Mako Shark

This is the AMT SnapFastPlus kit. It came with the silver painted on the lower body, but there were also mold lines still on it all.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00330.jpg
And some nasty imperfections like these.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00331.jpg
Since I don’t intend to reengineer the kit to mold the front and rear valances to the body before painting, I just screwed it… together… and sanded the seams smooth.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00332.jpg
I used Tamiya Dark Metallic Blue as the base color.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00333.jpg

The interior details and wood grain were hand painted.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00351.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00352.jpg
A few decals were added for the smaller gauges.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00353.jpg
After looking at the photos of the real car I decided to cut down the shifter to look a little closer to reality.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00357.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00356.jpg

nice interior details! how'd you do the woodgrain?

Painted a base of Desert Tan (Testors enamel) and lightly applied thinned down Flat Brown (Tamiya Acrylic) with a stiff bristled brush.

Amazing interiour.
Thanks for sharing how you made the woodgrain.
Is it possible to show us a how to? step by step?

I didn't photo-document the process this time, but the next time I do wood grain like this I can.

I mixed a metallic/pearl white color for lower areas based on photos of the real car. It is more of a white than a silver to my eye.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00361.jpg
I also scored some 45 year old paint (now that’s good lacquer…) I am using on it, at least it is about the same age as the first rendition of the real car…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/Scale-Master/Mako%20Shark%20I/DSC00362.jpg

My uncle was showing me how to pinstripe and he pulls out this can of paint he said was almost 50 years old. Lead based paint that is. He's been using this gallon can of black pinstriping paint since he started. He poked a hole in the dried up paint under the lid, stuck his finger over it and shook the can, poured out some black and went to showing me how the pros pinstripe! I learned a LOT that day.

Your car looks great. I love taking simple kits like this and making them over.

nice start