Tim Boyd's Scale-Model Mustang

The engine was detailed using...        read full caption The engine was detailed using Donald Farr’s excellent book on the Boss 302, feature cars in Mustang Monthly, and several of the Boss 302 detailing articles in the magazine. The Ram Air was kit-bashed from a Revell/Monogram ’69 Mach 1 (PN 2923). The hood for the Mach was cut (removing a rectangular section around the shaker hole) and placed into an approximate hole in the Boss hood—and we thought Ram Air on a real car was tough. Note all the little details in the engine bay. The battery has its paper tag, and the car even has battery cables and a starter solenoid.

The interior is somewhat deceptive....        read full caption The interior is somewhat deceptive. Revell/Monogram mated a Deluxe seat set with a standard door panel. Since Boss 302s were not mixed and matched this way, the door panels from the Mach were used to give the Boss a full Deluxe interior.

Real-Metal Foil was used to...        read full caption Real-Metal Foil was used to get the chrome right. Ken’s Flocking Fur was used to simulate the carpet over a wet base of flat black. The woodgraining was done by hand. The interior was done in flat white first, followed by gloss white, then covered in semigloss clear to show off the work and to get the correct sheen of the vinyl.

Undercarriage detailing is...        read full caption Undercarriage detailing is made easier by the excellent Revell/Monogram kit. Note the detail on the mufflers. Though the undercarriage is not detailed as distinctly as the upper body, it still has all the points needed to make things right. Note the stripes on the sway bar and the rear springs. Also note that the undercarriage was sprayed first in red iron oxide, followed by a dusting spray of the Grabber Green.

A lot of attention was given...        read full caption A lot of attention was given to the front suspension area. Paint can go a long way toward making a model look real. The base chassis was painted red iron oxide first, then followed up with the Grabber Green dustcoat. After that dried, the colors were applied to all the other parts. Paint daubs were applied to the appropriate parts and bolt heads were painted black to add even more detail and interest to the kit.

Like the front suspension,...        read full caption Like the front suspension, the driveline was detailed. The kit did not include the correct-for-1970 rear sway bar, so one was created using some modeling wire. This was all trial-fitted onto the chassis to make sure there was clearance around the gas tank. Though it is hard to see when the kit is completely assembled, the sway bar adds a special interest to the rearend. For added fun, using fine wire, you could also attach brake lines and fuel lines to the undercarriage of the car as well as the emergency brake cables.

The business end of the Boss...        read full caption The business end of the Boss is where the majority of the detailing took place. Since engines are usually the focal point of a model, particular attention was paid to this area.

Hoses were made using modeling...        read full caption Hoses were made using modeling wire, while fine wire was used to get the plug wires close to the correct size. Even the smog was cobbled up for that added touch of realism. A Fred Cady Design decal kit helped to put the final touch on the car, including the OK stamp and the engine info tag.

The final shot shows a set...        read full caption The final shot shows a set of Cragar SS wheels on BFGoodrich rubber. The wheels were kit-bashed from a Monogram ’80 El Camino kit (PN 2252). Of course, the easier solution would be to use the stock 15x7s, but the choice is yours. The Grabber Green paint was buffed out using 3M rubbing compound, prior to installing the stripes from The Last Detail. Buffing the paint adds the same wow factor to these size cars as it does to their fullsize kin. We also used Real-Metal Foil (available at most hobby stores) on the window trim, the wipers, the door handles, and the side markers to give them the factory appearance. If you want to go to the nth degree, lay the foil out like the real stainless.

Several years ago we here at Mustang Monthly had a column called Mustangs in Miniature. This section of the magazine dealt with Mustangs of a more diminutive size. From 1:25 scale models down to HO gauge steeds; if it was small, we covered it. Like other columns, this one saw its day in the sun and somehow fell away. Even so, a number of readers have requested its return. Now they can rejoice, if only for one issue.

Most of the time when a model car comes across our desk, it's in kit form and needs to be assembled. Several of these plastic kits, and even one or two Revell metal body kits, have been collecting dust on our shelves at home. We will often look at them in admiration and think, One day we'll have the time to assemble those model cars. Even our advertisers carry popular Mustang kits in their catalogs, so there must be something to this.

That brings us to Tim Boyd of Plymouth, Michigan. When Tim sent us the photos of his Boss 302, we were--quite frankly--amazed. Here was a 1:25 scale kit to be envious of. In fact, the car was so nice, it was featured on the cover and was the lead feature of Scale Auto Enthusiast (SAE) in December 1999. What was cool to us, aside from the killer Boss 302 detailing story, was the story even mentioned Mustang Monthly--and this isn't the first time we've been mentioned by our friends at SAE. So without further adieu, we'll let Boyd show you what he did working for scale.