AutoART DeLorean 2017 Illuminati Release

[Michael]

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After many hours of stress and concentration the AutoART flat black DeLorean has been transformed into a finished product! I bought the matt black one because the stainless ones are very expensive since they only made 1,000 of them. I began by completely taking it down to it's core 300 parts. The body and panels were stripped, grained, then painted with a special scale model Metalizer paint system 4 step process to realistically reproduce the bare stainless skin. It turned out much better than the factory stainless models. The bumpers were stripped of their black paint and repainted the factory colors as well as the underbody. The black wheels were repainted to the early vin color just because I wanted something special for a special model.
This model was fitted with working headlights, full marker lights including license tag bulbs. Also has full dash illumination including the radio and AC controls. On constant power (meaning they work all the time whether the outside lights are on or not) are the luggage compartment and engine bay lights automatically come on when you open the panels and if you open a door and the interior lights and red/orange door markers come on automatically.
The engine bay has been super detailed with all hoses, electrical wires and connections, and throttle cable. I drew up and printed out a full set of decal labels...it helps to have the real thing in the garage to work off of.
Once the weather warms up a bit I will take my Olympus and get some realistic outdoor shots.

[Lwanmtr]

Looks neat.

[ccurzio]

I see it accurately replicates the door droop too.

[Michael]

I see it accurately replicates the door droop too.

I was going to make the dash lights blue but I was afraid people would try to copy it in real life and I didn't want to be responsible for any deaths.

[Domi]

The result is really awesome, you did a great job :thumbup2:

[Michael]

The result is really awesome, you did a great job :thumbup2:

Thanks! For those who don't like the door droop, some of the pictures were taken a few days ago before I had all the details in the door jambs painted and decals in place so the struts were not tightened down all the way because 90% of the time during construction the car is on its backside and I wanted the doors to flop down easy. Here they are compared to the normal AutoART DeLorean.
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FYI for those who have the AutoART DeLorean and have a problem with the doors not staying up, try using a jewelers screwdriver (and make sure it's the right size so as not to strip those tiny screw heads) gently tighten both ends of the strut. That should do it. This also works for the bonnet and engine covers

[Michael]

Close up of the engine detail
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[Lwanmtr]

Makes me wanna get one of those...if they werent so pricey.

[Tamir A.]

Wow! Very impressive job on that car. The lights and detail in the engine are spectacular.

[Michael]

Wow! Very impressive job on that car. The lights and detail in the engine are spectacular.

Thanks Tamir! I am going to enjoy having a realistic DeLorean model to photograph in ways I could never do a full size one. Expect a lot of DeLorean pics this summer.

[DMC5180]

You should be able to get some real mind bending near to far perspective shots with the real car in the background.


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[Michael]

You should be able to get some real mind bending near to far perspective shots with the real car in the background.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm making an asphalt base right now from sheets of 60 grit paper. Some airbrushing and some dark washes should make a convincing scale driveway. Got my rotating base in today, love it. It adds so much to the finished model. Still, needs a DMC decal on the stationary riser part of the base. Will do that soon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vILj1x5U9OA

[Lwanmtr]

Very cool.

[Riley88]

The engine bay and attention to detail is just absolutely amazing wow great work!

[Timebender]

You're work never ceases to impress, Michael. Did you do the model of the Millennium Falcon as well?

[Nicholas R]

Holy cow man, that looks awesome!! If you didn't know those shots of the engine were a scale model, it would be difficult to distinguish it from a photo of an actual engine. I'm blown away by the detail with the lights, switches, labels, everything! Very well done!! :thumbup:

[Michael]

You're work never ceases to impress, Michael. Did you do the model of the Millennium Falcon as well?

Thanks!,
I sold the Falcon few years ago but I have another, more expensive and much more screen accurate kit in my closet waiting for the mood to strike me.


Holy cow man, that looks awesome!! If you didn't know those shots of the engine were a scale model, it would be difficult to distinguish it from a photo of an actual engine. I'm blown away by the detail with the lights, switches, labels, everything! Very well done!!

Thanks man!!

[mr_maxime]

That's fantastic. Was getting the center console lights in easier on the scale model or the real thing?

Also, I use corkboard for asphalt. Paint black and drybrush and it gives a fairly convincing asphalt look. I've also heard of using roofing shingles.

[Michael]

I'm not sure if you mean the interior lights or the HVAC and radio lights but it doesn't matter, the whole damn ting was hard. Although I have never lit an AutoArt DeLorean before I have seen it done with other AUTOart models, but with the DeLorean there just is no room. I was going to add brake lights that activate when you push the brake pedal but I was too worried that I was overreaching. Turns out I had enough room(and I still may add them). Most people that do this stuff use programmable chips where I'm too stupid so mine is all analog and that eats up real estate. Another thing is since I used special coatings to achieve the stainless finish, it is quite delicate so I had to be very aware how I handled it during construction.

Here is a sample of the LED's I used.
Some of the wire I used was not much thicker than a human hair. As far as the pavement goes, I think roofing shingles would be much too large for 1/18 scale, even the 60 grit I got is a bit coarse for 1/18 scale, but by the time i paint several coats it sould look right. I could see cork being a good texture as long as it was fine enough.

https://sep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-12496200801054/pico-led-lights-for-model-police-cars-and-fire-trucks-constant-colors-1.gif

[Lwanmtr]

Ive considered making a printable kit from my 3d model so I could do fancy things like lights, RC, etc...but would be a bit larger than 1:18 and wouldnt have actual stainless body panels.

[mr_maxime]

Some of the wire I used was not much thicker than a human hair. As far as the pavement goes, I think roofing shingles would be much too large for 1/18 scale, even the 60 grit I got is a bit coarse for 1/18 scale, but by the time i paint several coats it sould look right. I could see cork being a good texture as long as it was fine enough.


Here's an example of it done. It's such a quick and easy way to do it and looks great on on stuff near 1/35 scale. Just sprinkle on some fine sand to add a bit more texture.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/b7/b6/98/b7b69825fe1018e5e60b8e4bf2cdffdd.jpg

[Timebender]

Thanks!,
I sold the Falcon few years ago but I have another, more expensive and much more screen accurate kit in my closet waiting for the mood to strike me.

I hate you... [emoji12]
And here I am busy restoring my D (a little at a time and driving it), constantly repairing R2, have my son's 1970 Camaro I'm working on restoring, still have to finish our 960sf pole barn, and now my wife has me starting on our first of 3 tree houses...

I gotta get my priorities straight.

[Michael]

Just a very quick shot with my phone before I lost daylight. When I have more time to stage I will use my Olympus so I can get some depth of field going on and lose that tilt shift(blurry background).
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[Lwanmtr]

neat

[Domi]

Looking very good outside :thumbup2:

[mluder]

Just a very quick shot with my phone before I lost daylight. When I have more time to stage I will use my Olympus so I can get some depth of field going on and lose that tilt shift(blurry background).
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How long before we see a scam add for a DeLorean for sale on E-bay that uses this picture?

Cheers
Steve

[Lwanmtr]

How long before we see a scam add for a DeLorean for sale on E-bay that uses this picture?

Cheers
Steve

Dang, you stole my idea.....

[Michael]

How long before we see a scam add for a DeLorean for sale on E-bay that uses this picture?

Cheers


I collect gold and gold coins as a hobby. Not too long ago a guy sold high quality pictures of gold coins on ebay. He did a very very lengthy copy and paste description and snuck in words like "these pictures" or "excellent condition photographs" in the 1,000 word essay. He listed them in art and photograph category and anyone who was looking say "Gold Maple 1oz" would stumble across his ad for a 1oz Gold Maple Coin (picture). People bid not realizing they were in the art catgory and not taking the time to read his whole ad. They would win and get their picture just as promised that they paid dearly for. Before the negative feedback started rolling in he made off with 250 to 300k. He had excellent feedback in the hundreds before this so the people he scammed were caught completely off guard.

I suspect I could do something similar with better pictures. Chris might get his DeLorean after all. :devil:

[mluder]

I collect gold and gold coins as a hobby. Not too long ago a guy sold high quality pictures of gold coins on ebay. He did a very very lengthy copy and paste description and snuck in words like "these pictures" or "excellent condition photographs" in the 1,000 word essay. He listed them in art and photograph category and anyone who was looking say "Gold Maple 1oz" would stumble across his ad for a 1oz Gold Maple Coin (picture). People bid not realizing they were in the art catgory and not taking the time to read his whole ad. They would win and get their picture just as promised that they paid dearly for. Before the negative feedback started rolling in he made off with 250 to 300k. He had excellent feedback in the hundreds before this so the people he scammed were caught completely off guard.

I suspect I could do something similar with better pictures. Chris might get his DeLorean after all. :devil:

Wow... That take a pair to run a scam like that.

Steve

[Michael]

I think in the near future I'm doing this with a stainless version and really pulling out the stops. Turn signals activated via the stalk, brake lights via the brake pedal, and since I will be starting with an actual stainless versions it will be much much easier because there will be not as much disassembley needed to paint the interior door panels, fascias, and wheels.

I really do like my painted stainless finish but the factory stainless models can be grained with 800 grit to a nearly perfect looking finish. It may be daunting to try this to a model fetching 400+ dollars these days but trust me, after stripping my black one (which was just a painted over stainless finished model), you have plenty of plating before you break through to the copper finish.