Matt Bacon

I've definitely caught the bug: I even bought the SP '73 RSR specifically for the body of a Singer build (I got a nice email from a lady at Singer saying that although, no, she couldn't give me scale drawings or 3D model files for their cars, and that the Singer is not EXACTLY like any other Porsche body, the 73 RSR was the inspiration for the look, and is the closest.) Just a shame it's only available as a "not cheap" resin transkit! best, M.

In case anyone reading this gets a Singer itch they need to scratch, it's worth knowing that Scaleproduction does the clever Singer fold-down rear wing in resin to fit a couple of different base kits... best, M.

I'll be watching with interest: I've also done the Doyusha one, but it's a different beast -- no engine and the sides are not curved enough, really. And I have an unstarted Airfix one which I WILL build... which cost me the princely sum of £7 in a local charity shop a few years ago. Needless to say, I was in a big hurry to hand over my money! best, M.

I don't build American cars, on the whole. OK, I have a Moebius Chrysler 300 and a Revell 2014 Corvette and an AMT 50th Camaro and a Cobra in the cabinet, but... I don't build American cars. Oh, and I have a couple of 67/8 Camaros and a Viper SRT-10 and a Mustang GT350H and a Revell 58 'vette and an Accurate Miniatures Grand Sport and a Moebius Hudson Hornet in the stash. But, anyway, I don't build American cars. Except now I have read Tim's excellent "Muscle Car Model Kits". And my stash seems to be lacking in some areas, I'll admit. So I made a little list of kits I should maybe get. The key criteria are very good kits of cars that I actually quite like the look of, and this is what I came up with: AMT 53 Studebaker Starliner Revell 66 Pontiac GTO Monogram 69 Pontiac GTO "the Judge" Lindberg 66 Chevelle SS Revell 68 Charger R/T Revell 68 Firebird 400 Revell 65 Foose Chevy Impala (de-Foosed) Revell 67 Corvette AMT 70 Corvette LT1 AMT 70 1/2 Baldwin Motion Camaro (I already have a Monogram 70 Boss Mustang 329 and a Revel 70 Torino GT on the way...) I'd quite like a 70ish Challenger, and can someone tell me if the Revell Daytona Charger comes with the parts to build it without the nosecone and wing? ;-P So, what's missing from my shopping list? The most important criteria is an excellent, highly-detailed, accurate kit. After that it's "Do I like this car?" Which is, unfortunately, where a lot of new Moebius kits fall down: I'm just not excited by a Satellite, Belvedere, Comet or Ranger... Any advice and suggestions very welcome! And Tim? That's one of the most expensive books I've ever bought... ;-P All the best, M.

Beautiful! Hasegawa Jota SVR kit is still reasonably available on that well known auction site... best, M

Just got my copy today in the UK... it's fantastic. Even though the subject matter isn't one of my main interests, good books about car modelling and model cars are hard to find, and great ones even fewer and further between. This is a great one. It's jumped straight up there on my "shelf of fame" alongside Mat Irvine's volume on space models, Arthur Ward's on Airfix, JC Carbonel's book on Heller, and Thomas Graham's Monogram Models and Remembering Revell... I'm sure that by the time I've finished, a few more of the beauties in the pages will have made it onto my wish list. Now, where am I going to find a Donohue AMX Javelin that won't break the bank...? Thanks, Tim... outstanding job! best, M.

Plus for a lot of desirable cars, the 3D scan already exists... quite a few owners are doing it in case their vehicle is damaged, so it can be returned to pristine condition; restorers are doing it to match their re-build to a known-good existing vehicle; and Jaguar, for example, has built up definitive 3D models of D-Type, XKSS and E-Type by combining data from scans of multiple cars, averaging and making them symmetric and evenly panel-gapped. If only Tamiya (or even Airfix) would license those models and give us the definitive 1/24 E-Type... best, M.

Great project and great execution! But, eeurgh... in 1:1, why does anyone pay Liberty Walk to stuff up great cars so horrendously...? best, M

I’m pretty sure there are only two: the Fujimi kit and the other one, reboxed by at least Italeri, Revell and Testors. What is the back-end like in that one? I still get the shakes thinking about building the Fujimi Enthusiast one, with its accurate but fragile frames, multi-part exhausts and turbos, and nothing that really “jigs” the wheels into the right place. Amazing that it sits on all four wheels on my display shelf at all, even though one of the rears has a bit more camber and toe out than it should! best, M.

It’s possible that Beemax or Belkits might do one... they had great rally/racing records back in the day, and they are still very popular on the Historic Racing scene. Some (well, two..) iconic racing liveries as well... best, M.

...but then you'd have a curvy 280Z.... ;-P That said, there's a place over here which does fantastic-looking "Dino"s on a Toyota MR2 MkII chassis and running gear... best, M.

It's the same here, just the opposite way round. US Revell boxings of regular kits are usually in the £25-£30 range, whereas Revell Germany kits are more like £17-£23, depending how new they are... And Round 2/Moebius/AMT kits are more like £30-40... best, M.

The real thing is a very compact quad cam 3.5L 90 degree V8 that's unique to Lotus, as far as I can see... I' ve been wracking my brains and eyeing the stash to see if I have anything vaguely similar but to no avail so far. I actually wonder if a V6 with some reworking of the manifold might be the way to go, it's so small, but the choices of 90 degree V6s are pretty limited! best, M.

Very interesting, Dann! Could you give a bit of commentary on how you fixed the ride height? I hear that's a bit of a bear... Thanks! best, M.

Errr... what have I found? ;-P One of my "Grail" kits for a long time, but acquired for a great deal less than the numbers quoted above! The only flaw is that the wheels in the kit bear very little relationship to the deep dish alloy originals. They are engineered as two halves, inner and outer, that trap the tyre between them, which means that the dish depth is limited by the thickness of the outer half. Since they are so characteristic of the look of the real thing, I really wish I could find a replacement, but so far no luck. If anyone want to make some and put them on Shapeways, I'm in... best, M.

I'd say 250SWB meets 275 GTB except for the fact it doesn't have any "hips" and both of those do... Something of the Lotus Elan Plus 2 in that waistline... best, M.

I agree, although it's easy to see where the Thomassima II found its inspiration: best, M.

I'd not seen one of these before browsing through the UltimateCarPage's Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza report, but while we're on the subject of beautiful sporty cars: It looks like a cross kit with a Ferrari 275GTB might work out... ;-P best, M.

I tried some, but didn't like them. The ink on the two sets I've tried from Patto's has been pretty thick (and artefact of the printing) and the sticker version has added thickness of the plastic. But the biggest problem I found was that they simply didn't fit very well. I think they must be designed for slot bodies, and the slot bodies he sells at that. You'd have thought that the dimensions of a 917K were reasonably well-known, so all 1/32 bodies would be near enough the same size but there was no way the Gulf decals I got were going to fit the Airfix body around the nose and wheel arches, still less the peel and stick ones which just wouldn't bend enough. I don't think I'll be taking the risk on ordering any more... best, M.

Seems like someone has been looking at this: Or that form follows function in these days of CFD... best, M.

Ahh.. The irony... what are the Rebel Alliance if NOT "social justice warriors"? A motley multispecies rainbow collective led by a Princess going up against the (white, err, Nazi-allegorical and, hilariously mostly-English) Empire of cloned stormtroopers ruled over by a power-crazed white guy whose time is past... best, M.

Thank you very much, gentlemen! I also think the Spider would be cool! All the best, Matt

Thanks, Bruce and JC... paint is Zero Paints Rosso Corsa 300 with their Diamond 2K Clear. Probably too shiny for the vintage, but no sanding and polishing needed. It's certainly classy looking (the classiest, I reckon) even if, by today's standards, not so fast (a Golf Gti or Focus RS is faster and more driveable, sadly ;-P) best, M.

A rather simplified kit, but it captures the shape of the most beautiful sports prototype GT car ever built... best, M.

If there’s one thing you can guarantee with McLaren, it’s that every bit of that aero does something. The Senna is track focused, where getting aerodynamic downforce without increasing drag is the name of the game. They’re world leaders at it, which is why the “affordable” 720S of this year is to all intents and purposes as quick as the million-pound P1 hypercar of only a year or three back. You can debate “ugly”, but there’s nothing on the Senna that’s “pointless...” best, M.