Subject: MR. ARC: CADDY CONVERTABLE CAR - STORY ONLY - RODNEY WILLIAMS
From: Rodney Williams <[email-masked]>
To: STEVE BAMFORD <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2003 10:46:46 -0700

A LAVENDER PINK CADILLAC CONVERTIBLE

                                   BY
                             RODNEY WILLIAMS

This is my second car, and what a model it turned out to be.  Monogram
put this kit on the market a decade or so ago.  It had lot's of "chrome"
items, plus a full blown engine, and transmission.  The passenger
compartment, and undercarriage was detailed out to the max, including
the duel exhaust stacks, with 4 mufflers.  In those days, they added a
round smaller muffler, aft of the regular mufflers to many GM cars.
They called them "resonators," or some name similar to it.  I know this
is true, as I bought a new 1958 four door Cadillac Sedan DeVille.  The
kit included a snow white plastic "canvas etched" top, but I left it off
my model to show the beautiful interior of the car.

I planned on displaying the model on a mirror, and show off all the
detailed items on the underside, I had to add the hydraulic brake fluid
lines to all four wheels, a gasoline line from the tank to the
carburetor, including the cable to the rear wheels for the "emergency"
braking system.

I had two fit problems with the kit.  The clear injected "wrap-around"
plastic windscreen did not fit properly inside its' chrome plated black
plastic frame.  As a result, I cracked it, and I kept breaking, and/or
crazing three more windscreens.  With kit number five, I solved the
windscreen problem.  Don't ask any questions, just buy the kit, then you
will know what's wrong with it.

Problem number two consisted of installing the finished engine, with the
transmission attached (per kit instructions).  The modeler was to
installed the completed engine, and transmission assembly, after he had
permanently attached the top section of the body to the car's bottom
body section, which was attached to the frame.  The fan blade hit the
radiator cover housing, and a few engine side items hit the side wheel
well covers.  I had to cut off the fan blade, and make other adjustments
to get the engine in, then reassemble the parts. I added dip sticks for
the engine oil and transmission fluid, including spark plugs and a wire
set.  I added some hoses and other items "on and around" the engine as
well.  A fellow modeler at a local club meet ask if I attached the plug
wires into the distributor with the correct firing order.  He made no
positive comments about my car, so you can guess what my negative reply
was!

After cleaning up the flashing on several chrome parts, I had a lot of
black plastic showing.  I tried spraying on a chrome silver paint, but
no way did it match the chrome hub caps.  I painted all the parts with
SnJ Gold paint.  The kit came with strips of bare metal aluminum foil,
which was to be applied to the large rear fender fins.  These strips of
foil did not work on one of the extra models, so I applied the gold
paint.  A year or so later, I experimented with some SnJ aluminum
paint.  After the polishing process with the powder, I sprayed on
Future.  It looked real close to all of my Caddy left over chrome parts.

I drilled out the rectangle holes in the front grill.  I added a second
side mirror on the right door.  I made my own rear license plate by
typing all the letters/numbers on white paper, using my IBM typewriter.
I reduced them down to size on my office copy machine, then printed
everything onto clear decal film.  They were applied to  light blue
decal film. The front plate is part of my gift for entering my car in
the "NNL" car show contest here in Northern, California.   The radio
antenna was made using round brass rod.

I applied my home made water base liquid masking film around the "EL
DORADO" words on both sides of the front fenders, then painted on the
gold.  I make my masking film by adding one part of liquid household
soap to one part of white glue.  I then add enough water to make it
easier to paint on my models.  You can add a few drops of food coloring
to the mixture if desired.

Once the engine is in the car, you can't see much of it, so with all the
extra kits, I built a second engine and transmission, and displayed it
next to the car.  The shipping palate is made from real wood stock.   I
added a dip stick for the engine oil and one for the transmission fluid.
To add extra color, I choose red for my spark plug wires.  I made my
plugs, using .020" diameter round styrene rod.  I used Tamiya and SnJ
paints on the engine & transmission assembly.

I mixed my own "lavender pink" automotive lacquer for the model.  I
added white to my red until I achieved a medium pink color, then I added
a few drops of my blue color.  In direct sunlight, the car looks very
pink, but in the shade, and especially inside, it has a very deep
lavender color.  I like it that way.  I used the standard white lacquer
with my lav-pink color for the interior, and a medium grey Tamiya paint
color for the floor.

One photo shows my Caddy with my clients 1/24 scale P-51B.  It lets the
viewer see just how big the Cadillac is, compared to a WW-II fighter.
To view the P-51B, go to "Lsp"  www.largescaleplanes.com

Like my Olds "Aerotech," the Caddy took several first place awards,
including a first at the 1994 IPMS/USA contest in Omaha, NE.

Coming soon will be my fantastic red "Ferrari F-40!"

Rodney