Yesterday, it's arrived a package with some new models: one of this is another '69 Dodge Charger "General Lee" that I will convert in the Traveller #2 owned by Erik Dimitriou. I think that I will create 3 replicas of this car: one for me, one for Erik and one for Roberto (the greatest collector of Hazzard diecast model in Italy).
   Anyway, before start to work on this model, I organized a new Charger Meeting: this time the presence was very high, infact there was 6 Charger (included the last oncoming). The next time, I think the meeting will be still larger!!

Posted by: Fabiano on Thu 7/26/2007 11:06

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   Yesterday, I started to work on 3 models: first of all, I created the correct license plates for the Traveller #2 (using some original pictures posted by Erik Dimitriou on CGLFC forum) and then I started to remove the paint from the Jaguar and Ferrari bodies. This evening, I think I will start to paint the Jaguar body with a good gloss black and then I will remove paint from the Viper body.

Posted by: Fabiano on Tue 7/31/2007 11:16

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   Finally, yesterday I started to work on the Traveller model based on the car owned by Erik Dimitriou and used in "Collier & Co." movie. First of all, using the pictures furnished by Erik, I created a new license plate, so now it's identical to the last one installed his owner. Moreover, I started to remove the paint from the body, starting from the hood and the doors.
   This evening I think that I'll continue on the rest of the body, and in the next days, I will start to paint it with the correct colours.

Posted by: Fabiano on Thu 8/16/2007 11:32

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   Yesterday, I went to Gavirate (VA) in my preferred paintshop and I found all the correct colors to paint the Erik's Traveller. On to the road to home, I was very anxious to try my new paints, so just arrived in my house I immediately tryed to paint all the parts unpainted. The result is good: the light grey is perfect and it looks like the color on the pictures sent me by Erik.
   This evening, I will continue to work on the body and in the next days I will show you the progress. Have a nice weekend!!!

Posted by: Fabiano on Fri 8/17/2007 11:02

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   Finally, today I resumed the Traveller: I removed all the old paint from the body and then I painted the front with the same color (light grey) used for the hood and the doors. Then, changing the mask, I painted the passenger side with a redish color: I'm very excited for the result obtained, but unfortunately today it's a rainy day and to show you my progress, I shot some pictures indoor, so the light is not perfect. I hope tomorrow will be a better day, perhaps a sunny day, so I will shoot new pictures with the right light.

Posted by: Fabiano on Mon 8/20/2007 22:57

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   Yesterday, I painted the body with the dark grey: to do this, first of all I prepared a mask to cover the parts just painted, and then I sprayed the new color on the visibile parts. After some hours, the paint was air-dried, so I removed all the mask and I shot some pictures with all the parts assembled.
   However, if you notice, there is a little difference between the light grey used on the front and the light grey used on the hood and the doors. I don't know the reasons, but I don't like this imperfection, so today I will repaint another time the hood and the doors and I hope this time the paint effect will be the same for every piece. Moreover, I will paint with the same color also the trunk and tomorrow, perhaps, I will paint the roof with a semi gloss black.

Posted by: Fabiano on Wed 8/22/2007 10:20

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   As promised, I resolved the problem about the differences on the light grey parts: now every pieces have the same shade!! Moreover, I painted also the trunk with the same light grey and then I assembled all the parts with also the front lights and the rear lights.
   I think that until the 4th Septmber I will stop to work on the Traveller because tomorrow I will leave for my due holiday. However, in this period I will think how to create the roof, because I want try to create the vinil roof with a particular tapes... See you in September!!!

Posted by: Fabiano on Thu 8/23/2007 11:21

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   Finally, after the holiday, I took in my hands the Traveller and I corrected some errors I discovered watching carefully the pictures sent me by Erik.
   First of all, I repainted all the front grill removing the wrong orange frame: now the headlights grill is all black with silver edges. Then, I modified the left rear corner: in my previous version, I painted this point with dark grey, but now I've corrected it with a light grey. Last but not least, I corrected the hidden side of the right rear quarter panel, painting it with red color, instead of light grey.
   Now the car looks better and the next step is to paint the roof, giving it the look of a vinal roof.

Posted by: Fabiano on Thu 9/13/2007 10:49

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   As announced, yesterday evening I painted the roof. To obtain the vinal effect I used a opaque black paint: I sprayed the paint with a lot of little squirt, manteining the cylinder at 40cm from the model. For every squirt, I generated a thick cloud, so the paint was deposited in granular way on the body.
   I think that the result is awesome and I'm very proud for my job... The next step is to create the silver profiles around all the windows and then, when the exterior will be finished, I will start to prepare the interior of the car.

Posted by: Fabiano on Fri 9/14/2007 11:29

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   Today, "Collier & Co. - Hot Pursuit" will be realesed in the US on the new version with 2 DVDs. So, to celebrate this event, yesterday I worked hard to finish the exterior of the Traveller: I painted all the silver profiles around every window and then I assembled some external details like the windscreen, the back window, the fuel cap and the windshield wipers.
   Moreover, I shot some pictures with the orange Traveller that I created some months ago, so I tryed to reproduce a future meeting between the cars owned by John Schneider and Erik Dimitriou.

   Besides, I want to show you a custom "General Lee" that Luca.77 (an Automodellando's user) has created in this period: he has used an Hot Wheels model in 1/64 scale and using some pictures downloaded from Internet, he has created a perfect "General Lee" livery in miniature. Good job Luca!!

Posted by: Fabiano on Tue 9/18/2007 11:14

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   Yesterday, on the Traveller, I added the lateral rear windows, created using vinyl acetate papers. Now I think the exterior could be considered finished: I need only to fix every part to the the main body and then I will start to work on the interior. Moreover, this morning, I organized another little meeting with all the main cars used in "Collier & Co. - Hot Pursuit": yes, this time there is also the Shelby Series-1 I bought some weeks ago. When I will finish the Traveller, I will try to substitute on it the red stripes with the correct blue stripes.

Posted by: Fabiano on Wed 9/19/2007 11:27

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   Yesterday, I started to work on the Traveller's core!! I dismantled all the model and I started to paint the chassis with a opaque black color. This evening, I will continue to work on it, and I think I will paint the engine.

Posted by: Fabiano on Wed 9/26/2007 12:10

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   As promised, I worked on the engine. First of all, I painted the block with a gloss red, and then I painted some details with a chrome paint. To increse the detail of this engine, I prepared some decals "MOPAR PERFORMANCE" for the headers. To complete it, I will add some cables and other feature in according with the picture of the real car.
   Moreover, I painted with the same gloss red, the torsion bar (so now it looks more real) and I prepared 2 new exhaust tubes, using the same drinking straw I used on the previous Traveller.

Posted by: Fabiano on Fri 9/28/2007 15:03

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   New updates on the Traveller: with a tan color, I painted all the internal parts like the dashboard and the lateral door panels. Then, I prepared a dashboard decal using the pictures sent me by Erik (below, you can see the usual animation I use to illustrate the steps needed to create this decal).
   In the next days, I will work on the internal floor: I need to decide if I will realize the movie version (no carpet inside) or the actual version (with tan carpet inside).

Posted by: Fabiano on Mon 10/1/2007 14:27

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   Finally, after 2 months, I resumed to work on the Traveller (owned by Erik Dimitriou). The exterior now is perfect, so I'm concentrating my pains only on the interior, especially on the internal carpet: infact, using a particular pasty velvet sent me from Max (Diablo), I recreated a perfect carpet for the floor. This is the first time I use this technique, so I need to improve me, but considering the final result, I'm quite satisfy. In the next days, I will paint the seats using the correct paint and then I will try to reproduce the plaids that cover them.

Posted by: Fabiano on Wed 11/28/2007 15:16

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   Waiting the first pictures from the Dukesfest 2008, I finished to work on the wheels mounted on the grey Traveller, the replica of the car owned by Erik Dimitriou. As you can see from the pictures, I modified the model as the other Traveller, reducing the suspensions height and the rims colouring. Now, this model is ready for a "virtual" Dukesfest... Stay tuned for a funny surprise!!

Posted by: Fabiano on Thu 6/26/2008 15:56

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   In this period, I'm working on the Traveller #1 (the car used in the movie "Collier & Co.") To create a perfect replica of the real car, I tryed to recreate the cover seats: in the movie they used 2 blankets, while I used 2 old duster cloths. However, the diecast model is not yet finished: I need to complete the engine bay and I will other details on the interior, etc.
   Anyway, I shot some pictures with the 2 Travellers, in order to appreciate the work executed in the last year. Enjoy with them!!!

Posted by: Fabiano on Tue 7/15/2008 12:05

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   For me, the diecast models I create are never finished: every time, I try to increase the details to improve the final output. This time, for example, I stole the idea used by Roberto and I made the same modify on my Traveller #1: I coated the stearing wheel with insulating tape and now it looks like more similar to the real one used in the movie "Collier & Co."
   Coming soon I will work on the chassis to improve the rear part: I will execute the same modify I applied on the Lee1.

Posted by: Fabiano on Thu 9/18/2008 12:20

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