my very first kit after registering

hello fellow artisans.

i've been admiring ur work for months now. so what i did was go out and purchase a kit myself because a store in the downtown area has a deal where if u find two exact same kits, u can buy the one that is lesser condition for half the regular price (without buying the first one :)... they wanna clear their stock cause its jam packed down there)

anyways. i went out and picked up this baby. i have the metal model from Kyosho (great model) but i decided i wanna build it JGTC style.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/uploads/68977/skyline2000gtr.jpg

then i was informed that there is a kit that is already premade in JGTC trim.. so i decided i wanna build it as a tuned street car. anyone have any pics of KPGC-10's that are built all badass and shit. cause i wanna start buying my paints and things to get started.

i know ur all thinking that since its my first model, it will suck.. but im amazing at arts and crafts if i dont say so myself... so i think it will come out nicely if im givin the time i need to build it :)

:wave: Welcome to the modeling forum. Say goodbye to all your cash. :eek:

:wave: Welcome to the modeling forum. Say goodbye to all your cash. :eek:


lol. its ok, i wont work quickly on this model, i dont think my college will accept this as art for my portfolio so i have months to do it.. its just that during the winter i will be bored, so i thot i'd give it a try. i just need to get some styrene and some modelling putty.


what modelling putty and which styrene sheets should i start with to make a side skirt?

and can someone give me like a quick 5 step guide to painting the body (complete from taking the body out of the packaging)

like do i wash it in detergent or something? just a quick guide.

I'd recommend:
What order do I do all the painting and polishing steps? (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=657722#post657722)

And also:
How to prepare and paint a body (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&postid=547069&t=9066#post547069)

How do you make the car's body paint so smooth and life-like? (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=578990#post578990)

What is primer? Do I have to use it? (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=578991#post578991)

And really, you should just print out:
AF Car Modeling FAQ - * Look here first! * ver2.0 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=63623)

HTH! :D

Welcome:wave:

Studio27 make a transkit to convert this model into its racing guise. Its available at http://www.hlj.com/ but you may feel it is beyond your skills at this stage, its not cheap either!

IMO if you are going to give this car the 'tuner' treatment then large wings and outragous body kits are definately not required on this car. Stick with something more suitable, i would probably only go as far to add bolt on wheel fenders and an appropriate set of wheels. Just my 2c

KPGC-10 is already a badass to begin with, but you want fatter tires and wheels, better ground effects, bigger rear wing, etc.

Welcome:wave:

Studio27 make a transkit to convert this model into its racing guise. Its available at http://www.hlj.com/ but you may feel it is beyond your skills at this stage, its not cheap either!

IMO if you are going to give this car the 'tuner' treatment then large wings and outragous body kits are definately not required on this car. Stick with something more suitable, i would probably only go as far to add bolt on wheel fenders and an appropriate set of wheels. Just my 2c

now now, i dont work for uncle ben. i wont be giving it an outrageously large whale tail wing.. im thinking a wangan one would be nice. and i wont be adding neons and stuff. im a frequent poster at the s13 240/silvia forums, so u can imagine my hate towards rice-buckets. but i want to MODERNIZE the look of the car... make it just as nice as the BN sports S13 and stuff like that.

so here is what i have come up with. i think its clean... stylish, and it fits well with them badass headlights. i just really wanna make a kpgc with a s13 body kit on it to see how it would look.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/img/171PGC10front.jpg

i cant stand bumpers that dont hit the ground in a straight drop.. i hate the ones that cut back towards the wheel well.. it just doesnt give the car that rugged look that i like. i like the perimiter of the car to be the moust protruding part on the car except for the rear bumper, which should have a nice return on the rear valance part. trust me, i wont dissapoint rice haters with this car.. but im not sure if it will be easy to make it look how i want. well, i know it wont be easy.. but im not sure i can handle it, which is why im working slow to begin with.

EDIT: oh.. what colors do u think i should paint it.
i was thinking gun metallic with some watts painted gold with a polished lip. or some reverse mesh if i could find em.

EDIT NUMEROS DUECE (edit number 2 :P) :

i was wondering what modelling putty or styrene sheets are the best to start making that kit with.. and what do u think the skill level of that kit would be on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 is hardest).

well, welcome to the forum, looks like you have a very ambitious start for yourself, its great to see this in newcomers, but (i dont mean to sound like a prick ) but maybe you might just wanna start with a few small add ons and progress to body kits and that kinda stuff, I have done 3 kits since i started coming to af and have learned alot, but I take a small step with each different kit, me second kit i did a new exhaust can, and added mesh to holes in the hood, my latest kit, i have removed alot of excess plastic, added new exhaust can, full intercooler, and thats it, and im still just leaning, im a little to "unexperienced" still to try these outrageous body modifications. so what im saying is maybe just take your time, and be ready for these types of big projects.

I dont mean to sound mean, or telling you, you are uncapable of performing these types of tasks, im just sharing with you what i foundhas worked the best, start small and work your way up!. Good luck with your kit, and welcome to AF

just my :2cents: , take care and take your time.

well, welcome to the forum, looks like you have a very ambitious start for yourself, its great to see this in newcomers, but (i dont mean to sound like a prick ) but maybe you might just wanna start with a few small add ons and progress to body kits and that kinda stuff, I have done 3 kits since i started coming to af and have learned alot, but I take a small step with each different kit, me second kit i did a new exhaust can, and added mesh to holes in the hood, my latest kit, i have removed alot of excess plastic, added new exhaust can, full intercooler, and thats it, and im still just leaning, im a little to "unexperienced" still to try these outrageous body modifications. so what im saying is maybe just take your time, and be ready for these types of big projects.

I dont mean to sound mean, or telling you, you are uncapable of performing these types of tasks, im just sharing with you what i foundhas worked the best, start small and work your way up!. Good luck with your kit, and welcome to AF

just my :2cents: , take care and take your time.

thanx, appreciate you sharing your experience. i dont think its mean at all.. specially since u'r from ontario, as am i... we're never mean here. (but start grillin' me and imma bust my duece-duece in ur ass :) )

as for what ill be doing to the model.. im pretty good when it comes to arts and crafts.. the only thing that i KNOW i will have trouble with is the painting. other than that, i can assure all of you that i will add a very nice (and possibly the first) KPGC-S13 to the automotiveforums car modeling section. i am, by no means, assuming that puttying is hard.. its just that i have a keen mind when it involves things of this matter, so i dont think that will be the hardest part for me.. infact, i already started cutting out templates out of hard plastic that i will use to make the styrene sheets when i buy them. they are for all the bumper protrusions and for support... this will speed up my process in cutting and measuring the styrene when it comes :)


thanx for all the support from everyone. i wont let you guys down :)

and u gotta admit, that bumper idea looks damn sexy, am i right?

EDIT:

this is what i wanna achieve doing this car. http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/uploads/68977/side-1.jpg

i think it looks gangsta! :P

anyways.. yeah.. i dunno how long its gonna take me, but what putty/styrene/shaping tools should i use for the front bumper for this kinda project.. as the faq's arent quite project specific.?

PLEASE.. i need this info

sorry guys, just needed to bump this thread.. i lost an ebay auction so now i have a bit of cash to play with and wanna get started asap.

couple'a questions before going out to get my materials.

for painting engine parts and such, is there any preparation? or should i just wash em with soapy water and then let it dry and start paintin? are testor paints good for lets say.... a tamiya engine?? or will the type of paint make the detail bland. and should i prime these small parts as well? im thinking they will lose detail like that.

also, what thickness styrene should i use? are there multi packs available? is testor blue-tube modeling cement good to glue parts together? i used to have the orange tube one, but whats the difference? which is better/worse?

should i design the body kit on my own then piece it onto the model, or should i glue styrene to the body of the car and then model around it?
what is the best model putty available for this kind of work? (if anyone lives in toronto or near maple/woodbridge area, a location to buy it would be sweet)

and i think this is the last question.... what color should i paint the underbody? i was thinking of a run-down type silver and then i'd darken the spots where there is supposed to be some depth with tamiya smoke color or some thinned down black. i dont want it to look like its plastic. i want it to look like real metal. or atleast add some detail to a plastic lookin piece. j00 knowz wut i meen?

thanx alot for the help in advance. although i may be a newbie, i will not dissapoint.. and u will see this model in the skyline thread soon :)

Welcome to AF.Best go and read the FAQ's,they will answer 95% of your questions.The Skyline doesn't look too bad with that bodykit but you might want to reduce its size and soften the edges to better suit the rounded edges of the car.Particularly the front spoiler.

Welcome to AF.Best go and read the FAQ's,they will answer 95% of your questions.The Skyline doesn't look too bad with that bodykit but you might want to reduce its size and soften the edges to better suit the rounded edges of the car.Particularly the front spoiler.

yeah its 5:01 am, and ive been reading the faqs all night. cause i cant sleep.

as for the body kit, i dont think the front will be exactly like that, it was just used as an example, i just want the car to look slammed and have the wheel wells filled nicely. if i do make the front of the car all nice and shit, ill probably end up using the first body kit i posted. but i think the car does have somewhat of a square appearance, not a round one like you mentioned. well.. what im trying to say is that there are more sharp lines in it, so i have to draw them on paper to see which look better..

thanx for the help though.. anyone else got any feedback on the questions?

Welcome man. Thats one sweet kit you have there, so have fun building it.

:wave: Welcome to the modeling forum. Say goodbye to all your cash. :eek:

LOL it's so true ! :lol: :lol: :lol:

LOL it's so true ! :lol: :lol: :lol:

fuck, my LHS seems to be closed. i called and someone inherited their fone line :(

fuck, my LHS seems to be closed. i called and someone inherited their fone line :(

ok got a place to buy the shizznit.

now what color should i do the body in? any suggestions


i was thinking silver, white, or a nice bright red. :) something to bring out the body kit

i was thinking silver, white, or a nice bright red. :) something to bring out the body kitwhite is a pain to polish out, and silver can be problematic to polish if you're new to it, since metallic colors need multiple clear coats.

So, by elimination: RED.

:D

white is a pain to polish out, and silver can be problematic to polish if you're new to it, since metallic colors need multiple clear coats.

So, by elimination: RED.

:D


great :)

and u know whats even greater. ??

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/uploads/68977/Picture_44.jpg

vanity shot! (en' vogue! strikin poses, watch out!)
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/uploads/68977/Picture_43.jpg

Has anyone ever been this excited to start a project?! real answer = yeah.. but who cares. im happy :)

sure... 103 bux out of my account, but this isnt just for one model :) (crossing fingers)

i've painted many other revell models with testor stuff, so i'll be fine.

been researching the forums for a bit now so im ready as ever.. if i dont go out tomorrow, let KPGC03/04 commence!

EDIT: i realized 2 minutes after leaving the store and 3 minutes away from meeting my friend mary jane (:D) i had forgetten the sand paper kit. ah well, i will just clean off the parts with some detergent and see how that turns out and see if i can start painting small parts :)

how far along are you on this kit?