Bandai 1/16 Ford GT 40 MkII #98. Miles-Ruby, Daytona, 1966.

[speedgraflex]

Cheap and easy, that’s all me

A good deal! I will take both. At least, now I will be able to paint the engine and suspension components without a heavy duty chrome-coating. I think I will paint both more with a goal of post race dirt covering everything. Still debating sealing the doors. This will make keeping the panel joins easier to finesse, but the back half of the car will tilt to reveal the race worn engine... I still have to build those two air scoops mounted on the upper sides... darn. I was thinking body modification was over....

[Stikpusher]

Well, I’m sure you can see enough of the cockpit they the windshield, so sealing the doors for reducing gaps makes sense. As does leaving the engine hood hinged for display.

[mustang1989]

Man I cannot believe that a kit has to be corrected that dang much on that fender gap Bruce. That's crazy!!! Looking forward to more progress out of this.

[speedgraflex]

Mustang!

I am so grateful you checked in... Also, Carlos, I sincerely appreciate your encouragement because lemme tell ya, I’m gonna have to fuse the upper half of the kit as one piece, scribing new door outlines—and try not to go c-r-a-z-y, but methinks at the least the goal should be “curbside deluxe,” with an opening and closing engine compartment.

Whilst I stand on the cliff considering options, I noted that race cars have an interior modification over the engine itself. At first I thought it was a scalloped section leading to an outside vent and made these sketches:



That scalloped section looked sexy, but it was not accurately Shelby American, it could still work, though. I looked at this photos I have of an actual car from the timeperiod that ended up sitting in a garage as a racing car “shelf queen.”

Hm. So I flipped my paper over and revised the interior as a box shape:



Thoughts, gents?

[mustang1989]

I think I'd be going for that second option Bruce!!

Man...................that GT-40 in the shop would make a cool diorama as well. Just sayin.......

[speedgraflex]

Joe!

Thanks so much for your thoughts! I realized after painting the top of the bonnet or let’s just say the front piece of the car that I should have painted the interior first—the area inside the fenders at the least will be visible. Masking and redoing masking is leading to edge line errors, so I am going to leave the hood / bonnet / front piece alone, moving on to the rear piece and paint it simply black inside and white outside first, before I start modifying and building structures inside and out. This way I will only need to touch up going forward.

Jumping the gun painting the first section made me realize I have to step back and paint large areas first and simply because interior areas around the wheels are going to be visible. I am not sure why I made this error with the first section. Maybe I was so caught up in all the body shaping necessary to transform the car into a race car? I am not sure.

The Richard Petty NASCAR donor kit comes with jack stands...... diorama potential runs high.

[speedgraflex]

I carefully removed all Tamiya tape from the plastic surfaces and have packed the parts away for the moment... a temporary suspension as I return to the 1/32 P-51D to see if I am able to finish the previous kit. This one won't sit still for long. I already hear it calling....

[Stikpusher]

You’ll be ok. Set this one aside until your mind is right with it, then come on back.

[mustang1989]

Joe!

Thanks so much for your thoughts! I realized after painting the top of the bonnet or let’s just say the front piece of the car that I should have painted the interior first—the area inside the fenders at the least will be visible. Masking and redoing masking is leading to edge line errors, so I am going to leave the hood / bonnet / front piece alone, moving on to the rear piece and paint it simply black inside and white outside first, before I start modifying and building structures inside and out. This way I will only need to touch up going forward.
The Richard Petty NASCAR donor kit comes with jack stands...... diorama potential runs high.

I know that feeling ALL too well Bruce. One step forward , two steps back! Learning curves bro.

[speedgraflex]

Building an automobile model is a challenge—different problems, but applications to all modeling subjects. I definitely feel the learning curve you mentioned!