Progress: Crocodile Audi R8

The texture on the seat and steering wheel looks great. :thumbsup:
How did you do it? Flocking?

I saw this kit in person the other day. I put it down right away. Decal nightmare. :uhoh:

Hi Cyhalen, I can't take credit for the seat, the texture is molded into it by LMM. All I did was paint it flat black.

Actually the decals aren't that bad, they went on great after I got hold of some Solvaset. The bit that has me worried is the vacformed light covers :eek:

Finished the cockpit :)

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf1988.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf1998.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2004.JPG

This is great, are those Sakatsu connectors? I would never gues the size from the pictures it looks so real.

Seat belts look great. What kind are they?

Yes Sasa the connectors are Sakatsu. I think they are intended as AN type fittings but I've used them as multi-pin electrical connections. :icon16:

P9o1r1sche, the seatbelt hardware is from Perfect Parts. They are intended for 1/20th F1 cars so a bit on the large and excitingly chunky side for 1/24th. The belts themselves are strapping tape (i.e. for injured ankles/knees) cut, painted and threaded up. Very strong and sticky stuff!

Wow this is going great! Those seatbelts look very very nice. Keep up the great work!

At the risk of exhibiting progress thread overkill, here is a better shot of the seatbelts.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2005.JPG

Good work with the phototetch.

oh man that's sweet great job and very clean :iceslolan .

At the risk of exhibiting progress thread overkill, here is a better shot of the seatbelts.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2005.JPG

No such thing as "PTO"!...;-)>

Excellent work on the entire kit. The exposed interior really looks 1:1!!!

Totally amazing!! You are now my hero!!!!!!! The car looks awesome!!

Man I had missed this thread for a while, and when I opened this page I thought you had posted reference material. FANTASTIC!!!!

Wonderful work Phil!

very nice attention to detail, immaculate finish on that cockpit.

Great work RallyRaider,very good.

Here is the latest on the Audi. I am quite impressed with the way the tail lights turned out, they really light up. The vacformed plastic wasn't as scary as I though it would be either, although the fronts may be a different story! The covers still need to be secured with rivets.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2329.JPG

Nice, are you sure you didn't put a lamp inside? What are those ducts at the end? vents for brakes or something else. There is one missing? am I wright?

This project keeps getting better and better Phil.
The seat belts are awesome and those taillights are extremely realistic.
Keep up the excellent work.

This project keeps getting better and better Phil.
The seat belts are awesome and those taillights are extremely realistic.
Keep up the excellent work.

Sums up pretty much my thoughts.

:iagree:

Thanks very much guys. Sasa, no light they just look like that, the above picture was taken with a flash which makes the reflectors light up even more. Ducts? Do you mean the one blacked out tunnel on the lefthand side? As far as I know it is just a vent from the wheel, perhaps helping with cooling. I've only painted the one side so far, the other will be blacked out the same and some PE mesh installed.

Phil,
This is looking awesome! I just read through the entire thread. How much work did you put into the decals!! ( you don't have to answer that!). Also the interior looks SO real.
Great work!!

Nice, are you sure you didn't put a lamp inside? What are those ducts at the end? vents for brakes or something else. There is one missing? am I wright?

Sasa,
those are the radiator cooling exhaust ports. They also help with the underbody ground effects.

Hello Phil!

Outstanding work so far, just as expected from you, obviously :) I've been lurking around this progress of yours, and I just can't stop smiling every time I see those pictures. Your work is truly amazing...
One small question, though, where can I buy Perfects Parts stuff? Those seatbelts are much nicer, thickwise, than any of what I've seen around.

Oh, and BTW, good luck with your GT40. With this new entry (Myc's) I'm sure you'll need it :grinno: (just kidding...with your talent, you won't need luck, just time eheheh)

Best Regards,
Pedro.


Edit - nevermind about that. I've just found a retailer, Racing Miniatures.
Thanks anyway.

Question what's vacformed plastic like the tail lights or on other resin kits such
as wind shields,and head lights

Thanks once again guys, I hope the finished model will live up to expectations.

Pedro, Perfect Parts used to be available exclusively through F1 Specialties (http://www.f1specialties.com), but they have lost the rights. PP is now sold through Racing Miniatures as you found out. I'm hoping they will develop a detail set for the Williams FW14B like they did for the McLaren MP4/6 and Ferrari 641/2.

Nismo Man vacforming is a technique where a sheet of plastic is heated up them placed over a shape or pattern. A vacuum is then applied to suck the malleable plastic around the pattern. Done properly it can yield very thin and realistic results. Mainly used for clear parts on cars but almost anything can be vacformed.

Almost forgot, the set of PP seatbelts I used is T2B. Supposedly the '2' means 2mm belt size. However, if you cut the belts so they are a perfect fit for the shoulder buckles, the belts turn out more like 3mm. At a 1/24th scale conversion of roughly 1mm per inch, that makes 3 inch wide belts which about right for modern cars. Older cars used narrower belts however.

If you plan to use the T2B set be prepared for some very difficult PE bending! They take a long time to sort out, and you will use up your vocabulary of swear word very quickly (or at least I did). But in the end they're worth the hassle IMHO.

Yesterday I posted the rear, today it’s is the front. I replaced the kit headlights, they were made of clear resin and just weren't clear and shiny enough for me. The inner light (inadvertent Beatle quote :lol: ) is a Sakatsu lens, a bit bug-eyed IMHO. The outer lens is a spare from a Peugeot 405GR16, with some silver tape formed behind.

Can also see the winglets being built up. The lower one is completely done, top still needs decal and end plate. Unfortunately the winglets obscure the cute little turtle that was living there.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2336.JPG

Thank you for the explanation on the belts, Phil. I'm getting one or two frets, since they have enough parts to make 4 sets! (very cost effective :))

The car is looking very, very nice. Too bad about the turtle :lol:

Looks sweet :)

The inner light (inadvertent Beatle quote :lol: ) is a Sakatsu lens, a bit bug-eyed IMHO. The outer lens is a spare from a Peugeot 405GR16, with some silver tape formed behind.


I have been looking for some of those Sakatsu lenses, they look nice in there too, not bug-eyed in my opinion.

BTW, don't you mean 405 T16, or did you steal a light off your own car? :icon16:

Lenses really add up to the realism of a model car. Yours are looking mighty fine, mighty fine!

I'm sure this must be a really dumb question, but I'd like to know what that little tool on the bottom is for.
Since you used this set, Phil, I'm sure you'll be the right person to help me here :)
Again, thank you!
http://www2.clicshop.com/Scripts/Logs/VoirPhoto.asp?StoreID=20563&CategoryID=214627&ItemID=16434226&Show=1&Language=2&U=racingminiatures

Err, yeah Ray that would be the Tamiya 405T16GR not what I typed :banghead:

Pedro, the tool down the bottom is supposed to be a template for cutting the belts. Not at all useful IMHO, easier to do it with a ruler.

Thanks Guido, the lenses I used aren't as good as the ones you used on your Hyundai, but a big improvement over the kit ones

Thank you again for your explanation, Phil...(by now you must be thinking: boy, this is guy is such a pain in the butt..eheheheheh)

And now I'll be sitting here waiting for some new updates :)

Wheels are on :)

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2364.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2366.JPG

This is realy nice Phil, such a relaxing pictures (like watching the nature). I looked at them for few minutes and felt like reborn, truly beautifull. :smile: the rear lights are amazing there is no red colour on this picture at all.It is just like the real one.

Looking great!
where red rear lights gone?

Thanks Sasa, very poetic :)
Actually the rear lights still need the clear red painted plastic installed over the top. The lights actually are red on the croc car.

Zeljko, the previous pic was with the red covers just sitting on top, will fit them properly later.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846005.jpg

That's a beauty! :eek:

Looks pretty darn good from where im sittin!

Very nice! Can't wait to see this one completed.

Very sexy. Great job.

Great work, but to be honest, I don´t expect anything less from you RallyRaider! :smile:

ver nice !!

Very nearly done now. Just a few more decals, PE, windshield and the odd touch-up to go.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2439.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/50846Dscf2424.JPG

Coming together very nicely Phil, she'll be a stunner when she's done!

Looks great Phil, what a decaling challenge. Keep up the awesome work.

Beautiful as usual!

It's already a stunner!

Very nice Phil, but you allready know that ;) I envy your work, you are to good.

It’s being a true pleasure to fallow the construction of this beautiful and unique model Phil. Good luck with the final touches.

Why didn't I post anything yet on this thread I've followed since its begining?.... Maybe just because I'm speechless...


It seems you manage to cut the front light glasses right, and that's quite a challenge! The finish of this model is wonderful! Surely worth the time spent on it!

As usual? As usual. I'm not afraid about your GT40: it will surely make me :eek: like this one does!
:thumbsup: ? Could we have some more expressive smileys? It seems the actual ones are just not strong enough... :)
Let's just add this one: :eek2:

Thanks for the kind words everybody. I plan to get this thing finished before the weekend is over and weather permitting take some nice big outside shots. Thanks again for your patience, been over a year in the making so far. Although more off than on.

Yes labandabonnot I was concerned about the vac formed lights but they turned out to be quite straight forward. LMM provide two sets, so if you muck up you can always try again. In three out of four cases I got it good enough first time, only having a second go at the right rear.

There are a few things I’m not happy with on the almost finished model. Firstly, the rear deck has warped when fitted to the chassis. In the photo you can see the upward curve where it should be straight. Next the car just looks too white, particularly over the headlights. LMM have tried to reproduce the brown and green with lots of tiny dots, but they’ve mostly ended up being transparent. Lastly it doesn’t sit straight! There must be a slight warp in the body and it is too late to correct. Because of the way the wheels are attached I was unable to do a full dry run before painting and everything. Oh well, it isn’t that bad, less than a mm, so not really a big deal. The croc will be the first non-Tamiya kit I’ve completed in many years, so I guess I’ve been spoilt by their high standards.

Good Lord Phil!!! It's beautiful!!!:eek: I need to get up to par with you guys!!:)

Wow, that looks amazing, cant wait until its completely finished.

Phil, don't worry about the minor shortcomings of the kit. Try correcting a Reji once :naughty: . I see what you mean bout the rear deck. Minor! for sure. If you didn't mention it, I wouldn't have seen it.

It really looks the piece already, so close to completion.

That's What i'm Talking about!!! The livery is one of the wildest i've seen. :eek:

Completed pictures here! (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=285345)