1/24 Pantera GTS

marcod13

05-07-2012, 09:56 PM

Well here is the finished product, over time i may go back and fix certain things but this is how it will be on the shelf for a while. Over all this kit was pretty straight forward, the Pantera is such a beautiful car and i believe that however it is built it will come out stunning. Ive learned a lot of useful tips for my next builds from the members on AF, and i thank all who chimed in during the build, your help was much appreciated. Thanks again everyone!

I prefer wingless, looks much sexier

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020796.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020797.jpg

A portion of the decal fell off just before i took the picture, luckily i found it and put it back on now.
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020799.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020800.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020801.jpg

Love this angle
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020803.jpg

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020804.jpg

BEGINNING OF BUILD

Just bought this old Nichimo kit

Took some pictures to document what comes inside the box, it appears that the driver and passenger windows are missing, ill need to examine it tomorrow when i have more time.

The box
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020685.jpg

whats inside
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020686.jpg

instructions, very short, only 3 pages
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020687.jpg

decal sheet, in perfect condition
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020688.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020689.jpg

the Pantera body, a little scuffed up but no cracks or punctures, totally solid
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020690.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020691.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020692.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020693.jpg

interior, seats are pre-attached
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020694.jpg

tires are good year imprinted, soft urethane
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020695.jpg

motor, the kit is meant to be a slot car, so it did come with the motor, but i am curious if anyone knows, is there supposed to be any wiring? id imagine there should have been
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020696.jpg

more bits and pieces, most of the parts are off the trees
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020697.jpg

an authenticity sheet, german text
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020698.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020699.jpg

Thats all for now, I'm not sure where I'm going with the car, if I'm going to recreate the image on the box and use the decals or just create a modified version, without most of the decals.

Body colour options/combinations:

1) black or a medium blue, with all the decals and the rims will be painted tamiya bronze.

2) yellow or silver with semi-gloss black hood and bumper/trunk accents, PANTERA side panel decal will be used, rims will be tamiya bronze or tamiya chrome.

Let me know what you all think, and ill probably be starting the kit as soon as i make my decisions.

Thanks for looking

RonCla

05-08-2012, 12:13 AM

That looks like a rare kit. I'm hoping Fujimi will release a version of their kit with the flared wheel arches

nugundam93

05-08-2012, 04:08 PM

nice to see a nichimo kit here. methinks the missing windows might be by design - maybe they're trying to simulate a "windows down" kit?

marcod13

05-08-2012, 07:28 PM

nice to see a nichimo kit here. methinks the missing windows might be by design - maybe they're trying to simulate a "windows down" kit?

yeah i was wondering the same thing considering that it would have been a one piece mould for the windows including the in question driver and passenger sides. Since it is a slot car, perhaps they did this for better motor and battery cooling?

nugundam93

05-09-2012, 11:43 AM

aha! never thought about that possibility.

anyway, i'm voting for #1, with a black scheme and the decals over it. oh okay, i am biased towards black. heheh.

marcod13

05-09-2012, 07:41 PM

thanks for the vote lol I'm considering black over the others as well

F1Tommy

05-09-2012, 08:39 PM

I have this kit also, and the body is not perfect. I sat it next to the Tokyo Marui kit wich is great and the body is shorter and cockpit taller. I am using the Testors kits wheels and this kits flares along with the Tokyo Marui main body to do a Lemans 1972 factory Pantera.

Tom Tanner/Scale Designs/Ferrari Expo 2013-Chicago March 2013

marcod13

05-31-2012, 11:34 AM

ianc911

05-31-2012, 02:14 PM

marcod13

05-31-2012, 02:33 PM

Looking good. I think you're more or less in the ball park with your painting scheme, except I would wait much longer after the final paint coat before clearing it. Will you use enamel or acrylic paints?

I'm trying to think of a good way to paint those molded on rear emblems without going nutty and not coming up with much...

ianc

Thanks for the tip. Its Krylon gloss black spraypaint, i believe its enamel, and the clear coat being used will be Testors Laquer Wet-Look Clear.

As for the emblems, i was going to use an old fine point pen and dip it in the paint. Or i was thinking of laying out a thin piece of play-doh and paint the top chrome and gently press the emblems (attached to the body) in the paint, so the paint transfers over to the emblem.

ianc911

05-31-2012, 02:44 PM

I only paint with acrylics myself, so this is not definitive, but I think since Lacquer is regarded as being 'hotter' than enamel, you may run into trouble trying to paint the one over the other. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in, but definitely be aware of that before you clear.

Not sure how well the Playdoh method will work, but I'm willing to watch. ;)

ianc

marcod13

06-01-2012, 11:44 PM

marcod13

06-03-2012, 06:13 PM

hey everyone I'm justing finishing up the body before the last coat of primer and then first coat of paint, and i need to install the side view mirrors. I am playing around with the position of the mirrors and i have a few ideas of where to mount them; the first is obvious on the doors where they belong (option 1), the second is on the fenders , either in the middle as seen in the pic (option 2a) or perhaps a little more forwards (option 2b) and then lastly is on the hood but ill remove the mirror mounts and just glue down the mirrors on top of the hood in the similar area to where they sit now but more so towards the headlights and on top of the hood (option 3). What option is most suitable to you?

Feedback is most appreciated, thanks everyone.

(option 2a)

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020740.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020741.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020742.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020743.jpg

marcod13

06-03-2012, 06:21 PM

oh and here are the rims and tires mocked up on the body

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020744.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020745.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020746.jpg

nugundam93

06-03-2012, 06:31 PM

nice progress :) i'm going for the original position for the mirrors.

ianc911

06-04-2012, 01:12 PM

I'm for original position too.

What are you going to do about that lettering on the tires? I believe you can find stencils for that, but not sure if it would match the molded lettering on the tire. Maybe you could sand it off?

ianc

marcod13

06-04-2012, 05:23 PM

Yeah sanding it should would work well or perhaps paint thinner, they need to be redone definitely.

lovegt40

06-05-2012, 03:23 AM

I also started to fix the body of this kit some time ago.It is the only Pantera gr.4 body around,and it is the same box of ARII,reboxed.
Imho the side windows frames are too big,and also the clear parts looks way too thick.My box had the tyres ....in powder.
Here is my started thread:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1075338

hope it helps

marcod13

06-06-2012, 03:43 PM

Re did the tire sidewall, came out much better, chose to go with gold-yellow because thats what this Pantera version originally came with. Im priming the body again right now, and the first coat of black should be on by tonight ;)

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020747.jpg

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020748.jpg

ianc911

06-06-2012, 03:47 PM

Looks much better. A little tip that someone else here turned me on to is to use a toothpick with thinned paint to do raised lettering like this.

ianc

marcod13

06-06-2012, 04:31 PM

Looks much better. A little tip that someone else here turned me on to is to use a toothpick with thinned paint to do raised lettering like this.

ianc

Thanks for the tip, ill definitely use that next time around.

Ill most likely do that for the emblems on the back, they are decently raised so hopefully i won't run into a mess.

marcod13

06-07-2012, 03:36 PM

Gave the first coat of paint today. Its been drying for about 4 hours.

Krylon Gloss Black

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020761.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020762.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020763.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020765.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020766.jpg

tomorrow ill wet sand it with 1000 and spray coat number 2

jano11

06-08-2012, 01:25 PM

What kind of paint did you use, lacquer?
It looks like you went a bit heavy and there is a lot of orange peel there.
Make sure the paint is fully cured before you start sanding it.

marcod13

06-08-2012, 03:55 PM

Its krylon spray paint, not sure what type it is.. yeah might have gone a bit heavy, i didn't spray all at once did it in thin layers over time, guess i went too much though still, i can never seem to understand how to paint without getting orange peel

marcod13

06-08-2012, 09:59 PM

UPDATE: Hey everyone good news! I sanded the body down and i figured out my technique to reduce the orange peel ill post pics soon of the progress, mind you i need to redo it again, i ran out of clear coat so its not the full gloss it should be at.

ianc911

06-08-2012, 11:23 PM

So what did you discover?

ianc

marcod13

06-09-2012, 09:27 AM

Well what i sort of realized is that after you paint a coat on and its sits for about 24 hours or so you sand it over with like 1500 grit then 2000, and if its not showing any primer just matte looking paint, you can clear over it and it'll be deep and shiny almost as if its wet with water, well at least thats how the clear I'm using is, Testors Lacquer Wet Look Clear. And its a much better reduction on the orange peel, then you can polish it down. Im still kind of working on it since i ran out of clear while clearing it, i may have still used too much or too little in some spots but its coming along.

Now i can see a bit of a clear reflection in the paint at least, i may sand it down with 2000 to remove the clear and try it again, or should i just polish it to try and get the finish perfect? Thoughts appreciated as always, thank you.

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020773.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020774.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020775.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020776.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020777.jpg

ianc911

06-10-2012, 01:24 PM

The method you're using will work; you can always sand down to get a smooth finish. It's extremely time-consuming to do so though, and there's always the danger of burning through paint and needing to do sections over. Better off to just get a smooth finish to start. I've been using an airbrush lately to paint though, so I'm not sure what tips I can give you with the spray cans. You can try warming the paint can up in a bowl of hot water before spraying, that should make the paint flow a little better. Make sure the surface to be painted is spotlessly clean too, use a toothbrush with dishwashing detergent and hot water to clean before spraying. Don't spray too heavy a coat all at once, try a series of lighter coats to avoid excessive paint build up.

As for what you've got right now, I'd smooth it out with 2000+ grit, then try polishing it. If you can get it smooth without burning through, you ought to be able to get a good finish with polish. Good luck!

ianc

drunken monkey

06-10-2012, 06:03 PM

just so you know, there is still way too much texture in your primer and this will translate onto your paint coats.
from the looks of it, you weren't getting good coats of the primer from the first layer onwards and what you have now, it a sort of "porous" coat of primer.

what are you using?

marcod13

06-10-2012, 10:36 PM

its this can of primer from walmart, cheap stuff like $2.30 a can, blue bottle, grey cap, can't remember the name at the moment... what do your recommend? thanks for the advice.

marcod13

06-10-2012, 10:37 PM

appreciate the tip, thank you!

MPWR

06-11-2012, 08:54 AM

Just as DM said, that primer needed much, MUCH more sanding before paint. The primer needs to be sanded until it is completely smooth and even. If it has any texture in it at all, it will simply ruin whatever you spray over it. At auto parts stores (and maybe even at walmart) you can get packs of finishing sandpaper- 1200, 1500, and 2000. 2000 may or may not be excessive on primer (I certainly use it sometimes), but the primer should be worked until it is flawless. Paint hides no flaws- if there is a flaw in the primer, you will see it in the paint.

Primer is the step that should take by far the most time and effort in painting a body. If you spend the time to get the primer right, the paint and clearcoat are quick and easy. If you don't get the primer right, there's nothing you can do with paint and clearcoat to correct it. My builds usually spend a week or more in priming, and a day or less each in painting and clearcoating.

If the walmart primer doesn't work so well for you, Tamiya grey primer is fantastic. Fairly expensive but definitely worth it.

marcod13

06-11-2012, 03:18 PM

big thanks to you MPWR, i will definitely take in that priming and painting advice for my next projects, i already have those high grits so now i know how to use them.

marcod13

06-12-2012, 10:34 AM

Heres the Pantera with the final paint finish and the decal application, these old decals were pretty tough to work with, and some of them crimpled especially around the fenders, but over all came out pretty good, I'm pleased.

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020779.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020780.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020781.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020783.jpg
http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020785.jpg

Ill be assembling it soon.

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/marcod13/1974%20Pantera%20GTS/P1020771.jpg

ianc911

06-12-2012, 12:28 PM

Still a touch rough, but if you are pleased, that's all that matters.

RE: the old decals, there are couple of products from Microscale industries called Microsol and Microset that can ease decal installation and help decals 'lie down' and conform to irregular surfaces. It's not too late to give them a try if you haven't cleared over the decals yet...

ianc

marcod13

06-12-2012, 02:00 PM

ianc911

06-12-2012, 02:17 PM

Haven't used the Testor's products, but typically the 'sol', or solvent is much stronger than the 'set', and will actually melt the decal to the surface, which can help it to adhere to curved surfaces like your fenders. The 'set' is much weaker and used for flat surfaces. You might see if you can grab the solvent type and give a whirl to get rid of the bubbles etc. I can see in your next to last shot (from the top of the car) that there are areas like the right rear fender where the solvent would definitely cure,

ianc

marcod13

06-12-2012, 03:37 PM

Gotcha, ill buy a bottle and use it in the future.

mstngcobrasvt98

06-12-2012, 05:43 PM

looks good. I did one of these cars a while back.. I believe it was made by Testors though. The arches hug the tires and look awesome. Its one of my favorite body styles. keep up the resurrection.

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1/24 Pantera GTS