Oliver77

Oops wrong forum!

Well this kit finally made it to the bench. I took some photos during the build. I used Tamiya TS-7 Racing White for the body, a creamy off-white. I wired the engine using floral wire, and detail painted it. The parts kinda sorta all went together well. By that I mean they were delicate, and locating features are not well identified. The instructions are not necessarily misleading, but you really need to test fit. Nicely molded. Many of the parts are thin. cleaning the mold lines takes concentration and care. A Molotow chrome pen for touch up and good to go! I applied a wash to the wheels, motor, frame etc. I wasn’t sure which red to use, I wanted to match the decals. I really wanted to use the red kit decals, but those louvers! Bring on the 3M masking tape, cut using the decals as the pattern. I had a bunch of red to try, but dang that Tamiya TS-49 red sprays so nice! Testors 1103 Red is close too. I didn't plan ahead for the red on the belly pan, so I applied decals there. Sure enough, the louvers were difficult. MUCH Solvaset and slicing and poking etc. I used some calibrated clamps to align the side panels. I used Tamiya TS-17 Gloss Aluminum for the trailer treads, same Tamiya red. Assembling the front wheel guides was worth a few swears. With the car mounted, it is a tail-sitter so I epoxied some lead to the frame. The number 27 decals settled on easily. This is such a cool kit. The fine parts that can be so vexing to assemble make for a jewel of a car! That is 30 years of modeling bench, maybe one day I'll straighten up!

Some old guy probably once said “Some people play the piano, and some people load the piano.” I built this 25 years ago for exchange with my buddy Howie. Sadly I got it back last month. The engine is wired and weathered. Real chain on the tailgate. Yes the piano is scratchbuilt from styrene sheet and tube. Hand-painted flames.

Refurbish and repair on vent wing windows. This time I added some silver paint for the frame, and a little handle. Glued back in with a spot of tacky glue, then flowed a bit of canopy glue. Hope this holds for a while.

This is a cool kit and your clean build is great. Effective detailing on the motor makes it stand out!

Thanks on the firing order! Really I was just slack not to do it right. The time consuming part of wiring the plugs like I did for this kit is to secure the individual bare copper wires, then epoxy (J B Weld steel slow set) the bundle in. I changed the magneto mounting shaft to metal, then epoxied it to the motor. It is way strong, I had no worries tugging wires into place. 10 minutes research and I could have done it correctly! OK next one! And I'll post close-ups so the eagle-eyes here can verify it LOL!

It is good to think ahead to future accommodations, and since I 'specialize' in 48 and 72 aircraft, HO trains, as well as 1:25 cars and trucks...OH MY!

Might I respectfully suggest using round, pointed wood toothpicks instead of dowels for engine turning. Depending how long you trim the point, you can get different diameter tip. There are so many good ideas in this 'simple' build! Regards, Jeff Oliver

I had built the original release of this car so many years ago. A visit to the Garlits Museum in Ocala Florida really spurred this new build. SO many important machines and artifacts to see. Don himself was there, he really has the stories! Imagine going to Greenfield Village museum and out walks Edison!

After a careful assembly and cleanup to the frame and body panels, I sprayed Touch-Tone black enamel from a spray can. I stripped much of the chrome in purple Super Clean, and cleaned up the moldings to remove casting seams. I used Molotow chrome to recreate the shine. Other parts got Model Master or craft acrylic brush painted. Motor, transmission and blower have metal weight hidden inside to give a more realistic weight distribution. I drilled the magneto and epoxied fine copper wire for plug wires. The wires are individually solder tinned a bit on one end, then a drop of solder securely bonds the wires so they can resist being pulled and tugged. The bundle is then epoxied into a hole drilled in the magneto. Not sure about the firing order! I used metal wire to pin the magneto and blower belt pulleys. I use a primitive alignment fixture to square the axle positions. Instead of cleaning up the drag link rod, I replaced it with brass rod. Also, I placed decals without regard to center link location, so I was able to adjust that better. I like the way it looks with the front panels off, but I did not modify the shell to frame-mount radius rods and steering link, so it is glued in place. There are a variety of decal options depending on which reference photos you see, I kind of split the difference with England and Museum details.

Wow! This is what happens when a simple kit meets outstanding technique and skill! Well done.

QR codes... kind of slipped my notice but man! 76 pages! This is astonishing amount of work documenting the skill and creativity and persistence to make this car happen. Truly a master class. Thank you to all at the magazine for including this.

I think the Testors silver paint is almost dry on the trim.

Heck yeah! Handy to have a hatch to haul your stuff in style!

Fine work on this kit. Remarkable detailing on all parts of this beautiful car.

This has been banging around in the junkbox all these years. My Mom had to reach it for 10 yr old me in Hills dept store in the Boardman Plaza in 1963. I had built a few Hawk style model planes but Man! that 63 Corvette was IT! Multiple layers of customization, (felt seats, saw that in a mag), paint, and use as a slot car.

Wow! I had one of these in the 80's. Blue, white top, swimming pool paint in the bed. Pipe for bumpers.The Aquamochine! A primitive beast! Great builds!

Well she's real fine...!

Gnat's eyelash for that antenna in N scale!

The Divco is a Walthers resin kit. A bit fiddly. The Dodge van is like my beloved 74 Tradesman, circled USA twice, replaced 2 slant 6'es, I ran it till it rusted in half. HO scale, sure I build trains too. (and 72 and 48 planes. Like I explained at the hobby shop, I specialize in 87 32 25 and 25 cars and trucks, HO trains, 72 and 48 planes, and the odd boat (Titanic) and some armor.)

A lot of well-done details here! Digging the chute rigging too.

My neighbor 'Hive' in high school had this car, 283 4 speed. Good times riding around, that speaker up in the center of the rear seat blasting! Really a simplistic promo model, I think it has 'the look' though.

Super clean. What a blast!

The attention to the running gear details and the clean execution is exceptional! Well done!

Just glue and screw? Oh my! Thanks for letting us live vicariously seeing this done so well.