang showing the grille in place:

 

 

 

Cheers, O