1959scudetto

I remember Airfix' 1/32 Ford T-Model (in plastic bag!) - I built this one more than 50 years ago I have a JoHan '68 Imperial HT promo that was molded in an ugly "Popeye spinach green" !

and Fujimi "old" Mini Cooper racing (RS-63)

I built the 1979 matchbox/amt version of this kit in 1984, and I think it came out not too bad:

Thank you Gareth, I think you can use this method for different applications - I hope that everything was understandable (I had to recall the whole procedure from memory...).

Very nice GT40, Adam (I have this one in my stash, too - with totally yellowed decals ?

Thanks, Graham!

Thanks, Tony - it was a quick build for in-between - sometimes you need something that doesn't take long. Thanks, Carl !

looks good, Rich - I hope you're feeling better soon.

Here are mine - all built in the 80's: 1: amt's '53 as a junker: 2. amt's 53 as a late '50s custom PU (installing lots of those ugly custom parts...): 3) Monogram's '55 - straight out of the box: and finally 4) Revell's '56 - slightly customized using the wheels from Monogram's '56 T-Bird:

They look great, Tim - reminds me of the two DM versions that were presented long time ago in SAE (red F-100 and dark green Chevy)

x 2: Steve is one of the masters of American Classics - exquisite paint, perfect detailing and top photography - I enjoy everything he posts here !

Thanks, Greg - I started with brush painting, then switched to rattle cans - the 3rd step (airbrush) I have still not done yet (I still have about 40 - 50 different rattle cans left - mostly auto lacquers)

Hi Gareth, I posted a small tutorial yesterday in the tips and trick section of the board.

Some of you were obviously impressed by my handpainted eagle cab decoration. As there were no such decals available in 1986, I had no other choice than doing it by myself. I would like to show you that this is quite an easy task – everybody can do it: you only need some patience, self-sticking masking foil, several paints, pencil, eraser and a black fine liner/marker. Today, good pictures can be found on the internet - I found one in David Jacobs’ 1980 book “American Trucks 2” (no internet in 1985/86) I will split this up into different steps: 1. Cover the whole body with primer. 2. Take measurements from hood, cab and sleeper and make a 1:1 drawing on paper. 3. Draw the color separation lines and the body of the eagle trying to get the proportions correct ( I goofed, and both wings are too short – compare this with the original: the feathers should reach around the edge of the hood, up to the grille and in the back around the edge of the sleeper cab; the body of my eagle sits too far back: the front tip of the tail feathers should be exactly where the hood meets the cab – see original truck) 4. This may need several trials until you are satisfied, but as you are still working on paper, you can take an eraser and correct anything. When you think it’s o.k., then cut the eagle body out with a pair of scissors and use this paper eagle as a template for your masking film – turn it over, you will use it for both sides – then cut the two symmetric eagles out of the masking film. As my primer happened to be almost the needed color, I masked the eagle directly onto it (and also the fender edges). If yours is the wrong color, then apply the beige/tan needed for the eagle body first, before masking. 5. After masking the eagle and the lower edges/surroundings of the front fenders, cover the body with orange (it looks as if the wings have a slightly lighter shade of orange than the parts below, but I didn’t care about that). The orange I had at hand is definitely wrong – it’s too dark. 6. When the color is dry, mask the lower half of the truck which should remain orange and paint the upper part in black. Now remove the masking and cover the truck with matte or semi-gloss clear so that your pencil and later the fine-liner will find some “grip”. 7. Divide up the eagle’s wings into 10 feathers each, and the tail into 4 (see sketch “step 7 – 9”) – draw two arcs on each side (these are the limitations for the black feathers) – if you are ready and everything fits, then trace the pencil lines with your black fine-liner drawing the contours of the feathers and color them black either with a pen or with a fine brush (between the 2 outer arcs) – remember: the feathers are already orange and get their black tips now. 8. If you are not satisfied with your pencil lines, take your eraser and correct them before using the fine-liner. When everything is done and the paint is thoroughly dry, erase the remaining pencil lines and cover the whole rig with gloss clear. 9. Remember: the most important thing is to let the paint dry long enough before taking the next step – or you ruin your work. Try it – it is rather time consuming, but worth it! It is not really different – anyone can do this (with an airbrush it certainly will look better, but I didn’t have one back then, nor do I now – I still use rattle cans). Just go for it ! Even if it's not perfect - it makes fun: isn't it that what modeling is all about?

Very nice build of one of the best-looking sports cars ever, Marco !

Thank you, Roy !

x 2 ! Exactly - looks great !

This is what it is supposed to look like (well - at least similar...) : The Bruce McLaren/Mike Spence driven # 34 from the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch in April 1968 (DNF) :

That was my only alternative, too - I will eventually post my tutorial this evening.

thanks, Larry! Thank you for the pics, Rex - I wanted to say that my livery (starting number, sponsors etc. are totally fictitious - "similarities with actual race cars are coincidental"...) Thank you , Chris!

I was not either, JC - that was pure coincidence. We'll see - I did some measurements and found out that the engine cover should be lengthened at the front by 4 - 5 mm (about 0,2 "), whereas the wheelbase and the total car length are correct for 1/24. This sounds like major surgery, and I'm not sure if I' going to do that. Thanks, Gary - I will try my best with this - It is one of my favourite race cars, even if it was not successful. Thanks, Rusty - in 1/32 there is a very old (dating from 1968 or 69) Airfix plastic kit available, that has been reissued several times over the last decades. I had this one, but sold it a few years ago: everything was molded in light grey plastic, even the tires - some clear parts were for the windows and headlights, decals were only included for the race number of Brands Hatch. In 1/24 there is an expensive resin kit from Profil 24 which represents the Nürburgring version of Frank Gardner/Richard Attwood, and the even more expensive resin kits from Model Factory Hiro, which comes in several versions: Nürburgring 1968 and Brands Hatch 1968, where Bruce McLaren/Mike Spence started (and DNFed) . Both are beyond my wallet - so I will try to correct a little bit this one.

Thanks, John - there has been no masking with the trim - I had a steady brush hand back then (and held my breath also) - the paint was chrome silver by Humbrol. The two-tone paint scheme has been done in spraying the light yellow first, then masking the body and spraying side stripe and roof in metallic green - then a final clearcoat.

Very well done - good idea to display the body seperately - this must have been a real RODEO ride on the salt with this kind of vehicle...

Thanks, David! Thanks, Al !

Gareth, that is rather easy - I could post a small tutorial in the "tips, tricks and tutorials" section of the board if I find the pics (I prepared one several years ago)...