Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 For those who didn't know, the Charger wreck used in Dukes Season 1 Episode 4 "Repo Men" was the same car that made the jump at the very end of the show's opening credits. LOVED this car the first time I saw it as a kid, did not know how important it was until decades later. Replicating this wreck in 1/25 will be a VERY ambitious project. Not as simple as wrecking a plastic body. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 If I can't replicate the body damage, the entire project is pointless. If I only heat up and bend the plastic body it will look toylike, as the body thickness when scaled up would be akin to a couple inches thick. Not convincing at all. THE SOLUTION: Make aluminum foil copies of the body sections to be damaged. Let's try it on the hood first: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 Once damaged to taste, the foil is filled from behind with tons of gap-filling superglue and plastic strip reinforcements. Then to the body itself, the same treatment but MUCH bigger. LOTS of superglue to fill it all from behind. Then priming and sanding in appropriate areas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martin_sam_2000 Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Just watched a video on youtube about the restoration of this car. amazing work on the damage. Never seen that technique before!! sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SBARC Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 I've been following this story online....you are making excellent progress. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 Thank you! And the technique is my own, this is a grand experiment....wasn't sure how it would work.... The interior needs special work. From what I can see in the episode, the interior panels under the rear windows were removed along with the back seat, although I've read that only the seat was removed to install the full roll cage. So, I had to remove the rear panel and totally rebuild it as the interior structure that the panel would normally cover. Was a 2 full day scratchbuilding job, daunting at first but well worth it in the end. The carpet will be well worn and stained soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SBARC Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Damn....that is insanely well done. Did I mention I post all types of models to ARC....Car, motorbikes...Armor etc. It is no longer just aircraft. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whiskey Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Good lord Andrew. You're on a roll. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 This is coming along nicely! Looks like the foil is working for you. If you want to try something else, take a look at the vacuum seal from Costco's coffee cans. They are 5 mil Al sheet discs that might be ideal for this. Malleable enough to form yet strong enough to hold up to some handling. I've formed all manner of parts with this material, including slats. I'm happy to share some if you don't have a ready source. LMK in a PM and I'll see if I'm allowed to mail something out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 1 hour ago, dnl42 said: This is coming along nicely! Looks like the foil is working for you. If you want to try something else, take a look at the vacuum seal from Costco's coffee cans. They are 5 mil Al sheet discs that might be ideal for this. Malleable enough to form yet strong enough to hold up to some handling. I've formed all manner of parts with this material, including slats. I'm happy to share some if you don't have a ready source. LMK in a PM and I'll see if I'm allowed to mail something out. Thank you for all the kind words folks! dnl42, I appreciate the offer! Although I'm past the point of needing them now....if I ever do anything this weird again I know what to do Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Wowzer! That's a great technique with the aluminum. And your bare interior metalwork is stupendous! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 Thanks for all the kind words! I've never taken as much trouble as this for the accurate steering wheel, but here's what I finally accomplished: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Dang, that looks good! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 ROLL CAGE Tip: Do NOT use the roll cage from the MPC "General Lee" for this project. Wrong style, wrong design, wrong size. I also found some drawings online which purport to be the actual design sketches for the original. They do match what I see in all the photos. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 Here's how the scratchbuilding went, using 1/16" rod for the frame and tubing fitted over the rod for the padded sections around the driver's side: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 (edited) Finished roll cage: Edited March 29, 2020 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 (edited) I was wondering what the collars were about when your post above appeared. You have more photos of the wreck that shows the padding? I don't see padding in any of the photos. <Emily Latilla> Never mind. </Emily Latilla> I see it now. Edited March 29, 2020 by Slartibartfast Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Slartibartfast said: I was wondering what the collars were about when your post above appeared. You have more photos of the wreck that shows the padding? I don't see padding in any of the photos. Yep, in what I just posted you can see it in the closeup of Cooter sitting in it, and in the pic of it on display at the car show. The car show one has the bar behind the seat missing, though, but you can see the crossbar (seat-bottom level) and the front bent section by the dashboard. Edited March 29, 2020 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Nice work on the roll cage Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Thank you! FRONT BUMPER Need the front bumper to look like bent metal, and not a bent plastic model part. Made an aluminum foil cast of the central section; removed that plastic, attached the ends to the foil cast. Very carefully bent and dented it to match the photos. Filled with CA glue with wire reinforements for the structure. Primed, will be coated with Alclad chrome tomorrow or Thursday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Final bodywork touchups and priming, and ready for paint. Tough to match the exact color, since in the episode (the way I'm making it) it was disguised/obscured with gray scratchwork all over it, and the recovered wreck was apparently quite weathered and faded. Did the best I could. Finally settled on a mix of 5 different blues and greens. It's actually darker than the photos show.... I settled on: 2 parts Testors Gloss Dark Blue (#1111); 2 parts Testors Dark Beret Green; 1 part Model Master Dark Sea Blue; 1 part Testors Gloss Green; 1 part Gloss Light Blue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 Grateful to have finished this beast in record time... Re-chromed the bent bumpers and other parts with Alclad, and was lucky to have located the proper wheel hubs. Also broke the right door handle to match the real thing. Wide tires from the MPC Sheriff's Dodge Monaco. Windows tinted with Future floor polish and food coloring. Sheet metal for the front and back from a disposable roasting pan from the Dollar Tree. Airbrushing dust and dirt all over the chassis and bottom of the body. Only regret is the wide tires stick out too far....and yet wide tires were used....but I just draw the line at redesigning the suspension that drastically. Enough is enough. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Yeah, them wheels need more back spacing. But otherwise, a really unique model. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thommo Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 Excellent! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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