ismaelg

The Aurora cars are about 1/30 but the tires are more like 1/24. That's why they are out of proportions. I'm working on an article about this series of models. Stay tuned...

Thank you all! Really appreciate all your comments.

Hello, This project is missing an important part. Seems like an angled wind deflector or something, but it is not a glass windshield. It looks like unpainted metal in some photos of the era but it was body color during the race. This picture is from another track but you get the idea. Anyways I could either spend a lot of money on another kit, or make my own. I'm cheap. That's why I got the gluebombs instead of the pristine kits. You know where I'm going. I made a paper template. Actually a few. Fooled around with it for a while until it was in the ballpark of what I was looking for. Then it graduated to a masking tape template, then an index card template. Eventually it made it into a styrene template. Still oversize, but slowly getting there. The body will be stripped next. Thanks, Ismael

Hello, I was considering that option 1 (FPP wire wheels), but been 5 cars (1920, 1922, 1931, 1935 and 1940) that can get pretty expensive. The 1953 has other type wheels. Looking at alternatives, including doing my own but I'd like to find a suitable 3D offering. Thanks, Ismael

Sweet! I'm looking for the 1931 to complete all 6! But all of mine are "gluebombs" to be restored.

Hello, I built this Revell 1998 Indy Pace Car Corvette around 2003. This was one of the first (if not the first) times I used authentic lacquer paint. MCW Radar Blue in this case. It was built pretty much box stock with added fuel lines, oil dipstick and aluminum exhaust tips. The display case has done its job protecting it. Pictures from August 2025 As a comparison, here are some of the pictures from when it was done. Fun memories. I took a picture of my parent's house, enlarged to 11x14 and glued to a piece of foamboard to use as background. Still have that mounted picture. Scales don't really match. Thanks, Ismael

Love it! I did a twin of that one a few years ago! Same kit same color combo. Thanks, Ismael

Wepa! Beautiful job on this classic! Excellent color choice.

Hello, I started with the Monogram Pace car kit. I got this pristine brand new kit: 🙂 The kit is really a 65 Mustang with the decals so it was heavily modified. The decals were unusable so I hunted down a long discontinued Fred Cady set. Important note: The blue stripes are not decals. Those are masked and painted. Thanks, Ismael

Hello, OK, I am trying to break the internet here. I BUILT A MUSTANG!!!! If this doesn't break the internet nothing will 🙂 Here is the story: My good friend Roberto Fanfan (Madslammer here) runs the biggest local model car only show of the year: Modelmania. Every year, a special theme is presented. At every show, the theme for next year is announced. In August 2023, it was announced that the theme for 2024 was going to be "Class of '64: American cars from 1964, street legal, no race cars" So everybody started preparing for that. My immediate thought was a 1964 Corvette, a project which has been stalled for years. But at my very slow pace, I really doubted I could finish it in time. So why not something completely unexpected but still something I like? Of course I am a big Indy fan. The Pace Car for the 1964 Indy 500 was the then new Ford Mustang. Sure, the car was technically a '65, but it is informally known as '64 1/2. I checked with Roberto for eligibility and he said "Go for it!" So I embarked in new territory. not my first Ford, but not common for me. I actually remember building an Otaki Mustang (1971?) which I won as a raffle prize in a show, and an '87 Mustang GT (MPC?) both when I was a teenager. But this is my first serious Mustang project. I am a hardcore Chevy guy, but as a car guy, I do like early Mustangs up to ~1970. But guess what: The 2024 show came and this project was only halfway done! Of course I did not finish it on time. Fast forward, the 2025 show is in about a week and I pushed hard to complete it, only a year late! 🙂 This was kind of a secret project, so no build thread was created here. I did have one in the Motorsports forum so you can check it out: https://race-car-models.proboards.com/thread/3319/secret-project-doing-mustang-indy The real thing is a one of one, currently owned by Bill Ford, the Executive Chair of Ford Motor Company. Short story is 3 cars were pulled out of the manufacturing line the very first hour of Mustang Production, March 9th, 1964. This is most likely the earliest surviving production Mustang. The 3 cars were sent to Holman Moody for extensive modifications for Pace Car duties. Only 2 cars were rushed to completion, but one of them was not ready on race day. So there was only ONE pace car: this one. Modifications include: engine from a GT40: (detuned because it would destroy the chassis at full power) beefed up tranny, radiator, dual belt pulleys, etc. reworked suspension with orange Koni shocks, lowered, etc. Additional bracing to stiffen the chassis/body the car was repainted from Wimbledon white to "pace car white" which was most likely truck fleet bright white so it would "show" better on newspaper and TV Race equipment including 2way radio, extra antennas, grab handles in the back, passenger sun visor replaced with grab handle, flag poles, decals, etc. plus many others I heavily modified the Monogram kit to actually represent the real car. Lots of scratchbuilding including the flags among many others. Countless hours were spent researching the real thing down to the bolts. May I present the Corvette's guy interpretation of the 1964 Indy 500 Pace car Mustang, driven by Benson Ford, son of Edsel Ford, grandkid of Henry Ford, uncle of current owner Bill Ford. Some of the in progress pics: Heavily modified, fully wired, fully plumbed. Only thing missing is oil in the pan 🙂 Don't start it! Hope you like it! Your questions, comments and feedback are always appreciated. Thanks, Ismael

7/29/2025 10PM EST If you are anywhere around the Pacific ocean, be aware of Tsunami advisories due to a massive 8.7 Magnitude earthquake off the coast of east Russia. Aleutian islands in Alaska and Hawaii under tsunami WARNING. Tsunami watch from Alaska to California. Stay safe!

Yeah, before all of a sudden engineers took vacations at the same time, packed extra transmission coolers in their luggage and somehow all ended up in the Bahamas at the same time. 🤣 What a coincidence!

Will you believe me if I say I love it? Not only a great looking model of the early GS, but also I am very happy to see you back. Regards, Ismael

Very nice concept and execution!

Nice job on the little car that could! The performance of those rockets is insane.

Great job on one of the most beautiful cars of all time.

That is a beautiful creation! The grille has some French vibe to it. Maybe it remind me of Citroen? The body has a hint of Talbot flavor to it and the interior has an Italian theme going with that Ferrari shifter. To top it off the engine detail is on point. Overall an outstanding build. Thanks, Ismael

Hello, Can't believe how many hours are here, yet I still haven't thought about how I will eventually attach the wheels. Thanks, Ismael

Hello, There is more than a week of work here, yet I am still about halfway on the first of 4 corners... Thanks, Ismael

Nice! First one I see built since I built mine almost 20 years ago. The worst decals from what I remember. Thanks, Ismael

Hello Ken, Beautiful job on this racer! I am on an old Indy car kick lately. Love it!

Excellent job on this classic!

Great job. Love it!

Thank you! I'll check for that book.

Tap tap... is this thing on? Ohh Hello! If this looks like I am reviving a project that has been stalled for 17 years, well, that is EXACTLY what this is. One of the reasons this project got stalled was the flimsy white metal suspension. It has no structural rigidity and no way it can support the weight of this heavy chunk of resin. Fast forward 17 years to 2025. I may take another crack at this. This time, I'm trying to scratchbuild the suspension out of brass plus some other ideas trying to make this work. Worst case I'll need to add a discreet support under the car but that's a long way ahead. Also made a new brass axle to help support. I hope you don't have to wait 17 more years for next update... 😉 Thanks, Ismael