Spottedlaurel

Thanks JC, that was an enjoyable and very informative pre-breakfast read. Some amazing work there and a few things I've picked up for mine. Something that's puzzled me is the purpose of the scoops in front of the rear wheels - on some cars they're open with an extra bit of black plastic, on others they're smoothed over. I'd imagine they provide air to the rear brakes and/or diff? Even on the cutaway drawings it's not entirely clear.

I remembered someone on here was doing one, have you got a WIP thread for either of them? I shan't be trying to make this one super-accurate, but it'll be good to have it on display again. Thanks Pete, I'll do my best. More about the wheels in a moment.... I'l try and make it worthwhile Geoff. Did Seat make their own version of the 131? This must have been the one I built, I vaguely recall the box art: Scalemates suggests there were several Esci versions before this issue came along in 1981. I don't know if Humbrol did much more than put in their box and reprint the instructions, from the decals I used it seems they came straight from Esci. Luckily I kept the instructions, as I have done for virtually every kit I've ever built: Thanks guys! The wheel choice came from this image, which my son found the other day by chance in a random assortment of old racing/rallying photos I bought a few years ago: As soon as I saw the front rims I realised the Hayashis I had were very, very similar. The gold treatment was common and will look good against the dark blue. Somewhat confusingly, they weren't actually made by Cromadora, but they're Campagnalo instead (style 40802). A company called Group 4 Wheels now make a 1:1 replica, if you have deep enough pockets. 1:24 copies are also available.

That's excellent, your dad obviously gave you a good starting point as the finished result looks really good. The chromed headlight surrounds look much better than the box art.

I enjoyed seeing it come together in the WIP thread. Great to see it completed, the finished result looks fantastic. Super-smooth job done on the rear bodywork.

/\ Looks good. As well making a start on the Fiat I made useful progress on these over the weekend: Chevrolet, Toyota and Honda kits by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr The Impala looks more complete than it is, as it has no suspension. Still not 100% happy with how it's fitting together around the front screen/interior/dashboard interface, more trimming required. Chevrolet, Toyota and Honda kits by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr Quite a size difference between the three of them.

I needed to do something that wasn't Japanese or American and this one ended up being my choice. First built it when I was 12-13, so nearly 40 years ago now. The shell was unpainted and everything else was done by brush. Then, as now, I didn't enjoy doing large decals so I built it as a rallycross car with some random decals and dry transfer numbers. After a few years it ended up in the scrap box, and for some reason got a squirt of yellow paint (maybe I was testing it out for another build?). As he did with several other older kits, my son was rummaging through the parts box and assembled enough of it to make me realise I could put it back together again. Luckily I don't throw much away. 1:24 Humbrol Fiat 131 Abarth kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:24 Humbrol Fiat 131 Abarth kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:24 Humbrol Fiat 131 Abarth kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr How come I've got a spare sprue with the engine, suspension and wheels? I had an issue when I first built it and wrote to Humbrol asking if they could send me some replacement parts. A while later I got a package from Italy containing five of that sprue! Although mine was the Humbrol issue it started life as as Esci kit and I presume they had the spares available. Ideal for this rebuild and I'll have a few twin-cam engines for future projects. Job number one was to try and clean up the glass. The yellow paint on the side doesn't want to budge but the front and rear screens have come up well after some wet sanding, Micromesh sheets then coarse, medium and fine Zero Paints polishing compounds. I'll carefully cut the sides out and replace them with flat sheet. 1:24 Humbrol Fiat 131 Abarth kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr I've got a clear look in mind, built as a hi-po road car in dark metallic blue with these wheels which are pretty close to a style I've seen on some of the works rally cars. They'll be painted gold, which with the dark blue paint will be reminiscent of the Olio Fiat-sponsored blue and yellow rally cars. 1:24 Humbrol Fiat 131 Abarth kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:24 Humbrol Fiat 131 Abarth kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:24 Humbrol Fiat 131 Abarth kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr As it'll be a road car I'll get it sitting lower than this. I've given it a couple of quick coats of primer to see what work is needed. I'll probably fill the fuel filler in the bootlid and open up the scoop in front of the rear wheel. It's not something I'll be rushing to finish, I want to take my time over it and get it looking half-decent. It'll sit well alongside my Audi Quattro and Renault 5 Turbo.

That worked-out nicely, must remember that. I have one or two kits with standard panel lines so shallow it would be worthwhile doing when I deepen them, let alone scribing new ones.

Did more on this one than I was expecting during the week and today: RH inner wong not perfect but better than it was now the hoses have been removed. BMF commenced. 1:25 AMT Chevrolet Impala kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:25 AMT Chevrolet Impala kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr Most of the BMF done, I think just the door handles to go. Glass is fitted, panel lines and front scuttle vents given a wash. 1:25 AMT Chevrolet Impala kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr Rear lights/bumper assembly detailed with a wash of thinned matt black, might need a touch more but it's almost there. Rather than mess around with white glue I taped the rear lights in place with a large piece of BMF. Also trial-fitted the Corvette's radiator, with some 'adjustment' of the Impala chassis I've got it fitting in a place where the air intake will work out OK. From this point onwards I'm going to assemble it in a slightly odd order, putting the body and chassis together then carefully fitting the suspension. That way I can adjust it as necessary and be confident that I get the ride hieght and wheel position just how I want.

Nice job, that colour looks just right on it.

I had to do exactly the same thing when I fitted the axle first!

If the Skyline is like the older Fujimi issue I have then it looks slightly odd around the front end, and the bumpers are moulded-in as part of the bodyshell so need to be chromed or painted somehow.

What a day Tom! Let me know if you want a LHD dashboard for the Celica, I have one spare from my Hasegawa kit. Is the Skyine 4dr by Fujimi or Aoshima?

Nice progress! All the best Chevelle wagons are yellow......... 1:25 Revell 1966 Chevelle Wagon kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

Nice one Tom. It's a shame you don't know who the original builder was, but I'm sure they'd be very pleased to see it resurrected and enjoyed by a new audience. Look forward to seeing what else you get.

Nice work - sympathetically done, nothing too radical, but those little tweaks and improvements have been effective.

Very nicely done, the detailing is great.

A great start there, look forward to seeing it progress. I enjoyed building one of these last year, it went together really nicely.

Some brave work going on here - there won't be much left of the original shell! I have a later Fujimi release. Even keeping it fairly standard it's not one I'm rushing to build, I remember it looking like it would need a bit of work. When I was young I thought the 1:1s were FWD, I think it was that long front overhang.

No suggestions from me Steve, I just look forward to seeing your progress on it - I know it's going to look great!

Great progress, that's going to look a very impressive set-up once completed. I found time to make more progress on some of mine last night: Three quarters of the Impala's window trims now have BMF. After wet sanding and Micromesh on the Fiat's front and rear glass over the weekend, I attacked it with coarse, medium and fine polishing compounds by Zero Paints. First time I've ever done that on clear parts, amazing to see it finally come clear again. I'll replace the sides with clear sheet, but that one is now a viable restoration project and I've got the colour and wheel choice already in mind for it. Would have been easier if I hadn't randomly squirted it with some yellow paint at some point in the past..... While I had the olishing compound I thought I'd have another go at the Honda. Just about managed to do all three stages without going through the paint, and it is now improved.

I've had that one pretty much since it first came out here in the '90s. Very useful source of reference to me in pre-internet days, and still used now as my wifi signal doesn't extend out to the shed where I do most of my building.

Same here, most of them became cheap, rusty cars by the 1980s. Thanks John. I've also been thinking about reinforcing that broken piece, a piece of metal might be a better soloution than the flat plastic I'd ben considering. Thank you Tom. If you're able to choose between Hasegawa and Aoshima versions, and you want to build a nice road car, then the former is definitely the way to go. I'm keeping my Aoshima version for something more modified, as it's a little cruder (but still pretty decent). The Hasegawa kit also has the option of LHD dashboard and wipers. Since these photos I've done a trial-fit of the glass, interior and floorpan into the bodyshell and it seems to go together quite happily. My larger-than-standard rear tyres are continuing to necessitate more clearance and trimming, but that's a self-inflicted problem.

Eight hours?! That's how I used to do them when I was young, but they never looked this good.......

Nice work, looks really good and pleasing to see something a little bit different. I've got the Heller version to do someday, would look good alongside their Renault 4 as a reminder of previous French holidays.

That is truly fantastic Steve, you should be very proud of it. It looks so 'right', very plausible.