Flaming Orange Firehawk

I wanted to create a replica of the 1998 Firehawk, as originally designed by SLP. This car had flush headlights under clear covers. This was going to be major surgery and if I didn't love this car so much I'd have never had the patience for this conversion. I had to totally reconstruct the hood, because the shape is entirely difference. The scoops at the nose are different, the V shaped bulge is unique to this hood, and there are two angular air extractor vents as well. I used plastic sheet, super glue, Evercoat filler, and a lot of time and sandpaper. :bloated:

The headlight covers were made by drawing heated butyrate over forms that I had shaped. The projector headlights are from a 300ZX kit. I had to scratch build the ehadlight buckets as well. This conversion was a lot more work than it seems - go look at a standard Ram Air T/A kit and you'll see.

All of the vents on the car have accurate hexagonal photoetched mesh behind them. I got this from a company that makes such mesh for military armor modelers. For the taillights, I created hexagonal decals and applied them to the inside to replicate the detailing of the taillight lenses.

Paint is some unknown orange from MCW, with a gold pearl midcoat using LMG flake. I experimented with about 5 different flake types on a scrap body to get the look I was after - I wanted this car to look like it was on fire. :angryfire

Wheels are from a C5 Corvette, suspension is lowered, and it has turned aluminum exhausts (the stock WS6 from this year only had one large exhaust on one side). One of the hardest thinmgs on this kit is something that is never noticed; the t-top roof panels are actually molded in white, same as the rest of the kit body. I painted them gloss black then covered them with a good amount of clear to add depth, then polished them very carefully for about two hours. Also, the kit glass unfortunately has the black areas molded in satin finish, on the outside! I had to sand all the glass down and polish it out to completely smooth. :banghead:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677TA_34-med.jpg
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677TA_34_high-med.jpg
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677TA_fr-med.jpg
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677TA_side-med.jpg
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677TA_underhood-med.jpg

I've always loved that model, one of your all-time bests. :smokin:

The dark background seems to be sucking the life out of your models though. I'm sure as you take more pics w/the new camera you'll get some good feel for what makes them look the best.

I've always loved that model, one of your all-time bests. :smokin:

The dark background seems to be sucking the life out of your models though. I'm sure as you take more pics w/the new camera you'll get some good feel for what makes them look the best.

Thanks for the compliment! This car may not be my greatest as far as clean execution, but for the concept and attitude and how it all came together, I've come to really favor it also.

I intentionally made the backgrounds dark like that, I wanted more of a "mood" shot to these pics, instead of just brightly lit detail. Just wanted to be stylistic to be different. The camera focus is pretty flat though, it isn't crisp even in Macro. The other problem is my lighting REALLY sucks. There are daylight flourescents way up in the ceiling, which is directly over the model, but there is no side lighting, except for the ambient light from incandescents, which is casting an awkward orange glow to the vertical surfaces.

It's definitely not how I intend to be doing this, and it's all going to change in the near future as I upgrade and build a photo booth, and so on.

looks like the firechicken me and a friend smoked in a turbo rsx today.........:P j/k man (we did but) awsome job love the lights they should built it like that! :)

very nice build! I've never heard of this car before, interesting...
I think the black background actually constrasts and brings out the orange. In the 4th pic it looks like a 1:1 car at a show :sunglasse

any pics of the back ?

looks like the firechicken me and a friend smoked in a turbo rsx today.........:P j/k man (we did but) awsome job love the lights they should built it like that! :)

You need to bring that RSX down here and see what happens to it.... hehe

smoke? well, nothing will smoke another car like my last one, but that's a whoooole different story.... rest in peace...

I wish they could have made the lights that way too. I'm sure it was too arduous and costly to try to get it past regulations. It really gives the car a face and a sinister attitude.

To answer the other question below, I took pics of the back but they came out blurry, I'm not doing too well with my setup at the moment, I'm working on it.

who makes this kit? Awesome Job might I say! ;)

holy crap man.. Im in love with this model

I don't know the original model enough to comment, but I'm sure you did a lot of modifications.
The overall result is very nice BTW. Good job :thumbsup:

Intersting version of a nicely done model. Great color!

Amazing work!! That front end is niiiiice!!:sunglasse

You need to bring that RSX down here and see what happens to it.... hehe

smoke? well, nothing will smoke another car like my last one, but that's a whoooole different story.... rest in peace...

I wish they could have made the lights that way too. I'm sure it was too arduous and costly to try to get it past regulations. It really gives the car a face and a sinister attitude.

To answer the other question below, I took pics of the back but they came out blurry, I'm not doing too well with my setup at the moment, I'm working on it.
hehe it would be up and maybe ill get them to drive up there for nopi and we can meet up :grinyes:

Hey,

Thats a nice conversion. Excellant work. Keep it up.

Frank X.

Good stuff!!

who makes this kit? Awesome Job might I say! ;)

I started with the Revell Ram Air Trans Am kit, but there were a lot of m odifcations. I'll take pics of the kit built nromally so you can compare.

Wow! Those are some clean modifications! Gave me the impression that the kit came like that! Great Model!

looks sweeet, keep up the good work

That is the first time I have seen a prototype model built of the Firehawk. Very well done.
I have to ask, how many people have wanted to buy that from you?
Again, nice build!
Chris

You did an incredible job! That is the perfect subject! But then again, I am a little partial. I actually owned a `99 and your version of the hood looks as though it is very close to the real proportions. I`ve been thinking about attempting building an LS1 `hawk but was always intimidated by the hood. You had to have put soooooo much time into that thing!

whoawow! just love the conversion. dang!:eek::cool:

You did an incredible job! That is the perfect subject! But then again, I am a little partial. I actually owned a `99 and your version of the hood looks as though it is very close to the real proportions. I`ve been thinking about attempting building an LS1 `hawk but was always intimidated by the hood. You had to have put soooooo much time into that thing!


First I want to say WOW guys I am very, very flattered by all the comments. it's especially meaningful because you may not know me yet, but Ive been watching all of your models for months, and there is some KILLER stuff on here. :eek:

Nobody has offered to buy that from me ever, but as I was building it I was thinking about casting it so I could sell resin copies of the hood. But the problem is the headlights, theres so much work and there isn't an easy way to do it. Ill post a pic of the normal hood and then you'll see what I mean. But mine was a replica of the prototype, to do a production Firehawk would be less work, cause you could keep the flip up lights. :boink:

Okay heres some better shots of the hood compared to a standard Ram Air Trans Am kit. sorry for the poor quality pics, my photo area is in the garage and its just too cold to go out there now. :swear:

Also, a side by side shot to show the different ride height and wheel sizes. The normal Trans Am kit sits high, but the real cars kinda do too, so I left it alone.

And there's the turned aluminum exhaust tips I had a friend make from plans I made.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677Fhawk_hoods.jpg
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/217677hds_top.jpg
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677hoods_rv.jpg
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677sides1.jpg
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/217677Exhausts.jpg

THX--Man, you did a huge re-work on that hood! You sir are a master modeler in my book. That hood is a work of art.
You should think of having that hood cast. I'd buy one. Although the 98 Revell kits are getting more expensive to find.
Anyway, that hood blows me away. Nice nice work there!
Chris

I agree!!:sunglasse

That is hot. Great mods!

JeFF