'71 Roadrunners--FINISHED PICS, Pg 3!

Modeling Subjects Autos
1

Hey Guys!

Just getting back to the bench here after being away for a while, and still I’m bitten with the Mopar bug while my Armor gently weeps…[:'(]

Anyway, I’m going to build two 71’ Roadrunner–probably my favorite cars–using the Monogram Satellite kits, which are really Roadrunners with the “Decor Group” interior option–this was not available on the Satellite, and the hood in the kit is also a Roadrunner hood–the Satellite’s hood was completely different.

One will be a red car with the color-coded Elastomer bumpers, with black strobes graphics and black/red interior (seats) and the air grabber hood. The 2nd car will be black with the standard hood, and I’m undecidd yet on the interior color; maybe white, or tan? I have Kieth Marks decals for both, and will be borrowing some parts from the '71 GTX kit.

Here’s the kit–!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/100_6387.jpg)

I"m going to raise the sit of the rear by about .060…

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/100_6393.jpg)

Here’s a problem–I have to create an Elastomer bumper, which was actually a piece of polyurethane which covered the top of the hood front and actually projected out from the grill a bit. It followed the contour of the body moldings.

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/6.jpg)

I had to add some strip to the front–this is about .005 styrene, cut and shaped from a card of it that I found somewhere.

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/3.jpg)

You can see that it came out pretty cool. You also have to add the wheel well trim from .015 x .060 strip.

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/4.jpg)

I added the hood from one GTX model, and the front air spoilers, wiper motor and plate mount, rear spoiler from a second GTX parts kit. That yellow thing is the plate for the wiper motor–it really improves the look of the engine bay.

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/rr4.jpg)

Looking cool from the front!

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/rr2.jpg)

Here’s the two cars so far–the black one is on the left, and has the standard, kit-supplied hood (which is actually a correct RR hood!)

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/100_6445.jpg)

Now I’ll have to wok on two engines, two interiors, and prime and paint. It will be a bit until I update, but stay tuned…MEEP MEEP!! [au]

2

Nice looking work on those Karl! Gotta love them old MOPARs!

3

Nice job!!! I will look forward to it!

4

Thanks, guys!

I love old MOPARS!!!

5

Nice start! I’ll be watchin also one of my fav cars![B]

6

Looking good Karl. [Y]

Jim[cptn]

7

I’m liking this Karl. When you want to learn about shiny paint give me a call!

I was lucky enough to drive a '71 RR that belonged to a friend. That was a fast car. He had a few mods under the hood, nothing major, and that baby flew.

CHP loved messing with us out on the 8 between Yuma and San Diego.

G

8

Thanks, James, Jim, and Wayne!!

I appreciate it—I have an update, but not enough time to post it! Stay tuned, and I’ll be giving a progress report soon!

I think I’ve got a pretty good gloss coat on both finishes so far–I’m trying two different painting methods on each respective car.

Wayne, I wish I could have driven that baby! My cousin had a “blown” '71 Charger and took me down to Philly to see KISS at 100mph with that big motor just purring–I think that’s when my love for Mopars started! Wow!

9

You’ve really captured the look of the originals Karl. Nice additions in the right places, like inside the wheel arches, those little details add up. Can’t wait to see these progress. Watch out for Wile E Coyote.

10

Nice work so far Karl. I have all three kits in my stash, the Revell GTX from a few years ago, the Monogram Satellite, and the original MPC Roadrunner with Super Bird option. Also like you the 71 Roadrunner is probably my favorite muscle car. I will be watching this build closely

11

Thanks, Naran, and modelbuilder! I appreciate your comments! Modelbuilder, I actually have that old MPC "Superbird/Road Runnner kit too–is that the one you have? Are you going to build the RR or the Superbird version? I have another Satellite kit too that I’m going to build into another Hemi Road Runner sometime…

I have an update actually–here’s some new photos.

I have finally got a good paint down for the two cars. The red one is Testor’s Lacquer; the Black one Tamiya acrylic/lacquer–about 3 coats each, over white primer… The red car has one coat Testor’s Lacquer clear. What really made the difference was Model Car World’s “Buff EZ”–a buffing compound that a guy on Scale Auto forums turned me on to–wow, is this stuff COOL! I have never got such good finishes before! They’re not perfect, but better than anything I’ve done yet, and that’s what this hobby is all about–improvement!

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/Copyof100_6854.jpg)

The undercarriages painted;

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/Copyof100_6858.jpg)

And here’s the interiors–I have just learned that the console in the white car should be painted black, so I have to correct that, but basically it will be an easy fix… the Black car’s on the left, the red car’s on the right. I was kinda disappointed that nowhere could I find that small “Road Runner” & head icon decal that goes on the dash there, so I had to paint it in myself. The wood grain was done by painting the area first tan, and then using oil paints to draw in the grain.

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/Copyof100_6860.jpg)

The engines are getting there; call out anything that doesn’t look right, guys! The one on the left will be the 440 in the red car, the one on the right i the Black car will be the 383. I couldn’t find that air cover in any kit in the right scale, so I had to scratchbuild it out of a wheel part. The exhausts are not painted right yet; I want to make them a little more “used” looking, but I got the color wrong painting in room light.

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/Copyof100_6867.jpg)

A close up of the red car’s interior:

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/Copyof100_6872.jpg)

The matts are wet-sand sandpaper, like maybe 800 grain or so? The are actually old, used sheets, cut into shapes and painted. The lines are drawn in with pencil.

That’s it for now. I’ll be wiring up the engines and fixing decals next…thanks for looking in, and for any comments!

12

That’s some mighty fine looking work Doog!

13

LOOKS GREAT !!!

14

Did Plymouth ever put the red-and-black interior inside the black Roadrunner? That would be a cool color combination. I like that red-and-black interior.

15

Thanks, John and Brizio! I appreciate you looking in!

Jim, that interior was indeed offered. This Monogram kit has the “Decor Group” option, which would have been available with this interior. Here’s a photo of the actual interior:

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/71ply42951-3.jpg)

16

Karl

Yes that is the one that I have. I am still unsure as to how I want to build it, the Superbird option would look cool though. Was considering build just the three-- Satellite, Roadrunner, and GTX. Although I am now considering doing three Roadrunners. i have seen several '71s both in model form and the real deal that were down very well. tell me more about the elastimer grill surround.

17

modelbuilder,

The “Satellite: kit actually is a Road Runner with the “Decor Group” option. Here’s what a member “Fury3” told me from teh Scale Auto” website.

The Monogram 1971 “Satellite” kit is not of a 1971 Satellite, Satellite Sebring, or a Satellite Sebring-Plus. How can that be, you ask? Monogram did not want to pay Warner Bros. (and possibly Chrysler?) to use the Road Runner name and emblems, so it simply and incorrectly named it a “Satellite”. The kit IS that of a 1971 Road Runner. That’s why they gave you the roof “sport stripe” and hood scoop decals. Notice though that the Road Runner emblems (grille, quarter panel, instrument panel) and names (deck lid, quarter panel, instrument panel are all absent! To get these, you will need to get a decal set from Keith Marks. The proof of what this kit actually represents is within the interior. (I wrote a lengthy dissertation explaining this to fellow member “73duster” a few years ago.) Let me explain. The 1971 Road Runner came standard with bench seats. The kit interior has the optional at extra cost bucket seats, which required the optional Road Runner “Decor Group” option. The Decor Group option utilized the mid-line Satellite Sebring Hardtop door/qtr trim panels which the kit has (no simulated wood graining). The Satellite Sebring was not available with bucket seats (only bench)…only the upscale Satellite Sebring-Plus was, which shared it’s entire interior with the GTX (with the simulated wood grain door/qtr trim panels.). So, the interior in the kit is unique to and was available on the Road Runner only.

The hood that comes in the “Satellite” kit is that of the non functional simulated side facing hood scoops. This hood was standard on the Road Runner and GTX , and was never available on any of the Satellite’s.

The GTX kit is fairly accurate in that it includes the rocker panel sill moldings, correct aforementioned upscale interior trim, “Air grabber” cold air induction hood, and decals. It also includes a part missing from the original Satellite kit…a wiper motor mounting plate and motor. The downfall of these kits is in the engine and engine compartment detail…especially the Satellite kit. The air filter housing and intake manifold are terrible and do not resemble anything Chrysler put on these cars in 1971, and that’s just to start. It’s difficult to swap anything onto these engines, as they are 1/24th scale. However, I used Ross Gibson" resin engine one of mine and it looks acceptable, although the air filter housing is again incorrect. The AMT 1971 Dodge Charger R/T kit has an excellent engine and air cleaner…but it’s 1/25th scale. . Fury3

The Satellite hood has to be constructed from the GTX hood–a somewhat ambitious–but do-able–project, if you’re so inclined. As Fury3 mentioned, the hood in the Satellite kit is NOT a “Satellite” hood at all, but a RR hood.

As far as the Elastomer grill surround, that’s pretty much all I know–it has to be fashioned like that in order to be correct. Interestingly, it doesn’t look like that was an option on the 72 RR’s, although you could get color-coded bumper, but without the elastomer cowl? In any case, it wasn’t a hard mod.

I was going to “sacrifice” that Superbird kit and make it into a RR, but now that I’ve learned that this is the actual RR kit as well, I’m going to do that bird up as it is on the box! Probably will stick with the yellow finish too–I always liked a Superbird in “Suzuki colors” ha ha!

More updates as I get something to show! THANKS AGAIN, ALL!!!

18

Very nice !!!

19

Thanks, Stynky; I appreciate you looking in.

Here’s an update…I was advised to correct the sit of this car–it seems that it;s a little nose-high. To do this, I cut the two locating pins off, and then drilled them and pinned them to get the cooler sit in the photo at bottom. Remember too. the back end has a .040 or so stub of styrene under the rear axles as well

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/ui78tuy.jpg)!

Next, the funky tires–if you try to assemble them as is, the rims sit way-high on the tires. You have to trim out the lip inside to get the correct fit, as seen in the photos below.

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/ui786u7tyh.jpg)

The next thing–I corrected the white interior, as the console should have been black:

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/100_6882.jpg)

Some people asked about how I made the matts–in the photo below, you can see my “source”-- a sheet of 800 (?) wet-sand sandpaper that has been used profusely. I just cut out a suitable “mat”, and then either trace in a pattern on the paper, or paint a border. Use your imagination! That’s all there is to it!

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/100_6920.jpg)

Here’s how I do my hoses and wiring; I am using Detail Master’s “heater hose”. This is really a wire which surrounds about eight strands of thin wire. In1, I cut the end off the wrapping. 2, use some hemostats to pull the wires out a little–you want to leave a space at the OTHER end with no wire in it because, in 3, I take a single thicker wire (forgot the gauge, SORRY!) and bend it to give you some gripping leverage. Then, 4, use some spit on the wire, and twist the wrapping onto the thinker wire. Thia way, after trimming it-5-you have a “hose” which can still be bent and hold a shape because of the wire still inside of it. and the thicker wire can be glued into a hole drilled 6.into the part.

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/100_6888.jpg)

The engines have been wired up. The one is a 440, the other a 383. All those wires sticking out all over are going to go somewhere, don’t worry!

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/100_6939.jpg)

!(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/Plymouth Road Runners and GTX/100_6942.jpg)

I’m busy foiling the car bodies right now. Stay tuned for more exciting updates! Comments and critiques always welcomed!!! [&]

20

Nice job on the engine, and also nice tutorial!