traditional

In the summer of 1962, as a bicycle riding 15 year old car-crazy kid living close to Montreal, I witnessed 2 very rare Renault Dauphine 1093s within the span of one week. I’ve always liked small cars but, until that week, a typical 30 HP Dauphine was perceived as somewhat anemic. That changed abruptly as this throaty, peppy 1093 zipped aggressively through town. Late that week I bicycled to the local ‘Montreal dragstrip’ where a 1093 proceeded to outperform every Mini, MGA, Triumph, Volvo, and even a few small block automatic Chev and Ford sedans. It was loud and it was quick! Much later I learned that 3 1093s had been delivered to Montreal for preparation to compete in the 1962 Shell 4000 Rally (staged across much of Canada) where they ultimately won the Manufacturers Cup. The very limited production race-built 1093 featured high performance suspension, an all-syncro 4 speed trans, finned drum brakes, 12 volt electrics, tuned exhaust headers, hot cam, stronger bearings, high performance cylinder head, sophisticated 2 bbl. carburetor with a dry, mesh covered air filter, virtually doubling the output of its tiny 850 cc motor. Outwardly, they were all recognizable with their off-white body and two blue racing stripes, slightly larger diameter headlights, modified dash panel with additional and different gauges, slightly different seat trim, Gordini-style perforated wheels, larger exhaust tailpipe, etc. They were NOT equipped with exterior mirrors but all had chrome side trim and windshield/back light surrounds. In addition to the usual Renault name on the left front fender and the front badge, the exterior chrome graphics consisted only of 1093 symbols on the rear engine deck lid and the right front fender . My model started as a 1/24 Fabbri 1958 Dauphine. Once stripped of paint, I carefully cut open all inoperable panels and fabricated brass hinges for all doors, rear deck, lower front spare tire access panel, etc. All interior metal ‘attachment’ bosses were ground away and an uninterrupted headliner was substituted. Front / rear suspension, all lower plumbing, brake backing plates, rack and pinion steering, etc. were fabricated in soldered brass. A detailed, aluminum-cased transmission was made in styrene. An exhaust tailpipe was made in aluminum tubing. A front -mounted spare wheel was cold cast in polyester resin using a plasticene mould. Larger front inner fenderwells were fabricated in styrene to accommodate the added steering. Tire valve stems were added to the adapted ‘Welly’ Gordini wheels which now feature inner rim detail and brake drums (front drums turned to describe appropriate concentric cooling fins/ribs). The miniscule motor features exhaust headers (brass), plug and coil wires, appropriate 2 bbl. carburetor with mesh screened filter (styrene and brass) and now mates to a fabricated radiator (also styrene and brass). Front and rear wiring harnesses including voltage regulator are added (brass). The fabricated styrene inner door panels (Including brass handles and cranks) along with the seats portray an appropriate 1093 pattern. All exterior chrome trim is applied using various gauges of stainless steel wire. Though this model is done in a typical 1/24 scale, it is probably the smallest, fairly detailed model I’ve built and modified. Though time consuming (2 months of reasonably steady time) the build never became tiresome and, much to my personal enjoyment, is not ‘middle of the road’ typical. It fulfills a passion and fondness I’ve felt since that week in 1962.

I've just completed this 1/25 scale model using a coarse $10 toy as the starting material. The Deuce frame is handmade in styrene, the basic Olds block and the 'quick-change' center section is from Revell's Orange Crate, the front and rear suspension is all fabricated in aluminum and brass, the door and trunk hinges are handmade, the traditional 'roll-n-pleat' upholstery is made using model railroad scored building siding, the door handles are made from plated jewelry wire, and the Deuce grille shell is from Revell with a PE insert from Model Car Garage with the addition of a wire outer frame. The headlight/front shock absorber bar is handformed in aluminum, and the paint basecoat is nail-polish with automotive clearcoat. I also made an engine hood in brass sheet but when all was said and done, I found that i preferred the look with the open engine. The model has taken a month or so of quite steady time, ensuring that I can avoid winter to a great extent.

Hi Peter, Happy New Year to you and yours. In keeping with the commercial theme, I decided to add a simulated canvas cover to the Peugeot (many of the pics in a google search show the trucks with a canvas tilt). I only used pics from the '50s for my reference since the recent restorations were all over the map in structure. Mine is totally removable and constructed from styrene and Bondo, with pin-heads for the roof area fasteners. The project took a day and a half.

I just received this 1/18 resin Peugeot from Otto Mobile in France, and I really like the fact that they didn't try to 'fancy up' the model with flashy paint, accessories or white walls. It's just a commercial vehicle as it should be from the '50s in France. The Peugeot 203s were sold from '49 until 1960, but I believe that this exact style of pickup (with the high roof and tall double back windows) was from the early '50s because the rear of the cab became a little smoother and more integrated in the later years. it's quite obvious that Peugeot produced this style of pickup by simply modifying the sheetmetal on their panel truck version, and adding the box. I love getting odd-ball vehicles from the resin manufacturers......vehicles that are unlikely to ever be available any other way.

Yes,Steve, it was at HeritageCon, but they tend to ignore my models there since they're not all plastic. I like using other materials, so I have to allow them to disqualify my stuff if I want to display them in the appropriate classes, I just treat the show like an NNL (display only).

Yes,Bill, I used 'Renshape' foam resin...I have lots of chunks of it left over from my Industrial design days. It's relatively easily formed (filed and sanded) and very durable. The grade that I use is very dense and can easily be painted without bubbles or gaps.

Four seems to be my standard number of models done in each year.....most are done in the spring, fall, and winter since life usually gets in the way during summer. I've grown to really enjoy winter because of the modeling time. I wish all of you a great Xmas and a happy/healthy 2017 Cliff Read

Yes, Richard, you're absolutely correct. I tracked down the box and it says Revell. I must have been confusing it with the 1/18 version. I apologize for the mix-up, and I'll edit the post

Yes, the basic Chevy 150 sedan body was the only diecast part in the original snap-kit....I don't have any particular allegiance to 'plastic only' and I do really like working with diecast bodies because, although modifications like cutting open doors and trunk-lids are much more time consuming and difficult, the resulting finished product usually retains considerably more structural integrity. Also, my hobby background is in 1/1 restoration, so I also like being able to use real automotive products in the body-work such as Bondo and automotive paints, primers, etc.

I've seen too many models of "gassers', over the years, that wouldn't have passed tech inspection in the day since they're more like 'run what ya brung' racers, so I'm just completing this '55 Chevy gasser using the NHRA rule books (from ''62/'63/64) for guidance. The body is originally from a Revell 1/25 American Graffiti 'snap kit' that had only an opening hood. I've cut open the doors and trunk, built up a 4-71 GMC supercharged Chevy small-block, fabricated an aluminum floor and trunk interior, brass and aluminum straight front axle (with steering), set back the engine the legal 10%, cut open the front fenders to become a one-piece flip front end, simple tuck-n-roll basic upholstery, legal lightweight front seats, raised the front of the roof area (disproportionately low from Revell), and fabricated a myriad of brackets and details to complete the model. Paint is custom mixed basecoat/clearcoat darkish orange and the wheels are from the Revell Orange Crate (rear) and Round2 Willys pickup gasser (front). The car sits relatively level and the height is the legal maximum of the rocker panels being no higher than the center of the rear hubs. The legal 150 lb maximum battery is mounted in the trunk for rear weight bias, and the 301" Chevy engine is mounted no higher than the two ft ground to crankshaft center.

I've seen too many models of "gassers' that wouldn't have passed tech inspection in the day since they're more like 'run what ya brung' racers, so I'm just completing this '55 Chevy gasser using the NHRA rule books (from ''62/'63/64) for guidance. The body is originally from a Revell 1/25 American Graffiti 'snap kit' that had only an opening hood. I've cut open the doors and trunk, built up a 4-71 GMC supercharged Chevy small-block, fabricated an aluminum floor and trunk interior, brass and aluminum straight front axle (with steering), set back the engine the legal 10%, cut open the front fenders to become a one-piece flip front end, simple tuck-n-roll basic upholstery, legal lightweight front seats, raised the front of the roof area (disproportionately low from Revell), and fabricated a myriad of brackets and details to complete the model. Paint is custom mixed basecoat/clearcoat darkish orange and the wheels are from the Revell Orange Crate (rear) and Round2 Willys pickup gasser (front). The car sits relatively level and the height is the legal maximum of the rocker panels being no higher than the center of the rear hubs. The legal 150 lb maximum battery is mounted in the trunk for rear weight bias, and the 301" Chevy engine is mounted no higher than the two ft ground to crankshaft center.

Well done, Geno,...That turned out beautifully!!! I'll bet your in-laws will be surprised and impressed. Fabulous!!

These two 1/18 Buick models are from China and are exceptionally nicely detailed and finished. Both are quite reasonably priced on Ebay.

Hi Geno, That'll be an interesting project and I have a few suggestions......stripping paint from some resin materials can cause embrittlement so I would suggest that once you've carefully disassembled the model, you wash the body with soapy water, fine sand, lightly prime and repaint over the existing paint. BosModels use an adhesive to attach the various windows from the outside, and although the windows are reasonably easy to pry off, you'll have to use 5 minute epoxy to replace them...a thin bead of epoxy (applied with a toothpick on the inside of the printed black gasket) will do the trick and any excess smudging can be removed within a half hour or so using alcohol on a Q-tip. Resin is quite brittle compared to styrene and you'll have to be very careful when prying off headlights and other exterior parts. Any broken resin parts will, fortunately, glue very durably with thin cyanoacrylate (Crazy Glue). One of the potential issues with disassembling a Bos model is that the interior may be solidly glued in place within the painted body and can be a bear to remove without causing damage (cracking/splitting) to the exterior of the body near the adhesive points..... you may be wise to use a rotary tool with a fine cutting disc to separate the main parts rather than hoping that they'll break away with a little bending. I certainly think that the project is worth doing, and with your modelling skills, I know you'll do it justice.....please keep us informed. P.S. Are you and Curt heading to the Detroit NNL on the 13th? Larry will be there for sure. Cheers, Cliff

This 1/18 resin model by Cult Scale Models is very well proportioned and finished and although, like most resin models, has no opening appendages, does have some basic chassis detail as well as posable steering. I personally found that the wheels, as manufactured by Cult, looked a little bland in the pale matt blue-grey and had a slightly diminutive bolt pattern. A quick google search showed that many of the stock land cruisers from that era used a glossy darker mid-grey on their split-rim style of wheels, so I immediately repainted the wheels in the darker grey and added short lengths of aluminum tubing to represent the lug nuts. I also drilled out three of the spare wheel's bolt pattern and added the simulated lug-nut fasteners to the remaining three.

A recent 1/18 scale resin introduction from American Excellence, this '41 Cadillac is, in my opinion, beautifully proportioned and finished and at US$119.95, very reasonably priced. The pics were taken within a day of receiving the model.

I built one of each of those kits back in 1998 after finding them in a department store in Singapore (during a vacation tour). Being the fairly conservative guy that I guess I am, I eschewed all the trinkets and baubles, and built the (FUSO) Mitsubishi trucks as I assumed they would have been delivered. As I recall, the instructions were somewhat vague but I persevered and even made the side protector bumpers and cab mirror brackets in soldered brass rod (to replace the oversize and crudely molded kit versions. I also didn't include the electric motors on my models. Although these are simple, crude models, for some bizarre reason I still like them and if others came along at reasonable prices, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a couple more.

Neo has generally made nice 1/43 and (a few) 1/18 resin models, but they've recently introduced a 1/24 1949 Cadillac series 62 Sedanette for what i think is a very reasonable price ($97 on their American Excellence website) As with most of their other scale offerings,there are no operating features but the paint and details are very nicely done. The window frames as well as the Eldorado wires are all 'photoetch'. Three Neo 1949 Cadillacs in three different scales...1/18, 1/24, 1/43

Hi Eric, I'm really glad that you've started posting your cool models on this board. Your choices and execution of the models are exemplary...... Delightfully not the same old mainstream models. Cliff

I've just completed this traditional Deuce using a GMP roadster kit and a derelict 5 window coupe (body only found on Ebay) I may be fiddling with a few things for a couple of days but for all intent and purpose, it's done. The GMP/Acme roadster kit ( I love these kits) comes with a Chevy, a Ford flathead, and an Ardun motor but I decided to use an Oldsmobile motor that came from a supercharged '41 Willys gasser and modify it into a more street-typical '57 Olds J2 tri-carb motor by making a scratchbuilt intake manifold, valve covers and exhaust manifolds. I also added handmade carb linkage, ignition coil, and fuel lines as well as the usual wiring and plumbing. The carpeting is simulated with tan colored felt and the exhaust system is polished non-lead solder wire and aluminum tubing. The windshield area of the coupe body has been modified to have lighter corner radii and the windshield frame is polished aluminum wire. The inner door window frames are also polished aluminum wire, and the custom-mixed dark yellow paint is automotive basecoat/clearcoat. I tucked the exhaust manifold immediately inward so I could optionally use engine-hood side-panels. With optional hood side-panels Sitting beside last year's similar 5 window adaptation to a GMP/Acme plastic and metal roadster kit

Hi again, Marlowe, Good to see you (and your models) on this forum. This is a good place to be. Cheers, Cliff Read

The first of the 1965 style Transits used a 2.0 litre V4 although a smaller displacement of this 'Essex' engine was also available. As time went by a Perkins diesel was also available with a modified grille area (affectionately known as the 'pig-snout'). A V6 later became available with the same modified front end and evidently these were better hi-performers than many of the British passenger cars at that time.

Premium Classixx makes a well proportioned 1/18 British/German Ford Transit Van as a Porsche Racing support vehicle from the '60s. I quite like these old European vans especially when they had the tiny heavier duty truck wheels including double back wheels. I removed the Porsche Racing markings on my model and added pose-able steering as well as finishing the front wheels to not have the optional front hub cover caps as Premium Classixx depicted it. This resin model has chassis detail....something very few resin models provide these days. Ford's original prototype long wheelbase Transit in 1964 The premium Classixx model with its Porsche markings and capped front wheels