[Corvette LT5 engines]

Monogram LT5 in their '65 Corvette:

Needed a fair bit of work as I recall. Managed to use the later radiator but mounted vertically.

And one from an AMT Corvette dropped into a '67 Impala:

An easy fit this time around.

[Roger Hayes]

Very sad to read this news, I offer my deepest condolences. Roger's builds were very clean and full of interesting ideas and details, and he came across as so patient and friendly in how he explained what he was doing.

[Ebbro Renault 4 GTL]

Nicely done.

I have the Heller R4 kit and there's something similar with the glass on that one - could be said that the slightly unusual way of it going together matches the real thing! I used to get a lift to work in what was then a fairly new GTL and the skinny, exposed tubular metalwork amused me.

[Rocketfin Hobbies new kits coming !]

I presume the Aoshima wheels would be the set I had in a 1980s Nissan Cedric kit, which I used on a Monogram Corvette:

They are certainly wide, especially the rears!

This is before I trimmed off some of the width and found narrower tyres. I kept the fronts as they were.

I really like them and would definitely get another set or two if I had the chance.

[What is the ONE model kit that you would consider the “holy grail” for yourself?]

If I was only going to get one more kit as my Holy Grail, then it would have to be this Datsun Laurel:

Obscure car, and probably not a great kit, but it would complete a run of successive generation Laurels (I'm missing the very earliest and latest versions, but I'm not aware of them being available in kit form).

[Who doesn't love a mock-up? Let's see yours!]

CBR 2023 entry, Accord Wagon bodyshell sitting on a stretched NSX floorpan. Themes in the running were wagons and mid-engined, for some reason I combined both. In the end it went to Run-What-You-Brung, which certainly covers it....

[2023 Cannonball Run-What-You-Brung Build Thread]

21 hours ago, SpikeSchumacher said:

Hi Nigel, for my two cents the 18" Enkei's in bronze would look a treat 😉

Thanks, I think they look classy but purposeful, not so overtly sporty as 5- or 6-spoke wheel. I want it to look like a modified car, but subtle so it doesn't draw attention to the mid-mounted NSX V6....

[2023 Cannonball Run-What-You-Brung Build Thread]

Mockups:

Not sure about these.

Better, although I would repaint them a more subtle colour. Trouble is I can think of other builds I'd like to use them on.

I think these are what I'll go for, apparently 18" Enkei Racing Revoloution RS05RR. Would look to repaint them a dark gold/bronze colour which should go well with the dark green bodywork I'm thinking about and maybe find some different tyres (larger at the rear to suit the mid-engined layout).

[MUSTANG XP-R : a 71 fastback pro-touring concept with a REAR ENGINE]

Another stunner from you Claude, with the customary inventive thinking and fantastic workmanship.

[2023 Cannonball Run-What-You-Brung Build Thread]

Having finished a little 1/43 build I'm starting to get on with mine more seriously:

 

Finished off the chassis infill (aside from some putty work). Not easily visible above but I filed some grooves in the new pieces to match the original chassis. At some point I need to add the cooland that run the central tunnel, but that's not critical to the next stage.

Back inside the Accord's bodyshell. There are a couple of different ways I can mount the floorpan which will vary the ride height, so I'm not going to make a decision on that until I get the suspension installed.

The NSX interior tub and LHD dashboard sitting where Tamiya intended on the floorpan. I might need to lift it up a little, but it seems to be about right fore/aft. I will cut the sides off the tub and use the Accord's separate door panels.

The engine/gearbox and suspension will be pretty much OOB, so assembling that is just a case of following the instructions and seeing what I did on my original NSX build. The instructions called for a lot of flat aluminium, so I used some TS-30 Silver Leaf (because it was the first silver I found) and flat clear. There are still a lot more smaller pieces to go, it's really nicely detailed.

Going to have a play with wheels/tyres during the week, but that might change when an eBay purchase containg several new sets arrives later in the week.....

[Tamiya Ferrari Mythos]

1 hour ago, Jonathan said:

That's awesome!  The yellow really suites the car - every picture I've seen of the Mythos makes me think that surely Ferrari didn't have to use "Ferrari Red".  😄

I like the gunmetal treatment of the wheels - really emphasizes their character.  Wish I'd thought of that, especially since I painted the car gray.

 I had trouble getting the metal scripts to stay - you can see that I lost the "Ferrari" on the rear between the bench and taking pictures in the kitchen.  Do you recall having trouble getting the head light covers to properly sit?  I see that you had more success than I did with getting the interior tub to sit properly with the body.   Nice build! 

Thanks Jonathan. It's circa 30 years ago, so I can't remember too much about the detail of the build process, but I guess that I didn't have too much trouble for it still to look like it does and not have been relegated to the parts box!

[Tamiya Ferrari Mythos]

1 hour ago, Jonathan said:

It is a wide car, for sure.  Would love to see your yellow one - do you have pictures?

If you're sure you dont mind.....

 

Built in the early-mid '90s. I wouldn't do too much different now, just use clear red on the rear lights and attach the windscreen with something more appropriate.

[1970 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA 1300 Junior (Tamiya + Scaleproduction transkit)]

Chang, always a pleasure to see one of your completed builds and that is fantastic. Your "not my best work" is still at a level that most of us can only dream of....

The fat wheels and arches certainly give it some presence.

[Tamiya Ferrari Mythos]

Excellent, and the colour choice is definitely better than the default red.

I did one years ago in solid, bright yellow with gunmetal wheels for the sake of doing something different. Not a small car either - certainly takes up a bit of space in the cabinet doesn't it?!

[Mitsubishi Galant VR4 1/24 Hasegawa]

Very nicely done, looks good.

Haven't seen very many of this kit actually built. I'm guilty, I've had one sitting in the stash for far too long....

[1/43 Heller Alpine A310]

This was started as a quick, simple Christmas build. Just finished it this morning - at least it didn't stretch out to Easter....

An older release, moulded in caramel styrene. Unfortunately the roof had suffered a bit of damage at some point but I thought I'd persevere with it, if nothing else just to keep in the habit of building something.

This was the inspiration, an early 1:1 I saw in France a few years ago:

I had a generic metallic bronze aerosol in stock that replicated it pretty well.

I haven't done many 1/43 kits, but it's so easy just to lay a bit of brush paint down and keep it moving along. The interior was quite nicely detailed with a separate gearlever. I had to trim a fair bit off the front of the dashboard to get the body fitting nicely.

The bronze went down nicely, finished it with automotive clearcoat from Halfords which I didn't worry about polishing. The diecast A310 is by Majorette at 1/55, I picked it up at a recent toy fair.

Some of the parts were very small, like the lights. The decals just about worked, one of them split in half but was easy enough to align. Brightwork was done with a Gundam chrome marker, I thought it worked well for such slender trims and definitely something I'll use again alongside BMF. Wheels were given a coat of semi-gloss clear to give them a more aluminium look.

The bronze looks good in the sunlight which has just appeared here, it's definitely something I'll use on a 1/24-25 '70s build. I never did properly rectify the roof issue, that wasn't the purpose of this exercise. I also got a bit of fogging on the glass from having to superglue the floorpan to the bodyshell, as there was no positive attachment. I lowered the 'suspension' by adding spacer blocks, as it would have sat a bit high and I had the same issue with a Heller princess I built several years ago.

They're not something I want to build in great number, but I would like to find one or two more in the range as they offer some interesting subjects which aren't seen as larger scale kits. Will have to look out for them on this year's French holiday.

Thanks for looking.

[What did you get today? (Model Car Related Items)]

Couple of arrivals this week, coincidence that both are Toyotas by Aoshima:

I enjoyed building another '90s Toyota people carrier, lowered on different wheels, and I'm thinking this one needs to go the same way. Unless I make something of it being the 4wd, jack it up and fit off-road tyres?....

I think this a late '80s version of the long-running Crown series. Not sure how likely it would have been to have the V8 as a police car, and I doubt I'll build it that way anyway. It doesn't have an engine anyway, but it is interesting to think at 1:1 these came with the wonderful V8 that I enjoy in my LS400.

Also came with a badge/sticker and this little chap. I don't really 'do' figures, but maybe one day he could liven up a diorama?

[What did you get today? (Model Car Related Items)]

On 3/8/2023 at 12:39 PM, Tom Geiger said:

I just received my first full 3D printed kit in the mail!  And it came to me from DiOlex Productions in the Ukraine.

This is a 1978 Corolla Deluxe wagon.  I had one of these back in the day.  Back when new US cars were troublesome right out of the gate, this car was flawless from new and fun to drive with the 5 speed.

I couldn't take any better photos than provided on the eBay listing so here they are!   The work is very very nice and everything fits together well.

Really nice Tom, didn't realise they did this one and it's great for it be available as a kit. Good to hear about the quality and fitment.

I only recently became aware of them from a Datsun 1200 2-door they also offer, which is a car I had at 1:1 until a couple of years ago. A UK seller has a couple in stock, a bit pricey for a 'normal' purchase but might be able to justify it when it's my birthday next month....

[AMT 1970 Impala Kit-bash]

Great job on this one Gareth, the final result looks like it was meant to be. I remember the chasssi going together nicely on the '67 Impala SS I built which looks to be similar to your Supernatural donor.

[What is your oldest unfinished W.I.P]

Snake's BOYD thread cleared me out of pretty much all my longstanding WIPs, which dated back to the early '90s.

I think the only one I have now is a Monogram "White Lightning" Pro/Street Firebird,which I started in the late '80s and got the chassis, cage, engine etc all done, then realised the body was warped. My attempt at gently heating it didn't help, and it's remained that way ever since. One day I'll work out which body nicely drops onto the chassis and it will eventually hit the display cabinet.

[Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA 1300 Junior build (Tamiya + Scaleproduction transkit)]

This one has certainly tested your patience and skills! The end result looks to be well worthwhile however, look forward to seeing more.

[What did you get today? (Model Car Related Items)]

12 hours ago, imarriedawitch said:

February's haul......

Well there's a coincidence, this turned up a few days ago:

Looks like a decent kit. We had the hatchback version as a road car for a few years (known as Carina E in the UK) and this is the closest I'll get as a replica.

I like the C110 Skyline kit you got too.

[Monogram 1/24's - post 'em up !!]

Great to see what others have been doing with them.

For various reasons I seem to have built far more Monogram than AMT or Revell, especially during the 1980s and into the '90s. Maybe they were distributed more widely in the UK so I could find them easily in small toy/model shops? Also being 1/24 was more familiar to me from Tamiya and European kits I was building. Once I'd built up a few spare parts it was easy to swap things around, so I would be more inclined to buy another one.

Here's what I still have intact and sitting in the cabinet above my desk as I type this....

Black '57 is one of my oldest surviving builds from the mid '80s, refreshed last year with the old brush paintjob given a polish, new foil and wheels from the '70 Chevelle. Purple one uses the running gear from a Camaro High Roller I built about the same time but is now in the parts/restoration box.

Early '90s builds.

'65 Street Machine, with engine from the Monongram ZR1 and some great wheels which came with an Aoshima kit.

I really rate the basic kits they did (Exotics?), we had a good discussion about them elsewhere on here a year or two ago. This was the racing version of the 280Z, with parts from various Japanese kits (got to love that 1/24 parts swapping potential). I also have the street version and a TR7 in the stash (having built one of the latter in my very earliest kitbuilding days).

This was from the same range, although actually a slightly later Revell boxed version in this case. Captured the 308's look really well, yet again with a set of wheels from a Japanese kit.

Rebuilt this '37 back in 2020, after originally putting it together circa 1990/91. Had to rob the wheels from a Revell kit as the originals had ended up on another build, but managed to find everything else in the parts box.

Loose replica of the Two Lane Blacktop '55, which took over 25 years from start to finish. I have a version of the long-running '56 to do someday, to complete the Tri-Chevy set.

Not my build, I bought this completed Mojave Mule several years ago and want to give it a refresh someday, swapping wheels and some parts with another Monogram LUV kit I also have.

Got a fair few others to do someday, including a TR7, couple of Citations and a Corvette America.

[Aoshima Nissan Silvia S15]

Nicely done Michael. Don't see too many of these around at 1:1, sadly.

[2023 Cannonball Run-What-You-Brung Build Thread]

Good to see others making progress (and even finishing) their builds. I made a start on mine today, putting into practice what i'd been thinking about in idle moments over the last week or two......

Time for surgery! First step in stretching the NSX's floorpan by 8mm (around 8" at 1:1). At this stage I'd already trimmed the edges of the floorpan so the width was right for the Accord, and I decided on this point for the cut as there is least detail to recreate in the portion I've got to add.

I decided graph paper would be a good way of ensuring I kept everything square. I traced around the floorpan on a sheet, cut it then moved it apart by the 8mm and taped them down on another sheet. By luck, the squares on the paper I used were 8mm, which is odd as I'd usually expect it to be 5 or 10mm.

Quick check with the Accord's bodyshell, completely unmodified at this moment. The real test will come when the suspension is fitted and I can mock it up with the wheels, but so far so good.

Where it's at now, with a few strips of sheet styrene cemented into place to fix the position before I untape it and fill the gap.

Also gave the NSX interior and suspension sprues a squirt of primer so I can start painting and assembling what bits if it I'm planning to use.

I purchased a random batch of parts off eBay which included a cage and various interior pieces from a Tamiya Toyota Corolla rally car, which I'm hoping will come in useful. That way I don't have to rob parts off another kit and leave it incomplete.