Pierre Rivard

Looks just like the full size mag. Excellent replica. This build keeps adding more eye candy.

I've used plumber's tape with success

Thanks Helmut. It takes a few extra steps but does contribute to give the engine an oily grimy metallic look. Nothing complicated: I added a touch of aluminum into the black for the block, I added a touch of black into some of the aluminium parts to get variations, then flat varnish and finally oiled earth washes Absolutely Francis. Not every part was accurate but the sum of them has given me an engine I like quite a bit. I thought it would be fun to compare these two. The Alfa 8C2300 was the new car to beat and the SSK's career was winding down around 1931. Thanks Jason. Definitely an upgrade needed for wheels & tires but that kit is rarely being built these days (I may be the only one here...) so aftermarket parts are not readily available short of super expensive Pinto wheels. I am developing a compromise to be shared in detail soon. Thank you Harry. I am happy if anything I am working on can be useful for your own build. We learn and pick up ideas from looking at each other's builds. That's what I love about the forum

That's very unfortunate. We witness on this forum too many failures whit some of these chrome paints. Not the builder's fault when the chrome paint can't be touched or can't handle a clear layer over it. Had similar issues a few years ago when Green Stuff World was the latest magical chrome paint...until it was not. You can only move on with the build

excellent idea and very well made.

My mom asked dad go get her a Mustang but got this instead. I hated that car because it was not a Mustang. I failed to see it was a a prettier car than the oversized 71 Mustang. This could be a superb resto-mod with gently flared fenders, +2 wheels& tires and a V8.

Hold on here... I run a little 2.3 liter in my Alfa but these guys get to run a big ass 7.1? That's not fair!

Amazing model. Dust, grime and corrosion finishes are highly realistic.

So much to learn here (I know nothing about drag racing), so there is no external radiator on these because they run for such a short time. Is there still a water pump to move coolant internally to spread the thermal loads? Everything looks fabulous btw

Primer also brush painted. Vallejo polyurethane. 10-20% thinned with water. Again multiple thin layers.

The rest of the engine has been assembled and some washes added to give it a bit of worn look. I am never comfortable doing engines so getting through this crucial phase of the build is a relief. I am pretty happy with the results.

They have been printed by one of the guys at my hobby store. I'm trying man. Looking at your work really helps with ideas. Taking the lunge with brass for brake pull rods! Thanks friend. I just put a touch go flat aluminum in the black for the engine block, gives it a bit of a rough iron casting look. I think everybody at Lindberg passes away a long time ago... Danke mein Freund. If I can only make through the engine build... Thank you Brian. It's more than I usually do but the engine is the heart of this project so I'm trying to up my game a bit. Thank you Niko for the kind words and welcome to the group. I like you enjoy working from older kits and getting some scratch built improvements. I'll add the occasional 3D printed part (I don't make them) but for the most part try to build or modify parts in a more traditional way. I just enjoy the process of it. The SSK is a beautiful brute. A car meant to be raced.

What a wonderful and diverse year you have had my friend. I love them all but the Gunze Daytona pulled real hard on my heart string. Hoping someday I'll find one of these kits.

Components painted and dressing up & assembling the engine finally starts. I have to work this in layers, with first the coolant pump greaser and one of it's lines, Second, installing the coolant pump dynamo/magneto assembly and starting the ignition wiring. The engine has 6 cylinders and a twin plug arrangement. The first set of wires from the magneto run to a conduit through the block and reach plugs to the left side plugs. The second series of 6 wires feed the plugs on the magneto side.

After 3 weeks the engine components are made and ready to go to paint. YEAH!

The last 3 engine component fabrication bits, other than the wiring and plumbing. First the rad hoses made from rubber cord and 0.29mm wire fro clamps. Second, the carb warmer coolant conduit with some sort of cotton rope insulation. Finally, I decided to add the conduit with faucet style valve and what appears to be a filter case under the "oil tank"

I know... I said I wouldn't do the dime thing again...

Welcome to my world Mike. I live in a condo and brush painting is what I do... for everything. Now I am not promoting brush painting over spraying but I am always surprised to see builders get into very complicated masking operations just to airbrush something like a headlamp pocket when brush painting such a small surface is so easy. For small/medium parts a simple synthetic brush will do (I use a variety of AK brushes). I use acrylic paint and the best are Vallejo. Model color needs to be thinned about 1/1 with a dedicated acrylic paint thinner (I use GSW), Vallejo Air needs less thinning. I do a few thin coats with about 10 min dry time intervals. I take the liberty to post an example below and I hope you won't mind. Everything is brushed and I have also added washes and dry pigments to create weathering. Takes practice but it's quite doable.

I love vintage kits and I buy to build. I was not in the hobby 20 years ago so I deal with what's available TODAY. Ebay is my principal source but patience and discipline are essential. My gig is 1960's and earlier racing cars and I can circle around a kit on Ebay for quite a while before pulling the trigger, sometimes considering if I really want that kit, sometimes waiting for the seller to offer a discount or ask for an offer. I also pay attention to shipping cost (some sellers ask silly money for shipping to Canada). I make sure I enjoy the chase and try to resist impulse buys. The results of my hunt in the last 24 months: Monogram Chaparral 2D ($68 incl. shipping), Monogram Ferrari 275P ($56 incl. shipping), Lindberg MB SSK ($44 incl. shipping), Monogram XK120 ($88 incl. shipping), Monogram Aston DB4 ($64 incl shipping) Otaki BMW 3.5csl ($60 incl shipping), Ben Hobby Porsche 935/78 ($73 incl shipping). No steals there but within what I am willing to pay for kits that I really want to build. To date 4 have been built and a one is on the bench.

It is a simple car as you say Ken, but turning it into a snowmobile makes it very interesting. The chassis/suspension pieces are very visible on this so your exquisite craftsmanship pays off. I love what you do with paint finishes. For example the perfect sheen on the seat that gives perfectly replicates leather. It's the addition of all these little thing that provide the realism of a scale model.

Interesting, I am scheming a future build, a salt-flat racer and have come empty on a search for wheels & tires. Will be interested to see what you come up with. Other possibility is getting someone to design & print them.

Fabrication of the oil reservoir. FYI the weld balls are 0.6 mm & the whole assembly is half the diameter of a dime.

Thanks Andy. 0.8mm straight brass wire, Amazon delivering free (prime) overnight. Should be a good fit for the brake pull rods I want to replicate.

When I started in the hobby and joined this forum just a few years ago you helped me figure out the various Cobra kits and from there we got going. You helped me a lot and now I hope some bit of what I share might help a few others. Exchange of information and learnings is the essence of this forum. Happy new year Gary and I hope you'll be posting many of your classics in 2025.

Thank you Brian, appreciate you following my attempts to give life to this old kit. I drop small parts all the time, drives me nuts. No doubt the drivers had to be strong. Steering assist came from shoulders (sitting close to the wheel) and I would believe a high box ration resulting in 4+ turns lock to lock. Even though, these were probably almost impossible to turn at low speed. Taking my time trying to figure out how to make things. More research than bench time it feels. Merci Francis. I think I need your advice going forward. I'll need something other than 0.5mm styrene rods (too fragile) for the braking pull rods. What material, where to find it, etc 30, wow that's a lot of work to do. I'm heading the opposite path, just one build and slowly learn how to make it more precise. It's a constant learning exercise but fun. Every task is a first. Thanks Daniel. Now that it's done I have ideas on a better way, but gotta move on... Thanks Helmut. My 2025 resolution: reduce the build count ant up my game on the details. I hope this one sticks because the gym, booze and sugar resolutions I have broken already...🤣