Jump to content

Revell '69 Boss 302


TonyW

Recommended Posts

Here we go again, another addition to the build pile.

This time it's one of a pair of Revell Boss 302 kits, bought way in advance of the GB, from an internet promo that offered the kits at far too good a price to pass.

Five kits on the go at once. This could either be a triumph or a tragedy. Time will tell...

 

20210706-143155.jpg

 

Things all look very nice indeed.

The decals look crisp and clean, the interior wood panels and instrument faces will make life easier. Tire decals are included, the stock wheels look good and the rest of the model looks very inviting.

 

Work commenced this morning as rain is forecast here today. That gives me a good excuse not to be working outside, which was my previous plan.

 

First up, an attempt at bare metal foiling the MUSTANG lettering on the trunk lip. I didn't know how well this would work, so wanted to get it sorted now. I've not used the stuff for at least fifteen years, probably more.

I added foil over the whole upright part of the panel and rubbed the foil into the letters as tight as I could get it. 

 

20210821-102818.jpg

 

The plan was to paint straight over the foil and rub off the raised letters. No primer, I didn't want a white edge next to the yellow topcoat.

 

20210706-144345.jpg

 

It looked terrible. No good at all, the foil seems to have a slightly rough finish, no matter how hard I burnished it. Off with the whole lot then, with a huge sigh of relief that I didn't wait until later in the build to reveal the lettering. The kit decals provide pin sharp lettering that will do a far better job although not raised now as I've sanded that off. Possibly the kit decals would have settled over the raised letters but I didn't want to take a chance on that not working.

Taking that lot off was a good excuse to tidy up the rest of the body and prime it for later paintwork. I've also thinned the wheel arch lips and window surrounds down a bit to lighten things up a bit. 3'' thick scale wheel arches won't cut it.

 

 

A couple of templates were cut to fit the front and rear window openings, mainly to see if flat material would work, rather than having to mould curves. They work just fine. Fresh clear plastic will be cut when I get to that part of the build.

 

20210821-102908.jpg

 

And a bit of Scary Mary thinning out of the front grill and slatted rear window took place. An hour or more of taking sliver after sliver off the back of the moulded kit grill finally paid off with a very delicate see through grill for a reward.

I used a medium file and a pair of scalpel blades, one curved the other straight. Material was removed from the back of the grill bit by bit until the near transparent backing could be pushed through from the front with an old toothbrush. The debris raised then got trimmed from behind. Repeat until the grill is open mesh. It gets scary towards the end as the mesh is incredibly delicate once the webb between the bars is gone.

 

20210821-105353.jpg

 

20210821-102554.jpg

 

Here's the result, along with the now decaled tires and one painted wheel.

 

 

20210821-104813.jpg

 

The rear window cover panel is getting similar treatment. The right side has been thinned out so far.

 

20210821-111120.jpg

 

20210821-111540.jpg

 

That panel isn't as nerve wracking to do, although I've had enough of that kind of work for today. I'll finish it off later.

 

Taking me up to lunch was a bit of red oxide primer for the chassis and floorpan. I added the tires to the shot to save shooting a separate picture for them.

 

20210706-144456.jpg

 

Not a bad start to the build, let's hope the rest of it goes as smoothly.

 

Tony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Time to knock off for the day. The threatened rain turned out to be a bit of a shower about one o'clock and that was it! Oh well, a days happy modelling took the place of laying a garage base, so I'm not about to complain.

 

Plenty got done this afternoon. A light coat of Tamiya Yellow was sprayed onto the body parts, just to see how it was going to cover. It went on really well! After the initial coat I left it half an hour and put on a slightly wetter one that flowed out to a decent gloss finish.

 

20210821-102656.jpg

 

That wasn't quite what I had planned. The nose wasn't fixed yet and I was concerned about the fit there. I left the paint to harden and got back on the rest of the kit.

 

Taking a look through some references here, it seems the rear window slats didn't in fact have a centre support as provided by Revell. Some delicate file, knife and saw work got the support cut out and everything is looking much thinner.

 

20210821-164827.jpg

 

The louvres and the grill have also been primed with Tamiya grey primer.

 

20210821-165457.jpg

 

Moving back to the bodywork, I fitted the nose piece after a bit of fettling to make things line up. A dab of superglue got things fixed firmly and then I added a couple of coats more yellow. I'm very impressed with the paint, it flowed out really well and coverage was amazing for yellow.

The hood is taped into position above the car body as I expected the yellow to go on poorly. Having it get the same coverage as the rest of the body was the aim. I need not have bothered, the paint covers very well indeed.

 

20210821-165824.jpg

 

20210821-165747.jpg

 

The body can harden for a day or two now. The chassis is next in line for attention.

 

More as it happens...

 

 

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice progress.   My life would have been a lot easier if I'd decided to roll with it OOB😑

 

Just a heads up, you can fit the front and rear parts the body and still have room to get the chassis in.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're very brave (and patient!) to do all of that work with the grille, but the end result is excellent. As it also looks quite weak (as you say), I'm glad to see it getting some structural paintwork applied early on.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

More steady progress on the '69 Boss.

 

20210824-152229.jpg

 

 I'm using old Musclecar Classics articles for colours and any detailing I can add. I think I've got the engine blue pretty close now. An old bottle of Testors blue for a base and a French blue oil wash over that. It looks bright in the pictures but it matches the magazine articles quite well. I can always add more oil paint to darken it a bit.

The interior has had a first coat of semi matt very dark grey, along with the rear window louvres. The same dark grey got used to cover the engine bay after a 0.5mm strip was masked of on the inner wing edges. Black oil paint will get scrubbed into the grey later and most of it then removed to bring out the shadows and creases.

 

The grill got painted with the same very dark grey. It looks about right. Molotow ink will provide the trim later. From the front the radiator area is visible through the mesh. The oil cooler will be a bit more visible once that's fitted. From the rear, looking forward, the grill makes me smile...

 

20210824-152713.jpg

 

...which is just as well as I've made a bit of a blunder that is under repair as I type. I tried the same plastic removal method as used on the grill but this time on the louvres at the base of the windscreen. I've managed to bust a couple and the missing bars stand out like a sore thumb. I've repaired and repainted one bar, there's two more to do, right in the centre of the panel. Annoying, but not a deal breaker.

 

Nothing's fixed, but it's hard to resist propping it all together to get an idea of how it's going to look. Ignore that louvred panel gap, I'm trying too.

 

20210824-152843.jpg

 

And here's how the thinned rear window louvres look. The hinges need reducing a bit and there are shadows on the tops of the louvres where the middle support was. I'll have to try thinning the tops a bit more to see if that will do the job, I'm trying to avoid filler on such an already thin piece.

 

20210824-152932.jpg

 

More later.

 

Tony.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A bit more got done yesterday, not a lot but progress of a sort.

 

Trying to get the dip out of the top of the rear window louvres saw me crack three of the things. Repairs have been made and the glue should be dry enough this morning for a bit of remedial rubbing down to take place.

 

The engine got more ancillaries added which busied the thing up quite a bit. The radiator and support were added to the body and I then started to worry about how to assemble everything. The chassis fits easily enough to the body when slipping the rear end in first, then opening up the body at the front wings to let the front part of the chassis fit. The problem then is the engine and radiator fit. The engine fan sticks forward quite a bit and sits as it should, inside the radiator shroud. That then prevents the body itself from being able to be fitted Funny Car fashion. The engine bay needs to have the body slipped into place at that end first. Fitting the rear becomes a bit more difficult then as the rear body needs to be opened up a fair bit to make it fit that way around.

It might have been possible to fit the engine in place after fitting the body but it looks a bit tight. The fan gets right in the way. I've left the fan unglued at the moment to allow a bit of fore and aft movement at the fitting stage.

The engine is glued in now as there's a bit of added detailing I want to do that will be a lot easier with it fixed in place. The rear panel has been left off for now as well.

 

20210825-162136.jpg

 

Hot Rod magazine had this handy view of the 429 motor in a '69 body on one of its covers. Very useful for details. The 302 motor looks tiny in comparison. 

 

20210824-154457.jpg

 

The front light surrounds have been painted with very dark grey and give the thing a quite sinister look. The engine bay is starting to look suitably busy now as well.

 

20210825-162108.jpg

 

The holes for the hood supports need filling in and I still need to finish the cowl repairs. 

 

I fitted the dash decals as well. The dials look brilliant, they settle in the holes really well and are readable if the fancy takes you. The wooden glove box door and instrument surround decals went on as well. The glove box one went fine, the instrument one failed a bit. The very thin bit of woodgrain at either end of the decal wont fit the dash panel, it's a bit short. It dried out of shape at one end, spoiling the effect somewhat. I was quite annoyed with that but need not have been as the panel is just about invisible once fitted. You really have to try to see the thing! I'm now annoyed at the effort put in for no result. You can't win.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

More tortoise than hare, but it's getting there...

 

Hood decals added. You only get the outer edge of the full monty, the  pinstripe and about the first six inches of the solid centre part. The middle bit is down to you. I brush painted the middle with Humbrol Gloss Black, using a sixty year old tin of one hour enamel. It went on beautifully. I'll flat out any dust specks once it's dry enough and finish it as a semi gloss.

 

A pair of ancient photo etch licence plate surrounds were added to the Illinois plates provided in the kit and will get added at the end of the build.

 

20210826-172702.jpg

 

And before you know it, the side stripes got added to one side. A very fiddly job, the decals are really good but have a habit of moving when you don't want them to and not moving when you do! The area above the BOSS 302 lettering is out of whack a bit. I'm not sure I can live with that. For the life of me, I couldn't make the thing go where I wanted it to. I'll take another look tomorrow. I suspect that area will get replaced.

 

20210826-174436.jpg

 

I also added the trunk lid black decal. It worked fine.

 

20210826-174534.jpg

 

I also added a radiator overflow pipe to the rad cap. The side of the cap got drilled for an appropriate size bit of wire that was then bent across the rad and dumped down the side as per the full size car. Once I painted it black, it completely disappeared. I know where it is, but I can only just see the thing. More wasted effort.

 

 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking very nice Tony, the yellow really pops. I've noticed some decalling going on in the engine bay. Are there decals in the kit for the top of the radiator casing and the oil filter, or have you added some after-market stuff? Either way, they really add to the realism. Will we be seeing HT leads or is that a detail too far?!

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think adding detail only to hide it is a part of modelling life - I dread to think how many hours I've put into part swhich  can't be seen (sometimes this is a good thing though!). You call this a tortoise build, but to me it seems to have come together really well and in almost no time at all. And you certainly wouldn't guess you've brushed on the black on the bonnet.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Mike Dean said:

Looking very nice Tony, the yellow really pops. I've noticed some decalling going on in the engine bay. Are there decals in the kit for the top of the radiator casing and the oil filter, or have you added some after-market stuff? Either way, they really add to the realism. Will we be seeing HT leads or is that a detail too far?!

All the decals are provided by Revell, Mike.

There are a few more to be added to the engine bay, along with wheel cap centres and various Mustang badges. All very nice, if a little temperamental to apply.

I'll be adding more detailing to the engine bay, just because I can. Plug wires may well make an appearance.

 

The problem, if there is one, is that things are not quite as they should be in the first place and modifying everything would soon get to be a pain. The kit is very nice and has a lot to be happy with. But...The front suspension is a bit basic, being moulded in one bit already on the chassis Brakes are lacking, cables need adding, the rocker covers look a bit wrong, the tower braces are wrong, it goes on and on.

It still builds well without any of this getting sorted though. It looks like a Mustang, it's bright and brash, it sits well and I'm enjoying the build.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Spiny said:

I think adding detail only to hide it is a part of modelling life 

And you certainly wouldn't guess you've brushed on the black on the bonnet.

The paint is older than me, yet it still goes on without a brushmark. Keep a wet edge and don't overbrush if possible and it flows out beautifully.

I wish current Humbrol paints were as good.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking great, some fine painting and sanding work there, can't wait to see it finished, it's looking close!

Always good to see someone else tackling the same kit, I'm kind of worried about how I'll get the engine/chassis/body together now in mine (the fan has already taken a bit of a beating when I built up the engine).

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yellow's a hard color to get right and it certainly looks like you've got that part nailed down perfectly. Stance looks great too.

 

Edit: Didn't mention it earlier but that job on the grille is BAD A$$!!! 

Edited by mustang1989
  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, mustang1989 said:

Edit: Didn't mention it earlier but that job on the grille is BAD A$$!!! 

One day, Tony will notice that there's a constant flow of model car kit grilles he's receiving with accompanying letters saying "dear Tony, I wonder if you could pimp this grille for me, please, just this one..." 😇

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

One day, Tony will notice that there's a constant flow of model car kit grilles he's receiving with accompanying letters saying "dear Tony, I wonder if you could pimp this grille for me, please, just this one..." 😇

 

So long as they are well wrapped with twenty pound notes, I'll be happy to accommodate.  🤑

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The engine bay of the Boss has been giving my eyes and tweezer technique a good work out over the last few days. I think I'm winning although I sometimes wonder.

 

20210828-165458.jpg

 

To open the batting, I added two rows of scale bolts to the inner wing edges. That was fun. I've had a couple of sets of scale bolt heads for probably over twenty years now, still unused. They are the smallest pieces of anything that I've ever added to a model. I had to go up a size for the fenders as the very smallest proved too much for my old eyes, even with a magnifier. Not a perfect installation, but serviceable.

 

A fuel line was run up from the fuel pump to the carb, plug wires added although it's not the tidiest job in the world. The air cleaner can covers the offending area pretty well though. The air cleaner got what I think is some kind of smog device added to the side of it although it's a bit oversized and may well get replaced. There's all kinds of smog gear on the engine, adding it is a bit odd to me. Every American car I've owned has had the emission gear binned on day one. Not exactly eco friendly these days, but that's the way it was.

 

20210828-165551.jpg

 

The brake fluid reservoir got a spring clip added to the top and brake fluid lines run out the side of it. The coil got it's king lead added, The battery got its filler caps painted red and the headlamps were assembled and fitted. Revell have done a first class job here, they look like the real deal.

 

20210828-165630.jpg

 

The Mustang badge on the grill got chromed, detail painting to come, the oil cooler was fitted and can be seen through the grill, making that job worth the effort.

 

The front bumper and air dam/spoiler were also fitted although the bumper didn't behave and has set in slightly the wrong position. An easy fix though.

 

Yet to come are battery leads and starter wiring, heater hoses and maybe headlight wiring. I've noticed that the real Mustang grill badge has two tiny, and I mean tiny, pins holding it in from the rear. They can be seen in the Hot Rod cover picture above. I like the idea of adding them!

The hood release arm needs adding as well. Probably a few more bits as I come across them, then I'll glue the hood shut over the whole lot.

 

Not really.

 

Tony.

 

 

 

 

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's looking very good indeed Tony. I think I've got you beat for slow progress though, I've not even glued anything on mine yet. Just need life to slow down...

 

James

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A bit more chipped away on the Boss build.

Decals now added to the starboard side. They went on fine. I also replaced the wonky one on the port side although the replacement gave problems as well. It looks much better now.

 

20210905-162951.jpg

 

I also added door buttons both sides. 0.7 shaft dome head rivets with the worlds smallest photoetch washers added to the door tops as minute trims. I'm telling you about them here as the chances of ever seeing the things is slim.

The window post has been thinned right down as well although the close up reveals quite a bit of work still to do in that area.

 

20210905-162850.jpg

 

Trying the car out on the hippy base used for the blue build see's it quite liking it. My eyes keep getting drawn to the door buttons, but then they would do, wouldn't they?

 

20210905-164703.jpg

 

Next up on the eye strain front is adding the hood pins. Such fun! After that, glazing and window frames. At that point the car can start to be properly assembled, it's all loosely clipped together at the moment.

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's been a bit too hot for comfortable modelling in the shed the last couple of days, temperatures have been up to 30 degrees. 

I did take a couple of pictures using some of the bones of the failed Ford dealership building as a backdrop, just to keep things moving in the right direction.

The first shot looks a bit like the car is in a sauna, quite fitting really. The second one is more appropriate for the car. The off cuts I used for the wall and floor are a bit small for these sort of shots, I'll have to make up something a bit wider and deeper.

 

20210907-152055.jpg

 

20210908-093512.jpg

  • Like 11
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...