I see a lot of discussion about custom body panels on here for all the members' Fieros. And since I don't have a garage to do much real work myself, and it's winter to boot, and my car is in the shop since it won't start, I've decided to build a scale model of everything I want to do with my car for real. Since I can't find any fastback plastic model cars, and Ertl only made them for a very short time, and they go for like $60 on ebay, I'll probably start with the 1:24 85 GT model that the fierostore offers. Anyway, this means I need to fabricate the fastback rear clip for it. And I'd like to play with different noses, and scoops and such too, so if anyone could help me come up with some way to make molds for plastic model car parts, I would be glad to work on custom pieces for other people, so they can have personalized models of their cars too.
i'd recommend making the master from balsa - sealing it, smoothing it, then making a mold from latex or rtv rubber - and casting parts from epoxy with pigment in them
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11:28 AM
FieroBUZZ Member
Posts: 3320 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Feb 2001
Have fun. The Fiero bits are pretty tiny. You can just add scoops and such using modeling putty. One time casting molds can be done with kid's plasterscene as well.
Do you still have those molds? If you do, I would be interested in one...
Actually, if anyone has 1:24 or 1:25 scale plastic models that have the 3800 and other engines, that aren't painted or assembled, I'd be interested in modifying some of them, and coming up with casts to fit in the Fiero models. Of course, though, people would have to be willing to donate models to the chop shop, and pony up for materials and shipping and such.
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09:29 PM
dinomadison Member
Posts: 52 From: Columbia, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2002
Use a sheet of clear acetate. Cut it to the desired shape and then paint the back of it black.
Makes sense for the material. I'm wondering more about making the mold to cast them in though. Should have been more clear. The material depends on what kind of panels they are. Scoops would probably be standard resin.
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10:07 PM
Jan 6th, 2005
Keesee Member
Posts: 419 From: Coatesville, Indiana Registered: Oct 2003
You might want to tag this and paste it into a blank Word document for future use......
MPC actually made the 1:25 scale versions before AMT Ertl bought them out in the early '90's. They made early Notchback and later ('87-'88) GT kits, but never produced the '87-'88 Formula-Base Coupe fascia's. I bought this unopened '88 GT last week off the Bay for $37.00 including shipping. This is the most I've had to pay for any Fiero kit.
It is probably one of the most rare of the bunch since the 1988 kits were molded in White plastic. I opened the kit and found that the glass was never packed in the box, but that's not a big deal since I've got about 8 MPC based Fiero kits around here now. As a side note to that, most of the MPC kits came with "Smoked Glass" anyway, which ruined the windshield and GT tail light piece. Making new glass is a snap because all the bodies had a cast in lip running the perimiter of the windshield.
The MPC based kits were very accurate with only a few minor problems concerning the bodies. The sunroof is too small and too far forward on the roof and the PONTIAC lettering cast into the left headlight cover is raised instead of indented. The spoilers are totally the wrong shape and size, and it would be best to scratchbuild a new one or modifly the Monogram piece.
I cut the doors out on the car above. Unlike the current Monogram kit, the MPC cars had opening front decks with full detail.
There were 2 early Notchback MPC kits with very similar box art with Red cars on a Blue background. These were billed as being an '84 and an '85. Both cars had the '84's rear deck lid with the large cast in cooling vent. All of the interiors had two large tabs molded onto the rear that represented the twin grills under the rear window. These were cast plain, with no grill detail which was okay for the '84 car but incorrect for the '85 and '86 cars. The interior's of the '87 and '88 GT's finally got grill detail, but they were longer than the Notchback body would accept.
In 1986 MPC molded the car in Black and the box art was of a Black car. This is the only kit I'm aware of that has the rear deck with the "Power Bulge" that would be correct for any Notchback car newer than '84.
The car pictured above has the later GT's interior tub with modified twin grills to fit the Notchie body and rear deck lid. This car will also borrow the ground effects from a GT to become the SE version.
The engine details are cast a little soft, but they look fine in the finished kit. The Lace wheels in the GT kits are soft on detail with a totally wrong rim detail.
The current Monogram kit is avrage at best and leaves you with one building option without major modifications to the body. You can build the intended '85 GT or paint it a different color and call it an '86-'87 SE version. Either way, you still have a 1:24 scale car that comes across as being a bit too big when placed with other cars. The MPC kits offer a lot more options by mixing and matching parts for different versions.
Now on to the Sail Panels....
RWDPLZ offers good sound advice in using a quality resin molding kit. I've also used it several times and nothing beats a good 2 part catylized rubber (and Resin) to do the molding and casting. Be advised tho that creating a workable 2 part rubber mold with the dividing line in a usable place is pretty tricky to accomplish. Casting the actual final parts is the easy part of this process.
The Sail Panels are molded onto the Notchback bodies of both the MPC and Monogram kits and would take some work to remove before you even attempt to build new ones. I'm considering using RC Aircraft Black Mylar to cover these areas with a final gloss clear coat.
BTW, I am in the process of scratchbuilding Formula-Base Coupe front & rear fascia's, but I've got a long way to go. Both pieces need a lot of work to be correct. In the end, I will make molds to cast both fascials and the needed hood. Anyone interested in hearing more can email me direct at
Originally posted by Keesee: BTW, I am in the process of scratchbuilding Formula-Base Coupe front & rear fascia's, but I've got a long way to go. Both pieces need a lot of work to be correct. In the end, I will make molds to cast both fascials and the needed hood. Anyone interested in hearing more can email me direct at
The same company that makes Sculpey clay makes very cool fleximold material. ends up like rubber but it's pretty darn strong.
I have also used that two-part putty epoxy stuff to make molds . they last forever, but you need to coat the original in some sort of lubricant (I use spray teflon type) on the original as a mold-release..., or it won't come out.
I have a LOT of fiero cut-out-model parts...I would love it if someone could help me finish the last 15 % of it...but that's another thread....
Well Bob, it looks like you've got quite a following with the little Duke's... I'd love to have a casting too, if you think you can pop a few more. If not, email me on the side and let me know what mods you did to the kit pieces. I'm sure I can at least duplicate that.
I'll try today I'm working on finishing a Celica rally car for tomorrow's model club meeting, and for display at the local hobby shop. Plus my little brother's girlfriend called this morning and wants me to fix some "major problem" with her laptop, so I might not even get to try to cast the 'dukes 'till tonight or tomorrow.
The resin pieces are the same as stock in the kit, I just made the mold because I needed alot more engines The way I made the mold, there's alot of work involved cleaning up the flash and mold lines, but they look just as good as the original when they're painted up.
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02:18 PM
PFF
System Bot
Keesee Member
Posts: 419 From: Coatesville, Indiana Registered: Oct 2003
The way I made the mold, there's alot of work involved cleaning up the flash and mold lines, but they look just as good as the original when they're painted up.
