German / Italian Topolino

[BarleyBop]

hardcore

Ha, it's so tempting when working with brass, copper and 'white' metal, not to paint them!

 

[BarleyBop]

Test fit: I'm calling the mechanism work good enough, especially since the roof cloth will be covering a lot of it!
Now to paint, and fold in the roof!

 

[Tommergun]

Test fit: I'm calling the mechanism work good enough, especially since the roof cloth will be covering a lot of it!
Now to paint, and fold in the roof!

View attachment 140557

Impressive!

 

[BarleyBop]

Impressive

Thanks, but just like DIY renovations around the house, I know how much better it could be!
I ended up having to use wire pins instead of the too delicate resin rivets. And I realized that brass grows... got longer as I bent and shaped it!

 

[kevin]

That is some really nice scratch building. I like it

 

[BarleyBop]

nice scratch building

Thanks! I had the itch...

 

[wjbrandel]

That looks good. Great job

 

[sapper23]

That looks good. Great job

Agreed

 

[BarleyBop]

... wasn't happy with the front roof support, so adjusted to actually fit if it was closed.
Tweaked the rear ones as well, and including a pict to document (for my files) that the mechanism actually functions and can be in opened position too, so sharing that here before I paint it.



Added styrene roof hasps which I will trim back to the edge.


And just for fun, what the unpainted roof might look like in closed position (lying loose, unattached on roof and struts)



Cheers!

 

[Edbert]

Weird group we are

I usually ridicule the psychotherapy-majors, but in this case, they might just have a point.

 

[BarleyBop]

The inside roof has two cream colored fabric strips which will be visible when the roof in folded open, in previous photos, these were the copper ribbons



Have to let first coat of paint dry on all the mechanism hardware... they will be same colour as dash, and rear trim visible in photo..

 

[Jakko]

Right, so the whole thing completely works … You're crazier than I thought

 

[wjbrandel]

Right, so the whole thing completely works … You're crazier than I thought

He's not crazy, just detail oriented...like all of us

 

[BarleyBop]

completely works

Haha, if I'd been able to fine super thin yet supple and accepts paint and doesn't crease and is glue-able material, yes I could open and close the roof, just like the real one... maybe if I use the Teflon layer from my GoreTex jacket... ya, that's the ticket!
Quick, Marty, get my pocket discombobulator!

 

[BarleyBop]

After third coat of 'Dark Sand',
rubber black for window edges,
second coat of Mr Hobby 'Sandy Brown' for roof mechanism,
touch ups with all the above and Mr Hobby 'Pale Brown' interior (what I'm saying was the orginal color of Topo with gloss black fenders),
then a wash for baby in AK 'Light Brown for Desert Yellow.'



Next up: pin wash to punch up details.
Then weathering and highlights.
Then attach roof material.

 

[BarleyBop]

And assembled roof...
Gotta give the AK washes time to dry...

Cheers!

 

[BarleyBop]

Some weathering, some chipping ( especially where they painted over chrome), some sand inside and out...



...getting anxious to put on the roof, running it through my mind as I fall asleep for days now!

Cheers, and goodnight.

 

[BarleyBop]

Soòoo...







Needs some touch ups...
May try to work the folds a bit...
At point of diminishing returns, if I don't like it, better to start over than risk making it worse!

But I think we're there. Time to start on the figures I think.

 

[urumomo]

 

[BarleyBop]

Some reconstructive surgery, needs more work.

As this guy will be getting out in a hurry, I'm thinking he's grabbed his rifle which he probably had lying between the front seats... may need to adjust the angle of his right arm.
And have to take steering wheel into account too.