Plastheniker Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi, in 1950 the Alfa Romeo Tipo 158 Alfetta won the GP championship. 1951 saw the final evolution of the Alfetta. Since all modifications together were quite radical the Alfetta was no longer called Tipo 158 but Tipo 159. After these modifications the Alfetta won the GP championship in 1951, too. A sub-type called Tipo 159A had the following major improvements: the output of the 1.5 litre engine was increased to 425 hp the single-pivot swing axle was replaced by a de Dion rear suspension the basic twin-tube ladder-type frame was stiffened by a welded-on superstructure of small steel tubes because of the extremely increased fuel consumption always one or two tanks inside the driver’s compartment were fitted the body, particularly the tail, was more roundish the single exhaust was replaced by two separate exhausts the lateral row of louvers below the Quadrofoglio was ceased My models show this Tipo 159A . As usual my models are based on the crude 1/20 Casadio/Revival kits. As probably known all standard Casadio/Revival kits have metal body parts and ready-made wire wheels. Temporarily, however, Casadio/Revival produced considerably cheaper versions of most kits in the eighties or nineties with plastic body parts and simple plastic wheels. For my following models of the Alfetta I used two of these cheaper kits. Reworking the plastic body parts was a pleasure compared with the troubles of the metal bodies. Therefore I accepted the additional effort of making real wire wheels willingly. The Alfetta (plastic and metal body) is one of the better (if one can use this word) Casadio/Revival kits. Though it is one of the most rudimentary and simplified Casadio/Revival kits most parts contained in the box are correct. A real problem was the radiator grille. The kit supplies a usuable plastic grille. However it was impossible to remove the extremely thick flash so evenly that the grille bars looked acceptable when painted silver. It caused a lot of headache making a fitting convex grille from wire. Adding everything missing in the kit, making wire wheels and replacing the grille ran up. Therefore again I spent approximately 1000 hours to finish both models. Similar topics of mine: 1907 Fiat 130 HP Grand Prix Racer 1/20 http://www.modelcars...showtopic=75350 Auto Union Typ C - Grand Prix Champion 1936 1/20http://www.modelcars...showtopic=76696 Mercedes W154 M163 - Grand Prix Champion 1939 1/20http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=79535 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Foxx Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Beautiful work on this , a top class build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kucaba Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Beautiful work no matter how crudely done the original kits are/were. You are a master craftsman in my opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Man, how nice is that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbowser Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Just WOW. Finely executed, cleanly built. Wonderful models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatatom Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 I am building the SMER kit of the Alfetta and it will never look as good as your build, Jurgen. Beautiful work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardik Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 (edited) That is just gorgeous. The finish and detail showcase your craftsmanship, sir. One caveat, however; this is a family oriented sight, and half your pictures show her naked! (Not that I'm complaining ) Edited October 28, 2013 by Shardik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 This is spectacular! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho Z Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Superb! (What more can be said?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lombardo Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Absolutely a winner....WOW.....just beautiful. You made the difficult look easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Exceptional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peekay Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Fantastic models, genuine masterpieces. The wire grille in particular is a real achievement. Perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyD340 Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Simply STUNNING, exceptional detail!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris White Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 you are very skilled my friend. I find myself looking for mistakes to see if you are "human" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter31a Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 What a beautiful model! Excellent craftsmanship! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3men2s Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 bravisimo!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastheniker Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Thanks to all for your comments! I am building the SMER kit of the Alfetta and it will never look as good as your build, Jurgen. Beautiful work! Tom, it is really very difficult to make anything presentable from the Atlantis/Smer/Merit 1/24 Alfetta 158. I built mine maybe 20 years ago and it was such a pain that I never built the purchased Talbot-Lago. Maybe you remember the article about this kit in the August/September issue of the magazine. After the information given above about the Alfetta 159 it might make sense to say something about this kit and some statements in the article, too. I will try to post it later this evening (in Germany it is already 7.30). One caveat, however; this is a family oriented sight, and half your pictures show her naked! Johann, better her than me (same age as the Alfetta). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehansen Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Excellent!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalobill Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Spectacular builds - both of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennyboy Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Absolutely breathtaking! The detail work you did is just unreal!! A beautiful museum-quality piece (all of your builds.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastheniker Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) Thanks again! Here come the announced remarks about the Atlantis/Smer/Merit 1/24 Alfetta reviewed in the August/September issue of the magazine: As I pointed out above there are significant and obvious differences between Tipo 158 and Tipo 159. I reworked the Smer (actually not an English but a Czech manufacturer) kit many years ago and before the Casadio/Revival kits. The finished Smer model shows clearly that it is a (1950) Tipo 158 as stated by Atlantis and definitely not a Tipo 159. Please compare the following pictures with the pictures above:(Edit) For a full set of pictures please follow this new link:1950 Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1950 - The Merit/Smer/Atlantis Kit From The Fifties And Some Extra Work(link will follow)The Ultimate Car Page link given on the MCM website however doesn’t show pictures of the Tipo 158 but misleading pictures of the Tipo 159. If you follow a further link to the Tipo 158 you will find only unusuable pictures of the also different pre-war Alfettas.A thorough research is absolutely indispensable to learn the differences between the various Alfettas, because you find an incredible number of pictures online with wrong captions. Otherwise your model will become an unrealistic mixture. Still the most reliable source are books - as mostly.The magazine article recommends PE wheels from a Maserati Birdcage kit. The tyre size of the Alfettas was 5.50-17 or 5.50-18 front and 7.00-18 or 7.00-19 rear. All Birdcage versions, however, had 5.50-16 front and 6.00-16 rear. Thus these recommended PE wheels, if not completely out of scale, are way too small. Moreover they have almost the same diameter front and rear opposite to the Alfetta. Therefore the result could never look realistic. If you don’t find suitable ready-made wheels (and I am not sure you will) you will be compelled to modify the kit rims and to give the smooth styrene tyres a tread pattern.Another shortcoming at least of my kit were the partially hardly perceptible louvers. I had to remove and replace them all.The most difficult problem of the kit, not mentioned in the article, is the radiator grille since the kit hasn't any radiator grille at all. There is only a massive nose cone without any opening. The grille is symbolized by some raised lines. A real grille has to be convex in all directions. It is extremely difficult to build such a grille from scratch.To cut a long story short: A probably recommendable kit only for the most experienced modeler and Alfetta enthusiast who is willing to spend a lot of time and a lot of effort. Edited September 30, 2015 by Plastheniker Update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonW Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I have a framed picture on a wall of Juan Manuel Fangio holding one of these in a powerslide, and I think what progress have we made? He was the best. How about a 250F next? Lovely models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastheniker Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Donald, you really hit the nail! Indeed my next pair will show the 1957 Maserati 250F as Fangio drove it. Presumably earlier I am going to show the Mercedes W 196, in which he won the GP championship twice. I hope you will be interested both times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatatom Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Another shortcoming at least of my kit were the partially hardly perceptible louvers. I had to remove and replace them all. Do you have any suggestions for replacing louvers? I've seen this tutorial and wondered if your method is similar. http://automodeler.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=features&file=view&artid=1240 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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