mr moto

It's interesting that this is exactly the same type of procedure that was done in 1:1 to make the "reversed rims" that were so popular in the 60's. They would cut out the wheel centers and weld them back in so that the wheel offset was deeper. In the case of 1:1, the easiest way to do it was to literally reverse the rim by welding the center back in at the same place but facing in the other direction!

Thanks a lot for that tip! Glad somebody had the nerve to try it! I always suspected that it would work on the paint but eat the plastic, too. There's always some mineral spirits in my workshop so I wouldn't have to buy anything that I don't normally use anyway. Maybe I'll try it on an old body first but it's good to hear that you get good results.

I see your point!!

If you get in a wreck there's no need for a body shop. A decent sheet metal contractor or tinsmith can do the job!

Indeed I was! So when do we get a how-to article on that level of detail?

Hi Jim! That's a great personal history. I think most people in this hobby would have something interesting to say about how they got here. It really is a great way to get outside of yourself and away from the things in life that aren't as much fun. Not many of us have the hurdle that you have to clear. Your '53 is real beauty. Caught my eye immmediately. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work!

I have to say this one's real but I'd love to find out that I'm being fooled!

That's looking great!! It looks like a really fine kit, too. I wish they'd make a '61 Starliner version of it also!

Words escape me! That thing is NICE!!

Excellent work! The interior especially looks great and I know how difficult it is to detail the old "tub" style interiors.

Thanks for the help, guys! At least now I have some good leads to follow. It may be that I have try to get a Japanese kit at a low price on Ebay or at a show. I hate to buy a kit just to get the tires from it but sometimes you gotta!

Insured? What insurance company would touch that thing??!!!??

Any ideas on where to find older style radial tires? This seems to fall into a gap in the hobby. What I'm looking for is a good scale replica (something with a real looking tread pattern - not just a few straight grooves) of the kind of European radials that were seen on sports and import cars in the sixties/early seventies before U.S. cars even discovered radial tires. Typically, they were Pirellis or Michelins and they were skinny (like a 78 or 80 profile) since not many fat tires had arrived on the street yet. You can even find old pictures of 289 Cobras with skinny tires. Anyway, I've been kind of checking out the usual aftermarket suppliers and haven't really seen anything like these:

I think it would be cool to give updates during the week about whether ANYBODY has gotten it right so far. As far as this one, I don't have a clue but I do agree that it's real!

This is looking great!! I can't wait to see the end result. What aftermarket wheels and tires did you use? That is no doubt the biggest weakness in the old Aurora tooling. Wheels are just so visible!! Some good lookin' wires and tires can make a huge difference.

That is EXCELLENT work! I especially like your weathering - not overdone, not underdone - it justs looks like a truck that gets driven in the real world. I look forward to seeing another one in nine months!

That's lookin' great! I love the idea of saving old built-ups. Makes you feel good! Probably wasn't easy to find one of those, either. Sometimes a built-up is your only option.

Ya can't blame a guy for trying to win the lottery! There's a sucker born every minute, I've heard.

Excellent build of one of my favorite cars (an opinion not shared by many I hear). If memory serves, that's actually an early '62 car all the way which makes sense because it's the tooling that JoHan did for their promo when the 62's first came out. The three taillight version was the Sport Fury model that was introduced later in the year. They did add some chrome side trim to the regular Fury models but different than what yours has. I believe the hubcaps were highlighted with black. I'm a little fuzzy on all this but I have some original factory lit at the house that I can consult a little later. I'll try to confirm! Anyway, it looks great. I plan to do one in the near future and I managed to score the raised convertible top that was in the first JoHan kits from a glue bomb on E-bay.

Of course it peels off! Why should it be any different from a real vinyl top!!

Very cool! Not a model that you see every day. Makes me want to get on a waiting list to be issued a car by "the state" after a few years!

Looks great!! And the chrome steelies are the perfect period touch. That is exactly what was cool back in the day.

That came out GREAT!! The roof and also the whole build. This is a tip I know I can put to use on a future project. THANKS!

I think plateshack.com has those images also. Definitely check it out and see if they have what you're looking for.