Spottedlaurel

If we're having another round, here's my entry: Another slightly more ambitious build that I started back in the '90s. I'll start a separate WIP thread for it.

First Belkits model I've bought: I have no interest in building it as a rally car, it'll be a fast-road toy. Happy to see that the standard grille without spotlights and the single-piece sloping rectangular headlights are included. Last weekend I also stocked-up on a few clearance automotive paints, decent value at £3 a tin.

Very nice! I have no personal recollection of them from when I was young, but on various French trips over the last decade or so I've seen quite a few examples. I feel I'd like to build one as a reminder of them.

Look forward to seeing it your progress with your usual attention to detail. Didn't realise it came with the option of chrome hubcaps. For the yellow paint, couldn't you have got an aerosol mixed at a car parts shop? That's what I've done for a couple of old Datsun colours.

Ingenious! It's really come together in that last shot.

Nice one, I really like the look of it. I've got one of these to someday, I'll bear in mind your comment about the headlights. Any fitment issues otherwise?

Super-clean build, looks excellent. I've used that colour before and I have more in stock to use on future projects. I've seen it used here on subjects of varying ages, looks good on all of them.

An excellent variety Matt. I remember your WIP thread on the 1:24 XJ-S, your work on the engine in particular was fantastic. Love the 1:43 selection, didn't realise you'd done so many of them. I bete they look great together on the shelf. I saw another one in the series at a local secondhand toy/model shop a while back, Mercedes 450 SL I think, but I was put off buying it after my experience with the Princess - nice kit, just a bit challenging on the eyesight.

Nice one Gareth. Just a week into the year and you've already got your first one done!

Those late '60s Cougars are great-looking cars, your rendition looks excellent. The Cougar is familiar to those of us in the UK of a certain age from the Matchbox diecasts.

They look good. I spent a bit of time last night looking at what's left of my 7 and offering up various wheel/tyre combinations. The original tyres are narrow but quite tall in profile, somewhat old-fashioned looking and they do give the 7 quite a dated appearance. A 13" wheel with a typical tyre like 175/70 or 185/70 will probably have a smaller overall diameter, that's what I found anyway. However, I believe 185/70s are used on the less insane Caterhams, so they'd look 'right'. The best combination I found from my inventory was an obscure combination of the Sunny Truck wheel with a 175 wide tyre from a Tamiya kit, which give a similar look to what's in that photo. As a result of having a look at it last night the rebuild of my 7 has moved up the list a bit......

Might not be too easy to get for you, but the Hasegawa Nissan Sunny Truck has a nice set of 13" Minilites which aren't too wide, probably about 5" scale width. If I can get hold of another 7, or decide to rebuild mine from years ago, that's what I was thinking of using. https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10289551 Looks like they come in at least one of the other issues of this kit. Just remembered their Bluebird rally car also has some: https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10010777 I've got examples of both of the above, I'll go and have a look and see what they're like. I'm not exactly local to you, but I could potentially spare a set.

Very nice Spence. I enjoyed building one many years ago, it's a great kit isn't it? NSX is one of the very few supercars I'd like to own (deeply unlikely that it'll ever happen, mind you).

That's worked out really well! I particularly like the front and rear end treatments. Quite a shopping list of parts you've used. Looks like something you'd see in a period motor show report.

This photo dates from 2007: With the help of B.O.Y.D. I've got the '55 and Corvette done. I motivated myself to get on with the '57 about 10 years ago and the Maserati was finished just last summer, so now it's just the Cadillac to go.

AMT 1993 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr This donated its engine to the '67 Impala I'm currently building. Out of curiosity I trial-fitted the bodyshell, interior, glass and chassis and it went together nicely, so I thought I may as well do a quick, simple curbside build with the bonnet left closed rather than put it back in the box and forget about it. 1:25 AMT Corvette ZR-1 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr This Cayman Blue colour is more of a dark turquoise used on European Fords of the 1990s, so should look period correct on the Corvette. The BBS-RSII wheels by Aoshima were my first thought, I think they'll look good but I haven't yet made up my mind.... 1:25 AMT Corvette ZR-1 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr These two alternatives are also by Aoshima, curiously-named "Lick Mag" wheels in the centre which I think are a bit too angular and I would rather keep for something a bit older, and Rays Volk C-Europe on the left which are my preference at the moment (unless I find something else). Whatever I use will have wider rear tyres, as per the originals. 1:25 AMT Corvette ZR-1 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr It needs some clearcoat but I'm happy with it so far. I doubt there'll be many updates, I'm hoping it will come together quickly and can make its way into the display cabinet without any hassle.

Thanks all! Now the long-term, hastily-finished '55 is out of the way I've made more progress with this one: 1:25 1967 Chevrolet Impala kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr Got the first couple of coats of Sandalwood Beige on it, needs more but I'm happy with how it's starting to look. 1:25 1967 Chevrolet Impala kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:25 1967 Chevrolet Impala kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr Couldn't resist a quick mock-up on the wheels. Looks like it needs a bit of rake, hopefully I can get it sitting this low. Next job is a trial fit of the suspension to see how it sits out of the box. I like the positive fit of the body onto the chassis/floorpan assembly. Hopefully that's still the case with the interior and glass installed.

Nice one. I'd like give this one a go someday, to remind me of those I see on holiday in France. I've seen one or two in same colour scheme as yours, looks appropriate in the coastal towns where they're particularly popular. Citroen Mehari by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

Quality and quantity! I remember seeing a few of those through the year, they all look excellent.

I'm back at work today, but trying to maximise the Christmas/New Year holiday as much as possible I got some paint down on this pair yesterday and before 7am this morning: AMT Corvette ZR-1 lurking at the back doesn't have a WIP thread, it's just a quick curbside build after I robbed the engine for the Impala. Needs a gentle sanding and clearcoat. Impala got its first couple of coats. Wet sanding then another couple of coats should do it. As hoped, looks like it should give a good shine without clearcoat.

That looks excellent, well done. The colour choice and detailing look just right.

Wow, incredible workmanship! It looks great, and so well-executed. Imagine what it'd be like to drive - hold on tight!

What a great collection you've built there. I've enjoyed seeing some of them come together on your WIP threads here, the Valiant was the most challenging? The finished result was worthwhile, it looks very effective. The blue AMT '32 is probably my favourite and I like all of the speedway racers. They remind me of what was raced here as stock cars and hot rods on the 1/4-mile oval tracks (shale, tarmac or concrete). That's a form of racing I like, and I need to build a few examples of what was being raced in the '80s when I first started going.

Great to see them Tim, a varied selection and all very nicely done but I particularly like the Jaguar. It looks like 1:24 in that shot.

That looks excellent, and what a perfect colour scheme for it.