Author Topic: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.  (Read 326600 times)

Jon Mello

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #375 on: February 26, 2021, 02:50:41 AM »
Mike K, great work on the '68 and '69 models.  I really like the color on the door panels and the metal inserts in the middle.  Also, nice reference shot of the rear fuel cell and making that right on your model.

group/7 Mike, both of your last two posts show the "modify" and "remove" buttons so I'm not sure why you were having a problem.
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Swede70

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #376 on: March 11, 2021, 12:52:30 PM »
Greetings and thanks again to those who've taken a moment to express their interest in what I've tried and shared here...

This would be a quick review of my attempt to put a trio of Jo-Han '70-'72 Javelin Trans-Am topics up on wheels.  Sustained interest upon one project or topic has never been a strong suit of mine, although if the mock ups look good and discreet progress is registered, on some level happiness is registered. 

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Seen below would be my '70 Penske Donohue Javelin in early-season form, the second, my newly worked up '71 Penske Donohue Javelin with attention paid to the wheel arch opening contours that have been altered versus the sober stock rendering of such.  The '70 features a rudimentary six-point roll cage that will be duplicated (quickly I hope) across two or three other Javelin builds while the dimensions of such can be readily referenced.



...descending the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca '70.  Image unattributed.



...the exhaust dumps and jacking points are preliminary, not being tucked in as discreetly as they might be. They'll be better sited in time, and hang down less for some further application.





Concerning the '71 and '72 RWR efforts, all identifying trim has been scrubbed off each shell, while the raised trim usually seen along the rockers panels of these topics too has been removed for delicate sanding stick work.  Tires on the front are ancient Jo-Han/AMT NASCAR Goodyears at present, while the rears employed on the '70 are Southern Motorsport 1960's Goodyear Blue Streak Stock Car Specials with discreet blue line decals (to come), with equally old AMT Penske Matador Winston Cup Goodyear tires fitted to the rear of the later cars.  The Minilites are Jo-Han based, although they do have outer lips featuring a taper otherwise absent and sourced from the MPC Chrysler Kit Car plastic kits intended to replicate stamped steel five-slot Clement racing wheels.



Dave Friedman image as captured at Lime Rock, CT in 1971.  Notice how the rear arch opening is slightly squared off as the profile of such is lifted to the top border formed by the body shell character line, while the front arch opening terminates just above this same line. 



...while this would be a good view of the front arch work even if I was a touch aggressive.  No '71 and on Jo-Han Trans-Am Javelin kit comes through with anything other than a '70 interior, hence the stock kit late dashboard transplant in evidence, times two if one looks further down the post.



...whereas this image affords a good view of what was performed on the rear wheel arch opening in particular.



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Found here would be a quick take on my '72 Roy Woods Racing Trans-Am Javelin.  Barely distinguishable from the '71 Penske Donohue Javelin witnessed above, although with differently shaped wheel arch opening contours simply to start matters.  Happily I was able to scrounge up another late dashboard here.  Thanks for your review of this hobby project post.



Mike K./Swede70

MO

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #377 on: March 12, 2021, 12:08:04 AM »
Excellent applications as usual Mike!

Bruce302

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #378 on: April 04, 2021, 08:34:10 AM »
Fabulous work Mike, So attention to the correct details.

Swede70

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #379 on: April 14, 2021, 02:18:11 PM »
Thanks for the kind words of support and lasting interest...

Witnessed is the result of working up a new urethane two-piece mold to create copies of a seat project formerly done for my late-season Mark Donohue '70 Penske Javelin - namely a proper Racemark design.  The AMT 'frogeye' Penske Matador plastic kit of old includes the rudiments of such, although various things were overlooked when they mastered it.  Everything seen here is either 1:24th or 1:25th scale, while the Jo-Han Javelins are authoritatively said to be 1:24th scale even as box art and period promotional material telegraphs that they are rendered smaller than this. 

I sourced a second seat, cut off the furthermost section of the base and reversed it before gluing and blending material to fill out the area that would otherwise support the legs from the hips to the knees, while the headrest area integrated into the seat back is new material substantially beefier than what was delivered.  An effort was made to carve out excess material from the center back of the headrest to suggest the edges were thicker and in essence, load bearing, while the prominent lip around the perimeter of the seating surfaces was added with discreetly integrated elements of sheet plastic cut to suit. 

I wasn't sure all of the bits would stay in place or be thick enough to survive being replicated in a urethane mold, although if everything could survive then the combined bits would form a unified structure that could be substantially stronger and certainly less delicate than before.  Besides, the '71 Penske Javelin and '72 Roy Woods Racing Javelins required such, while the thought of gathering parts and fabricating two more seats did not appeal.  Seen below is one of my first clean casting efforts, with what I'll likely use in my early '70 season example poised just to the right of it.  Thanks...



Mike K./Swede70

Bruce302

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #380 on: July 20, 2021, 07:51:57 AM »
Great work Mike, The attention to detail is amazing.

Swede70

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #381 on: August 04, 2021, 11:33:43 PM »
Greetings and kind thanks for the interest expressed past and present...

After creating urethane molds to reproduce the rear flares on my 1:18th '70 T/G Racing Jerry Titus Firebird Trans Am racer lest I have no fall back for ruining my masters, here I've finally bonded a pair to the back of my ERTL-based rendition.  For some putty application and blending it appears largely sound, while for the use of a light coat of white primer, at least I can see what I'm doing and have done!  The front flares were grafted in earlier, the arches having been filed out with a half-round file, the resin lip flares carefully introduced and blended in.  It sort of appears like a road racing marshmallow in sum...





The panel gaps aren't great, but for twisting and bending things this was a close as I could come to some reasoned compromise.  For examining period photos of the topic, the actual car wasn't all that much better.  Finally, decal art will soon follow even as an older attempt to design and procure such may be spied in the background of the images seen.  My heavens - I've actually applied some paint.  Thanks...

Mike K./Swede70


Bruce302

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #382 on: August 06, 2021, 09:21:17 AM »
Very nice work Mike, as usual.

Jon Mello

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #383 on: August 08, 2021, 04:55:29 PM »
Nice work, Mike.  I know very few people who find the rear flares on the T/G Firebird to be attractive but you have made some very faithful reproductions that certainly look the part.  It's a pity about that door gap but if you can't improve it, I don't know who could.  Are you going to finish this car so it is representative of how it was for a certain race?  I was curious about the exhaust style you were going for.  If you mentioned it previously, I have forgotten.
Jon Mello
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Swede70

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #384 on: November 24, 2021, 12:22:22 AM »
Greetings and thanks for the longstanding interest displayed by many...

Here the matter of which way to go with the 1:18th T/G Racing Firebird Trans Am 'Trans-Am' project is addressed by taking on two for duplicating the '70 Laguna Seca spec. in addition to the previous '70 Mid-Ohio focus.  Slow as ever, seen below would be a frantic catch up effort to duplicate what has been worked up for my first effort. 

Custom decal work is being outsourced to a trusted firm, while it's certainly neat to see a ERTL Firebird Trans Am bereft of all the parts disallowed for homologation hiccups encountered at the first race on the '70 SCCA Trans-Am calendar.  Exhaust configuration for the '70 Laguna Seca spec. will be the expected sidepipes, while the '70 Mid-Ohio spec. will be outfitted with the 'out the back and to the side' configuration that struck many as unusual.  Kind thanks...




Mike K./Swede70

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #385 on: November 24, 2021, 04:49:01 AM »
You never cease to amaze Mike!

Bruce302

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #386 on: November 25, 2021, 07:54:16 AM »
Very nice work Michael, as ever.

Swede70

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #387 on: December 10, 2021, 02:56:05 AM »
Thanks for the kind continued interest...

Here the rear flares on the '70 Laguna Seca spec. Jerry Titus Firebird have been bonded and carefully blended, while a rudimentary engine is taking shape short of resorting to the installation of a full 1:18 Lane '67-'68 Pontiac Firebird 400 c.i.d. assembly as a base to work upon.  GMP '70 GTO Judge cylinder heads were added to a shaved ERTL block, the intake is a scratch built item worked up before, while the air cleaner is a GMP '67 Penske Camaro item essentially cast aside when the Lane '67 single 4BBL cowl induction setup was switched onto my '67 Penske project some time ago.  Back to this project, the clumsy cast-in upper control arm detail was filed off, while partial GMP Penske Camaro resin clones have been introduced in. 

Largely hidden would be Lakewood explosion-proof bellhousing scratch built, cast in resin and mated to a GMP Penske Camaro Muncie M22 four-speed transmission, all of it carefully filed to live at ease with the compromise that is the chassis.  Even if the exterior dimensions of most scale models might check out, panels and especially anything relating to the floors tend to be very thick.  Smoke and mirrors then to disguise what goes 'bang' for clearance not strictly afforded. 

Drawing to a close, most of what's made out was attempted before on my '70 Mid-Ohio spec. project, although differences such as the stamped steel valve covers, the absence of a disallowed shaker scoop assembly plus seal, etc., help differentiate the build from the later evolution of the same basic topic.  Clean thus far, and given little in the way of new ground has been broken, no huge surprises.  A radiator assembly, a coolant expansion tank and remote oil filter setup stand to come, while the wimpy accessory drive might well be tossed entire!  Kind thanks for your review of this brief update. 




Mike K./Swede70

Bruce302

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #388 on: December 10, 2021, 06:37:51 PM »
As always fabulous work and attention to detail.

Swede70

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Re: Ideas to share concerning 1:18 '67-'69 GMP Penske Donohue Camaros.
« Reply #389 on: March 21, 2022, 04:19:54 PM »
Greetings,

A belated update concerning the 1:18th scale '70 ERTL-based T/G Firebirds then.  Always busy then, albeit never wildly in your face productive even as I try largely out of sight. 

The waterslide decal work commissioned to 3 Amigos Decals arrived some time back, the result of feverish communication back and forth consistent with seeing to what could be seen to.  The total result reflects the best compromise I could negotiate out and source for steady application, while the results seem good.  All images require careful trimming given by definition they aren't pre-cut.  If anyone would like the ordering codes to obtain a copy directly from the printer, I'd happily forward such.  As this message was written, the price was U.S. $17 with $4 charged for domestic shipping.  No - the shaker hood hole must be cut out by hand, and no - I wouldn't anticipate this aspect of things being all that much fun...



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Further witnessed would be the interiors redone for sporting newly-bent roll cages, as well as parts derived from many a urethane mold likewise redone to supply sufficient duplicates.  I'm doing two '70 Titus Firebirds for myself, whereas one interior/chassis is being quietly prepared for a customer.  Both of my projects are now ACME/Lane '68 Firebird 400 H.O. 'powered', suitably modified as they are to suggest Ram Air IV head-equipped, wet sump 303's. 




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Keeping myself (reasonably) honest, seen are the three chassis builds underway.  Yes - it's likely good not to sit on the couch right at present.  Thanks for your review of this project - or rather projects update times three.

Mike K./Swede70


 

anything