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Newbie with 1:32 scale question?


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Hi, I have a small question,  It's a 1:32 scale question.

First a little about me.  I am just starting to build 1:32 scale Lindberg car kits from the 1920's to 1940's.  I'm building these to use on dioramas on a G-scale train layout.  I realize that G-scale trains are 1:29 scale (at least the ones I have are).  But I chose to go with 1:32 scale cars instead of 1:24 scale because the smaller cars will work better for my layout. Plus they are a lot cheaper to buy and I want lots of them. The trains will just look a bit large.  But I can deal with that.

In any case, I've noticed that most of the Lindberg kits come without an engine.  Yet many of the 1930 models actually have removable hoods.  So my question is this:

Does anyone make kits of just 1:32 scale auto engines?  I've been looking around and haven't been able to find any.   Lindberg does make a 1925 Model-T Street rod that comes with a Cadillac engine.  But other than this I haven't been able to find any kits of just engines or engine accessories for 1:32 scale model cars.   So if anyone knows of any I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

James

 

I've attached some pics of my recent build

 

Back.jpg

Front.jpg

Left Side.jpg

Right Side.jpg

T Rod.jpg

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Welcome to the Forum. 

I also have a small fleet of the Lindberg 1:32 scale vehicles like these from earlier posts on the board:

SAM_0536.JPG.03a89c08fd722bde335a967ac5fSAM_0554.JPG.d9bac347c0f7a2e7df1366646c6SAM_0532.JPG.ad0630173b22466632db0334ebe 

Very few of the Lindberg kits are full detail, and I've not had much luck in the aftermarket arena for parts. With a little patience, you might try making your own. I've had some luck sourcing parts from flea market/yard sale finds, or just making parts myself.

You might also try looking in the Aftermarket or posting in the Wanted sections of the forum.

 

Edited by talon63
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There are a few 1/32 scale kits that have engines.

Snap together funny car and Nascar kits usually have engines that can be enhanced and detailed

Monogram, Testors and Airfix 1/32 scale glue together kits come with engines (not all kits)

Some of the Pyro/Lindberg kits come with engines.

Some Matchbox kits have engines.

The older Aurora hot rod kits come with engines but they are all basically the same motor with different induction based on which model you have.

early Revell 1/32 scale glue kits had engines in them too.

Not sure about the Heller kits...

 

Edited by blunc
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The only stock 1/32 Lindberg/Pyro kits which came with engines, apart from the Classic Car series, are the 1932 and 1934 Plymouths. Matchbox kits generally have full engine detail. Airfix kits are a mixed bag for engines, with the MGB, TR4, Triumph Herald, and Ford Escort being available fairly readily. Good luck with the building.

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Thanks for the quick replies and information gentlemen.  I just bought 5 of the Lindberg 1925 Model T.  So I guess I can use those engines for some kit bashing. 

@Talon63, You did a really nice job on that 1932 Ford B Roadster.  I have one of those kits but haven't built it yet.  I just looked and noticed that the hood is molded right onto the body on that one.  So I'd have to cut the hood off to expose a motor on that particular model anyway.  I'll probably just build that one stock. 

The two models I have with removable hoods are the following:

1930 Ford Model A Pick Up.  These have a removable hood but no engine. I have 7 of these to build.  Some I'll make into a stake body work truck. Pick up trucks come in handy on model railroad layouts. :D

lindberg-1930-ford-model-a-pickup-truck.

The other models I have with removable hoods are the 1934 Ford 3 Window Coupe.

These also have removable hoods, but no engine. I currently have 5 of these to build.

lindberg-1934-ford-3-window-coupe.jpg

I just ordered 5 more of the 1925 Model T Street Rods

I ordered these mainly for the engines. But I'll have fun kit bashing these. These also come with a nice frame and chassis. All the other ones have the chassis integrated with the fenders and running boards.  But I should be able to do some serious kit bashing will all these kits.  The main problem is they have no fancy exhaust headers or pipes.  These just come with those short exhaust stacks sticking straight out from the engine.  Other than that it's a pretty nice engine.

lindberg-1925-ford-model-t-street-rod.jp

@blunc, That's really pretty 1934 Coupe you have there. Surely that's not 1:32 scale is it?  That must be 1:24. That's not the same kit as the 1934 3 Window Coupe pictured above.  My kits don't have opening doors or the rumble seat.  That's a really nice model you have there.  Lots of great detail.

@Talon63,by the way, I have some of those 1949 Fords to build too.  You did a really fine job on that one too.

 

 

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James, I love my 1/32 scale collection and the boys here have provided you with nearly every source possible for 1/32 scale engines.  I would like to add two more. Firstly, check out the chromed engines in diecast toy cars.  Matchbox Superfast from the seventies turn up in a tatty state in swap meets, garage sales and antique shops. A lot of the engines in the drag or hot rod inspired toys are  close to 1/32. Some Muscle Machines can have blowers and carbs that just might work for you

And I know some people will laugh or snicker here, but the engine in the new tool AMT Ala Kart from a few years ago has a great 1/32 scale hemi in it.  Most 1/25th scale modellers hate this undersized baby hemi but it looks good in a 1/32 scale car!

And blunc, that 34 coupe of yours (the old Pyro/Lindberg, I'm guessing), is easily the most ambitious and beautifully finished 1/32 scale rod I have ever seen. What a fabulous project! James, I think you will find blunc has carefully cut and hinged the doors himself.  Brave beyond brave!

Cheers

Alan.

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yes, it really is 1/32 scale, here it is next to a 1/25 scale wheel/tire: (this photo was taken before I installed the 1/32 scale wire wheels)

red34-2.jpg

 

and a shot of the chassis: the chassis pan from the Nova was used to replace the rear portion of the Pyro chassis which had the rear end molded to the chassis)

red34-8.jpg

A close up of the engine compartment:

 

Edited by blunc
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Ok Mike, you have me drooling over the awesome detailing of your 1:32 scale 34 coupe. Just looking at the model I'd swear it had to be 1:24 scale that came with opening doors and rumble seat lid.

I too have been dreaming of cutting out doors, but cuts would need to be so thin and precise the dream seems like an impossible nightmare.  But here you did it!  You're going to have to share your secret. :)

Have you already posted a thread on how you did this?  If so I would really appreciate a link to it.

At first I was thinking of using my power shop jig saw, but the blades are way too thick.  Then I thought of using a hand-held coping saw.  The blades are a bit thinner but still way too thick.  Plus on both of those methods you'd need to drill a huge hole to get started and then patch up the damage.  Then I thought of rigging up some kind of homemade "hot melt wire" tool to cut the plastic with heat, but I can only imagine that turning into a nightmare as well.  Finally I just decided that it's too much to ask for.  But here you are doing it!  I even thought of using some kind of Dremel tool but I'm not sure how that would work either. 

Can you share your secret oh Great Model Master?

 

 

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Ok Mike, you have me drooling over the awesome detailing of your 1:32 scale 34 coupe. Just looking at the model I'd swear it had to be 1:24 scale that came with opening doors and rumble seat lid.

I too have been dreaming of cutting out doors, but cuts would need to be so thin and precise the dream seems like an impossible nightmare.  But here you did it!  You're going to have to share your secret. :)

Have you already posted a thread on how you did this?  If so I would really appreciate a link to it.

At first I was thinking of using my power shop jig saw, but the blades are way too thick.  Then I thought of using a hand-held coping saw.  The blades are a bit thinner but still way too thick.  Plus on both of those methods you'd need to drill a huge hole to get started and then patch up the damage.  Then I thought of rigging up some kind of homemade "hot melt wire" tool to cut the plastic with heat, but I can only imagine that turning into a nightmare as well.  Finally I just decided that it's too much to ask for.  But here you are doing it!  I even thought of using some kind of Dremel tool but I'm not sure how that would work either. 

Can you share your secret oh Great Model Master?

 

 

 

James, thank you for the compliments, I am no where near the "Great Model Master" that frequents this Forum and I am constantly picking up tricks from the real "Masters" here.

Please remember to check the "Questions and Answers" and "Tips and Tricks" threads on this forum, most of the skills used to build the 34 coupe have been discussed there (even though I already knew a lot of them before finding this forum).

I will be including links to my 1/32 scale threads after my explanation of the '34 coupe build, more info and pix in the threads.

Other than changing the wheels to a style I find more appealing, this car was completed in the mid 1980's (yup, that Testors paint and Bare Metal Foil are over thirty years old).

I cut the doors open (after assembling the body...body halves then coupe top glued together) using the "Scribe" method, which is to use the back side of an exacto blade tip (the side you don't cut with). Run the tip of the blade (newer blades make finer cuts but bind/break easier) along a door seam until you have worked your way all the way through the plastic.

I use razor saws for long straight cuts after I have opened enough of a seam cut to get the saw blade into the cut.

I have not seen anyone be successful with "hot wire / hot knife" tools, most here will say they just ruin what you're trying to build.

Squared off corners are easiest to do, radiused (rounded) corners are the hardest and require extra care/patience and/or extra repair work later due to slips or bad cuts.

Do not be afraid of having big seam gaps, evergreen 0.010 plastic strips are easy to add to the door frame or door and then sand to get the door fit you need. (I learned that tip on this site and have used it already to fix a gap problem on an old build)

There are several threads of ways to hinge. I used small brass tube and really small piano string wire and mounted it a fashion that they can't be seen very well even when the door is open.

And now, the thread links, enjoy:

 

Edited by blunc
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James, thank you for the compliments, I am no where near the "Great Model Master" that frequents this Forum and I am constantly picking up tricks from the real "Masters" here.

I checked out all the threads you linked to.  Your models are fantastic.  I just now noticed the coiled brake line tubing you did on the master cylinder of the 34 coupe.  That's just amazing.  You may not be the master modeler on this forum, but you're certainly a master modeler to be sure.  No question about that. 

I have a confession to make (probably one that needs to be made to myself more than anyone else), I tend to get over-ambitious about doing things "all-out".  So I need to be careful that I don't spend the rest of my life detailing a 1;32 scale model car.  I need to keep in mind that the bigger project is a huge G-scale train layout in my front yard. :)

I decided to go with these Lindberg 1:32 scale models for the autos on this layout.  The reason being that the cost is very low (I've been getting these kits for between $5 to $7 a piece.  This allows me to build quite a few of them without spending a fortune.  And the other main reason I decided to go with these kits instead of finished die-cast painted cars is because I wanted the freedom to modify them and paint them up to match the diaroma's I plan on building.

In any case, cutting out for opening doors is actually a quite ambitious addition to the project.  But having a few doors open here and there can really improve a diorama. So I'm going to take a shot at trying it to some degree.

After reading your thread I looked up videos on YouTube for how to cut out doors.  I see the most popular method is scratching them out with the back edge of an Exacto knife as you say.  Some people are also using thread to cut with like a saw.  I'll definitely be trying this out on some of my models.  But I need to be careful not to get too carried away.  If I catch myself coiling brake line tubing I'll know that I'm getting too carried away (for my purposes). :D

Like I say, my purpose is to use these on dioramas on a model railroad.  So I really don't even need to spend time detailing undercarriages either.  That can be a fun project for model car building, but basically a waste of time on a diorama where no one will ever see the undersides of the cars.  So I need to keep my purpose in mind and not get lost in unnecessary detail.  But opening doors would be really nice in some cases.

Thanks for posting your 34 coupe.   I'm very excited to see what's possible with these tiny 1:32 scale Lindberg kits.  I have at least 5 of those 34 coupes to build and I may even buy some more after that.  I can make these things look so different that when its all said and done they'll look like entirely different cars.  It would be nice to have a coupe with the rumble seat open.  So I'm excited.

Thanks for sharing your artwork. B)

 

 

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