I’d consider applying a level one sub surf to smooth it out a little; texturing such variations - in my limited experience - can require some uv tweaking.
You could save a backup of the file, and see what happens. 
@Fax - looking good, watched some of your time lapse videos. As to this question:
Topology guys, here’s a question: as you can see I’m getting away with a lot because of the flat surfaces (check out the side of the car). Am I right to assume that I can indeed get away with no extra loops through the middle or will that somehow come back to bite me in the butt (say, when texturing or rendering)?
I’m no texturing pro, (actually hated it until I got a wacom tablet), but no, the less verts the better when dealing with texturing. Less verts you have, less verts to deal with when un-wrapping… The main thing in texturing is looking for where the texture stretches, but that comes later.
@Writer’s Block - indeed, I may be too hi-poly at this point compared to your & Tyrant’s work at this point. I shall be watching the progression of your two’s work closely! (more on this after my next comment)
@ GodOfBigThings - I’m so jealous 
The porsche 917 in the Gulf blue & orange is one of my all time favorites. I actually started it’s nemesis, the Ferrari 512s, but then I took a look at it’s topology, detail needed, and time I have to devote to this project, and I know I couldn’t do it justice, so I choose the mini.
I choose to do the mini for two reasons - First, it’s simple, like fax’s jeep, it’s not all curvy like the Ferrari 308 pic I posted, or GodOfBigThing’s Porsche 917, or the Ferrari 512s. So I’m sure I can have a good clean mesh in 3 weeks time.
Second reason why I choose it was because it was the first car I modeled when I started to get into 3d cgi again (previous experience was with something called VideoScape 3D on an Amiga computer - 1989-90). Last time I modeled this car I was using a program called Z-modeler to create cars for a favorite video game of mine, Re-volt. Here’s a low res pic of it:
Z-modeler is a tri only, front/side/top/3d view modeler, no subsurf, no loop cut, nothing close to modern modeling tools software. Basically, you had to model all the detail when you modeled because you couldn’t refine it later. After another car in Z-modeler, I moved to blender. <insert yawn> :spin:
Enough of looking back. Looking forward, this is my first serious project with b-mesh, I was very happy to find the vertex slide (shift-v, select an edge, slide the vertex) and still figuring out the knife tool.
Tips on the new tools should be posted (or links to them) here to help everyone else.
Randy
It is a Ford Anglia from the Harry Potter series.
@revolt_randy I am keeping it low poly because I will apply the sub-d modifier than the poly count will jump up a bit if I was using my old method the polycount would have been higher.
Actually this isn’t true if you use subsurf. Having more control loops will make the texture map better as well.
This isn’t my Join-In – but I must protest the choice. As a Jeep owner and affecianado, I must object to the use of a 1995 Jeep. The square headlights are simply not, in any way, iconic. It was a tragic mistake that Jeep made, and then corrected.
A jeep’s headlights should be round. As they were from the beginning:
Until today:
TM thanks for relaxing the rules … I’m in … been gathering some resources.
Going for the “Chevrolet Master DeLuxe Sport Sedan 1936” which is in many movies including “High Sierra” . I’m also modelling a Bogart caricature, hence my choice. I’ll have to customise it somewhat cos my character has a big head smaller body. Also I’ve found blueprints and much better pics for the '37 model so, forgive me… but I’m going to do that one. I’ll start blocking it out now.
Some great resources I found (sorry if repeats)
For blueprints and some modelling tips, mostly via image
http://www.palat.com.br/cars.htm
This is a blueprint of the coupe version of the chevy from there.
Also the internet cars movie database, where you can search for cars and find the movie they were in … or vice versa.
A little update.
Completed basic modelling; will apply the subsurf soon for a couple of details required. It will also neaten up the geometry, but if there are any errors it can cause problems.
Two areas of concern, behind the rear wheel arch and the area around the boot near the join the the bumper/rear lights.
My Christine thread has further pics including a flat shaded render without subsurf.
8 week challenge… Seems pretty long. The question is what batmobile should I do? Or should I do all of them?
@Owldude - looking good.
@TrueDeath - good start. Early days to crit, and as you are just laying the basic shape, nothing to add as you are keeping it the minimum you can.
@batFINGER - walls damage mudguards /nod Going well, and amazing to see someone actually using four views at once. I find it easier not to, but whatever works.
What are you having trouble with. I think you only need a few more edge loops along the length of the mud guards to give you more control on the shape. From there, it’s only a matter of tweaking.
@Writer’s Block, revolt_randy and Ben_Lind, thanks for your feedback! I will keep it all in mind. I think I won’t be doing the level 1 subsurf as some areas are already very dense, but I think the correct flow is there in case I need a few extra loops when texturing. Will wait until then.
@MarkJoel60, haha I learned about that when researching the model, the fact that they did go back to the round design really says something
@macktruck6666 just pick whichever you like, everything is up to you. But if 8 weeks feels like a lot you can always go for more than one 
@batFINGER, you are doing pretty well, do you mean the rear mudguards? Because the blueprints hide what’s behind them I assume? I’m afraid you’ll just have to grab a bunch of photos from different angles and eye it in. Makes everything take much longer than it should! But it’s still fun
Today I did some more work, particularly on the windshield (which was everything but scientific!) and the front bumper. I upped the videos to the playlist if you want to watch, I’m not sure if you guys are tired of me spamming youtube links They’re 13 minutes in total, videos 11 and 12.
I think I’ll tackle the tires next before I get into heavier details. Once I have the tires I’ll be able to visualize the scene I’ll be putting together for a render, and with that information I’ll know where to focus on for the detailing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I won’t model the back of the jeep if the render is from the front, I’ll just manage the effort on the details accordingly.
@writer’s block when you go to apply the subsurface, many levels are you going to do? the couple times I’ve modeled cars I haven’t ever applied the modifier for fear of way too many verts to run smoothly or be workable after
when you all are modelling the body of your car, are you making the doors, hood, trunk, etc all different objects? or all in one object?
Will take me seven weeks to do the textures.
@DoneCrone - level one sub-surf. I’ve done some major tweekage since posting, and it’s increased geom in places. Most of the main mesh will be one object, but they are separated into distinct meshes within that object. ATM, doors, boot, bonnet are separate from the rest; lower boot too. I could do with the lower front being separated but can’t tell if it is on the real car - it could be; if I can find a good way, then I will; it will allow me to tweak geometry again - I hate too much as it gets bloody hard to correct.
Applying it can be bad; it can highlight mistakes and make them close to impossible to correct.
My recommendation would be to save a backup of the file, then try it out. In fact, save backups often; it can be useful to duplicate an object and rename it as a backup, then move it to an unused layer.
Can never have too many backups /nod
If you apply a sub-surf, apply the mirror first - if one is present; geom can fail at the mirror border. Also aspects such as petrol cap makes mirroring interesting - objects such as that get placed on their own object. Where possible I keep mirror, so even if I’ve applied a sub-surf I delete half the geom and re-mirror.
Hey guys, nice topic!
I’m going with one of my favorite tv-series “My name is Earl”, in which Earl drives a 1973 Chevrolet El Camino. Through the episodes the car gets stolen, painted over, loses a door and so on.
http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_45174-Chevrolet-El-Camino-1973.html
So I’m doing the wrecked red version at the end of the the show with a blue '78 door and all rusted and dented.
Should be fun! 
@chop_suey, AWESOME!! As soon as I saw the picture I got a big ass smile on my face 
My Name is Earl was just hilarious. Really looking forward to seeing your work!
@ GodOfBigThings - I’m so jealous The porsche 917 in the Gulf blue & orange is one of my all time favorites. I actually started it’s nemesis, the Ferrari 512s, but then I took a look at it’s topology, detail needed, and time I have to devote to this project, and I know I couldn’t do it justice, so I choose the mini.
Yeah, I thought of the 512s as well, it’s a gorgeous car.
Well, I knew this would be a difficult car, with absolutely no lines, and a few dozen holes popping up everywhere, but even keeping that in mind I’m going a bit too slow.
References for those looking to critique. These are 5 high res images in a row.
Here’s where I am:
