Plastic Model Building Advice

I could really use your guys help with a plastic model project, as I'm kind of stumped. My dad is turning 70 this year. For his present my son had the idea of us building his Pappa a model of his last race car, painted same way etc. I love the idea, super fun project. Here's the problem: The car is an early 80s IMSA GTU rx7, with super wide rear boxflares. eBay is amazing, I found a model kit, but the flares are blister style. I've been reading a couple of the dedicated plastic modeling sites, to try to figure out how to make the flares, and they're so way way out of my league it's not funny. Incredible craftsmanship.

Does anyone on here have suggestions for a simple way to do the flares? Could it be as easy as mixing up two part epoxy, slathering it on and then sanding when dry?

Work with what you know. Bondo or other body filler should work fine. Epoxy is nice, but is will get really hard and will be more difficult to work with when set up.

If you had not already bought the model, I would urge you to look for a resin kit, there is a huge variety of them. E.g. No one ever made an early Corvair convertible kit (I think there was a low quality snap together one) but I was able to find a nice resin kit.

Depending on how "boxy" your box flares are, sheet polystyrene is super easy to work with. I've built electronics bays for large scale airplanes before, which are sort of like "reverse box flares". If you need subtle bends, you can bend it with hot water. It's very easy to shape with simple files and sandpaper. Good luck, sounds like a cool project.

I think this is an awesome build for your dad

In reply to ManhattanM (fka NY535iManual):

Do you have a picture you could share of the car?

I use polyester putty. Clean the body up good, prime it with a sandable primer to make sure the filler doesn't react to the plastic part, and build up with the putty. After you get the shape you want give seal it with another round of primer.

Use "CAD", ala Project Binky. Use 5x3 card stock to make templates, cut the correctly sized pieces out of sheet styrene and use Plastic Wood as putty for the gaps.

Have the fender flares 3D printed in ABS...

keethrax wrote: In reply to ManhattanM (fka NY535iManual): Do you have a picture you could share of the car?

Keethrax - I don't have any digital pics, but found one the web. Im hoping the rainbow stripes will help hide manufacturing flaws.

RX7

Similar to as mentioned above, I'd rough it in with some plastic card, and then apply putty for the final contours. The pic was just in case the putty for contours was overkill and maybe you could get away with just card.

I tend to use two part epoxy putties for my modelling, like kneadatite brown stuff or one of the milliput varieties. I have trouble working with bondo/body filler at smaller scales. For that matter, I'm no good with that stuff at larger scales either, body work and I don't get along. Others seem to be really good at it though.

This place looks promising: Rx7s
May need to kit bash to get the look you want.
The 3d printer idea sounds interesting.

There is a product called Green Stuff that we use in 40mm wargaming alot. It is a sculpt-able putty that bonds to metal and plastic. It has a long set time and is really easy to work with. Might be better than a bondo for this application.

In this pic all the green stuff is green stuff...