Final Assembly
1. First up let's block off the fuel filler opening that you
made. I start by cutting a couple small pieces of flat styrene. Make
sure that each has a nice straight edge as they will be butting up to one
another.
2. Glue one of the inside of the rear 1/4 panel. Be sure to push
up to the underside of the top of the fender.
3. Glue the second piece in place
4. This is how it looks from the outside. Grab some flat black
paint, a small brush, and paint the exposed portion of the pieces you just
installed.
5. Now we'll make a fuel filler cap. I use the same .100 rod as
we used for the roll cage.
6. Take a silver Sharpie and color the tip of the rod.
7. Now slice off a very narrow piece of the rod....
8. And glue it to the block off that we just painted.
9. Get ready to install the glass. Consult your reference again
to determine if the side glass should be installed or not. The molded on
visors need to go as they will interfere with the roll cage you built. If
your car doesn't run with the vent windows you will need to remove that side
glass from the windshield as well.
10. One side is gone...
11. Followed by the other. Install all of the glass and let it
dry.
12. Now we'll build the exhaust dumps. On the Fairlane GT kits
the motor comes with regular exhaust manifolds. If you want to swap those
out for headers to be more accurate you can. Since I'm going for a shelf
build, I've installed the motor as it is built from the kit box. We'll use
the kit's exhaust as a guide for the bends up front. This photo also shows
the 1/8 tubing and the 14 gage wire we will be using.
13. Start by measuring a piece of wire that will be long enough to make
the bend up front.
14. Cut the measured wire and insert it into the tubing. The wire
will keep the tubing from collapsing when you make your bend This photo
only shows it pushed in part of the way. Be sure to push it all the way in
before making your bend.
.
15. Use a pliers to make the bend in the tubing. The tubing I
have bent is directly behind the kit piece.
16. Trim and angled piece off of the tubing where it will connect to
the exhaust manifold.
17. Lay it in place to make sure it sits against the frame and that is
can be attached to the exhaust manifold.
18. Make a mark on the tubing where the kit exhaust pin would attach to
the chassis. This will mark where to make the bend on the exhaust dump.
19. Now rotate the tubing keeping the mark you just make in line with
the mounting point for the kit exhaust. Make a second mark on the tubing
at the edge of the chassis.
20. Cut the excess tubing off at the second mark
21. Measure another piece of wire to install from this end. You
want it to be long enough to cover where you will be bending but you don't want
it to reach all the way to the end. Here, I've marked it about 1/4 short.
22. Insert this wire into to the dump making sure to push it all the
way in.
23. Make you bend at the mark you made and test fit the exhaust dump.
24. I like to trim the raised rail towards the dump so it sits tight
against the chassis. Make a quick mark where you need to remove some
material.
25. Hollowing out the tip makes for a more realistic look as
well. Here's a shot before.
26. I simply use an exacto knife in a drilling motion to hollow out the
tip.
27. And the finished product.
28. Final mockup before paint.
29. Repeat for the other side, paint, and install.
30. Prep the grill/bumper - give it a flat black wash and install
headlight covers. Here I've simply glued the kits lights in place and hit
them with a silver Sharpie.
31. Install the grill/bumper prior to attaching the body to the
chassis. This will keep the body from being mounted too far forward or
backwards.
32. Grab the rear light bezels and trim half of the raised chrome from
the sides. The one in the back has been marked with a black Sharpie to
show the amount of material to remove.
33. Photo showing the difference between the modified piece (in the
back) and the kit piece.
34. Installed on the body....
35. and touched up with a silver Sharpie
36. Finished body ready for final assembly.
37. Install the body on to the chassis
38. Round up your wheels/tires and detail them to your liking.
Modify the mounting pins as you see fit to get the stance you want based on the
reference photos and attach the wheels to the car.
39. Up on wheels and almost ready for decals.
40. Only thing left is the rear window straps. Start by cutting
some narrow strips of flat styrene. Use some of the thinnest styrene you
can find.
41. I usually cut them a little long on purpose so I can hold them with
a tweezers as I add color to them.
42. I've hit these with a silver Sharpie.
43. Place it on the rear window frame and mark where it needs to be
cut.
44. Trimmed and glued in place.
45. Repeat for the other side. That's it - throw some decals on
your car and you're done!