Greetings,
Some delay since my last update, although for the acquisition of a new camera, perhaps that which I post will prove more discernible and visible too! Captions follow the posting of select photo images, hence move down in anticipation of looking up.
...a four-piece transmission tunnel having been built up for long was finally cast in resin following the creation of a urethane mold to achieve this end. Rather bland looking still, although for backstopping my efforts I should be able to use and reuse this basic shape (i.e. what begins at the firewall and extending back to the discernible gap) across other projects. This would be the 1:18th Sun Star-based Gray Ghost again...
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Reviewing my assortment of incomplete projects, I felt for the New Year I might be able to complete this and that project for select work undertaken to afford my pair of 1:18th Greenlight '67 and '68 Mustangs full interiors and chassis. As is typical, even brief involvement in another topic expands greatly for the time I choose to invest, so what is seen below constitutes efforts directed towards a '68 Watkins Glen Shelby Racing Co. Jerry Titus Tunnel Port 302 Mustang as complex as any other project I've undertaken. In mid to late-season form, a rather severe corporate blue with white C-stripe livery was employed, and being rather simple overall, such may prove a good starting point for a full refinish less the risk entailed for embrace of something more involved. Given I've undertaken few full refinishes, this might be a better place to start.
...a much older image of my '68 notchback Greenlight tool wearing GMP Trans-Am wheels and tires, less a bit of chrome, but otherwise not terribly special. In anticipation of matters to be explicated, note how cloddish and unattractive is their rendition of a '67-'68 Mustang front valance panel.
...new GMP Dodge Super Stock ARE Torq Thrust wheels prove an improvement on the old GMP Trans-Am ARE wheels of yore, whereas recycled Autodynamics Challenger flares as well as those cobbled up for the Gray Ghost prove their worth again for most of the mass required is evidently in place early on.
...the front valance proved too unwieldy to reshape on the model in white metal, hence the choice was made to cut the 'panel' clear off the shell, whereupon a mold was made so that the same shape might be refashioned in cast resin. What is seen above is a spare shell that has a plugged front valance sitting before it, and a second resin front valance resting before it less any effort to seriously shape it. The lip positioned below the grille but atop the bolt-on front valance will be refined for shape, while attachment points for the bumper will be added before it is in turn mated with the project proper.
...evidently much better, although still requiring work.
...a scratch built rear valance panel was further required given the original is absent contour, sports GT exhaust cutouts, and is largely lifeless by way of contrast.
...looking decidedly butch then.
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...the rough beginnings of a 302 Tunnel Port engine and transmission. An Aviad wet sump pan is seen, whereas the scratch built intake is noticed coming along even if all that's seen is the base, the side flanges and plenum chambers for the carbs. The oil pan is modified Hwy. 61 BOSS 302 issue, whereas note the swiss-cheesed strengthening braces jutting forward on this unique front sump design.
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...and lastly, I've harbored ambitions to fit out my '67 and '68 Penske Donohue Trans-Am Camaros with proper dashboards given GMP tooled and released them with '69 designs. Before long GMP released the Smokey Yunick Camaro with a more or less correct dashboard, although an enormous tachometer was cast-in to the middle of the dashboard positioned right on the edge of the pad. Not liking this at all, I nevertheless sourced a Yunick Camaro (or perhaps it was a 'Streetfighter' release in GMP parlance?) and carefully removed the tachometer for sanding followed hard on by the fabrication of a fill panel as seen just below the repair/removal effort atop it. Hope now exists for accurate '67 and '68 interiors then, whereas the gauge pod/instrument cluster seen here is old GMP issue and not final. Thanks for perusing this sprawler of a message...
Mike K.