Spottedlaurel

Had to spend a bit more on this than usual, but it's a nice kit and I remember them from when I was young - my uncle who worked for Ford had one. It's been started, but nothing too significant and the bodyshell is unpainted. I'm debating whether to drop in a 1980s/90s Mustang V8. South Africa had an XR8, so it's plausible. If I was more skilled then I'd move the B-pillar forwards and convert it to 5-door bodystyle, as that represents what most Sierras here looked like, but I can see me starting that and it not getting finished.....

It's great to see what Hasegawa are coming out with at present, they really seem to be on a roll.

Great work Gareth. The straight black paint and hubcaps give it a subtle, formal look.

Great to see what you've done with this one Zack, looks really good! I like how you've detailed the wheels. Some useful tips there for when I build my stepside version - I got as far as the mock-up stage, but the multi-piece bodywork (and rubbery plastic) put me off and it's fallen down the queue somewhat. It looks like you have to paint the inner wings, bulkhead/interior tub and external bodywork separately before final assembly?

Difficult to pick a favourite! I love the clean look of the truck and the custom styling of the '65 Impala works so well. As something to tuck away in my garage as a 1:1 I'd go for the '71 Impala, that's my favourite era of US styling.

Thanks Philppe! Thank you John, great to hear your memories of a real example. I remember seeing them but don't have any first-hand experience. I don't think the 1970s and '80s BMW bodystyles suited the US bumpers very well. I don't believe Tamiya have reissued it in recent years. I don't recall how much the original one cost me, maybe £10 or so, but I remember finding the second one for £6 at an autojumble in the 1990s, even then it seemed like a good price! Thanks Mario. Most times I end up modifying my kits, even if it's just a set of wheels and a bit of lowering, but this is one of the few that was a straightforward OOB. I wish those wheels were available as an aftermarket set!

That looks really good, nice work. I've seen the Arii version and wondered what it was like - some of the older Japanese kits can be rather crude and toy-like with a shallow interior and other compromises to suit being motorized, but this looks pretty good.

Thank you Gerry. The wheels came in the kit, complete with Michelin TRX tyres. They are rather nice and I previously used a set of them on a Nissan Silvia. Thanks Anton. Likewise, I didn't realise the race version had a different engine.

I didn't bother with a WIP thread on this one, it was just a reshell of an OOB build I first did back in the mid '90s. It'd sat in the parts box for some years after I used the wheels for another project and one or two things fell off/went missing. To complete the original build I had to buy a second kit as the bonnet on the first one was warped (unusual for Tamiya). Back in 2020 I decided to use the spare bodyshell and my (hopefully) improved painting skills to resurrect it. I went for Tamiya's pearl white straight from the can, probably with TS13 clear. I'm hoping some outdoor shots will show up the pearl effect. On my first build I used the stripes and painted the wheel centres gunmetal. This time around I went for gold wheels and no stripes. Black trim was done with brush-painted Revell #9 enamel. The foiled brightwork isn't my best (and there's a lot of it on this car!), and I omitted to paint the black trim that should surround the window chrome (repeating my laziness of the 1990s). but I did give it some wash in the panel lines this time around. It rides a little higher than I'd want it to nowadays, but that's how it sat OOB and I didn't want to redo my original suspension or running gear. I didn't touch anything under the bonnet. I wouldn't be able to do it much/any better now, besides which I struggle to find paints that give the effect I got back then. Perhaps they don't have the same (probably unpleasant) chemicals in them? Anyway, I sold the engine to another builder a few years ago. Likewise I kept all this as it was, only repainting the exhaust system. Maybe it's correct, but the instructions called for it to be painted semi-gloss black and that didn't seem right, the flat silver I chose at least brightems up the underside a little. Not much else to say really, it's good to get another WIP off the bench and see this one on the shelf again. The leftover road car parts will be donated to @Mattilackenfor use on his CBR2022 build. Thanks for looking.

Nice one, looks like it would be a fun thing at 1:1.

The list is particularly optimistic considering that in 2021 I only managed to build just over half of what I did in 2020. However I can put most of that down to a house move, now that's done and we're getting straight I hope to be more productive again. Short oval cars are what I saw mostly when I was young. One of the UK's main tracks was not far from where I lived, within cycling distance for a few years, and I still go every so often nowadays. The early '80s cars were mercifully free of major sponsorship so should be relatively easy to recreate with paintwork. I'd like to do a few bangers as well (our equivalent of your DD cars). By chance, the grandson of Horry Barnes came and bought a couple of scrap 1:1 cars off me recently. He's become a successful racer himself.

I hadn't really noticed that before, but picking up the road car kit that's sitting in front of me right now I see what you mean. The sill/rocker being painted black perhaps doesn't help? P.S. PM me with your address, I'll get my leftover parts sent to you.

Thanks, great to see it again!

Great to see those wheels being put to good use! I love the finished look of it, I can picture one in a USDM brochure in this colour. Although this Monogram kit is far from being the most accurate or detailed Z out there, I'm quite fond of it. I built mine as a modified car without bumpers, but seeing how this looks is making me rethink what to do with the version I still have.

Great to see this thread Luke, I always enjoy seeing your builds. I spy a Laurel coupe and Sunny truck there in addition to those already mentioned.

That's a fair old list Snake! Good luck. I've had to look back at my 2021 list to start working this out: 1. Finish BMW M635 and Toyota Celsior (Lexus LS400) reshell projects. BMW is on the bench as I speak, I'm not starting anything else until it's done! Could be today/tomorrow? 2. Get on with the Ford Courier + Thunderbird V6 engine that I have barely started. 3. Monogram Mountain Dew Regal stock car for the replica community build. 4. 1970 something for the CBR 2022 year of birth community build. Current plan is for an AMT Challenger with Viper V10. 5. Refresh and reassembly of Monogram '57 Chevy I originally did back in the '80s. 6. Finish Toyota Hiace by Gunze Sangyo that I started last year. 7. Finish Humbrol/Esci Fiat 131 Abarth rebuild started last year, originally put together very early in my kitbuilding days. 8. After I've got several of the above into the cabinet I can allow myself to do a few more straightforward projects - mostly stuff from the Japanese makers with aftermarket wheels, lowered and clean paint. 9. Various projects utilising 1980s and '90s Mustang/Viper/Corvette/Skyline/RX-7 etc engines in older cars/trucks. The long list remains as last year, I'd like to get at least one of these underway. 10. AMT '71-ish Mustang as an early 1980s UK street machine with polished tube gille and Centerlines, to fulfil an image I've had in my mind for 35+ years. 11. Stretched Aoshima Subaru Sambar kei-truck with recovery body carrying a Hasegawa Subaru 360. 12. Tamiya Morris Mini done as a 1970s/80s street machine with vinyl top and opera windows. 13. Ford Escort Mk2 as an early '80s National Hot Rod (short oval racer). 14. Datsun 280ZX as a Saloon Stock Car (short oval racer), driven by local legend Horry Barnes (RIP) who raced into his 80s. 15. Rebuild Tamiya Lotus 7 that I first built back in the '80s. 16. Loose replicas of various 1:1 Datsun/Nissans I've had/still have.

Good luck to all CBR2022 entrants! And Happny New Year too, of course. I need to get something else completed and off the bench over the next day or two, making use of the final few days of holiday, then I can make final decision and start on mine......

Congratulations Kurt! I found it very difficult to make a choice, and I'm very pleased and grateful to have picked up a few votes at my first attempt.

Good to see it out again. I enjoyed doing one back in the '90s: It went together better than the GTX behind it and still looks good on the shelf. I regret not buying the custom version they also offered. Very period box art as I recall, did they change/add much?

Is it that bad then? I recently picked up one of the Revell-Monogram issues of the black version - sounds like it's best to go in the way I'd have done back in the '80s, just try and enjoy it for what it is.

/\ Amazing work there. Not quite today, and somewhat less advanced/skilled, over the Christmas holiday I've been trying to finish this Tamiya BMW: The interior, engine and floorpan were all done in the '90s, I'm giving it a reshell to tidy it up a bit (I had most of a spare kit). There's quite a bit of BMF and detail painting on it, but hopefully I can make the final push on it today and get an early 2022 completion under my belt.

Nice one Martin! Looks really effective.

Crikey Gareth! What a collection of great builds, certainly some that passed me by and it's great to see them all.

Great to see them all Michael. I have to admire your patience and skill on the competition car decals, but I love to see what you can do on the road cars.

Be careful what you wish for: There is this funny little kit. It's small, and the bodyshell is split in half lengthways through the bonnet, roof and tailgate! I know someone on another forum who built one, it was a bit of a challenge. I haven't dared attempt mine.....