Tamiya R34 Skyline - Almost given up with it..

Grrr.. I got a whole new Skyline R34 kit for the build I’m currently doing, as I managed to ruin the previous body and now the replacement kit has a fault with the rear bumper. I’ve glued the bumper to the body using plastic cement, but the plastic holder on the car body to hold the bumper has melted through the plastic (the bumper where you join the two was PAPER thin already) and left a massive hole in the body where the join is.

It’s done this on both sides – I knew it was thin, as I could almost see how thin it was, but this is ridiculous. I’ve filled the hole (well holes) with putty (all I could get was Revell) and one side is now fine, minus the panel line, but the other side just keeps going through.. The putty pushes into the body and just leaves a massive indent.

I’ve now stuck a piece of plastic behind the bumper join to strengthen, putty and leaving to dry. But the panel line is gone, on both sides. Very $^*%$ off..!!

This kit is starting to get my back up..!! First the resin kit was too hard for me to clean up, as I didn’t know what I was doing resulting in a ruined body, and now the replacement body the bumper join areas are thin and weak, resulting in putty work and now I’ve lost the panel lines.

I’m starting to think the R34 skyline is my Eleanor of car kits.

Maybe push it to one side and start on something else then come back to it later.Sometimes, a break and then a fresh head & eyes does wonders!

Gutted for you Mick! I know how hard you've tried to get this kit going!
I think Sticky fingers had the right idea - push it to one side and start a new project!

I had to scribe the entire panel lines on a Tornado F3 fighter jet kit once before, and that thing had more than 100 lines.

The solvent putty will keep eating the plastic if applied too much.

Remove the putty as much as possible, let the remaining putty dry, then fill the holes with pieces of plastic, and fill the gaps with super glue. Then, sand the surface with sand papers, starting from 400 grit, working the way up to 1200.

Then, apply primer with a brush, and sand and smooth the surface with 1500 or 2000 grit sand paper.

Cut out a piece of plastic, and tape it as a template, and scribe the panel lines using the back side of exacto type sharp hobby knife, and you're all set.

I feel you man. I got EVERYTHING completed, and was ready for the second stage of my two tone paint, and when I peeled the masking tape off, the paint on the body peeled with it. I stripped the body in break fluid, and when I was brushing the rest of the paint off, I broke the front AND rear bumpers off. Trying to glue them back on, the little tabs broke........

So I tried the paint again, but the finish was terrible..... and now it's still sitting in the brake fluid from that.

Yep. I think I can fix the holes, but the panel lines are a problem. I won't be able to make a new one very easy. Not with my shaking hands, as I suffer with a little kinetic tremor in my hands when grabbing brushes and pencils etc.. I'm OK, but I shake an awful lot, it's the reason I use Tamiya Tape and Microscale Clear glue a lot.

That's why when I got Tamiya CA glue with the one drop application I was really happy..

Done a search on how to re-do the panel line when it's not there no longer, I'll give it a go. But I'll leave it for a few weeks I think.

I had to scribe the entire panel lines on a Tornado F3 fighter jet kit once before, and that thing had more than 100 lines.

The solvent putty will keep eating the plastic if applied too much.

Remove the putty as much as possible, let the remaining putty dry, then fill the holes with pieces of plastic, and fill the gaps with super glue. Then, sand the surface with sand papers, starting from 400 grit, working the way up to 1200.

Then, apply primer with a brush, and sand and smooth the surface with 1500 or 2000 grit sand paper.

Cut out a piece of plastic, and tape it as a template, and scribe the panel lines using the back side of exacto type sharp hobby knife, and you're all set.

Thanks - I'll wait for few weeks to get my anger out the way and give this a go..!! I've put some plastic at the back already to help support the putty. I'll leave it to dry and in two weeks I'll go again at it.

The template if I get right should help me get a straight panel line..