grasshopper 2 Kontemax's Grasshopper II: Advices and suggestions.

[kontemax]

Hi folks,

I'm working on my Grasshopper 2 to restore and finish it to shelf queen condition.

Now I'm working on the driver:

http://www.tamiyaclu...id=115818&id=24

As you can see I made the body, the cockpit and the roll bar. Also made some mods to the head and the face and I add a sun visor on the helmet.

My problem is:

Leave the visor white or make it semi gloss black? My original idea was to make it black.

Now I don't know.

So I need your advice and suggestion please.

Cheers and thanks

Max

UPDATE: Here some better pictures

[Tamiya1/10]

Taste is personal. You got photo shop? Color the visor and see if you like it or try another color until you find the color you like. I think most helmet has a dark visor to reduce the reflection.

[kontemax]

Camera batteries are under charge. Yes I've photoshop obviously. I'll do some with it.

Max

[dragnse7en]

How about a piece of clear plastic sheet, cut the shape of the visor - just like a real helmet!

You could even use clear packing tape, folded in half, sticky side inside, and trim to fit with scissors or a hobby knife.

If you want colored tint on the visor, use clear plastic and a transparent acrylic paint.

[dragnse7en]

Or, you can use a scrap piece of lexan to make the visor, and then paint it Tamiya Smoke - it will look like it's tinted!

[kontemax]

I'm sorry, I'm not english mothertongue. I was speaking about the visor I made with abs on front of the helmet, you can see it in the blurry picts.

I wasn't speaking about the transparent visor over the eyes...

Max

[dragnse7en]

Oh - I am sorry. I misunderstood you.

Look at some pictures of vintage off-road helmets with the visors on the internet - they are usually semi-gloss black.

[kontemax]

This is esactly what I was thinking about. But after the matt black padding of the helmet I did think maybe there's too much black near the face. Or not?Max

Oh - I am sorry. I misunderstood you.

Look at some pictures of vintage off-road helmets with the visors on the internet - they are usually semi-gloss black.

[dragnse7en]

Take away the boldness of the black, and add some leather color between the face and helmet - similiar to the pics I posted

Paint the inner half of the black padding and make it look leather, or any other soft padding color that compliments the rest of your artwork.

[dragnse7en]

Also, if you want goggles, you can use two empty clear blisters from a round cold and flu tablet.

Cut 2 out, and paint the top round edge black. Use a rubber band, and cut it up to form a band for the goggles, and paint to match!

[kontemax]

These are great ideas. I'm really tempted to make the leather. I'm only afraid to make some mistake. The rubber band will rotten with the time but I can do it with some abs for the googles.

Max

[dragnse7en]

That's good to hear. Please post some pictures of the finished work, and the whole finished buggy!

[kontemax]

For the buggy I'll need some more time. I added lights to the Grasshopper 2 then will close the body mount holes and will go for hidden body mounts. This will take time. Also I closed the roof hole.

Max

[kontemax]

I think I'll do black at the end.

http://www.tamiyaclu...id=115818&id=24

Max

[Tamiya1/10]

my vote is for the red.

[dragnse7en]

I like the flat black one, in the left-hand bottom corner. The blue might work well too, if it only matched the blue on the rest of the helmet.

If I was painting it, I would have added the inner leather liner first, then the color for the visor. Not all those colors would look good with it - especially the red and blue.

[dragnse7en]

Here's a template for you, with the leather liner (photoshop)

See attached below

[kontemax]

Nice suggestion! The only problem is not ruin the work done with some mess with paint.Here some new progress on the car.I did add the lams to the body and filled the roof hole. Also I did cut the side bumper mounts.

[kontemax]

Here a new showroom with the progress on the car:

http://www.tamiyaclu...=01092012013408

and some new pictures:

Max

[kontemax]

More progress today. Filled the side holes and added the bumper.

http://www.tamiyaclu...012203025_2.jpg

Max

[kontemax]

Finally I'm going to the end on this project, have few time this period so this GH2 restoration is going longer than expected.

Yesterday I filled the holes on the body and created new hidden bodymounts. I primed the body and I'm spraying it now with TS-26 Pure White from Tamiya. I think this car is better without the body mounts on the bonnet and the rear wing.When I'll finish to spray it will apply the decals. The body columns and the cockpit roll bar will be painted with X-10 Gunmetal instead of X-12 Silver. I think that silver is too light. My first idea was to make it black but Gunmetal is a good choice imho.Now I'm searching on epay for Wild One wheels and tires. I think Wild One wheels combo fits very very well on every Tamiya vintage 2WD buggy except the Wild One, so they will good on my Grasshopper. An original GH2 wheels and tires set is anyway ready in the body box.

Here the showroom:

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=116047&id=24Max

[mongoose1983]

I have the real Sand Scorcher late 60's white BELL helmet and it comes with a removable blue visor. Whatever the color you chose for your helmet be sure not to use matt color, as the plastic is always shiny.

[kontemax]

Hi Mongoose, I'll use shiny or semi gloss paint for sure.

Ciao

Max

[dragnse7en]

Nice work!

Those two front bars for the windshield can be the same color as the roll cage you have inside.

[kontemax]

Absolutelly yes. I decided to Gunsmoke instead of Silver for two reasons:

Silver on white of the body is not so visible, silver on dark of the cockpit is too visible.

Max

Nice work!

Those two front bars for the windshield can be the same color as the roll cage you have inside.