NCIS 1971 Dodge Challenger Hemi R/T

Another coat of primer on the Challenger body to check my work. Looks like I need to do more sanding. These lines still don’t look right.

More NCIS to come…

Looking sharp Mike!

Thanks John! Once again, elsewhere it was pointed out to me that the Challenger is a 1970 and not a 1971. And, once again I had to point out why I am calling this model a 1971 and not a 1970. Once again someone new is not reading the thread from the beginning.

It has been a few months since I worked on the Challenger R/T and I decided to get back to it. I painted the hood, front valance and grille and the body with Tamiya TS-16 Yellow. Now to let this dry.

More NCIS to come…

I coated the old decals with Microscale Liquid Decal Film with the hope of saving them We shall see…

More NCIS to come…

Looking great! The yellow looks good, I always seem to have trouble getting a good coat with yellow. Did you decant or spray from the can?

Did you do anything with the warped chasis? I had that one one of the few cars I’ve built (I mostly build aircraft but enjoy cars too), didn’t know how to fix it.

By the way, I’ve found that typing correction fluid makes a good filler for those shallow sanding scratches.

Ahhhh, the old “twisted frame” of car models. I hates it. I truly hates it. All the work we put into these dang things and the dange frame is twisted…Anyone have an easy fix ?

The yellow paint came from a spraycan. To fix a twisted chassis, first make sure that all suspension componants are properly seated. Slightly twist the chassis in the opposite direction of the twist. When the chassis appears flat, I run it under some cold water to help “set” the plastic. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Okay Mike!

let’s not get Hostile here! I made a comment based on what I saw and personal knowledge from owning said model automobile in REAL life. I don’t expect that kind of answer! If your not worried about then just say that. I am asking your opinion, not debasing your work!

Don’t jump in someone’s Face like that! You build what you like your way.That’s what we all do. The comments are just that, Comments. I don’t always correct a model either, but , I just calmly tell folks 'Well, didn’t wanna get that involved, just wanted to enjoy the build"

WHAT?!!! I gave you an honest answer and this is how you respond. I have grown tired of your accusations. I no longer want to hear from you.

Ok, for the record, I am not a hostile person. I posted an honest answer based on what I have always truly believed in. To be accused of some sort of dishonest remark or maneuver is downright insulting to me. I have had to swallow a lot of pride over the years just to maintain good relationships on the forums and pages I belong to. I once had a fellow that I discovered to have Aspberger’s Syndrome follow me and tell me that I had to paint a '06 Mustang engine Ford Engine Blue because he thinks I am building a retro-vehicle instead of using the factory stock grey engine paint.

And, I wasn’t. I told him so and he didn’t believe me.

Over the years, I have had to tell some people to leave me alone and not to bother me anymore. I will continue to do that if they continue to bother or harass me and block them if I can. I have learned a few tricks over the years to help keep these people at bay and those tricks work for me. And, I do give them a chance if they are wrong.

If I dissected every model kit that comes my way, I wouldn’t have time to build any! I am happy if the model looks like the car I want to build and I don’t care if a mold line is .5mm off. To me, it is the overall model and if it looks like the subject I want to build, I am happy! I have seen too many people who have become rivet counters just because. To be asked a question about my model that they already know the answer to is totally ridiculous!

For example, I once built the 1/24 scale Revell AAR 'Cuda. I knew the body wasn’t correct since it was stretched over the longer Challenger T/A chassis. All I wanted to do was build a good looking model and it didn’t stop others from complaining. I told them to leave me alone so I could build a model my way and make it look good, and I did. It still sits on my shelf looking good! I have seen too many builders say they are going to build a correct 1/24 scale AAR 'Cuda and they cut up several bodies and then they quit, never to touch the model again.

So, there you have it. I had to explain myself again to the masses. I have started wet sanding Gibbs’ Challenger and I may have to add another coat of Tamiya TS-16 Yellow. I have no pictures yet, so stay tuned!

The way I dealt with it recently on an old Testors/Fujimi Porsche 911 Turbo frame was to use double-sided foam mounting tape at the four corners to anchor it to my tempered glass cutting mat and gently warm it up with a Steinel heat gun. That Steinel lets you adjust temps in 10 degree increments from 120 to 1100 degrees, and I found that 210 degrees is just about right for styrene and polycarbonate. Granted, you don’t want to get the plastic that hot, it just works well considering distance from and size of the piece. When it cooled down, it sat flat on the glass with no more anchors.

Nice looking Challenger, Mike! It’ll be interesting to see how those decals do after the treatment with the restorer fluid. Have some of it myself, but haven’t tried it on anything yet.

Yes, it has been a while since I worked on Gibbs Challenger R/T. Last night I started assembly of the Challenger and I must say this is a challenge for me. Everything I touch on this model goes bad for me! I got the body, interior and chassis installed as one. The Revell 426 Hemi has been installed and fits the chassis perfectly. I am trying to find out if the Challenger had dual chrome side mirrors or just one and I need to paint the rear spoiler flat black.

More NCIS to come…

Looking good, Mike! I hear ya on everything you touch going bad. It always seems to be the final assembly process that is the bain of my existence. It becomes a “one step forward…three steps back” kind of thing.

Absolutely! I usually “push” myself through so I can complete a build.

I painted the rear spoiler flat black. I added the front bumper from the Revell '70 'Cuda but it is wider than the AMT Challenger bumper and the shape on the ends are different. I guess I’m going back the AMT Challenger bumper and I have to rechrome it. The rear bumper and taillight panel have been installed.

More NCIS to come…

Great work Mike! [t$t]

Jim [cptn]

Stay Safe.

Thanks Jim! Safety are us! [;)]

Mr Mike. The Dodge looks beautiful and the color [Y] . One of these days I’ll get back to building cars.

Thanks Nick! I hope you return to building soon.

This is my NCIS 1971 Dodge Challenger Hemi R/T painted with Tamiya TS-16 Yellow with a Tamiya TS-29 Semi Gloss Black interior, Hemi and pistol-grip shifter from the Revell '70 Hemi 'Cuda, hood stripe from Keith Marks and rear wing spoiler from my parts box.