Chevy lowrider - progress thread

Hi, this is actually my first PLASTIC model that I built and tuned.
I have done other models, so I got some background on it.
I finished building it a few years ago, but only started tuning it this week. It's my first tune up, so please don't be too rough on me. :)

Here are a few pictures of it:
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/56339Chevy-model-WIP-signiture.jpg
http://img51.exs.cx/img51/9192/chevy-WIP2.jpg


In the picture taking process I used 2 sets of rims, just to let you see how cool the originals, and the viper rims that I might use on it.:sunglasse
I'm not planning to keep it the way it is, since some spots are very rough, and I want to smooth them up before coloring.

I know the 2 sides are odd, but thats why it's a wip:naughty:

I have a few questions:
1. What do you guys recommend me to do next? (as in after I finish the bodywork and dry it up)
2. Is it a must to sand up the whole car before painting?
3. What kind of tools can I use to make the putty/clay smoother?
4. What is the difference between clay and putty? And can clay be used for modeling too?

I would really like to receive helpfull comments and answers.

Thank you very much.

Looking great so far....

Let me suggest a hood scope maybe

your off to a great start, hope to see somemore progress soon.

:naughty: :naughty: :grinyes: :biggrin:

~RaceMySS_454

Looking great so far....

Let me suggest a hood scope maybe

your off to a great start, hope to see somemore progress soon.

:naughty: :naughty: :grinyes: :biggrin:

~RaceMySS_454

Thanks so much!

I started working on the scoop you suggested me to do.
Here is the picture of it on a real car, i'll post more progress soon :)
http://www.jdrcustom.com/media/KSR-GHG-107T.jpg

Please post comments people:smile:

Nice job so far!, are you gonna make a bed cover?

Lookin' pretty good.
1. No specific order. Do whatever intrests you, next(interior, suspension, engine.)
2.yes, must sand, and sand again, w/ higher grain sandpaper each time; paint can never be "too" smooth.
3. most two part epoxy's you can smooth w/ your (wet) finger while the epoxy is still soft.
putty on the other hand is a different story, there are so many different kinds. Some putties can be smoothed out and some just clump up. Do not use water to smooth squadron(green)putty, if you have to use it just let it dry, sand and smooth with spot putty. I quit using squdron because I would always have to putty pinholes in the squadron.(why putty, the putty?!?) Tamiya makes great putties & epoxies that are fairly easy to make smooth. Hope this helps.

p.s. what model is that? I've been looking for a c/k chevy dually!

JTRACING (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=204730) - Thank you, I think I will make a bed cover, but it will be universal so I can take it off whenever I want :)

SLAYTANIC_1134 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=237562) - Thanks for your comment and answers! They help :)

I'm not sure what you mean, I bought it about 4/5 years ago (... lol, yes..) before I started tuning it it had 4 wheels in the back, as you say: dual wheels.

I was just wondering which kit that was. Obviously Revell or AMT, but is it a skill #2 or a snap tite. The only c/k (chevy truck model 1988-1998) dually model I have seen is a snap-together one and I don't really want one of those.

O/T: Has anyone ever built a snap-together (skill level 1) that actually turned out decent. They always look like toys to me.

The kit was not snap on as far as I remember, but sadly it looks like a toy to me, so thats why I started tuning it up :)

Theres a small change in plans, the hood scoop is not going to be the 1 I posted since I can't get it to look nice, so I made a nice smooth triangle shaped hood scoop :)

Ok i'm making the sides identical now.
I have a few new questions:
1. Do I need to glue on the parts I made? So they won't fall off after some time.
2. Is there a special kind of paint that will color the plastic and clay? Or will any plastic paint work?
3. Do you recommend me to take the model to a bodyshop and have them color it for me in a proffesional way? For health reasons and quality.

Thank you.

Use Primer on the whole body B4 you paint. that will cover it up nice! Also, search ebay, im pretty sure i've seen a Chevy Truck Hoods. Cowl and Ram Air i believe.

Ok thanks.

Added box in the trunk (wich will have speakers hopfully).
Smoothed the back door.
Hood scoop.
Identical mods on each sides complete.

Pictures:
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/56339WIP-3.jpg

Hope to have more comments.

she's coming along nicely

i like the bed with the rounded speaker box...

keep up the good work and hope to see some more progress soon.

:sunglasse :sunglasse :ylsuper:

Thanks alot bro'!
Sadly, I haven't found out how to make the speakers, so thats going to be on hold.
1 more sad thing is that I will not color this model since i'm allmost 90% sure that the color will not stick onto it, and the clay hasn't even dryed up :(

Yes, it's clay.. Lol, I ran out of putty, so tonight i'm going to buy some :)

nice, just my opinion, but a dually isnt the best truck to build a lowrider out of, looks good though

Thank you, but since I allready finished building it before I started tuning, I couldn't do anything about the fact that its dual :)

Doesn't look like a lowrider to me.

yeah it still looks cool, i dunno but you could go to your LHS and they may have scale speakers, well at least the one by my house does, id check it out though

Purpura Delujo - I agree with you, but it's only like that when I have the big rims on it, they bearly fit in.


blownalcoholboy - Good idea, i'll check out the store this weekend :)

Ran, Hoppin Hydros Sells some Scaled speakers you might want to check out.

http://www.hoppinhydros.com/

Wait you are using clay? Like sculpture clay? I dont know if you will be able to sand that.

primesuspect407 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=163613) - Well, as I said before, I don't have putty, and couldn't find any in my local hobby store :(

I have tried to sand the clay, but I think it will work if I get it to dry, if you have any suggestions, i'd love to hear them :)

Don't you have to heat clay in the oven to harden it? Unless it can dry at room temp. I think you might have problems. You can find an array of putties @ your local auto parts store if you can not find the right stuff @ your hobby shop!

spitfire143 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=259548) - Nice find, i'll have that in mind :)

SLAYTANIC_1134 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=237562) - I think you do need to heat clay, but on the other side heating the plastic too much could cause its melting, and that could cause big trouble :(

So when I will go to an auto store, what should I ask for? They will think im crazy if I ask for putty (as if they don't hear me well and think it starts with an s ;) ).

Thank you.

I did a quick experiment and guess what:
The clay was the 1 to start melting up, so I guess I can't use that option, maybe I should try to cool it off? :)

You can ask for body filler or any putty for body work on 1:1 cars. "Bondo" is a popular brand in the states; they have many different kinds of putty for diff. applications. Just go & look around the bodywork section (they usually have nice automotive paints in that section as well.)

Allright, i'll do it this weekend :)
Going to put the car in the fridge now... lol :)

Results:It did make the clay dry up a bit, so i'll keep trying this sometimes any maybe I won't have to suffer from this damn clay anymore :)

that site is awesome

Ok guys sorry but im gonna have to cancel this project forever. :(

I finally found a hobby store near by that has almost everything i'm looking for, so the model that i'm working on (lotus esprit from about 6 years :p ) will turn out good, i'm tuning it, but this time with real putty, styreen paper, primer and finally, paint :)

I'll start up a thread after I finish it. Thanks for commenting so far on this thread, sorry for the dissapointment.