Chris V

Though I hope you’re not contemplating cutting up a good body of such a rare and desirable kit, I really like your idea of building it as a tribute to Jairus. You shoud turn your attention to older Monogram kits for some of the other parts: Windshield/frame: AMT 1957 Ford Thunderbird Headrests: Monogram 1958 Ford Thunderbird 2’n 1 Dashboard (less instrument cluster): Monogram “Predicta” or “Orange Hauler” Wheels & tires: Monogram “Orange Hauler”. An alternate source of the Chrome Reverse wheels could be Monogram’s 1932 Ford Roadster with accessory “bullets” added to the centers.

It’s really a matter of what you’re building. In many cases the decals will have a different surface texture in the real world thus making it most correct to apply them after the clear. If clear coating the decals you should always allow them ample time to thoroughly dry and set before applying the clear to avoid trapping moisture in the clear coat. You should also be aware that in some instances the clear can dissolve the dye/ink or carrier film when clear coating over decals. Furthermore it’s worth noting that some clears are more prone to yellowing over time. With all of these cautions out of the way, I prefer to apply 2K Clear over BMF and some decals in order to seal and protect them from handling and degadation over time. I’ve found that on some of my older builds the BMF is has lost its full adhesive strenght making it more fragile and likely to lift/chip along the edges when handling/cleaning the model.

The old Revell 1953/54 kits (Sedan and Sedan Delivery) are frankly terrible kits. As already mentioned they suffer from weak bodywork detail and engraving, and the engine bay leaves a lot to be desired. However if you put a disproportionate amount of work into correcting and detailing them, they can actually look really cool. Out of sheer stubbornness I’ve decided to build a historically correct gasser using the Sedan as a base, adding detail parts from numerous Revell kits made around the same time. Hopefully the result will be worth the effort, but I expect it to fight me all the way…

The math speaks for itself, but in reality it depends on whether the models are truly true to scale… It’s been debated on numerous occations, but some scale models have rather exaggerated proportions.

Great build - It has nice eighties’ Street Machine vibe!

Vinegar is one of the few remaining things I haven’t tried. I am slightly concerned that the vinyl may be somewhat porous and absorb the smell of the vinegar…

Always nice to see high quality reproductions of vintage kit decals!!! As for the “Little Deuce” a suitable Pontiac engine and transmission can be sourced from Monogram’s 1934 Ford Coupé or Convertible kit. The Original sixties’ kit and subsequent “Early Iron Series” issues even have a 6x2bbl. Intake. In the eighties the ‘34 kit was altered into the ZZ Top “Eliminator”. It has later been reissued as a Chopped ‘33 Street Rod with the same features. The basic engine block and transmission in these issues was unaltered but dressed up to resemble a Smallblock Chevy, so the intake and valve covers will need to be replaced. As for the other “Little Deuce”-specific parts, Drag City Casting used to offer a set of 1:24-scale American Racing “Le Mans” mags and the unique grille insert. Maybe Ed still has the masters for these parts…

I recently inherited some kits from a freind, who was a heavy smoker. I’ve also noticed that it’s virtually impossible to rid the smell from some vinyl parts.

Additional sources for (non-stock) Oldsmobile engines include Revell's "Orange Crate" '32 Ford Sedan and AMT's 1940 Willys Coupé. Though the latter isn't highly detailed, it actually lends itself well to kitbashing with parts from the engine in AMT's 1939/40 Ford Sedan.

Presumably because it's a consistently strong seller... Despite it's age and a few shortcomings, it's an excellent representation of the subject matter, and quite enjoyable to build.

It should be noted though, that the Aluma Coupé has "true" directional wheels (they're just mis-matched on the built buggy), whereas all four wheels in the AMT '40 are identical.

These wheels are absolutely gorgeous, @1959scudetto!!! Are they specifically sized for the Gunze Abarth 1000TCR? I've accumulated six of them over the years, but the kit-supplied wheels/tires are frankly too toylike for my preferences...

Absolutely spectacular build!!! You've perfectly captured the vibe of the classic seventies' Monogram kit - ironically with parts from the "wrong" manufacturer and scale 😉 This is one of the nicest models I've seen this year. Well done, sir!

Your options are relatively limited. There's the following to choose from: Tamiya (1:18) McLaren M8A MPC (1:20) McLaren Mk8B (rare) McLaren Mk8D Accurate Miniatures (1:25) 1969 McLaren M8B (Bruce McLaren/Denny Hulme) 1970 McLaren M8B (Lothar Motschenbacher) 1971 McLaren M8B (Oscar Koveleski/Tony Adamowicz) The Accurate Miniatures kits are by far the most detailed. Model Car Garage even offers a photoetched detail set for this kit.

Essentially: No, not really - at least not with any degree of certainty... With the abundance of kit- and aftermarket tires currently available, there's certainly no point in taking the chance. Modelhaus tires offers high quality resin replacements for a very large selection of the vintage kit tires, known for having these issues.

The tragic thing is, that someone on Shapeways marketplace offered a fully detailed engine bay and correct grille to update Jo-Han kit. Hopefully it will return in some shape or form...

There’s a number of different superglue de-bonders and removers for just this purpose. It’s advised to check the compatibility with the plastic on a piece of clear sprue before applying to the affected part.

Interesting project! I’m about to start a similar project using the Hobby Design detail kit, wire wheels, and USCP intake and exhaust tips. I’d like to hear more about your experience with the KA “Extreme Metal” paints, as I’ve heard several complaints about their range of Candy paints not curing properly.

The German aftermarket company ScaleProduction has a number of 13" wheels and matching tires:

If you’re referring to the Jo-Han kit/promo, they’re separate pieces as far as I remember.

I wholeheartedly second what’s been said above… Pinning assemblies is the key to structural strength, and in those cases where pinning isn’t a viable option, small divots for the glue is the way to go. In some instances, masking tape can be a valuable aid in positioning/aligning the parts correctly so the glue doesn’t get smeared where it’s not supposed to go. For final assembly I recommend using epoxy glue instead of cyanoacrylate, as the latter has a tendency to “fog” painted and plated surfaces and adhere to fingerprints left on the surfaces.

Do you mean built the kit or the box art version? The kit itself is a reissue combining parts from two famous old Monogram kits: “Badman” designed by Tom Daniel in the late sixties and the subsequent “Street Machine” issue. The model is a good representation of a late sixties’ Gasser/“Street Freak” car. It’s an excellent but somewhat simplified kit, which can look great if built with a little attention to detail. The molds are showing some wear (faint panel lines around the doors and trunk lid) and some flash along the mold parting lines that needs to be removed prior to paint and assembly. Taking some time reshaping the curvature of the C-pillars really adds to the look of the finished model.

On a related note, Stevens International also has AMT’s 1957 Corvette Street Machine (The nicely detailed nineties’ “Mueller era” kit, not the ex. MPC Flipnose “Gasser”) listed as an upcoming reissue.

Old acetate promos are very prone to distort from a combination of shrinkage and warpage - especially if subjected to heat and/or sunlight. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do about it.

At some point the crank centerline was wasn’t allowed to exceed 24 inches from the ground. As another rule of thumb the wheel hub centres were not supposed to extend below the rocker panels.