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Re-contouring car hood

Hi all:

I finally got back to finishing my 1/25 AMT/Ertl '97 Mustang Cobra. For those unfamiliar with the car, the hood has two bulges on either side of it near the center. They are often referred to as nostrils, because of their shape and location. One gripe I have with this kit is that the bulges molded into the hood are not quite tall enough (I checked against the 1:1 version in my garage). Also, the depressions just in front of the bulges are too shallow.

What's the best way to enlarge the bulges? I tried modellers putty, but it's too soft. I'm afraid it will get damaged since it will be one of the highest parts of the hood.

I assume the shallow depressions are best corrected with a dremel tool, but I'm afraid I will damage it in the process. The depressions are only about 1/8" wide, so there isn't much room for error. Is there a better, more conservative way to approach hollowing them out a bit?

I know, I'm fretting over something most people won't notice, but I'm striving for accuracy here.

Thanks in advance, John.

Reply to
the_tool_man
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Understand your problem John, if it isn't accurate, then it isn't accurate. And yes, most wouldn't notice, but you'll know and that makes the difference. That being said, how about trying this. Melt some sprue in liquid glue till you get a thick paste, apply to the top of the bulges till you get them the correct height or a bit more, also under the depressions. Let this cure completely! (takes a while) Carefully grind under the bulges to raise them, also to the depressions to lower them. Basically you're just adding more plastic so you don't grind through. I've used this technique when I wanted something stronger on my customs than model body putty. Works, but takes time!

Mike

-- I Do Whatever My Rice Krispies Tell Me To

Reply to
Mike G.

question would softning the plastic be an approach to try then you could reshape the depression or the bulge?, I have a simular delima with a model I am trying to correct?

Reply to
Daryl

I'm thinking buildup the bulges with layers of sheet plastic, thin enough to hug the curves correctly, then sanded to shape.

Reply to
z

I've had very mixed results with this strategy. You'll probably warp the hood unless you can support it properly.

How much material do you need to add to the bulges?

Cheers, Dave Ambrose

Reply to
Dave Ambrose

The height between the bulge and depression is 1.75" at 1:1. That translates to 0.07" at 1/25 scale. On the model, the same dimension is about 0.03", so I need to add 0.04". I've decided not to attempt hollowing out the depressions, so I'll have to add that much to the bulges.

What about auto body glazing putty? Would that be hard enough?

Regards, John.

Reply to
the_tool_man

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