1/12 Testors Lamborghini Countach

[taliesen]

First, thanks to everyone for the kind comments!

Disaster number one has occurred . . . while priming, dropped a part into some crud, so I figured "I'll drop this in thinner for a few seconds to clean it up." Dumb me, wrong kind of thinner . . . . I now have melted my fuel rails. . . . .

Anybody with this kit have a spare C27??? I'm trying to scratch something up, but it's going to be severely lacking in details. I could finish the engine without installing the part (and will, if all else fails), but would be nice to have it in place . . . .

[taliesen]

Not much progress, as I've been on a business trip out of town, but I did manage enough for a minor update.

I've got the basic structure built for the fuel rail, but am stuck on the detailing - will post some pics if it works out

I also started modding the instrument panel - again, the main surface was molded with texture, when it should be aluminum.


Couldn't possibly sand that out, so I decided to remove it and build a replacement.


Here's the beginnings of the new panel - I've since laid out the pattern for the holes to be drilled, but haven't actually done them yet. I have some ideas for how to do the rings and the gauges themselves, but not 100% sure they'll work.


I did at least get something done . . . . .


I did get additional painting done - engine block, exhaust, and a few other bits, but they're not terribly interesting until the assembly happens, so I'll hold off on pics . . .

That's all for now . . . . will ask again, though, if anyone has a spare C27/fuel rail, please PM me. Will look loads better than what I can scratch!! Thanks for following!

[AustinMartin]

Awesome!

[brando590]

I still have the engine and some parts from that kit. Post a pic of the part or the remains thereof and i can let you know if i still have it. If no part you could post a pic of assembly diagram. I dont know of another way to figure out which part it is.
-Brando

[taliesen]

Aw, that would've been too easy . . . . can I blame jet lag for not thinking of it if I was only one time zone away?

Anyway, here's the offender . . . in it's pristine original condition. After my chemical bath, all of the attachment points to the carbs are looking very 'melty'!

[taliesen]

Should've waited one more day to post the pics of the wheels . . . . postman brought another gift, some valve stems from RB Motion . . .

[rsxse240]

I love this thread. I may have to crack the seal on mine some time soon.

[brando590]

I'm building a 1970 skyline right now. I have used guitar string and hollow plastic tubing to scratchbuild fuel lines, carb and throttle linkages and tiny springs from the nickel wrapped guitar strings. It is looking NICE! I'll post pics when I get my camera back and start a new thread. Just an idea for while you wait for the parts.

-Brando

[taliesen]

Made some progress in several areas, but most isn't ready to show yet - approach on dash has been sorted, but I need to re-do the main plate as the gauge placement is a bit off, got a lot of the 'bulk' painting done as well when the weather cleared for a couple of days.

With the holidays, I might not get much else done til late weekend, so I wanted to post a teaser shot of sorts - here's where the engine is currently. Still need to add a bit, and do some more detail painting (like on the oil filter). Trying to decide whether to apply a black wash or not - I've never really gotten the hang of that, and I don't want to screw this one up. Your opinions?

[Captain Mark]

The engine is looking fabulous!

A wash can certainly help, although I'm not sure I'd go with black as it may stand out a bit too much. Perhaps a brown or grey, or a mixture of the two. Personally I like to use artist oil paints in the appropriate colours, mixed with turps. Runs through the cracks great, and can generally be lightly wiped off the build and won't leave residue or mess with the paint (but be careful, too much stuffing about and it will mark your paintwork).

[CrateCruncher]

If I can add to Captains post, I searched and experimented a long time before settling on POLLY Scale's "Oily Black" #414329. I like the color because it's several different colors combined: browns, blacks, greens, even some greys. It's a water based paint so you can layer it on top of enamels and lacquers without mixing it into your base color. I dilute it way, way down and dab it into cracks and corners, let dry, rinse and repeat until I achieve the desired shadowing. Bear in mind that your not literally simulating oil/grime, it's more to add shadow effect that gets lost when going from 1/1 to 1/12. For example, the back of the alternator is cast with openings for ventilation. So adding oily black will bring out the moulded in detail and simulate an open area. Same for the cast cooling fins on the block. Adding wash will bring out the height of those fins by shadowing the valleys between.

That engine is looking good. Keep posting!

[chola]

Very nice progress, anything further on this as yet?

What was the colour you painted the sheels in?

I've got the same kit here in a box waiting to start!

Thanks,

[taliesen]

Real life caught up with me for a bit, and I haven't had time to do much so I sort of lost the fire. When the weather cleared up, I did get a chance to do some more painting in bulk (there's a LOT of semi-gloss black on this one), but no real assembly so nothing too exciting to show. Hope to have an update by the end of this weekend, though.

The wheels were stripped with Strip-a-Kit, cleaned up, primered grey, and then hit with a couple of light coats and one heavy coat of Alclad pale gold - the 1:1's are painted magnesium, and I think the heavy coat of Alclad simulates it pretty well. The lugs were picked out with good old X-11.

Thanks for looking!

[taliesen]

OK made an attempt at a very light black wash on the engine . . . . thoughts?

Before:


After (messed up the oil filter, need to strip and repaint it):

[drunken monkey]

not the same scale and not exactly the same car but my one of my references for countach builds is this build where this is from.