After applying putty to even out the body panels and letting the Citroën DS19 sit for a few days, I came to the realization that I don’t need this kind of stress. pffft. If there’s one thing I do well, it’s making junkers.
So, let’s have some fun and aim for making this a rally car. :D I sanded out the mini bondo, and I’m still glad I put in the effort. A better overall fit makes for better realism, but a rally car can get away with an ill-fitting hood. It’s likely a replacement anyway. Thus, I move on.
First order of business, perhaps a dent or two. This is done by heating the plastic with a candle and using the rounded end of a butter knife to push the plastic into shape. You do have to take care not to cause problems with the fit later. Only a tiny bit of heat and soft pressure with the knife are needed.
Fenders are a good place since there aren’t usually parts inside. I’m being modest with the damage, just a little road wear for our experienced trophy winner. I can’t recall what we hit that dented the hood.
You can melt a corner and let it sink in for a realistic back up collision. Just wait for it to cool completely before touching or sanding since you can tear the plastic or leave your fingerprint in the finish.
Sometimes branches fall on the roof.
The candle heat can raise the plastic around the dent.
Just sand to get it smooth again so the dent takes center stage.
Next up, priming the various engine sprues for assembly, painting and aging. I’ll still follow the assembly instructions from the modeler who made the closed door new Citroën, but I will have different painting and aging techniques along the way. I already feel more relaxed and ready to enjoy the build.
