Nothin' Like the Life of a Hollywood Stuntman
Monday, February 18. 2008
This year's tribute to Burt Reynolds almost didn't happen - twice. My first goal had actually been to finish the Cannonball Run Ambulance: I had gotten an old CR kit for the decals and accessories, an old MPC Dodge van for the correct body, and had made all of the appropriate modifications when disaster struck. For some reason, the topcoat refused to adhere to my base white, and ended up coming off in huge chunks. Trying to clean it only made things worse, and I ended up having to strip everything back to base...including the carefully completed body modifications.
With a mere three weeks, I knew I didn't have time to redo the work, so I went with plan "B"; the Firebird Trans Am from Hooper. Things went swimmingly, with the body work falling together and the undercarriage mods going smoothly. Then a repeat of the Ambulance occurred when the topcoat crazed all the way down to the plastic. Unwilling to accept defeat this time, I stripped everything down to bare plastic and started over. I even nearly made it by the 11th, but a nasty virus and bad weather prevented held things off for a few extra days.
Still, I'm happy enough with the end result and - although belated - I was able to complete my task. Plus, the wreckage of the ambulance may give me a head start on next year's project.
With a mere three weeks, I knew I didn't have time to redo the work, so I went with plan "B"; the Firebird Trans Am from Hooper. Things went swimmingly, with the body work falling together and the undercarriage mods going smoothly. Then a repeat of the Ambulance occurred when the topcoat crazed all the way down to the plastic. Unwilling to accept defeat this time, I stripped everything down to bare plastic and started over. I even nearly made it by the 11th, but a nasty virus and bad weather prevented held things off for a few extra days.
Still, I'm happy enough with the end result and - although belated - I was able to complete my task. Plus, the wreckage of the ambulance may give me a head start on next year's project.
Trackbacks