Heller Delahaye

[randyc]

I decided to give this one a try since I had it in the stash.  Probably my last Heller.  This and the Talbot Record and a Bugatti were from a friend.  I'll probably never build the Bugatti-anyone wanna trade something?  

Anyway, it's getting toward finished.  Here it is with the body barely held in place to get an idea of how it will look.  Chassis is complete.  May post a pic later.  

Testors Ice blue and a custom mix of Arctic blue and something else.  It's what I used on my Hyundai Santa Fe build.  

The chassis is tricky.  Be patient.  I messed up the steering linkage by not paying enough attention, but it's in there.  Not functional really though.  And the wheels are CA'd in place to make the alignment work out.  They both seem to tilt to the left as viewed from front without glue holding them upright.  I was careful, but it's really hard to tell when you're gluing it together.  

More photos next time I'm down to the workbench.  

Btw, this would look great as aTROG car or (gasp!) rat rod maybe...I just don't have the heart to do it that way even though I might like it better.  

[robertw]

Glad yours worked out. I agree the chassis can be a nightmare. Even though I thought I was being so careful  I messed mine up and created a three wheels touching. Never able to correct the problem so back in the box it all went. I hate to be bested by a model so may have to get another kit and try again.

[randyc]

Mine has some warp to the floor board which wants to make it 3 wheels down.   I have lead weights in the engine block and gas tank.   It's close now.  One wheel still barely floats, but I think by the time I get the body weight on it and maybe more lead weight in the front fenders, it will either sit on all four or collapse under the lead weights.  LOL.  I was very carefull to assemble the frame rails on a FLAT surface and let them set up good, so I know it's not the frame.  And I know the floor was twisted.  Both suspensions are terribly fiddly to get straight.  THe rear axle is its own nightmare.   

IF these weren't from a friend, I would never have picked them for my collection.   Just not my thing.  But my wife likes them kinda so we'll look at them a while and maybe send them down the road to someone else.   

Or if it doesn't all fit together at the end, I only have some building time invested.   No big deal.   Then it MIGHT become a Rat rod...  where is that Allison engine parts pack anyway...???  Rust it out, put some pie crust slicks on the back, leave the fronts on a lowered suicide axle....  I'll stop now... LOL

[THarrison351]

That looks really nice so far Randy! Like your color choices.

[randyc]

Thanks.  Here's a couple more photos from last evening.  The rear wheels came off.  One broke the spindly pin so I'll have to fix that.  I drilled the drum for a rod.  

[randyc]

I'm having a hella time geting the hood and fenders on this thing.   If anyone wants it, PM me.  You pay shipping and I'll box it up and send to you as is.  Seriously.   I have the body on.  Just need the front end assembled and add the details.   One rear wheel broke off since the photos.  But it is drilled to fix.  I removed the other so it wouldn't sit too wonky when working.  

This should a been a Rat rod.

[Hoffman]

Randy, hang in there. It's looking good! Maybe work on something else for awhile and come back to it. I've read from others the front clip is very challenging.

[randyc]

Thanks,   I've read that too.  I just have no lingering interest in this car.   I was supposed to build it for a friend but he passed away unexpectedly.   Like a couple months after he sent me a slew of kits.  Dang it.  

I do have other kits and projects I want to work on.  

[dino246gt]

Hmmm... I have this kit too, unbuilt, maybe a Deco hot rod is in the future?

[randyc]

15 minutes ago, dino246gt said:

Hmmm... I have this kit too, unbuilt, maybe a Deco hot rod is in the future?

If I had to start again, I would def try a TROG or some sort of rat rod where precise fit is not as important.   You can get a couple elements to work, but I can't, for the life of me, get everything to work together.  And I've been building a while...  Never had one quite this tough.  Every thing has to work right from the beginning or it is not going to work at the end.  I've glued  the front parts together in different combinations a couple times and had to break them back apart and still not together.   I do have someone taking me up on my offer to send it to them though.  LOL  So it will likely go to a better home.  I'm ready for the 69 SS396 and Mustang GT4.

[Bugatti Fan]

Randy, your Delahaye is coming on really well. You are doing well considering the things you are overcoming on it.

Those Heller classics.     Nice subjects but some of the kits had some real design quirks. I had the Delage to build but looking at the kit the rear wheel arches were joined right across the middle, a real nightmare to fill in and correct in such a conspicuous place on the model. With regard to the Bugatti T50 kit, the wheels are totally wrong. Fortunately Shapeways make a nice set of 3D printed wheels that are correct especially for the Bugatti.

Edited July 28, 2020 by Bugatti Fan

[randyc]

I gave up on the Delahaye - just can't get the front right.  I am sending it to a new home today.   Still gotta get rid of the Bugatti.   These were from a friend that has passed.  I have no real interest in them other than he sent them to me to build and then passed away before I could get to them.  I built other cars for him that he never lived to take possession of that I will keep to remind me of him.  

I was excited about the Delahaye and it was coming nicely.  But I tried several different ways to get it together and could not.   Tried to find build help on the net, read Matt Bacon's article. - just no luck for me.    So I hope the next home does something with it.  

I shoulda built it as a TROG style or hot rod.