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Post by jondutch46 on Jul 2, 2012 8:05:54 GMT -6
When Hobby Bobby posted this drawing awhile back, it just grabbed me. Decided it was time to pull out one of the junk Valiants I've collected over the years and start ANOTHER new project. Since I knew I was gonna use the drawing more as inspiration than something to copy, I decided to use the worst of the bodies I have. There will be lots of exaggeration of the original body lines and it just seemed easier to start with something someone had already sanded most of them off of.    With a big hole in the rear deck, I needed to repair it just to put some strength back into the rear section... an old '57 Ford trunk lid was a pretty good match to the contour. Alot of this will be changed once I start fitting a bubble but I want it to be close to "right" so everything else falls into place. I managed to get to this point Thursday night.  The lower body lines are back in place and continued all across the rear pan. I made a template for the rear wheel openings so I can build a new flare and regrind the openings. Added new fender flares and ground out the openings. There will probably be skirts when I'm finished but I needed to have these in place so I can start building fins. These are reasonably close to the originals but, with what I have planned for taillights, just having somewhere near the original shape works. They're wider at the rear than the factory fins, anyway. Right now, there's alot of extra plastic that was used to build the basic shape, but it will be ground down for the next phase. I know this looks like alot of extra work but I'm finding that, with so much of the original body missing, I'm less tempted to take the easy way out instead of making this thing just the way I want it.  |
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Post by rocketeer on Jul 2, 2012 8:14:28 GMT -6
Wow, that's an ambitious project! I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out.
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Post by soooperdave on Jul 2, 2012 9:45:07 GMT -6
You can do this man! I love the way you are doing the body modifications. remember, do it with plastic first, then the least amount of putty.
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Post by halfasskustom on Jul 2, 2012 9:58:50 GMT -6
Oh yeah thats kool.
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Post by jondutch46 on Jul 2, 2012 10:00:48 GMT -6
Yeah, Dave, I'm not a big fan of lots of putty... rather give it a solid foundation then just smooth out the rough spots. Keep checkin' back, Rocketeer...it will take awhile but I'm gonna get it done.
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Post by Starry Eyes on Jul 2, 2012 13:26:31 GMT -6
another bubble topped master piece John .. This might be worth my trip to Cedarville ... ;D
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Post by lorenzovargas1978 on Jul 2, 2012 20:07:32 GMT -6
Ill be watching this,great concept.
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Post by darquewanderer on Jul 3, 2012 1:00:45 GMT -6
Love those old Valiants and I've like Allison's designs.
I'll be watching this one.
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Post by mrtc4w on Jul 3, 2012 5:22:36 GMT -6
Definately a project to keep watching!
Marty
Marysville, OH
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Post by badroadahead on Jul 3, 2012 5:43:41 GMT -6
I like what I see so far!
Looking forward to seeing the progress on this.
Dave
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Post by jondutch46 on Jul 3, 2012 6:59:03 GMT -6
I doubt it will be finished for Cedarville, Chuck, but you can come anyway. It should be finished in Spring, though. Here's yesterday's progress. Taillight housings are from the AMT '58 Chevy and the fins are almost in their final shape.   |
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Post by ira on Jul 3, 2012 14:25:33 GMT -6
Great Progress!
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Post by jondutch46 on Jul 11, 2012 16:41:00 GMT -6
I've moved to the front. Doesn't look like alot but the lower left fender has been straightened and the fender tops/tips have been rebuilt to a uniform shape in preparation for the custom work to begin. Fender flares have been added back on and new bodywork for the headlight buckets along with a custom shell.  |
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Post by Starry Eyes on Jul 11, 2012 16:46:08 GMT -6
I've moved to the front. Doesn't look like alot but the lower left fender has been straightened and the fender tops/tips have been rebuilt to a uniform shape in preparation for the custom work to begin. Fender flares have been added back on and new bodywork for the headlight buckets along with a custom shell. |
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Post by jondutch46 on Jul 17, 2012 7:22:18 GMT -6
Finally made some good progress the past couple days. Got the fender tips rebuilt into hoods for the canted lights and rebuilt the character lines into new, more exagerated, sweepspear shapes.  |
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Post by soooperdave on Jul 19, 2012 1:21:57 GMT -6
I know you were looking for a chassis and just wanted you to know the Fireball 500 chassis fits right under there nice and it has molded in dual exhaust. If you really want to get more detail test fit some of the new Revell Dart chassisunder there.
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Post by jondutch46 on Jul 20, 2012 6:44:20 GMT -6
Not sure what I'll do yet... it will be so low it won't matter. Just depends how far I wanna go with detail. I'm getting alot more into the "pretty face" aspect and not worrying about what doesn't show. But, thanx alot for the tip!
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Post by jondutch46 on Jul 24, 2012 6:23:03 GMT -6
Lots of recontouring goin' on... hadda make a smooth transition front to rear with the skirts in place. Don't know it it was warpage or the actual shape of the body but it sure tucks in behind the wheelwell. When I do the other side, it might be easier to just cut it all out and start from scratch.  Pretty sure this is an old Camaro rear bumper but it fit with very few tweaks... mostly the addition of the extension below the shell.  |
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Post by Mysterion on Jul 24, 2012 11:44:51 GMT -6
That sure is starting to take shape. It's going to look killer when your done.
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Post by Pat Minarick on Jul 24, 2012 20:29:16 GMT -6
That's a lot of cuttin'!!!!
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Post by oldcarrestorer72 on Jul 28, 2012 16:51:56 GMT -6
Great drawing and model!! Awesome job !!!!
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Post by timj on Jul 29, 2012 5:57:54 GMT -6
Great work so far, I'll be keeping an eye on this one.
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dogfish7
Showrod Builder
So many models.... so little time
Posts: 37
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Post by dogfish7 on Jul 29, 2012 7:07:37 GMT -6
Who said you can't build your own car body   |
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Post by jondutch46 on Jul 31, 2012 13:24:40 GMT -6
Wouldn't be my first rodeo!!!!
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Post by jondutch46 on Aug 8, 2012 6:42:57 GMT -6
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Post by Dr. Kerry on Aug 9, 2012 17:04:59 GMT -6
another bubble topped master piece John .. This might be worth my trip to Cedarville ... ;D Oh yeah!!!!! Lookin good John!!!!! |
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Post by soooperdave on Aug 10, 2012 15:31:36 GMT -6
From what you started with, to what you have now is amazing!
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Post by jondutch46 on Aug 13, 2012 7:05:30 GMT -6
Thanx, guys. This thing has almost become an obsession for me. I really wanna see it finished. Probably won't do a detailed chassis or engine... I think the rest will be enuff!
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Post by sakke on Aug 18, 2012 15:37:46 GMT -6
This looks so cool that you should make a resin kit of your Valiant!!!
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Post by jondutch46 on Aug 23, 2012 7:55:53 GMT -6
Not certain but there's a possibility someone makes a resin of the Valiant... I know someone makes a reasonably close wagon repro. This one deserves alot of interpretations.
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