1973 Dodge Charger - wip

Christian W
I finally started this thing.

István Szücs
I'm curious for the final result!

Christian W
Me too 😉 I think I'm going on with that hood. The chances to get the right on ist nearly Zero.

Chris Parsons
Aah….been there, done that. I know your pain young Jedi!
I had the original as well at one time, re-powered with a 68 440 six pack, never going back to build another real "muscle car" but nice to have a representation of it at the least.
I converted the AMT 1971 body to a 73/74 body (it's a much cleaner mold) but used parts from Revell/ Monogram B body kits to get there in the end…musta used at least 4 other kits for parts. Scariest part was changing the rear side windows shapes from sweeping up to sweeping down. I may have pictures here somewhere…not sure but, I'm pretty sure I posted the build thread on Britmodeller if your interested

Christian W
@Chris ... That was my first thought when I read the first sentences, where you wrote that you converted the 1971 into that: the small window at the side and the c-post. I'll do a research on britmodeller to see, what you've done. On that point, it is too much work for me to go such a way. I want do have the kit done in December. I know, the details "under the body" could be better, but when it sits in the shelf, it doesn't matter somehow. For my needs, it is ok. It's only the hood, what concerns me for accuracy with the look to the movie car.

Christian W
@Chris ... I found your thread. But sadly there are no pictures anymore.
britmodeller.com/for..ger/#comment-3826045

Chris Parsons
Oh crap!
Sorry

Christian W
No problem 😉

Chris Parsons
I've found and added some images of my finished model here, no longer have images of the w.i.p. No idea what happened to them, you may be able to use (or not) for your build. The images are in my "Albums"

Bill Newcomer
I shall follow too.

Chris Parsons
That's nasty! I've had a paint do that to me as well! Never a good time!

Martin Oostrom
Tough luck Christian.

Bill Newcomer
I have never seen hobby paint crack like that. What is the carrier, enamel, lacquer, water?

Bob Hall
I thought it was cat hair at first glance and I was going to suggest, it time to shave the cat, but I see it's more of a deep rooted issue ! 🤔

Christian W
Thanks for your comments. First when I came into my hobby room I also thought it is a hair but... you see. I don't know, what went wrong. I used my rattle cans as on every model kit I built for years.
@Bill I don't know, what the colors are based on. As soon as I had no issue with them I didn't care.

The Dodge sits in a bath to get the paint of. After 24 hours the black was gone. Usually the primer stays on the body. In this case it was as usual 😄 but the hood is sticky and some parts of the body too. The crap goes on.

In the time of hoping and praying 😄 I took the bumper to get rid of that bumperettes.

Nigel Chapman
Is it a chemical reaction with the different paint colours?
Do you use the same paint manufacturer for your rattle cans?

Christian W
Maybe and no 😉
I do not know, whether it is a chemical reaction or something else. The manufacturer are different. I had the same issue with a
-> black Pontiac (easily 5 years ago - Pontiac Firebird - RIP | Album by Dominik (1:25)),
-> blue F40 (finished in 2017 - 1987 Ferrari F-40, Revell #7327 | Album by christian-w (1:24)) and
-> black Viper (Restoration in 2022). But the cracks came after some months or years and not within 24 hours.
-> KARR after
Now, when I'm writing this lines, I remember, that
-> another Pontiac got cracks in 2022 too (1989 Pontiac Firebird (red) for a friend - wip | Album by christian-w (1:25)).
The filler was the same but the body color was another manufacturer like on the Dodge. But the cracks came after clear cote. So ....

What do they have in common?
Filler? Yes. Only the Viper has old color under the new painting (it was a restoration - paint remover followed by a new paint job)
Color? Different manufacturer
Clear coat? Not all of them. Only KARR, the red Pontiac and F40.
Cracks came between 24 hours (Dodge), 9 months (red Pontiac) a couple years (F40). Also the time between the different layers vary or the question about a wet sanding and painting over it. There are a minimum of 2 days between the steps. Usually weeks, especially with clear coat.

I don't see a clear pattern.

shadowlight
Just some more thoughts about what do they have in common...
- moisture, temperature and air condition in your working room
- air pressure and paint thinner
I am very sorry that this happened to you btw.

Skyhiker
Not sure if this applies but cracks can happen if the under paint drys slower than the top coat. This can sometimes happen when you use a laquer or oil based paint and then add on top a faster drying acrylic or water based top coat that is too thick.

Christian W
Thank you for your suggestions.
@Skyhiker .... I think I can skip this reason mostly because. There were 9 days between base coat and the black. Before I painted it black, I wet sanded it and let it sit 2 days for drying. I think, that was enough time.
@shadowlight .... moisture and temperature could be a reason. Because I used my rattle cans for painting, I was outside. In this case in the evening hours and not middays. The day was sunny itself but when I painted it, the sun was nearly gone. Thanks! I'll keep that in mind.

Another little step done: removing the bumperetts.

Christian W
At the weekend I sanded a lot of the filler down. The surface should be smooth enough. Yesterday I did another try to get it black. This time I used ma airbrush to paint it. And I skipped another layer of base coat 😄 At this time I don't care. I just want to have the paintjob done.

Bozzer
Christian, I don't care what anyone says, picture 20 looks awesome, and I would've just rolled with that, and stuck it in a diorama of a kid, trying to fix it up. I doubt that I'd ever be able to get that look, and you nailed it by accident! I gotta admit though, that black looks nice 👍

Christian W
You've nailed it. That were my thoughts too. If the next try fails, then I'll go with a restoration project. I'm not a person who throws model kits into the trash.
Thank you for your lines.

Nigel Chapman
Christian, Your perseverance has paid off handsomely, that new paint job looks ace

Christian W
Thank you. Yesterday I took it but I didn't do anything with it. I'll go for another wetsanding job. Why? Hm. Stupidity is sometines an a-hole. When I brushed the underside of the hood, it went off of the "holder", flipped and landed with the freshly painted side on the ground of my paint booth. You can imagine, that tehre is still some dirt on the ground. So that dirt is now on the hood scoop. Lesson learned: keep the parts better on the "holder".
I guess, that I have to give it another layer of black before even thinking about doing the clear cote.

István Szücs
If it wouldn't be a movie car, I'd leave the body in semigloss black, it's very nice.

Christian W
I Know! It looks pretty good.
Yesterday I wet sanded it and it Looks good so far. Another paintjob will follow and then a clear cote. Hopefully it works.

George Williams
Hope it works out for you, Christian.

István Szücs
Christian: fingers crossed!

Christian W
Just for info: the Carger got a second layer of (satin) black. It looks good so far. Hoping, the clear cote turns out good.

Christian W
The next layer of clear cote came out good. This time I used 2K. It's good. Will to have a round of wet sanding and polishing.

Christian W
I'll say the interior is done. SO let's face the fact, that I have to lay hands on the body.

Chris Parsons
Very nice crisp clean work...well done

Dominik Weitzer
nice work on the interior 🙂

István Szücs
The white interior looks amazing with those wooden inserts! I only miss the flocking from the floor.

Christian W
Thank you very much.

@Istvan .... Maybe I'll pour a little powder in. I don't kno. It depends on that, how much will be visible when I put the body over it. I'll check that.

Christian W
I polished that thing but am not satisfied with the result on the roof and trunk. So I'm still undecided about what I'm going to do. The trend is towards another wet sanding and a new layer of clear coat.

Chris Parsons
You've inspired me to build another cha cha myself. Ya bugger!

Christian W
You're welcome 😉 I waited long for this built and it is a challenge for me. The paintjob at most.
Yesterday I put another layer of clear coat on it and I'm still not satisfied with it. Man....

Dominik Weitzer
The rear lights looking great!