robdebie

The 917 kit web page is my work, and I just found out about this thread. I'm going to start here, the basic dimensions. It's been a while since I studied the subject in-depth, so maybe my memory is a bit rusty. I've gathered a lot of numbers for the length, width and height, and there are quite a few conflicting numbers. Here's my best understanding: the 1969 model had 12" wide rear wheels, and the rear body was 1880 mm wide the 1970 model had mostly 15" wide rear wheels, and the rear body was 1980 mm wide some 1970 and 1971 models had 17" wide rear wheels, and the rear body was 2080 mm wide The 1975 mm number quoted above fits the size for a 917 with 15 inch rear wheels IMO. If you look at period photos, you can nicely see the step-by-step widening of the rear bodywork by looking at the door sills (I like to call them sponsons). They started out as straight parts all the way to the rear wheel opening. Then the wider bodywork for 15" wheels was put on, that created a mismatch with the still straight sills - the engine cover had an overhang. This is the configuration that I'm building, see photo below. New sills were made, with a curvature at the rear, so they would match again. But by then the again-wider bodywork for 17" rear wheels was introduced, and again there was a mismatch. New sills were made again to match that. The front half of the car stayed basically the same, except for the long tail models. The Heller model conforms to most dimensions I found and analysed. It clearly has the rear body for the 17" wheels, the widest one. I wanted a 15" rear wheel car, so I took out 2 mm on each side. In the photo below I had only done one side. The modification is not very noticable, I will admit ? Rob

AFAIK you're in the Netherlands. If that's correct, Toyman (Gerrit is his first name) has it for 32 euros: http://www.toyman.nl/index.html And I see Tom's Modelauto's has it too (pre-order) for 32 euros too: https://www.toms.nl/ Rob PS: Gerrit will also search / import kits that you ask for, so maybe he can help you with other kits on your list.

Please let us know the results! I will demonstrate the technique at the next club meeting - I hope it works as well there as at home :-) Rob

Thanks! I just added it to the page. Rob

Do you mind a question about the '49 thru '51 Fords ? I recently added the following section to my webpage (https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/49ford.htm) and it could do with a critical review. It's not critical for the webpage but I prefer to present correct information Rob - - - - - The 1949 Ford was Ford's first all-new car after World War II. It was built in the following body styles: 2-door sedan aka 'Tudor Sedan' 4-door sedan aka 'Fordor Sedan' 2-door coupe aka 'Club Coupe' with front and rear bench seats 2-door coupe aka 'Business Coupe' with just a front bench seat, no rear seats 2-door hardtop 2-door convertible 2-door station wagon These versions could be ordered with the less-expensive 'Standard' or more expensive 'Custom' trim levels, making for example a 'Custom Club Coupe'. This is what the standard version in this AMT kit represents. The first boxing is also clear about this (see below).

I liked that 50 Ford too, because it's one of the models that I'm building very slowly (https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/49ford.htm). It had more roomleg in the rear than I expected. Gas is around 7$ per gallon right now. It's not so much that price but the engine's efficiency I guess. Many American cars in the Netherlands were run on very cheap LPG (40% of the cost of gas) but I think that new laws made that impossible. The Stutz is pretty ugly indeed. But still I appreciate that the owner maintains it, and shows it. Rob

Just a few random photos of yesterday's Saturday Night Cruise in The Hague, The Netherlands. The weather was great, so there was a big turnout in cars and people. Rob

Here are a few photos. Shown below are the two main ingredients: sodium hydroxide (NaOH, lye and caustic soda in the US) and an ultrasonic cleaner. I used a drain opener that is a solution of approximately 10% NaOH in water and probably nothing else. I diluted it further down by adding water, to maybe 5%. From what I read, stainless steel is not attacked by NaOH below 65C, but still I put the NaOH solution a separate plastic container, suspended in the metal wire basket that comes with the ultrasonic cleaner. There are no liquids in the photo, I did not want to get my photo set-up wet! I think the wire basket can be left out, with the plastic container with NaOH solution directly in the water of the ultrasonic cleaner. There's not much to tell about it... Try it! And be careful with the NaOH: your eyes at risk, use safety glasses. Rob

I used a 10% NaOH drain opener. It's a Dutch brand, so you'll have to look for a local equivalent. Please note that my model was painted with enamels (Humbrol), and I don't know how effective the method is for other paint types. Rob

Last week I wanted to strip a ~35 year old Tamiya M23, and I found a new (?) way to do that. First I tried sodium hydroxide (NaOH) oven cleaner / drain opener, my classic method, that worked well but slow. I tried my ultrasonic bath, but that had hardly any effect. Out of curiosity I tried the combination too, with the sodium hydroxide in a separate container suspended in the ultrasonic cleaner. And that worked very well: all paint and decals were removed in 10-20 minutes, without the need for scrubbing. Everything was completely clean without any effort. Interestingly all glue joints also broke down during the paint stripping, a unexpected but nice benefit. Rob

Here's another tutorial: http://www.ratomodeling.com/articles/pe_home2/ My choice would be to draw the artwork myself, and then outsource the etching to a specialist. One example: http://www.graingeandhodder.co.uk/ Rob

The old Heller kit (also issued by Union, Testors and Wave) is a quite accurate kit, the Fujimi kit is 4 mm too wide, which creates a far-too-wide windscreen among others. THis width error is impossible to correct, therefore I went back to the Heller kit. I decided to try to build it as accurately as possible. Some building experiences: I glued the tail to the center section, and added 1 mm plastic strip to increase the height a tad. This might also solve a common problem of this kit: the engine cover will not fit with the engine installed. I cut up the floor plate, so I could glue the sponsons (lower center body fuel tanks) to the top side, and made a cut at the front so I could glue the nose section to the main body. The latter cut is a bit difficult to see Another thing that I changed is the headlight cover shape. Right is original, left is modified. There's a lot more, but maybe this gives you an idea what can be done. Rob

Freezing the parts will probably help, you should be able to snap the glue joint, while cold of course. I've also been told that brushing Tamiya Ultra Thin over the joint will soften it, so you can break it. But I never tried that. Rob

No problem, I'm an irregular poster here. It's a great forum! Regarding your review, I think I just found it: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/118409-73-mustang-kit-review/?tab=comments#comment-1715987 I will review it carefully and update my webpage where necessary, and add a link to it of course. Thanks! Rob

I reread my web page, but I cannot find the reference to the AMT kit having the vent slots. I called them 'louvers' in the original version, but changed that to 'vent slots' in the updated one. BTW, I wonder whether some Ford prototypes had the vent slots after all. I checked my '1964 1/2 thru 1973 Mustang recognition guide', and on page 187 I think I see a car with the vent slots! Rob

I recently made some vacformed gearbox tunnel parts, using our club-owned vacform machine. That worked pretty well. It's quite a bit of work to make the master though. Rob

Thanks for the check, it's corrected now! Rob

It looks great, amazing for a kit built with kit decals! Since you mention the track looks too wide: I'm working on a narrowed T-bird, with a longer nose too. Track went from ~62" to ~58" (front and rear), although I'm not sure that 58" was the real value. There still a ton of things to change, it won't be ready soon. Rob

One slide scanning tip: let your software do an 'auto color correction'. I was amazed when I first tried it Rob

As promised: I went a little overboard with the 'liquid mud' but you're allowed to do that when you're 15-16 :-) Rob

I just found the old model in the attic, and I will shoot a few photos of it, warts and all :-) Rob

Small correction: the hood/bonnet and trunk/boot do open on the Tamiya kits, the doors don't. The engine bay is fully detailed, the trunk/boot too, with a fuel cell. The underside is also completely detailed. Very nice kits! Rob

Tamiya had a Fiat 131 in rallye version, that would fit the desciption. Although the doors did not open. I built the white and blue version when I was young. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/122774-tamiya-20015-fiat-131-abarth-rally https://www.scalemates.com/kits/122772-tamiya-20013-fiat-131-abarth-rally Rob

No, the chassis was intended as a stand-alone model. I never planned to add the engine, suspension, bodywork, etcetera. The reason is that I've studying these 'Chapman' type of chassis for ages, trying to figure out the design philosophy. Building one in scale was very helpful. I started a similar-scaled Fokker Dr1 Dreidecker, but that one is stalled. Too many projects :-) Rob

I scratchbuilt a similar chassis: 1/10 scale Locost chassis. It was a lot of fun, and less difficult than I expected. Unfortunately I made a painting mistake: most panels should be aluminum instead of steel color. Have fun with yours! Rob