Help: Plastic model experts needed.

[Ferio_vti]

Hey, does anyone know how to lower a plastic model car?? I can't find any tips/info about how to do it.
And is it possible to retain the steering in the front wheels??

[theken]

i know how to do trucks, not cars. never attempted a car

[Ferio_vti]

How different can it be??
What do you do to lower a truck??

[T5_X]

do you want to totally hack it up or make it look stock?

The best way to do it on models with steering is to cut were the spindles attach to the lower and upper control arms so they will mount higher up., make a new mount for the spindles so you can retain steering and make sure the tie rod clears everything. Cut the shocks so they will fit.
Usually with non steering or rear setups I just drill into the mounts so the whole suspension will sit higher up in the chassis, but EVERY model is different. For example, for my 70 mustang I had to completely fabricate new mounts (what revell thinks of as "spindles") by crossing them with a mach 3 concept so my new rims would fit. The entire front suspension was one peice so I couldn't retain the original suspension with lowering unless I completely hacked it up, so I drilled into the engine bay and made my own attachments THROUGH the stock system that mounted directly to my fabricated spindles. Not entirely complete yet, but I'll try to get some pics up to show you wtf I'm talking about.

[nismodrifter]

is this a plastic model that you have to assemble/glue/paint the pieces???

[theken]

with the truck, i flipped the piece that mounts the tire to the body, then i heated up the axel an put it through the box, cut the fender wells out, shorten the axel so the tires will tuck.

[Ferio_vti]

Originally posted by nismodrifter
is this a plastic model that you have to assemble/glue/paint the pieces???

Yah, we're talking about plastic scale modeling you build yourself. ie. Tamiya, Fujimi, Revell, etc.


Hmm, I think I have some idea of what you guys are talking about. Pics would definitely help. Are there any Internet sources can read up on??

[Horatio]

What make is it? Revell, Tamiya, Fujimi? What kind of car? The setups for spindles and suspensions vary a LOT so it's pretty hard to say there's one thing you need to do in every case.

www.scaleautomag.com has features and stuff (good magazine too) and they might have something about lowering cars. If not, they've got a huge links section and that might yield something. There's a buttload of info out there; a trip to PM Hobby might yield a book or 2 that would help.

Just my .02

Greg

[Ferio_vti]

I've got 4 Fujimi and a Hasegawa on the shelf. And I sometimes get Tamiya.

Thanks for the link, I'll take a look at what they got.

[180882]

its not that easy to do and still have the front wheels still able to turn, it also depends how much u lower it, i know i still use all the parts but i can't rutn the wheels.

heres a pics of my crx!

[180882]

and a couple of my wide body convertable civic (hatchback) in the making

[180882]

another

[180882]

and the rear shot

[180882]

and the crx with the custom made wings west front bumper and zc hood

[180882]

the crx was the easiest one to lower out of all mine

[veedub]

hey thoes are dope .... but i was wondering in my project what do u use to shave lines ... i have super sculpy but its crap when its paintded

[180882]

i use car bondo, sand with 220 grit sandpaper, then wet sand with 1500 grit, prime, then wet sand or more filler as needed, repeat until perfect, wet sand again, then paint, then clear!

[180882]

how many people on her actually build models?

[veedub]

i do but just simple buld and slammed but now i know bondo is the key damn look out ....rims to where is good pms doesnt have much just what u can buy for the mini rc cars

[T5_X]

Couple shots of a lightining and a 348 I've done:





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