Scratch Building TE Gemini 1/24 th scale

And a reasonable night's work started o the floor pan. Once completed, I cover it with the foil that comes from Milo tins. So I'm encouraging my kids to drink the stuff as fast as I can. Apologies for the upside down image

So this is the process I am going through for the chassis floor pan. I build up the various dents and floorpan  structures in styrene, then cover in heavy foil (from beofr mentioned Milo tins. Then once covered I can smooth out with primer a little, and then it will be onto the rough surfacing

I just love this kind of workmanship! AMAZING !!!!

Update. Firstly Thanks to Darryl, the positive feedback is really nice, so thanks. I've done some more on the chassis. It has been a really steep learning curve, and I broke one of the engine rails ( I have no idea if that is what they are called  ), but you can get a sense of where I am going with this. Once I have the second rail re installed, I can shape the engine bay curving up from underneath the chassis. 



Then I moved on to the engine block. Again I learned so much from this experience, and I have just got something to show for quite a lot of effort. The Gemini's have had such a variety of engines that it was almost impossible to decide. In the end I went with a newish G180 engine with a SOHC manifold. An older style oil sump, and a fairly standard rocker cover. However this maybe completely wrong for anyone out there with an idea of what went on under the hood of these things. I've just collected reference photos from every hot 4 Oz Gemini and NZ Gemini enthusiast site I could. I then have just cut and shaped and sanded and re cut and re shaped and re sanded. 

Any way here they are for you to see.

First up is the engine block. So far I have done the exhaust side of the block. There are some gaps in the bracing of the block that I will hopefully be able to fill in without losing too much detail. I even tried to get the little isuzu logo onto the block. Hard to see but at least it is there. Mind you I am about to start self photo etch design for some of this stuff, so that should be one of the things that I could design using that process. 



Next up the manifold. I've drilled out the spark plug holes, not for spark plugs themselves but just to get the angle right, the drill bit created the right shape. Exhaust manifold connections are only just added with further work -  and again maybe some photo etch to go here as well. 





The next step was the rocker cover. I learned to measure better because it can just be seen where I had to cut and add a section because I made it too short the first time doh! 



And finally the oil sump. A joy of cut and fill, sand and shape, and repeat a few times ( lost count at 5) to get to this stage. Glued to a toothpick so I can spray primer on it to see where the flaws are. 



And a shot with it all just sitting together on the hood of the body. It looks vaguely right, enough for me to be encouraged to keep going. 



So I'm hoping to learn new skills as I go, photo etching at home to get the Isuzu imprint in the rocker cover, etc and also casting - because I'd like to make a few versions of the engine, and have ambitions for other engine blocks like the more modern G200 block etc. But that's a fair way off yet. 

Cheers

"I broke one of the engine rails ( I have no idea if that is what they are called Shocked Very Happy Very Happy Shocked)"

In the US they call it subframe IIRC. One again, truly stunning work, keep it up !!!

so I've spent a bit of time going cross eyed and finishing off the manifold for the engine. Here's an image of the three components tacked together.



I went back to the underbody. I wrestled with plastic to to try and get the shape of the engine rails but no matter how hard I tried I just kept snapping plastic.



So in a spot of inspiration I hit my local hobby store - big shout out to the lasd at ModelsandHobbies4U in Boronia they are great and they live their motto of service first. Anyway, I grabbed some 2mm square brass, and finally was able to get the shapes i wanted.



How you ask? I built and designed a sophisticated bending jig that I am sure you will all rush out and replicate............



Yep that's it.

Next time I will hopefully have the underbody in a shape to try to cast. Same with the body, but these are the steps that I am nervous about.

this is great to watch, love it

Looking good. cant wait for more pics