Spottedlaurel

Very nicely done, and the photos show it off perfectly.

What a charming little thing, really puts it into perspective when considering it's smaller than a typical HW/Matchbox diecast.

Excellent work Gareth! Great to see it finished and looking this good. The subject appeals to me, but I don't think I'd have the patience or skills to achieve such a good result.

Looks like a great start, with your thoughtful, considered approach to the conversion (helped by your 1:1 knowledge). I look forward to seeing it progress. I have a Tamiya Cobra Mustang and on several occasions I've looked at how the engine and chassis would fit under an '80s Monogram Mustang or Thunderbird. It probably wouldn't be very authentic, but it's one that I'd like to have a crack at someday.

Looking really good Gareth. Fancy challengingyourself with another pinto? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255241582167

If I can get another couple of current WIPs off the bench in the next 2-3 weeks then I'll be up for joining in. With the Christmas holiday coming up I should be able to get some decent time on it. Question is, do I keep it simple by going for one of several Tamiya Hondas I built back in the '80s, probably over the course of a weekend complete with Humbrol brush-painted bodywork, or challenge myself a bit more with a NASCAR Regal? Only just remembered I have another issue of the latter, and it certainly feels like one that I have unfinished business with.

A couple of recent cheapies picked up off eBay: Having built Monogram's '55 and '57 versions it felt like I needed a '56 to complete the set. No fixed plans yet, maybe subtle lowrider style. I'm happy to add those wheels to the stash. Seems like this is an older release. The Beatties cement that was in the box may help date it? I still have the brush-painted 7 that I built back in the '80s, but in need of refurbishment and reassembly. My thought is to cannibalise this new one for any replacement parts, then build a modified version out of the remains, maybe a fast road version or something silly like crossing it with an Ice T or dragster chassis.......

I cobbled this one together some years (well,decades) ago:

I look forward to seeing them progress. Sadly the AMT Toyota isn't common here in the UK, but I have a couple of issues of the Datsun (different to yours).

That'd be cool, drop in a Viper V10 perhaps, but keep it looking like something an elderly couple use to drive into town once a week?

Great to see it finished Steve, looks so sinister. Super-neat work on scribing the new door line, your aluminium mask trick has really worked there. By coincidence, and I've never seen it here before, but just 30' or so from where I'm sitting there's a 1:1 '07 300C. As soon as I saw it when I pulled-in this morning I started wondering about how it would look with the 2-door conversion! This particular one is straight black with black OE alloys, so already looking pretty mean. The shallow windows and high waistline are very dramatic.

Excellent work on giving it the 4-door look, very effective and a great colour choice for something that's meant to slip by unnoticed!

As said elsewhere Anton, you've done a great job here - I think it looks excellent and fits the brief perfectly. You're making me wish I hadn't made my entry more complicated by dropping a different body onto the chassis of mine....... Looks right at home with the Tsukuba background too!

Sterling work there Gareth. Some very careful drilling on the hatch for the hinge!

Thanks for running the vote Anthony! 1970 for me. I have plenty of Japanese cars of that age, but as I chose a Nissan for 2021 I feel that I should step out of my comfort zone. Perhaps an AMT Monte Carlo, or Monogram Chevelle or Boss Mustang, maybe with a NASCAR chassis. I'm a bit limited on British/European options, will have to have a rummage through the stash - maybe it's time to do something with that Imai London Taxi I have?!

Excellent work Anton, the Supra looks fantastic! Well done to all who've got theirs finished. Just two weeks to go for me, but as of tonight I should have my new work (play) area set-up so I can get back onto finishing mine.

This is a well-timed question for me, interesting to see different views on the matter. I recently moved house. At my old place, for more than a decade I had the kits out in my big, timber shed. Although unheated it never got super-cold in there, and everything seemed to survive OK. Although poorly built it always seemed dry in there (maybe because of the draughts?!). Occasionally I had issues with decals, but it's difficult to say whether that was my storage or it'd been inherited from a previous owner (most of my kits are bought used). I could find decals from kits that must have been in there for 10+ years that still worked OK. I'll be storing the majority of the kits in an unheated brick/block/concrete floor garage at the new place. It's not too old and it seems dry, but I wonder what it will be like in the depths of winter. I don't really want to heat it when I'm not in there. They'll be stored up off the floor, maybe I'll just lay some thick blankets over them, which should also keep the dust off.

That looks spot-on, very nice. It really suits this look. Excellent detail work on the interior too.

Wow, very impressive. Looks really sharp. I'm not too familiar with the 1:1 or the kit you started with, but as Tim suggests I imagine there's an awful lot more work here than first meets the eye.

Only just seen this one, great progress Steve! The 2-door conversion has worked out very well, excellent colour choice too. I never have very good experience of spraying Smoke straight from the can, but you've used it to fantastic effect. The roofline is quite unusual for a modern car in having a pronounced change of angle where the front and rear pillars meet the roof. Wonder what it would look like if they were given more of a rake? Perhaps just the back end, to give it more of a coupe look? I suppose that could be done in conjunction with a roof chop. Certainly not something I'd attempt, my imagination is way ahead of my skill level there....... Your arrangement reminds me of the side rear window and pillar design on this 2-door Ford Granada: http://carsot.com/images/ford-granada-i-1972-1977-coupe-interior-2.jpg

That's a super-clean build, nice work.

Vote placed!

Great to see that you're still moving on with this one David.

Good luck Gareth! I'm sure you'll work your magic on it.

I'm going to have to rethink how and where I display my stuff soon. At present it's still all sitting in plastic boxes in a cupboard in my work office, where I put them out of harm's way during the house move. That's been and gone, and the unbuilt kits have migrated to the new place (and slightly unexpectedly ended up in the house in the spare bedroom, although that's just temporary while I sort out the garage shelving). Now I have to think about the built ones. At present I have just one 1:20 kit sitting in an old hand-me-down display cabinet along with my 1970s Matchbox Superfast diecasts. I remember it at my grandparents' house from when I was young and I'm pleased it's still in use, but there's no room in there for any more built kits. I bought a couple more glass-fronted display cabinets at the local auctions, they're a bit dated and one has a rather funky 1960s look - I presume they were from local house clearances. I'm hoping to get one on the wall on my side of the study/hobby room, and another up in the garage. I was struggling for display space as it was, with lots of old diecasts also needing to go somewhere, but at the moment I can't easily see where to expand or add anything. I'd love to incorporate one of those glass-topped ex-shop display units into my garage storage and shelving scheme. Might have to leave a bit of space......