1/25 Cars I Used To Do

[Rata]

Originally Posted by PacificWind

Great models.
El Camino is fantastic! Very realistic. What brand is the last vehicle? Buick, Ford, Packard or something different?

Oh, and one more thing. Where are Holdens and Australian Fords!?

Thanks K-man. The last one is an old AMT 32 Ford Phaeton.
Unfortunately there have been very few kits of Australian cars- maybe some expensive resins.

[Rata]

Originally Posted by whulsey

Some nice work, always wondered about if artist's acrylics would work. I'm still pretty much a Model Master and Humbrol enamels guy.

Being in Australia, you should have switched the steering over to rhd since its an Australian body. Note the plain rear body were the American built had seams on either side since it was a separate stamping. The story I heard on it was when AMT decided to tool up the phaeton body, they used Dick Strichfield's (Car Craft, Hot Rod, SEMA, LA Roadsters) car as reference. What nobody thought about was his was build with a body imported from Australia and no one caught the differences in rear stampings. I meet him many years ago at the Knott's All Ford Show were he was showing his 1942 Ford GPW jeep, which is when I learned that Ford had build a lot of the Jeeps. His was an early production so still had a lot of Ford script parts until the War Department demanded Ford not mark the parts.

Thanks for that interesting info Whulsey! Didn't know any of that.

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by Rata

Thanks for that interesting info Whulsey! Didn't know any of that.

You didn't know the steering wheel is on the right in Australia!?

[Rata]

Originally Posted by rockpaperscissor

That's some fine work right there. Model show prize winning material. I've never heard of airbrushing thinned tube acrylics before, but it obviously works very well. I'm interested in the markings on the red dragster. I'm familiar with the vintage USA NHRA designation A/SR to designate A/Street Roadster, but I've never seen "A/R". Is that an Australian class? The R can't stand for roadster, obviously.

Thanks RPS. Regards the NHRA desgnation; no scale fidelity employed there (I wouldn't enter this model in a contest!). I was inspired by the old box top pic on the early issue of this kit. The decals I used are from the recent Lindberg 32 Ford Hot Rod kit. Inaccurate I know for the coupe, but just there for effect.

[Rata]

Originally Posted by MichaelS

You didn't know the steering wheel is on the right in Australia!?

Yep. But we drive either side of the road- depends who's coming the other way.

[Rata]

Thanks everybody for your positive comments. Here's some more. The 49 Ford is painted with an enamel rattle can so I can't say with certainty the colour matches an original factory spec.

[panzerlite]

Great finish with acrylic and future. (mine always has some fuzz or blemish in it...) I like the way you've blackened the grille and chrome work on the 58 Chevy.. It adds realism and makes the chrome "pop".

[Rata]

Originally Posted by panzerlite

Great finish with acrylic and future. (mine always has some fuzz or blemish in it...) I like the way you've blackened the grille and chrome work on the 58 Chevy.. It adds realism and makes the chrome "pop".

Thanks PL. I use either Games Workshop or Vallejo acrylic black wash for that. I have also used Tamiya black panel line accent (not acrylic) as well. The door and trunk outlines get the same treatment.

[Rata]

.... I meant to add the main drawbacks with artist's acrylics are: 1) poor coverage. Takes a lot of thin coats to get a good solid look. And 2) Durability. Until you get that clear coat on the colour is very easily scratched and marked. One BIG plus however is if you mess up the spray job, it comes off easily so you can start again from scratch. Had to do just that on more than a few occasions!

[Rata]

And some more. I've still got 50 or so unmade car kits in my stash. I can't bring myself to sell them.