Completed: Bright red '04 GTO w/Gallardo rims

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Here's my take on the Polar Lights '04 GTO. Basically a decent kit (the paint job is to die for-no buffing necessary at all, and the black trim is very nicely done), but it's cursed w/some really cheesy details that need attention. The instructions are ridiculous-small and unreadable and some parts are in the wrong sequence. The decals for use if you repaint are useless because they're not printed w/any silver (emblems) . But the worst atrocity is how they rendered the headlights and foglights. No bucket detail, just a flat surface behind the lense w/two holes and two pins in the lense and an orange dot to pass for a turn signal. Whoopie.

That crap just won't cut it. So here's how I dealt with it.


Here's the before shot. Doesn't look like any GTO I've seen. I need to make headlight buckets, fill the ginormous license plate holes, and paint over the hideous silver cross-hatch paint on the grille.


Here's the taillights-big white dots faking their way to being turn signals and backup lights. They simply need some Tamiya smoke to make 'em look a bit more realistic.


Here's a closeup of the lenses. The one on the left has had it's pins removed and the lense is outlined w/black. The one on the right is untouched.


Here's where I've Dremeled out the foglamp holes, painted the tunnel black, I've Dremeled the headlight buckets and detailed them w/Bare Metal Foil and flat black paint, and I've masked/resprayed the grille black. The headlights look a bit rough here, but the picture is much larger than life.


The finished car. Looks pretty decent, I like the Gallardo rims on it. The headlights look pretty good now, and the license plate holes are a lot less obnoxious. I didn't want to repaint the car or the bumper. I two-toned the interior red and black, and did minimal detail on the engine and chassis. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do w/the '05 kit, and the drift versions. Fun to build a model where I didn't have to spend a few hours on the paint and trim...I made up for it w/a couple hours dealing w/the front end appearance...it was worth it IMHO. I wish the hood fit a bit better, but it's okay. Here's the rest:

[SidewayzS15]

wow very nicejobmodifying those very bland headlights. Also rims look good on that. Nice build

[Bas Carwash]

Nice mods. Really worth the effort. The car looks great. Nice job.

[blubaja]

Hey,

I like how you fixed the front fascia. I'm not too keen on the Gallardo rims in general, but they seem to fit in here. Keep up the awsome work.

Frank X.

[stump]

***NICE***
Hey Bob, sweet work on the headlights Mate, a HUGE improvement on the kit, by the looks of things...
Great to see a couple of these getting done, I just need an Aussie conversion........May have to try it myself, if none of the resin casters jump in here....
Great work Bob !!

cheers stump

[willimo]

Wow! Such simple work and it looks 1000% better! I was expecting some crazy Subway-style scratchbuilding, but man, that straight up simple solution is magnificently effective! I might have to go get one of these yest. And I love the Gallardo rims on there. Perfect.

[Big Kahuna]

Hey,
That looks fantastic?

Where can you get these kits from?
I am in Australia.

We sell the GTO to you guys. Over here it's the Monaro and I wouldn't mind making one or two myself.

Cheers
Nenad

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Thanks for the comments!

For guys down under, I don't know if you can get Polar Lights kits w/o ordering them from the US.

Two places I recommend. I got mine from Jack at the Model Roundup (he's mail order but he's a friend that lives nearby). Great guy, great service.

Model Roundup Website

Hobby Heaven is also good.
Hobby Heaven Website

Here are some more pics. I shot the wheels so y'all would be able to see what they look like. The rim diameter calipers out to about 18.5" in 1/25 scale, which is correct for a 17" stock wheel (the diameter must also include the wheel lip that holds the tire in place-the visible diameter is larger than the inner tire opening diameter which is 17"). As you can see the custom rims are hucking fideous . Great for a 20 year old minivan .



Here's a comparo w/the car that started GM on the teardrop styling binge during the 90's. The other car is the Opel Calibra, a Gama diecast promo that I got-the only stock Calibra ever made in 1/24 scale. As you can see, this is the car that set the styling for GM coupes for over a decade now. The Calibra is/was very cool, very sleek-in 1990 it was drop-dead sexay . For those who think today's GTO is a bit "old", well...it's styling goes back to the 1990 Calibra. It also "inspired" the Chevy Cavalier coupe. So when someone says the GTO looks a lot like a Cavalier, this is the DNA that proves their point . It might look like a big Cavalier, but it'll bury it in a heartbeat.

[Veyron]

Mundane car + mundane car = mundane car.

[Big Kahuna]

It may be mundane to non-Aussies, but to many of us, it's a beauty. now we can make a 1/24ths cale Monaro.

F*ck Biante!...

[ImolaEK]

Nice modifications Came out Great

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by Big Kahuna

It may be mundane to non-Aussies, but to many of us, it's a beauty. now we can make a 1/24ths cale Monaro.

F*ck Biante!...

Veyron thinks because it looks mundane, that it is mundane. Obviously he's delirious , because one look at the drivetrain, one rip through the 6 speed gearbox at full throttle will convince anyone with a pulse that this car is anything but mundane . We call cars like this "sleepers".

Plus I'll bet he hasn't seen or paid attention to the new HSV GTO and such (there's one w/flares and AWD that looks killer), they're less mundane looking than the Pontiac.

If he hates the GTO, just ask him about the new Mustang .

[Veyron]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

Veyron thinks because it looks mundane, that it is mundane. Obviously he's delirious , because one look at the drivetrain, one rip through the 6 speed gearbox at full throttle will convince anyone with a pulse that this car is anything but mundane . We call cars like this "sleepers".

Plus I'll bet he hasn't seen or paid attention to the new HSV GTO and such (there's one w/flares and AWD that looks killer), they're less mundane looking than the Pontiac.

If he hates the GTO, just ask him about the new Mustang .

I would take a new Stang over the new GTO any day.

[eph2]

I like the new Rims!! And, please, post more pics of that Calibra!!

[Feint Motion]

Very Nice.