In Progress - Ford salt flats racer

Here's something a bit out of my normal style of build. A 32 ford coupe.

My plan is to weather the car like it had just completed a couple speed runs on the Bonneville salt flats. It'll be a fenderless car, so it should throw up lots of salt. I'm not quite sure how to replicate the salt in scale yet though.

The color will be red oxide primer as shown. It's not necessarily a rat-rod build, but more of a race car in progress.

Here's a couple pics:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/6168032_Ford_02.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/6168032_Ford_03.JPG

This is an interesting build, i am keeping an eye on this one ;) But maybe it needs some wider wheels :dunno: maybe cause it needs alot of grip.

Actually, salt flats cars have skinny tires because wide tires create more drag.

On the salt flats, it's all about top speed. Land Speed Record, baby. :biggrin:

I love the sprint car fuel injection on the Deuce 5.0. Looks great.

Now thats my kinda car!! awesome build so far!!!, the wheels are perfect, they use really skinny wheels on salt flats cars,

what are you going to use to simulate the salt build up?
dont forget to put a "moon eyes" decal on there somewhere

Actually, salt flats cars have skinny tires because wide tires create more drag.

On the salt flats, it's all about top speed. Land Speed Record, baby. :biggrin:

I love the sprint car fuel injection on the Deuce 5.0. Looks great.

:banghead: stupid me, ofcourse you need skinny tires :rolleyes:

Actually, salt flats cars have skinny tires because wide tires create more drag.

On the salt flats, it's all about top speed. Land Speed Record, baby. :biggrin:

I love the sprint car fuel injection on the Deuce 5.0. Looks great.
Yep, like those Land Speed Rocket Cars that have china plates for wheels (with a rubber band around them for a tire). :lol:

http://img72.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Macdaddy4738/100_1442.jpg

like that moon eye decal?

The inspiration for this car came from a magazine article in "Ol' Skool Rods". It's a fairly new publication that only has maybe 5 issues out now.

The wheels and tires on this car are about the size they showed on the cars featured in the article. The fronts could be a little less wide, but they came with the kit, and aren't that far off.

what are you going to use to simulate the salt build up?

I've been thinking about that for some time now. I'm going to try some different experiments to see which looks best. I'm gonna try baking soda, or crushed rock salt in a watered down white glue. Whichever looks better. Either flicked on with a tootbrush, or maybe spinning a wheel and tire in a dremel to splatter it on. If that doesn't work, maybe snow like the armor modelers use?

I'm open for suggestions..

It'll definately have a Moon-eyes decal somewhere, among other sponser decals

that looks awesome! i want to se more of that;)

Well, well, I will be following this build closely! It is great to journey out and about of your normal builds!! I have faith in you Cadguy to nail this one on the head! If you need any thing, just ask!!!!!!!!!!

This is great. I've wanted to build a salt flats racer for the longest time - but I want to make it out of a belly tank. Unfortunately it's really hard to find an aiprlane belly tank in 1:24, and its too pretty to try to scratchbuild.

I don't know that you will have to really make a texture for the salt. From all the photos I've seen, and the salt coming off snowy roads, it's more like a film of white. You might be able to get away with just spraying a mist coat of flat white from a distance, so some of it dries before landing on the model and makes a very slight texture and poor coverage.

And tell me more about this snow that armour modellers use. I was planning to use some model RR tricks for my diorama - armour snow will be closer to scale though.

That is looking great so far.

Thanks for the interest so far guys..

Ol' Dude - I figured if you could bust out a shiny new 350Z, I could give you're style a try! :naughty: I'm prolly :screwy: though. I'm just burned out on rear engined exotics right now.

Willimo - That's a cool idea with the belly tank. Any IPMS show would be a great spot to get your tank at. The airplane guys make a resin piece for anything you've thought of. I wish there were suppliers in resin for cars like there is for armor and aircraft.
About the snow:
I've only seen snow on armor dioramas at IPMS shows. I'm not sure how they do it, but it could possibly pass for salt. I'm guessing model railroad guys use the same technique. I may have to go lurking on a armor or RR forum to get some ideas.

I'll try to scan a pic of the look I want to replicate out of the magazine.

I have two old issues of Model Railroader that go in depth about adding snow to a layout, locomotives and rolling stock. I found it really informative, it has all sorts of tricks for all varieties of snow... the fresh powdery kind, the hard old ice packs. It even has tricks for icicles and such. These were all things I planned to use for my Subaru diorama (boy is that thing slow to start... just can't bring myself to do snow when it's 95 degrees out!) If you want, I can transcribe all these model RR tricks and PM them to ya, but it'd have to wait a week as I'm outta town at the moment.

And where did you get those awesome headers and dump pipes? Those are perfect!

And where did you get those awesome headers and dump pipes? Those are perfect!

The headers, fuel injectors, intake manifold, and the 4 air filters came out of the Revell Steve Kinser sprint car. :)

Don't transcribe the tips just yet. Hopefully one of the methods I'll try this weekend will work well. Thanks for the offer.

The moon-disk covers for the wheels came out of the Rambler wagon kit I built a couple months ago.
Since I'll be leaving the engine exposed probably. I'll be adding some plug wires and minor engine details. Nothing too fancy.

I scanned the pic that was the inspiration for the build. I thought it was cool how the front tires threw the salt down the sides and across the windshield.

Duplicating the salt caked on to the various surfaces will be the challenge.

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v310/caddguy025/1932%20Ford/salt_racerb.jpg

That's a lot of salt!

The inspiration for this car came from a magazine article in "Ol' Skool Rods". It's a fairly new publication that only has maybe 5 issues out now.

The wheels and tires on this car are about the size they showed on the cars featured in the article. The fronts could be a little less wide, but they came with the kit, and aren't that far off.



I've been thinking about that for some time now. I'm going to try some different experiments to see which looks best. I'm gonna try baking soda, or crushed rock salt in a watered down white glue. Whichever looks better. Either flicked on with a tootbrush, or maybe spinning a wheel and tire in a dremel to splatter it on. If that doesn't work, maybe snow like the armor modelers use?

I'm open for suggestions..

It'll definately have a Moon-eyes decal somewhere, among other sponser decals


go take some table salt and crush it so its almost liek a powder, then take some in your hand and rub it on the parts that you want covered, then tabel some salt you didnt crush and then take your tires and rub the salt on the face of them, this wiil make the tire appear worn and old , itll take the glossyness off, then roll your tires in the crushed salt taht is very fine so it gets in the tire treds. it works trust me when you crush it it scales it down alot to and authentic 1/25 scale and keep crushin the salt untill you find the grain you want.

i read it too late i didnt get to the other pages, lol i just looked at the fiorst page sorry.

i read it too late i didnt get to the other pages, lol i just looked at the fiorst page sorry.

reading the first page FIRST usually helps you understand what the thread is about.. :grinno:

anyways i LOVE the color! I was thinking maybe take some saw dust and put on your car with white glue...then airbrush it white. It will give the texture of salt (at least i think :eek7: )

Bicarbonate soda works well for salt too.Great build.

Bicarbonate soda works well for salt too.Great build.

You're very right. :)

I tried a couple different methods of applying different "salts" last night.
Margarita salt was way too big, regular table salt was not right, crushed sea salt wasn't too bad. Garlic salt was a close match but stinky.. :)

But.. baking soda flicked on with a toothbrush looked exactly like the car in the pic. :)

I just need to figure out now how to get it to stay on the car permanently.

That's the next round of experiments.
Hopefully lightly airbrushing the car with a acrylic dullcoat then applying the "salt" will work..

good luck with the salting !

Keep us updated on the outcome !

Olivier

Very interesting subject.
You only get one chance to apply the "salt" after the acrylic dullcoat. :eek:

Use an airbrush? Try using X21-(Flat Base).

Thin this with acrylic thinner and mist this on the places you want undercoated in white.

Once you've got the base coat down, use baking soda for the really layered stuff.

To attach it to the model, brush on Elmer's white glue (as it dries clear) or Krystal clear and then add the baking soda.

hth,

Bill

Thanks for the tips guys. Hopefully I will have time this weekend to perfect the application of "salt". I'll try some different techniques on an old car body.

I completed assemebly of the engine tonight. I added some plug wires and gave it various washes to add some grime to the overall look.

Some XS Tuning brake disks were also modified and fitted on the front wheels.

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v310/caddguy025/1932%20Ford/32_Ford_04.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v310/caddguy025/1932%20Ford/32_Ford_05.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v310/caddguy025/1932%20Ford/32_Ford_07.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v310/caddguy025/1932%20Ford/32_Ford_06.jpg

Hey Cadguy, that '32 is looking good man, the engine looks awesome!! Can not wait to see it finished!!

That engine looks fantastic CADguy and it looks really good in this car.

Eric

Man this thing is gonna be fine.

Excellent so far!!!:eek:

I've got this one almost completed.
Th car is built, I just need to figure out the weathering technique and apply the salt.
I've applied some to the tires, and I'm happy with the result.

I added some salty footprints to the interior. It's not visible now that it's assembled, so I'm glad I took the pics.

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v310/caddguy025/1932%20Ford/32_Ford_10.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v310/caddguy025/1932%20Ford/32_Ford_09.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v310/caddguy025/1932%20Ford/32_Ford_08.jpg

The "salt" on the floormat, seat and tires look very realistic. :thumbsup:

Awesome!! I like that salt "effect"

someone over at bmc did a very convincing salf effect on his saltflat racer. im trying to find it, but the bmc search engine seems reluctant...

ok, here we go:

http://www.briansmodelcars.com/mb/thread.asp?TypeOfAction=thread&ForumID=13&GroupName=&ThreadToView=138179&ThreadToEdit=0&TypeOfEdit=&ReturnPage=%2Fmb%2Findex%2Easp&CurPage_Threads=1&CurPage_Msgs=1&MB_ThreadsPerPage=20&MB_MsgsPerPage=20&MB_OldestMsg=60

and the progress thread
http://www.briansmodelcars.com/mb/thread.asp?TypeOfAction=thread&ForumID=12&GroupName=&ThreadToView=116185&ThreadToEdit=0&TypeOfEdit=&ReturnPage=%2Fmb%2Findex%2Easp&CurPage_Threads=1&CurPage_Msgs=1&MB_ThreadsPerPage=20&MB_MsgsPerPage=20&MB_OldestMsg=60

Hey man that is looking good man, what did you end up using for the salt effect? Can't wait to see it done!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the links Simon. They'll come in handy.

OOPS I forgot to mention what I used for 'salt'.

The salt on the tires is a mixture of baking soda, water, and Kristal Kleer. I applied it with an old toothbrush. As the mixture got tacky on the tires I went over it with the toothbrush again to give it some texture.

Looks superb. The salt weathering is very cool. I can see you shaved off the door hinges as well. Cant wait to see it done!

Matt thats looking good! Not my kind of hot rod, but hell its a damn fine looking hot rod!

It's making me all itchy.... what's that grit in my teeth??