Anglia105E

Thanks a lot Jamie.... and I shall look up those episodes of the Dukes as I would like to see the real jump matched against your technically brilliant diorama jump. Your two part track system sounds ingenious. Maybe I could have one of my Rolls-Royce motor cars jumping over the London city road..... !!! ( only joking, sorry ). David

My dream car 1:1 would be this beauty........ Cobras are really nice too! David

Wow Jamie !!! - That is one helluva diorama and I am blown away by the leaping car. How did you make that smoke and then suspend the scale model car in mid air? Really good size to the whole setting, which looks so real outdoors. I never saw the Dukes of Hazzard episode on the TV but now I've seen your fantastic diorama that says it all. Just brilliant ! David

Thank you for your reply Hermann...... I also like to mould and cast resin parts, even a two part mould for a 1:24 scale Rolls-Royce body shell, from which I cast two body shells. Also, I produced a 6 cylinder 4.9 litre Rolls-Royce engine from 1955 - 1959, using FreeCAD software and uploaded this to Shapeways, who sent me the 3D printed engine. These engines are for my Silver Cloud collection. David

That is a brave move Henry to put the rivets back on, but it is going to work for you, well done! David

Welcome Hermann...... I sometimes order products from Shapeways in the Netherlands, and I find the company very good on quality and prices, also the delivery to UK is very quick and reliable service. The support people on Shapeways are very friendly and helpful. The website is well designed and easy to use. David

Thank you Eric, and I have replied to your comment regarding the Springfield Rolls-Royce, yourself and your Father. You will not be disappointed with the Henry Ford figures. David

Nicely done Mark..... original idea and not the usual stuff that we see on here. I think I like it ! David

I received some good news yesterday that the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club have granted me exhibition space at their International Annual Show in June of this year, in order to display my Hooper & Co diorama and the entire collection of scale model motor cars. This is a big event and runs for three days from June 22 to June 24. Here are some photos of the latest addition to the collection of vehicles, this being a 1950 Bedford Duple OB Coach by Original Classics, which is a 1:24 scale diecast model. The coach has working lights front, rear and interior, sliding roof and passenger entrance door, highly detailed interior and weighs in at 1.15 kg. Further photos show the Tamiya Jaguar MK II that I converted to a 1955 Jaguar MK I with rear wheel arch spats and wheels from a VW Beetle. Also, some shots of the Henry Ford figures which seem to fit in well with the Shapeways figures. Thanks for looking guys..... David

Very nicely built Jim... and in 1:12 scale this is a really clean looking model. Had a look at your website, great set of wheels for this car and superb engine detail too. Used to follow the Ford Escorts and Lotus Cortinas in UK rallying, and I seem to remember there being some Datsun 240Z rally cars that performed well against the mighty Fords at that time. Red has to be the best colour for these Datsuns, as with most Ferraris. David

So far I have used Shapeways 3D printed figures and more recently an ICM Henry Ford set of figures from Ukraine, but the choice of 1:24 scale figures is very limited as you say. The Shapeways figures are very good actually, usually with good facial features, and it is then down to very careful painting to get them right. There are not many different positions though, so maybe I need to cut off arma and legs and re-position them.... scary stuff! David

Absolutely brilliant Charles..... if you hadn't told us this was a model, it would easily pass for the real thing. Your attention to detail shows that your observation is at a high level. The whole effect is just perfect. Every part of the truck cab seems to be correct for a burnt-out scenario. Very nicely done indeed and I shall come back to have a second look at your fine work. Would this be the 1:24 scale Italeri M.A.N. kit ? David

I know what you mean about the figures issue Brian, because despite the great Michael Paul Smith not using a single figure in any of his truly brilliant diorama photographs, and I do understand why he chose not to include figures, I have still gone ahead and taken the risk of including figures in my diorama. In order to produce a figure in 1:24 scale that looks absolutely realistic, especially when photographed close up, the detail painting has to be pure genius. David

Thanks David Mitchell.... the three Henry Ford figures are the engineer in green overalls, the businessman in the light brown suit and then Henry Ford himself in bowler hat and long black coat. Henry does have white hair as I have painted this figure of mine, while the engineer has brown hair and the businessman has grey hair! These figures are produced by a company in Ukraine and they stand up very well alongside my Shapeways 3D printed figures. Technically they should be 1913, but I think they will not be out of place in the 1958 diorama setting. David

Excellent build there Peter, and this model is so much better than the diecast Bburago version that I have. I really do need to invest in the Revell kit version that you have built so well. Some diecast model motor cars in 1:24 scale do look very realistic, but I can't say that for the Jaguar XK120. Your attention to detail has inspired me, thanks. David

Nicely built and well painted..... open wheeler, rain tyres, Revell..... what's not to like? The figure with the clipboard adds to the realism of the photos. David

You are working wonders here Mike.... this is such an interesting project for you and a very tricky conversion I can see that. Looks like the whole idea is coming together as you want it to. Some time soon I am attempting to convert a 1936 Tamiya Toyoda into a 1957 Austin FX3 London Taxi, so I am watching your work in progress and hopefully learning something from your techniques and methods. I shall continue to follow your posts on this fascinating topic. David

Many thanks, Anders.... I am adding a few more figures to the scene and a very interesting new vehicle will be arriving later this week. Watch this space! David

The desk and telephone has been moved into the ground floor showroom in order to produce some test shots, just to get an impression of this composition. Also, one of three new figures for the diorama has been assembled and painted, this first one being an engineer. These figures are actually from a Henry Ford set and they date from 1913, which is 45 years before the 1958 Hooper & Co building as it is portrayed here. The other two figures will follow shortly, these being a businessman and Henry Ford himself. The figures are produced in Ukraine and they do seem to be of the correct height and proportions, which is more than can be said about the telephone!. David

Thank you Dennis.... all compliments welcome of course! Glad you like it. David

Your comments are always very perceptive and also very amusing Eric, so I look forward to each one. Absolutely no scattering of papers on the showroom desk and what is needed is a high standard of tidyness and professionalism. Since I posted the photographs of the empty desk I made two sheets of A4 paper in 1:24 and also a book which is cerulean blue in colour. Now you've set me thinking...... " leather bound portfolio " and " hardcover sales brochure " and " gold lettering "..... this is where I should be going with this. Osmond Rivers, the Managing Director of Hooper & Co (Coachbuilders) Limited ( by appointment to Her Majesty the Queen) is standing beside the showroom desk while speaking to a wealthy lady client who is arranging for some extensive bespoke coach building work to be done on her 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Cabriolet de Ville. The polished mahogany desk is resplendent on the highly polished crimson wood flooring in one discreet corner of the ground floor showroom, with fine framed paintings on the walls and an imposing vintage clock face that demands attention. The atmosphere in their St James's Street showrooms is somewhere between that of a fine tailor's and the waiting room of a distinguished physician. Better? David

Welcome Dan and Mike...... I have found this forum to be the best in the World.... MCM is the best scale model car web site on the Internet.... seriously !!! This is all thanks to the hard working team who created MCM and continue to maintain the forums. Good luck gentlemen and many thanks. David

Here is a short update because there is a lot of work going on at the moment. The Jaguar MK I build is nearing completion, and today a 1:24 scale old style telephone on a small table arrived in the post. I have built a nice office desk around this piece of dolls house furniture and painted it dark brown, with the telephone at the far corner of the desk. Still need to give the desk a coat or two of yacht varnish to produce a polished high gloss finish and also add brass handles to the drawers of the desk. The telephone is supposed to be 1:24 but it appears to be slightly oversize, so I shall make sure that when the desk is in the corner of the Hooper & Co ground floor showroom, there will be a figure or two in the foreground, which should make the telephone look less out of scale. There will be some papers scattered on top of the desk and I need to find a 1:24 scale chair to go with it. David

Very interesting work by by this chap, Chris.... which gives us all inspiration of course. David

Yes I am remember this Vauxhall Cresta as a child, and thinking then how American the car looked! The two-tone paint and the whitewall tyres add to this appearance. Quite a nice design I think, even now, and the similarities with the '57 Chevy are there, as others have said on here. David