It was broken, 66a work in progress and more

[Tinman]

Like many of us here on the resto & customs forum, I like to watch MMM (Marty's Matchbox Makeovers). I enjoy his productions and the extra stuff he adds to keep it fluffy and interesting. I like some things he does and other things drive me crazy. But, we all have our own way of doing things. I like to watch him struggle with replacing A-pillars on 1-75s, I guess I get some sort of perverse pleasure in watching him struggle with something that can be done so much easier (at least I think the Tinman way is much easier/better).  I'll share my method for replacing A-Pillars if you all promise not to tell Marty, cause then that would end my sadistic enjoyment of watching him struggle.

So here is a 66a Citroen that needs some help. The two front pillars are broken away at the top and bent inward towards the model's interior. The right side center pillar is completely missing. In the below photo, I've already heated the left side A-Pillar and moved it back into position. I'll heat up the right side pillar with my butane torch and get it back in position next.

66a1 VBD.jpg (162.19 KiB) Viewed 1474 times

66a2 VBD.jpg (158.1 KiB) Viewed 1474 times

Now that I have the two front pillars where I want them, it's time to replace the missing right side pillar. Here is where I go a completley different route then Marty uses. Marty (and I suspect others too) attempt to fit and glue the tiny piece of metal into place using super glue and do so freehand on the model. I use two part 5 minute epoxy, the bond is much stronger than super glue. Marty's attempts are a testament to this weakness, as you can tell when Marty knocks out that pillar (which he struggled so hard to install) while he later attempts to sand or file it at the glue joints.

I've two methods which make this job much easier and stronger (stronger due to the use of clear epoxy). The method shown here is when I'm working with curved surfaces. I have cut a strip of foil duct tape which I will place inside the body. Where the tape will go over the window opening I have placed a smaller piece on foil tape with the sticky side facing the sticky side of the main strip. On that portion of foil tape that is exposed (where the pillar will rest), I have placed liquid masking (Microscale "Micro Mask"). The foil can be shaped to give me a nice flat (and fairly sturdy) place to rest the new pillar.

Using a caliper, I measure the length of pillar needed (cut it to size) and I can put it in place with tweezers and check the fit. With the model positioned so the work area is flat, I can easily move the pillar into the place I want. Once it's where I want it I can use a toothpick to apply epoxy at the top and the bottom joints. No muss, no fuss - because I've backed up the resting place for the pillar. When the epoxy has hardened, I simply peel away the foil tape from inside the body. The masking film prevents the epoxy from sticking to the tape and everything peels away clean. Once the tape is gone, I can use the toothpick (and a freshly mixed dab of epoxy) to reinforce the inside edges of the joint and/or further build up the outside joint. If any of the liquid masking film sticks to the back side of the pillar, it can either be peeled away or washed away with warm water and a soft paint brush.

If the model has more square or flat corners, I simply glue a small piece of cardboard inside using Elmer's washable school glue. That will also make a nice solid backer to fit and glue my pillar. I coat the front side of the cardboard with a couple coats of the same school glue. Once the epoxy has set, simply soak the casting in warm water and the glue releases from the model's interior and the new pillar. Using either method, once the epoxy hardens any excess epoxy removal or shaping needed can be done with a needle file and confidence that you are not going to knock the pillar out of the model.

66a3 VBD.jpg (272.88 KiB) Viewed 1465 times

66a4 VBD.jpg (294.46 KiB) Viewed 1474 times

I put the model in white primer so I could see any additional adjustments needed. I did a little work with a round needle fine and hit the right side again with the primer. OK, I like that (good enough for government work, as they say) and it's ready for the top coat of yellow paint.

[Tinman]

I'm still waiting for a silver paint pen I ordered from Amazon, so the silver trim on the model will have wait too. Here's my old beat up and broken 66a with silver plastic wheels.