VW Beetle Convertible

Here's a pic of the latest project Ive started, it's a real cool VW convertible. I'll be taking my time with this one and trying to do a real schmickojob on it and learn some new techniques along the way.

Kool kit Rob................

Should look alright if done right.

I'm suprised you won't be turning this into a VW Van.

So where's the Chevy V8 going to fit in - front or rear?

Hey Rob I built this some time ago and it's a really nice kit. Not many VW Bug convertible kits around so you've something special there.

Lower maybe, with alloy wheels and a two-tone paint job? Porsche engine? The mind boggles...

will be watching could do a herbie rag top

Hitlers revenge, had a mate who had one....it caught fire on the great western highway in Sydney. Look forward to seeing this one finished

Keep up the good work mate

Thanks for the encouragement guys, when I got her she had been started by my neighbour Belinda, Belinda had layed a real nice coat of Humbrol 51 pink on and got a good finish.
All the strokes were in the same direction and the colour was sharp as!



Than I got straight onto the interior, flocked up some carpet and carefully knocked out some sweet as tartan inserts for the seats! And she was looking real cool!

I thought I'd try my hand at some flames, so I masked up the sides with some duct tape and gave the front a hit with some Tamiya clear orange, neat as. Than I faded some Holts Yellow over the top but the can spattered the front. So I smoothed it out bit with my finger and painted over it and you'd never even pick it.
The paint crazed a bit, but whenit fell off the deck into the grass it flattened the crazing a bit.

It was starting to turn into an epic build and I was sure if I'd ever get it finished with so much more detailing and modifying still to do.
I added a resin injector hat and blower, but than found the boot lid wouldn't fit! So it stayed in the box with a heap of other stuff that came in the kit I didnt think looked right on the hot rodded attack dub.
I added a couple of subs and left the back seat in the box, I knew those stocker dub rims wouldnt handle the up graded hot rodded horsepower this puppy was now making so I found some cool as retro gold rims and slicks in the parts box and slapped them on her for high revvin power launchs.
When modifying such an animal it easy to over look safety, and because I left half the front end in the box and thought handling maybe compremized a touch I added some late model rims and tyres off a Supra to make her hook into the corners and give it an edge in them drifting comps.
A little engineering goes along way!
I added the bumpers and as a neat hot rod/custom touch used the VW hubcaps as headlight covers.
After a couple of super smokey powerskids I realised she'd never run in the 8's without some serious down force so into the parts box we dove and found a sweet as small scale F1 wing that already had decals on it!! Sometimes you just get real lucky! Like finding a tube of Humbrol glue that would be at least 15 years old in the box to use on this build!
I carefully positioned it to enable maximum traction without compremising fuel economy on those summer cruises.
Than I clear coated the whole thing to bring out the shine and show case all the hard work and details I put into her, it made my flames blend in a bit better and fogged up my windscreen. I tried wiping it with my finger but it wouldn't clear up and even when it started to sprinkle rain it still wouldnt clear up.
I was going to wire up the donk and add some harnesses but sometimes too much detail detracts from the builds sheer awesomeness.
Now this epic builds done I'll post her up in the show room for everyone to be mezmorized by and to appreciate the finer points of the build.
Cheers Rob

Looking sweet, can't wait to see it done! i

Yep! Thats how ya do it!!! Nice one Rob.

I love your painting tips. Maybe one of the model mags would appreciate them...a bit of reality. Especially the drop in the grass technique and the 'finger smooth' touch. Good stuff. Can't wait to see the finished machine...or do I at the top of this page???

Where did you get your flock from Rob?

FLOCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks a bit like that special and extremely hard to get "TUMUT RIVER BED" flocking

Interesting question about the flock......it's actually hard to get fine dirt from my front yard.
Come up sweet didnt it. It's the attention to detail that makes a built like this stand out from the crowd.

Thanks Rob. I thought it looked like fishtank gravel but I was so wrong. Damn. Have you tried sawdust?

Sawdust???? mmmmmmmmmmmmm dont think it would've had the desired result I was chasing and I didnt have any at home. I did think about carpeting it with some shag pile or some tartan but thought the FYD (front yard dirt) has the exact degree of awesomeness I was chasing.
It's tough being a perfectionist I know, but I know you guys appreciatte the hard yards I put in to present you with such visual treasures of splendor so I strive to create perfection with every build.
Enjoy the candy for your eyes Fred.

We actually have very fine dust from the core cutter at work which would substitute nicely for flocking. I might grab some and experiment with it. Might make a sweet as vinyl roof cover on my next breathe taking work of awesomeness if I run out of tartan.

Hope you're not letting toooooo much of that "Fine Dust" get airborne around your workbench !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just wondering where you're getting all your cutting edge inspiration from.

kevjoh wrote:Just wondering where you're getting all your cutting edge inspiration from.

Gees Kev, I just had a dream, more of a vision.......that I was the one chosen to lift the build quality to a whole new plateau, to inspire model builders worldwide to try and achieve loftier goals, to push the boundaries and limits to whole new heights of giddyness, I had this vision after we started useing a new chemical at work, it smell's real pretty and easily eats everything it comes into contact with.......I call it Dreamweaver magic juice! The label says hot chemical cleaner but I know it's a whole lot more than that.
I hope to share some more cutting edge tips with you at Tumut in April, stay safe and be inspired by the model guru that is me.
Cheers Rob

Rob !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It really is ------------ a "PLEASURE" to know that -----'we're both--------- "OUT THERE" ------------- living on the "EDGE"

OUT THERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH YOUR OUT THERE MATEY !

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If ya' think you're up too it and got what it takes --------------- you're "QUITE WELCOME"
to give it a go --------------- and join those of us who are------------ "OUT THERE" -------- on the EDGE

UMMMMMMMMM If you two are out there i just might stay in here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!