Post by kirkifer on Sept 24, 2013 13:43:03 GMT -5
Okay detailers,
What does one do with some old wide body shells? The answer is throw them away, give them away, or kitbash them into something unique. Since I had some old metal frame SD trucks, a frame that I did not need anymore and a detailers attitude, I had no other choice but to make something unique.
Welcome to my SD9M project.
I was disappointed to realize the Walthers shell was built with a hood just as wide as the old Athearn model. Separately, neither one is particularly attractive. Together, they begin to look a little more palatable. It is even easier to overlook the non-scale width hood.
The white styrene are fillers for the foot wide holes Walthers used to mount air horns. I will trim and smooth those later.
The trucks seem to be cast in that shiny metal. The detail is not great, but once I take them apart and shoot them with grimy black, I think they will look a little better.
The fuel tank is smooth and ready for some simple details and paint.
The long hood was in purple power for over 24 hours. Usually, that incredibly basic substance takes just about anything off. The Santa Fe paint was particularly stubborn. I think it will repaint smoothly and with very little bleed. Since the cast on details are not that great, I am not concerned about a little extra paint hiding details.
Looking at proto photos, The cab sits up high. The top of the doors are roughly flush with the roof of the long hood, so it is a little off, but it was the best I could do without losing too much cast on detail. I can always cut the doorways a little higher and maybe that is what I need to do?
The wide hood makes the doors very narrow. I am not too sure how to make believable doors. Does anyone have suggestions?
The black styrene on the sill was my big fat finger touching it where plastic solvent had leaked from the joint between the cab and the sill. It ws not that bad, but I figured I could put a new door back in place and it would look better. Anyone know who makes the little doors that are located on the sill?
Well, that is it for now. This project might turn out better than I expected. Any suggestions for making this project super awesome are certainly appreciated.