Porsche 356a 1500gs Carrera Speedster

This project has been one waiting to be done in the model line up of my rack for long time. It will be adding a spot to the Late '50's-early '60's Convertible Sport car series I had been building for the last five years. I was started with my Italeri Ferrari 250GT California Spyder. Followed by the Testors Mercedes Benz 300SL Convertible. Something common on them it's that they are convertible cars, they are from the late '50's- early '60's(1958-1962)period, and something special on these cars, all of them are red. I consider the color choice has been the right one on all of them until now, but, the Mercedez could be painted in other color like silver or white. On the Ferrari, as everyone here knows, red it's almost the obliged color. After the current project, I plan to do the Alfa Romeo Giuoletta, you already knows it, an Alfa...deep red, later, a Corvette, obvious, candy apple red.


The Italeri Ferrari 250GT California Spyder
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/FerrarienBirmingham-1.jpg


The Testors Mercedes Benz 300SL Cabriolet
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/gsl05_00183-1.jpg




Looking to this series, I noticed that I didn't have one of my favorite car maker...PORSCHE. I didn't think it twice, it has to be a 356, but, which one? The choice wasn't a difficult one. I guess I picked one of the most replicated car of the world, the 356 carrera Speedster. This Fujimi kit it's a great one, besides, it's one of the few full detailed kits available. I'm thinking make a high detailed version of this one, so, let's see what happens in the following months...or year!...let's start!

After give the bathtub, I mean the body a light sanding, I proceded to airbrush my favorite primer for a first coat, Gunze Sangyo's Mr. Surfacer 1000. This a fine flat light gray primer that can reveal any imperfection an needs no sanding. All the parts that will be painted as the same body color, were painted at this time.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0410.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0404.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0405.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0401.jpg


As you guys can see here, any minor detail hasn't been covered, as can be seen in this closeup picture.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0418.jpg


Only at the rear, I had to putty something and after I airbrshued my another option everything vanished. At this spot I used Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer 500. After this, I airbrushed another light coat of Mr. Surfacer 1000 only to this spot to eal everything. Since it was done in the morning in my garage, I put the model body and parts in the dehydrator to keep everything warm every time I painted a something.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0420.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0422.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0423.jpg

After take sometime working with the bodywork, I proceed to do one of the most enjoyable part of any modemaking...painting. For color,like I told before, it will be red. I will use a beautyfull red I picked up last year at the GSL. This is the House of Kolors Euro Red. Since the Gunze primers are lacquers, I won't have any problem with any lacquer, even with this automotive one. Here you can see how well the lacquer performed.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0429.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0430.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0431.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0428.jpg[/IMG


Ahh, the magic of lacquer!...with a model with so much lines in the detail, I consider, lacquer it's a must. As you guys can see, even with all the coats of primer coats, any detail still can be seen like these pictures of the door egdes and the windshield washer valve.
[img]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0434.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0432.jpg



Even the tiny parts hasn't loose any detailed after all the paint coats.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0440.jpg

These 356s are fantastic and a pleasure to build. Have much fun with the kit. The work you covered up to now looks very promising...and this color combination (i guess red ex and black int) will be great.

Robert

Nice work so far. I agree with you as far as lacquers go, nothing works better!

This is a nice car to build. I had some experience with this and the model is very detailed as well. Unfortunately when I built mine. My skills were not as good as I had come to accomplish with the my new builts. I really look forward to seeing more progress coming.

Growing up my neightbor had a '57 speedster and a '76 Carrera. It has me partial to Porsches to this day and forever more.

With that said, I cant wait to see this one come along!!

The red is an interesting choice, but I will say ift looks very pleasingly good!

Andy

Nice work! Can you post more pictures of the California Spyder and 300SL roadster?

You can see more on them here:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3956&hl=ferrari+250gt

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3898&hl=mercedes+benz+300sl


Thanks for take a look.


Nice work! Can you post more pictures of the California Spyder and 300SL roadster?

Man, if this Porsche end up like the others, it is going to be badass!

Here's something more, not much, but, here's how the body being after the polishing process. Like I told, both the House of Kolors and the Finishers Clear coats performed so well that I though the polishing steps would an easy one, and this was what happened. With a little effort I got a smooth nice and glossy surface. Note that some Bare Metal Foil has been added.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0499.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0502.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0511.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0512.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0513.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0508.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0509.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0505.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0503.jpg


to be continued...

Here are some closeup pictures of the polished body.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0514.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0515.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0516.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0517.jpg

to be continued...

Its coming along great. I also enjoying seeing more pics of the Cal Spyder and 300SL. Thanks!

Really beautiful job so far. Should be silver though!:wink:

Nice job so far! can't wait for more.

I wonder if some of you guys have parts #70 and #71 from tree LETTER D and that for any situation will not use them. These are the tiny rouded chrome bases for the rear stop and turn signals. Also if someone won't use the license plate decals. I will aprecciate it a lot. They were missed in the kit and I need them to finish the body. A copy in resin or other material would be OK.

Let me know.

Porsnatic--I have a 356B kit that I won't need the license plate decals for.
They are probably different but same size. These read "BN/A 356"
And I don't see parts 70 and 71, so I can't help ya out.

If you want the decals let me know, I need a set of stone guard decals for a 911 turbo.

It'll be great, I have a couple of spare stone decals and I can send you one. I will send you a pm with my address

Thank you!

Porsnatic--I have a 356B kit that I won't need the license plate decals for.
They are probably different but same size. These read "BN/A 356"
And I don't see parts 70 and 71, so I can't help ya out.

If you want the decals let me know, I need a set of stone guard decals for a 911 turbo.

After being some time living in LAZYTOWN, I'm finally back to finish this project. There's has been a lot of work on it after my last time post, so, there will be more updates soon.


Last time I ddi all the paint work on just the body, here you guys can see all the parts that I have to paint on this 200+ Fujimi kit parts. These doesn't cover the parts that will make the engine.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0518.jpg


The bumpers has a chorme trim, but over it, it wears a rubber moulding that I though to paint flat or semi-flat black, but, instead, I place a piece of the Pactra tape. I comes in several lenghts and it give th part the correct look.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0545.jpg


Some thing that I would like to correct for some time on my models are those out of scale license plates that in real life will be around a whole inch, could you guys imagine an inch width license plate? Instead use the one that came with the kit, I used a real thinn plastic sheet of evergreen where I placed the decals.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0826.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0823.jpg


A tiny bolt head completed the bumper and license plate assembling.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0830.jpg


Like the bumper guards you guys saw in over the bumpers, some other parts received the Alclad II blessing. Here can be seing the mirrors and the tail lights bases. Thanks a lot to Armando from Dragon Models USA who provided me with the replacement parts. The kit didn't came with those tail light bases and I messed up the license plates and the decals trying to dry'em with a hair drier.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0818-1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0817-1.jpg


I mixed some Badger flat black acrylic paint and a Gunze Sangyo 01 black fine tip marker in order to replicate the trim that goes under the rear signal lights and the side mirrors. Here are the results.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0831.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0832.jpg


A picture of the final work at the rear of the model.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0835.jpg


Some overviews of how everything look so far. Abody that has been buffed, detailed, and waxed!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0833.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0834.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0843.jpg


Side views

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0839.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0855.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0858.jpg



Mid section closeup

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0869.jpg



Front section closeup

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0852.jpg


The front half aready done. The wiper also received some Alcad II treatment.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0866.jpg


No!, this are not some underexposure shoots, if not, it's that I like the look of the gloss of the car in the dark at my modeling room. It can be seen better that in the perfect lighting setting.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0874.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0877.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0879.jpg



The same shots with unaltered room light.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0873.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0876.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0880.jpg


I will add soon the front suspension and interior section. I hope you guys like this pictures. See you then!


Simón

Very nice!
I can only complain about your messy backgrounds, the rest is very clean.

very Niiicccee....

Before start the chassis detailing work, I sprayed a coat of Fabric Faux to replicate the rust protection treatment on the bottom of the car.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0551.jpg


Some flucking has been added to the carpet area. I mixed like 75%-25% Black-light gray combo to replicate the the tiny white hairs that can be seen in the real carpets. The rear seats were added here.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0560.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0559.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0558.jpg


The center console and the seat's rails has been added.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0626-1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0627-1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0630-2.jpg



The brake master cylinder has been a little bit altered and also received some nuts to accept the brake fluid lines.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0611.jpg



The brake drums also received some detail, like brake lines, nuts, and hand painting detailing.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0615.jpg



The baterry was also detailed.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0617.jpg



Here most of the components has been instaled, and this how it's start to look. Yous guys can notice here the perfect in scale gloss of the gloss black paint job in the suspention components. For this I used Gunze Sangyo Lacquer Mr. Color gloss black.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0619.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0622.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0625-1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0629.jpg


This is it for now...

Fantastic detail work.

i built this car once....all those details drove me nuts!!! sooo many parts~haha

Sweet. Just superb detailing and I really like how attention you pay to very single aspect. Interesting how much time you must have invested into just the bumpers.

Robert

Looking terrific- great photography, too! :cool:

I'm so going to have to build a Fujimi 356....

Here's something more, not much, but, here's how the body being after the polishing process. Like I told, both the House of Kolors and the Finishers Clear coats performed so well that I though the polishing steps would an easy one, and this was what happened. With a little effort I got a smooth nice and glossy surface. Note that some Bare Metal Foil has been added.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_0508.jpg
to be continued...

Great BMF work there! I remember building the 356B roadster (EM Series) a few years back and was fiddling with the BMF on those areas. Somehow after the polish, the BMF just does adhere to body well. I have to repeated the work quite a few times. Did you encounter this problem?

Well yes, because thery are to small, but, after a few passes with a Q-tip and a cloth it adheres well.

Looks great so far !

Those German license plates have a black surrounding, maybe you can make it

Wow thats some great work.The paitn looks perfect. Could you tell me what you use to stcik the small parts to the popsicle sticks???? Thanks

Awesome work there.

Thanks to you all for your kind comments on my model. To stick the parts on the popsicle sticks I used regular 3M two side mounting tape. For those taking their time following the build of this model, I have to tell you guys that I have it more advanced than in this pictures but I haven't had the time to take the pictures and show it. I will try to do so in the weekend.

Thanks again!




Wow thats some great work.The paitn looks perfect. Could you tell me what you use to stcik the small parts to the popsicle sticks???? Thanks

This is a quick update of what I’ve done so far. As you guys will see, the engine of this model has taken so much time to add some important details that doesn’t come with it. I had used more the time to build, instead of build and take pictures. Most of these pictures are about the complete build of the engine. To me it has been more a date with automotive history than the time that I had spent building this plastic model. I say this because, see all those components and look through pictures in books and the internet, had made me think about the greatness of the German engineers at Porsche through more than 50 year already.
Here we go….
In this first picture we can see bits of brass tubing that I trimmed to size in order to be used as the venturi tubes inside the carburetor stacks.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1112.jpg
An overview of the whole carburetors assembly.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1116.jpg
The distributors were detailed with some photo etch bolt heads from Model Car Garage. The spark plugs were made of 1mm plastic rod from plastruct and painted silver.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1084.jpg
The enclosure were the alternator lives was detailed with the same photo etch bolt heads. A piano wire was added in order to substitute the plastic part of the kit were that represent the rod that holds the springs of the linkage in the carburetors. Plastic from Plastruct was also used to make the throttle linkage knobs.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1090.jpg
A close-up of the carburetor with a spring from Detail Masters connected to the linkage. I gave the carburetors a light gold paint wash to show the light gold tint these parts shows.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1085.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1092.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1093.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1118.jpg
A general view of the front of the engine with all the mentioned components already in place.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1082.jpg

Although it won’t be seen when completed the engine is assembled and installed in the model, this model even includes a flywheel. This is one of the few models that include this part. The pistons also are included but, like the flywheel, it won’t be seen when is mounted on the model.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1078.jpg
To give a little more of depth and detail to magnificent lines of the engine, I gave it a black wash using The Detailer Black wash all over. Here we can see both a close-up and the bottom of the engine showing the depth of the parts lines.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1098.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1122.jpg
At this stage the muffler was installed. I though to give it a metallic look, but, looking to pictures, I saw that that the real part has a flat light gray paint all over that looks more to a primer coat. Actually, this gray color that can be seen here, it’s the thin Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer 1000 primer. I think of it, not just only for the primer job this product will do, if not, because of how thin it is and for the perfect light gray color it will show. I also made the muffler exhaust tips from aluminum tubing.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1127.jpg
Here we can see a general view of how it looks everything together. One can think these are a lot of parts in order to get this engine completed right, but, at the end one will end with a historic and accurate beautiful engine.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1130.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1131.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1132.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1135.jpg

I hope you guys like this

Looks awesome!

Here again, just for a brief update on the build of this Porsche model car. It's not much, but, is a very important stage on the completion of the engine.
Like the engine block, it also has been weathered with the black The Detailer product and some Bare Metal Foil that has been added at the CV boots for a little more of realism.


Here are the pictures...



Here are some overall pictures of the transaxle...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1146.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1147.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1148.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/SSC_1151.jpg



Let's go closer...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1152.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1145.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1153.jpg



Enjoy'em

Wow, that is a great looking engine !

Here's just a quick look to see how engine and transaxle looks already in place in the chassis.


It fits pretty well, quasi Tamiya way. Now, it just need a few wires and nuts in order to detail up the brake lines.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1203.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1205.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1201.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1207.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1199.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1208.jpg



Also, it can be noticed the computer generated classic Koni shocks decal on the shocks, this couldn't be missed.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1221.jpg

The remarkable Porsche 356 Fujimi engine, one of the best ever produced in plastic, allows plenty of room to make some improvements. The only sad notice is that most of this extra parts added won't be noticed when the model is completed. Let's see what happened....


I started adding the 3 wires for the alternator into one bigger engine wrap.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1169.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1250.jpg


Here it can be seen the voltage regulator with it's computer generated decal, and the Mr. Model coil, also with a Bosh comp. genr. decal. Both coil and regulator were detailed with photoetch bolts from Model Car Garage.


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/CSC_1244.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1217.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1210.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1213.jpg


It's almost a joke to me that, after so much hours just on this area, everything looks so easy.


Thanks for watching!

The engine detail is astonishing! Great job!

Again, back on track! It's not much, but, I have something. I had to scratchbuilt the rear brake lines system in order to get it correctly.



In this two first closeup pictures we can see some of the components used, like R&B Motion nuts, Plastruct plastic rods, Pro-Tech braided line, wire, and Bare Metal.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1295.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1296.jpg


Here, some overall views of the completed system. This gave me some hard time putting this brake system together,but, at the end I like how it looks.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1301.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1299.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1289.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1303.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1307.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1286.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Porsnatic/DSC_1287.jpg


That's all folks for now!....I hope to get this completed in the next two days.

Outstanding work on the brake plumbing :worshippy

It's amazing how some of the close ups are a bit scary, but the overall effect is awesome. Great imagination and work!!

Wonderful job on that brake system! :thumbsup: