Talbot Lago Record 1950 , copy of the original car, exhibited in La Rochetaillée museum - Heller kit 1:24 modified

[CrazyCrank]

This one has been finished in April 2020

 

7.5 months, probably more than 150 worked hours, 3 same kits, a lot of patience, several homeric angers, 3 cans of Tamiya TS10, and many more will have been necessary for the finalisation of this complex build of a (very) poor quality Heller kit I bought 25 years ago !

But it was worth it !

I'm rather proud of the result I got,  and this legendary car deserved it !

Throughout this build, I've had to learn and master several techniques I hadn't in my hands and/or mind before, and all this work will be very useful for further projects, particularly my Bugatti T50 Coupé de Ville POCHER  1/8 build.

I've enhanced this kit, which had OOB 124 parts, not counting the decals, scratching and adding more than 120 parts, so this car count now more than 250 parts.

Two bodys have been built, the chassis has been repaired several times, because of the weakness of the Heller plastic parts, even on the 2 recently re-released kits.

One chassis is OOB, trunk lid not opening, and the one I'll show you below has an opening trunk lid and opening bonnets with a real handmade piano hinges.

 

Hereunder a non exhaustive list of the improvements I did:

 

In the engine bay:

- Wiring of the ignition coil and spark plug wires, with the flute to canalize the wires

- Gasoline inlet piping to carburetors

- Wiring of the battery

- Fuse box

-Retaining system for opened bonnets

- metallic cross-pieces

 

In the cabin:

- Aerators

- Stowage compartment for front passenger

- Car radio

- Modification of the inner part of the doors  and rear panels, to match to the original car

- Rear view mirror for the driver

- New scratch built handbrake lever

- Control levers for lights and horn , and gear lever

- Floor mats

 

On the body:

- opening and reclosable trunk lid with moveable handle, retaining system for opened lid

- Fabrication of the interior of the trunk, carpeting with flocking powder

- Fabrication of the stand for the spare wheel, and of the leather straps to retain it.

- Fabrication with chrome BMF of trims for rear fenders

- Replacement of OOB chromed plastic strips for the body sides by nickel plated brass strips

- Fabrication with brass sheet, brass tube, and piano string of workable piano hinges or the bonnets. It has been the more difficult part of this build !

 

And I certainly forget what else!

 

Except for the bumpers and grill, all chromed parts have been de-chromed and painted chrome to get a better and realistic shine

The French blue paint hasn't be clear coated, only sanded with Alclad Mesh form 3600 to 12000 grit, and then polished with Tamiya compounds, plus Carnauba wax

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

Hope you'll appreciate it

If you're interested in, you can follow my WIP build, following this link:  Talbot Lago Record 1950-  Heller 1:24 WIP

[Kah puts]

Although the design is a bit dated for 1951 your execution of this kit hilights your skills especially the hood stays, very elegant. Bravo. 

[bbowser]

Nicely done!

[Chuckyg1]

Like you other current build, it's just stunning. 

[Hoffman]

Magnificent work! Thank you for the excellent photographs and sharing with all of us.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Outstanding.  

[CrazyCrank]

11 hours ago, Kah puts said:

Although the design is a bit dated for 1951 your execution of this kit hilights your skills especially the hood stays, very elegant. Bravo. 

 

8 hours ago, bbowser said:

Nicely done!

 

6 hours ago, Chuckyg1 said:

Like you other current build, it's just stunning. 

 

6 hours ago, Hoffman said:

Magnificent work! Thank you for the excellent photographs and sharing with all of us.

 

5 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Outstanding.  

 

Thank you so much, gentlemen, for those huge praises ☺️

[ChrisR]

Looks great!

[1959scudetto]

Another fantastic model of a classic French car from a long gone make, Thierry.

[slusher]

Outstanding!

[spencer1984]

Beautiful work on this!

[CrazyCrank]

Thank you guys (ChrisR, 1959Scudetto, Slusher and Spencer1984) for your kind comments !

Much appreciated as always 😎

[Bugatti Fan]

A really nice build! It shows what can be done with a Heller car kit!

Those Heller car kits are a bit challenging.

They do some really odd things on some of their kits.

The Delage kit I built some years ago had a join right across the top of the rear wings. It really made it difficult to correct, fill and smooth it out to hide where the join was. I would imagine most of those Delage kits got built with that unsightly join line showing. It was really poor kit design by Heller, that was a pity considering the unusual car subjects they kitted.

[mustang1989]

Lots of great detailing throughout the build that no doubt took a lot of patience and dedication to accomplish. Your efforts on this build are to be commended.

[CrazyCrank]

2 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

A really nice build! It shows what can be done with a Heller car kit!

Those Heller car kits are a bit challenging.

They do some really odd things on some of their kits.

The Delage kit I built some years ago had a join right across the top of the rear wings. It really made it difficult to correct, fill and smooth it out to hide where the join was. I would imagine most of those Delage kits got built with that unsightly join line showing. It was really poor kit design by Heller, that was a pity considering the unusual car subjects they kitted.

Thanks @Bugatti Fan  yes it's a shame that Heller is so negligent in the molding of those kits, knowing that It's the only brand which is interested in vintage European cars !

1 hour ago, mustang1989 said:

Lots of great detailing throughout the build that no doubt took a lot of patience and dedication to accomplish. Your efforts on this build are to be commended.

Thank you so much for this huge praise 👍