David G.

That's a clever bit of engineering you worked on the distributor David. Impressive! David G.

I wish all my paintjobs looked as good as yours does. Nicely done John! David G.

That makes sense. Thanks for the information Gregory So far it looks like it will be a good build, you should have a good time with it Greg. Thank you Carl, I'm glad to have you along for the ride. David G.

Mark, this is one of the main reasons I post these build threads. Back in 2009 when I started building again I ran into some problems with a kit I was working on and I was uncertain of how to proceed. In the searching for a solution, I happened upon this very community. Needless to say I was blown away by what I saw other builders producing with ordinary model car kits. The experience opened my mind to a whole new world of possibilities. It's great knowing that you can use the information in this WIP to help you along with your version of this car. Helping others is one of the reasons that I post these threads. Thanks for sharing that with me Mark. I look forward to seeing what you do with your Futura. David G.

Thanks Len. I'm glad to know that you'll be following along, I always enjoy your comments. I agree Bob, it's a beautiful design. Thank you much Bob. It sounds like AMT (or MPC) should fire their designer! I think this is what happens when the kit designers are "designers" and not car guys. Thank you kindly Niko, it'll be great having you follow along. Thanks again, David G.

Hello Everybody! The Monogram 1937 Cord 812 kit #8204-0100 or #8204-0350. This is kit of another one of those cars that I immediately became infatuated with the first time I saw it. There are a couple of kits available for building, this one and the Lindberg kit. The Lindberg kit has that dreaded multi-piece body which can challenge even the most competent and skilled of builders. The car body Monogram kit consists of five parts: the body shell, the outer half of the rear fenders, the front fenders and front apron as a unit and finally the hood. This Monogram kit is an original release from the early Seventies. The most recent copywrite date I found on a promotional insert is 1974, so the kit is at least fifty years old. The molds are more than sixty years old, their copywrite date is 1965. Also, there's no UPC code on the box which is in line with the 1974 copywrite on the advertising insert. It truly is a vintage kit. Largely, there are two types of model kit aficionados. Those who buy vintage kits to collect and keep them and those who buy vintage kits to build them. I'm in the latter group, in case you haven't guessed. I buy 'em and build 'em. Considering that I paid only $5 for this kit, I don't think it's among the more prized collectable kits. So on with the build! This is Monogram's 1937 Cord 812. It's a vintage kit that I picked up at the Phoenix Desert Scale Classic Model Car Show & Swap Meet for $5. The kit is complete, not only having all the parts for the model but the original promotional inserts. There's no UPC code on the box. Being an early edition of the kit, the castings are all in good shape with very little flash. The body is cast in red styrene which is fine in this circumstance because I plan to paint it red anyhow. The chassis and interior are cast in black styrene, also not a problem. It only took a couple of quick build sessions to get the chassis assembled. I did paint most of it flat black as I felt the black styrene was a bit too shiny. Unfortunately the tires are cast in that shiny, slippery vinyl or nylon that rolled off in what looks like plastic cobwebs when I tried to sand the tread to roughen it up. With the wheels temporarily under the chassis and the outer fenders glued in place and a shot of primer on the body, it's time for a mockup to check the ride height and general fit and stance of the car. The good news is that I don't see the need for any adjustments but the body will need a little attention. Here's a quick shot of the advertising inserts from the box. Neat! As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to post any comments. Thanks, David G.

I just love all the detail you're putting into this build. In some photos it's hard to tell that it's a model and not the real thing. David G.

Very cool! I like the cork in the nose! It reminds me of one of those old Avon bottles. Best of luck with the paint Joe. David G.

Thank you most kindly Pierre. I'm glad knowing that all the work I put into it was worth the effort. I am quite pleased with the outcome. Thank you. Thank you very much John. I too am surprised that I only invested 52 hours in this build, it felt like a lifetime while I was building it. But I'm glad to have it done and I'm happy with the result. Thank you. David G.

You're welcome Mark, glad to help. =D-

Actually you're right Joe, I do enjoy the challenge. I too am looking forward to the next update, it means that progress is being made. More than that though, I appreciate your following along and offering your insight and encouragement. Thank you. =D-

Maybe it's time to sacrifice a couple of those to the carpet monster gods! Just to be on the safe side. Thank you Carl. David G.

That tachometer is just amazing Daniel! I don't know what to say other than that, I'm running out of adjectives. David G.

Cool window stickers and the surfboard looks great! David G.

It does seem to be the case that once the part is replaced, the one that was originally lost returns to gloat smugly. Also: I like to think that everything we've ever lost throughout the course of our lives is waiting for us in there Heaven when we die. Something to look forward to! =D-

Hello Everybody! Ah, so much going on here. In reattaching the rear stabilizer and tail with each other, I snapped off the tiny little ladder that I attached to the rear hatch to support the weight of the tail section and allow the plane to sit level. I just set the plane down and *tick* it snapped off. No surprise there, I had concerns about it bearing the weight over the long term. So I went on with the planned procedure of aligning and joining the tail and stabilizer. Hence the rubber band and wire holding them together while the adhesive cures. Once the tail was set up and curing I looked to the solution for my plane's weight problem. The kit provides a clear strut that attaches to a hole in the rear fuselage to support the weight. It's rubbish. The end that is supposed to go into the hole in the fuselage has a 2 or 3mm stud that is wholly inadequate for holding it in place. So using a section of clear sprue, I fashioned a replacement that is long enough to contact the underside of the cockpit floor when inserted providing much more stability and support. I reattached the ladder with as much CA as I could reasonably use. It's not really necessary now but I've grown used to seeing there and it does help balance the weight. I flat-spotted a couple of the tires to get the plane sitting more level. I've reattached a couple of the landing gear doors that weren't well secured and got the stabilizer and wings fitted more properly. This build's been a lot of hard work, when does the fun part start? That's all for this update. As always, thanks for stopping by for a look. If you liked what you saw (or didn't) please feel free to share your thoughts with me. David G.

Nice progress on this! In addition to all of the features you pointed out, I like the slider windows on the rear side door. They look operable. Is this something you came up with or is it in the kit? David G.

It's all coming along quite nicely David. I like the technique you're using for the spark leads on the firewall. I've tried sprue stretching a few times but I just can't get consistent results. And it's a thing I'm not overly fond of practicing at due to the fumes and potential risk that an open flame creates. David G.

I've started a new build of an old kit, the Monogram '37 Cord 812. It looks like it should build up pretty good. David G.

The engine looks great, excellent choice! I like the classic custom work you're starting on the body. It should look cool when it's finished. David G.

Hello Everybody! In my last build session for the London Black Cab I was planning to assemble the interior when I discovered that the steering column had gone missing. I know I had it. I know I painted it. I just couldn't find it. After looking for it for the better part of a week, I'm about ready to admit to myself that I've lost it. A steering column shouldn't be too difficult fabricate a replacement for, I already have a part from the parts-box lined up. I guess if I had to lose something, I'm glad it was something I could easily replicate. I did some washes on the door panels to "leather" them up a little. They probably didn't need to have this done as much as I needed to do it, given how unlikely they are to be noticed once the model is assembled. But there they are. After a couple more blackwashes the radiator grille is just about where I want it to be. It's still a bit shiny for my liking so I think I'll give another shot of clear to knock back the shine a little more. I managed to get a good paintjob on the body! I'll let this cure and have a look to see what my next step will be. Most likely just a polish and clear coat. As always, thanks for having a look and please feel free to post any comments you may have. David G.

Thank you for your kind comment Mark. I wish you best of luck with your Futura build. David G.

This looks like a fun build, lots of options. David G.

Wow Daniel! I'm uh... what is it the Brits say? Gob smacked! ? That's some crazy detail, I can't wait to see how it plays out. David G.

I think sometimes we get in the way of what we're trying to do Joe, I know I do! It's like I say: "Model builders, we're problem solvers who create our own problems to solve!" But oh that feeling when it does finally click into place! =D-