# Improving the Johnny Lightning Chariot



## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Hi folks. In this project I will try to improve my Johnny Lightning Chariot a little.

I will use several images downloaded as references, including some from the Moebius kit built by several modellers here.

Bellow, you can see pictures with indications of what I intend to do. Sugestions are very wellcome, as well as criticisms about my choices regarding the paint colors.

Thanks in advance.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

This is a fun little project! I did one last year, but just flew throuygh it with a silver Sharpie & such. I was actually planning to touch it up with real paint soon!


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

I think that the canopy frames should be painted with a very pointed pen, but I don't know it will be easy to find out one with the Irwin Allen's orange color.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Well, there we go (fingers crossed).


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## Krel (Jun 7, 2000)

Shouldn't the cargo containers on top be black also?

David.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Yes, it shoul be a different color, but I was thinking of something more like this:










Chrome silver?


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Since you have it disassembled you might want to get rid of the rolling wheels so that the tracks actually touch the ground. You could make some curtains from foil or paper too.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Look at this! It was made from scratch! The man is a genius!!










Here is the link: http://culttvman.com/main/?p=4848


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

djnick66 said:


> Since you have it disassembled you might want to get rid of the rolling wheels so that the tracks actually touch the ground. You could make some curtains from foil or paper too.


The body is made of metal. I suppose I can glue styren to it, putty and sand?

About the curtains, the problem would be making the folds in scale.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Would someone there know how I can remove the black paint from the canopy without damaging the kit?


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

The cases on top were various colors, orange, red, green and blue were the most common. :thumbsup:


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Fernando Mureb said:


> Would someone there know how I can remove the black paint from the canopy without damaging the kit?


Ahhh, just make new parts from clear styrene.:thumbsup:


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

What? No way!


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

I made some modifications to the paint reference of this project. 

I have finished masking the canopy. :freak:

Pictures soon.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

You could probably vacuuform a new clear top although that takes some effort.

Sure its easy to use CA glue to bond plastic to metal. No problems there.

Folds on the curtains are not a big deal. Either fold them accordion style (first then cut to size) or just paint on the folds.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Thnks Djnick66

I guess if I manage to do this without losing my sanity, I can make the accordion folders using aluminum sheet.

I'm gonna leave the black paint on the top of canopy. I'm just trying to have fun with this little project.










It will be relativelly easy paint the frames with aluminum on the external side of the canopy, because they are raised from the general surface. However, I gave up the idea of paint the frames orange in the interior side, because the frames are flush with the surface and, in this way, extremely difficult to mask, which is aggravated by the limited space available to work with your fingers.

Likewise, I will no longer suppress the stem where the headlights are fixed mile, as the antenna, because I would not have a mean to plug the holes in the clear styren, and they can not be used to fix the lights, as I thought at first.


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## Krel (Jun 7, 2000)

Could you first paint the frames orange, and then cover them with silver? It might give you some orange on the inside that way. Also remember that in the first season, things were painted differently. There are a few color photos from the first season with the Chariot, and it wasn't painted orange. When it went to color, they used orange because it was Irwin Allen's favorite color.

The containers that they used were probably just ones that the studio had for transporting camera and lighting gear. 

David.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Krel said:


> Could you first paint the frames orange, and then cover them with silver? It might give you some orange on the inside that way.
> David.


Excelent idea!!!  However...  too late.

Anyway thanks! :thumbsup: I's so obvious that I am ashamed of not having thought of it before.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Krel said:


> When it went to color, they used orange because it was Irwin Allen's favorite color.
> David.


By the way, what are the paints (both acrylic and enamel) that most closely match the IA's Orange?


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Yeah if you had painted it orange first just paint the silver on top...

When I worked on my big Chariot I think I used a Tamiya spray that was good. It was NOT the same as their orange jar paint.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Snif!  There are things you only learn with time and practice.

As for the paint, I need an enamel bottle to paint chairs and chassis (is that the way we should call the lower part of the chariot?). 

Any advice, please?


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

You can paint it with any kind of paint... the plastic is pretty hard. I would use an acrylic myself.


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## Krel (Jun 7, 2000)

Fernando Mureb said:


> Excelent idea!!!  However...  too late.
> 
> Anyway thanks! :thumbsup: I's so obvious that I am ashamed of not having thought of it before.


Actually, as I think about it. The best way would be to paint the frames orange, then white to better reflect the orange, then finally silver.

David.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Thanks David.

I am preparing myself to begin with the chariot from Moebius in two month and this advice will certainly be taken on account. :wave:


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

*Progress*

While waiting for my Irwin Allen style orange paint.










I had to paint the top of the canopy, on both sides of the dome, to cover the original black paint. Now I'm going to paint the suitcases on the rack and add some details on the command panels.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

While waiting for my Irwin Allen style orange paint.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

I use Super Clean (WalMart carries it) to remove chrome plating from styrene and it doesn't harm the plastic. Might work for removing that paint off the canopy:


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Thank you, Trekkriffic! :thumbsup:

I will try it on further opportunities. 

In fact the little frame painted black on the canopy was no big deal. It was kind of preciosity on my part intend to remove it.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Nice tiny work, dude!


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Thanks! Actually, it's just an appetizer as I prepare to start playing with those.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Is that the 1/24 Robot?


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Chrisisall said:


> Is that the 1/24 Robot?


Exactly, the one from Moebius. I also bought Paul's photo etch kit.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Fernando Mureb said:


> Exactly, the one from Moebius. I also bought Paul's photo etch kit.


That's the ONLY Robot I do not own....:freak:


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

I have this one, the Masudaya and preordered the new Moebius. 

I would like to buy the Johnny Lightining robot to use with my PL Jupiter 2. If I'm not wrong, you have one, right?


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Fernando Mureb said:


> I would like to buy the Johnny Lightining robot to use with my PL Jupiter 2. If I'm not wrong, you have one, right?


No, it's too big for the PL J2; I made my tiny one for it from scratch.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Ah! Yes! I remember now. Great job. Did you finish it?

And, yes, the Johnny Lightining robot is not to PL's, but to Mebius J2, isn't it?


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Fernando Mureb said:


> Ah! Yes! I remember now. Great job. Did you finish it?


 Not yet....


> And, yes, the Johnny Lightining robot is not to PL's, but to Mebius J2, isn't it?


Bingo!


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

There should be a law requiring manufacturers of scale models to always put in the kit box a robot (in scale), whenever they fabricate one of three LIS vehicles.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Fernando Mureb said:


> There should be a law requiring manufacturers of scale models to always put in the kit box a robot (in scale), whenever they fabricate one of three LIS vehicles.


I TOTALLY agree, my man!!!:thumbsup:


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Sorry for doesn't post updates. The orange tamiya paint I bought for this build is still on its way.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

*Good news!!*

My orange paint has just arrived. Pictures as soon as possible. :wave:


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Ok, the images on this post and the following show how the work ended up.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)




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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

I will wait untill tomorrow morning to take a better picture and make an before/after comparison.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Sweeeet.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Thanks pal. The final picture doesn't make justice to this little fun toy. I still have to think in a simple way to do the curtains.


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

Very Nice !! You should be proud.


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## Fernando Mureb (Nov 12, 2006)

Thanks! I am, indeed. I decided to draw and print the curtains as transparent decals (just the lines emulating the folds) to apply on aluminum paper cuted to fit the canopy.


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