Bugatti Fan

Cool project involving some really challenging conversion work. I like your title. The Not Certain T. It will probably inspire others to have a go at doing their own takes. The Almost Certain T. The Absolutely Certain T. The ImpossibiliT. One can think of many other name takes!

The model builder and the model collector. Both enthusiastic about things miniature in their own different ways. Some like the build process whether it be an inexpensive kit or one of those esoteric highly detailed MFH offerings. Each model offering the next challenge and developing their model making skills along the way. The collector just likes to buy a ready built model, put it on a shelf and admire it. Again, depending on the depth of the collectors wallet anything from a Burago costing fairly little to those highly detailed models like Amalgam make. The interest here tends to be forming an interesting collection or buying high end models to both enjoy and as an investment. Nothing wrong with either approach as long as the models are enjoyed by both sets of enthusiasts.

Land Speed Record cars do not really qualify as dragster motors in the true sense although I can see Daniel's thinking as they are timed over a straight run. There are very, very few kits of them, so I can see them making little difference to whatever section they are placed in anyway. However, I do like the idea as described by Steve of show rods, customs and street rods having their own category from normal road cars. As this is predominately a civilian vehicle forum, I would like to see sections for Motor Cycles and Tricycles, categorised as race/road and customised. Having to wade through the 'anything else' section to find any motor bike reviews or builds and filter them out from aircraft, ships, sci fi, figures and whatever else is in that section becomes a bit tiresome.

Milliput Fine White is a excellent product. I believe that it was originally developed for restoring fine ceramics. De Luxe Materials Perfect Plastic Putty is very good, and just recently as it was locally available, I picked up a tube of Revell's own filler and found it to be quite good.

Sid has made a very good point in the last two lines of his post just before this one of mine. Cannot understand why folk think nothing of shelling out copious amounts of cash on all sorts of model accessory 'stuff', that invariably in many cases languishes in a drawer and buy cheap craft knives, the most essential tool in every modeller's armoury. Very good brand craft knives like Swann Morton, Exacto and Olfa are actually not at all expensive compared with all the other often unnecessary things we buy. Exacto razor saws. Again not that expensive in the grand scheme of things and a good quality tool that will last for ages.

David, you mentioned that you might be trying pva adhesives on plastics. Have a look at De Luxe Materials website as they carry many model making materials and adhesives. A particularly strong pva type adhesive they sell is their own branded Superphatic glue. They might have some spec sheets for their adhesives on their website. have you thought about Revel! Aquacolour Acrylics? You can get their thinner that has very little odour to thin it for airbrush use. I bought mine from Hobbycraft, but downgraded at shows might have it. Hope this helps.

You live and learn Les. I didn't know that Revell did even before Brexit.

Terrible dilemma wanting to carry on with a hobby that you love doing and being advised that medically you are putting yourself at risk by carrying on with it. So what are the alternatives? One is very expensive in that the big pre painted 1/8th scale Agora, Ixo and DeAgostini car kits that go together with screws. Another less expensive alternative is taking apart pre painted die casts like Buragos, detailing up the interiors and brush painting with acrylics. Going off in a different direction altogether, and away from cars have a look at the wood and metal tram kits by a company named OCCRE. You can use non toxic PVA and acrylic brush paints on them. A bit of a culture shock moving off the plastic and resin, but a viable alternative to keep your hobby alive. Hope my suggestions help .

Didn't know that Les. Wonder why not in the UK ?

I have never known of a major mainstream kit manufacturer EVER selling individual kits direct to the public ! Caveat Emptor. Buyer beware !

Xacto make very good craft knives and blades, and incidentally very good razor saws. Besides my Swann Morton knives I have been using an Exacto razor saw for many years too. A good investment ! A company named Olfa, better known perhaps in the art and craft fields also make very good cutting tools, especially well known for their circle cutters. I have a feeling that some branded modelling cutters are basically Olfa items made under licence.

Innovative idea Jim, and a very nice model. Congratulations on your IPMS USA Nationals award. It becomes very competitive at National level so all the more reason. The USA Nationals is one of those bucket list events I would really like to attend being a UK IPMS member.

Hopefully Greg the magazine's owner will recover from his on going health issues. As Larry Greenberg is magazine editor, having taken over the reins from Greg a few years back should guarantee that the magazine keeps going reasonably well with its current team for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the feedback Les

Cannot understand why folks persevere with poor quality craft knives or worn out good ones. Got a cheapo out of one those sets of tools you tend to get as a present from well meaning friends and relatives. Blade kept working loose in the middle of doing something. Very frustrating and found its way back into the box. Good quality craft knives in the grand scheme of things are not at all expensive. I have been using Swann Morton craft knives and scalpels for many years and packs of blades are not expensive considering their good quality. A good craft knife has to be every model makers number 1 tool in their arsenal, so why frustrate yourselves ?

Sounds like a good product. Who sells the stuff in the UK?

Nice out of the ordinary project. Wasn't aware of this kit until coming across this thread.

Another completely bonkers post apocalyptic cum death race type vehicle. Do like it though. If AMT are going to tool up this, why not the Juggernaught from Death Race or even that icon of a rig the Peterbilt Tanker from Duel. Surprised the Duel rig has never been available in all these years as a kit, considering the Rubber Duck, Pruitt's Kenworth and a rib from Smokey and the Bandit have been done.

Stick with it Tom. You will finish up with a very nice model.

Realistically, many still look at those old kits through rose tinted spectacles. Nostalgia, only one of the kind kitted by one manufacturer, soft spot for a maker etc. Call it what you will. All come into play here. The reality is that kit quality has moved on dramatically since the 'old days' when AMT, MPC, IMC, Jo Han and the disaster that was Palmer kits were the common place manufacturers. Tamiya, Fujimi, Hasegawa, latest Revell and newer manufacturers like Moebus, Nu Nu, Belkits are now the standard quality wise as far as I can see, not to mention the short run specialists like Le Mans Miniatures, MFH and the like. Each to their own though with regard to what one likes to build. Older kits that challenge or state of the art kits that almost fall together!

No space or money to restore full size cars. That's why I build models and can have all the exotica I like ! Lol !

Ron. Thank you for responding to my question and coming back with much more information about how you have been using this new product. Looks like it is a much more durable option to Molotow, A!clad etc.

John, the Moore&Wright Micro meters I have are in Imperial (Inch) standard that was still the norm over here in the UK until going metric in the early 70's. I was brought up on feet and inches like many old timers like me over here. But have to admit that Metric is easier to use overall. However, I still think of lengths in feet when describing longer items like wood.

Nice !

Nice to see a kit that your late father gave you being built.I It will make a nice display piece besides being a reminder of days past.