Bugatti Fan

Hi David Quite a few other responses since my last one. Forgot to mention that most automotive aerosols these days are acrylic so should be alright for plastic. Telford is well worth a visit if you can get to it. It is now the biggest scale model show in the world.

David, I note that you live in Derbyshire here in the UK. There may be a Hobbycraft in Derby or Chesterfield who I know carry Tamiya Paints and the Revell Enamels and Aquacolor Acrylics that may not be too far away. Mr Colours are available in the UK from many different model traders. You just need to look. Zero paints from Hiroboy has been mentioned. They are airbrush ready colours that go on flat. If the colour you want can be mixed by them it will be a good bet. I have used them successfully following on with an automotive acrylic clear gloss from an aerosol. If you are seriously worried about your vintage Cortina kit then stick with paints designed for models. I don't know how mobile you are but it I were you it might be well worth looking to see where some model shows are taking place at weekends. They are the best place to see various manufacturers paints directly on the trade stands apart from the on line option. Definitely if you are not in a rush to build your model, then hang on until November and get yourself to the IPMS Scale Modelworld Show at Telford. There are shed loads of traders selling all different brands of modelling paints at the show. You will see fantastic model car builds there and get to talk to like minded model makers on the Special Interest Group Stands. Look up the IPMS website and seek out the contact details Richard Middleton the show organiser. He is a friend of mine and fellow car modeller. He used to run the IPMS UK Car and Motorcycle Special Interest Group before taking on the responsibility of Show Manager. He will be able to put you in touch with automotive special interest groups in IPMS. There may even be contact details for those groups on the IPMS UK website.

I understand that an Aston Martin DB5 from one of the Daniel Craig era Bond movies is on the cards for imminent release. It will be interesting to see if they market it as a full kit as well as a part series. I would be very interested in that one, but bet it will be a part series only kit to buy. De Agostini did an Aston DB5 a few years back. Not sure if it was the standard car or of the Connery Bond Car. Now a big Bugatti 35B , Bugatti Type 59 , Duesenberg SJ Phaeton or a Bentley Blower would really pique my interest. Bruce. Going by your last post it looks like you have a close association with Agora it they are asking you to build models for them so perhaps you could suggest the above to them for future kits. I would think that American modellers would particularly like a big Duesenberg as the original Pocher company never made one. You mentioned modellers sorting problems as they go along as opposed to assemblers who moan if things do not go together properly. I agree with that sentiment to a certain extent, but at the same time can see where someone else who is not an experienced modeller might be coming from having spent a shed load of money not expecting quality issues.

Thanks for coming back about the wing nuts Francois. I will get back to you on a PM as soon as I can figure out how to get my old XP ProDesktop program to run on Windows 10. Andrew. Thanks for the leads about sourcing castle nuts.

Agora. Are their models only available to buy piecemeal? I would much prefer to buy a full kit. After Eaglemoss going belly up leaving subscribers with part built models and a huge dent in their wallets, I am a bit reticent to buy a model kit in installments. If I were to buy that way, I would certainly use a credit card as the company I think is legally buying the product on your behalf, so if anything untoward happens you should be able to get your money back. Using a debit card to pay is like paying in cash so if anything happens it is a total loss to the buyer.

Pity that that this was the last ever GSL, and I can understand that after many years of organising it the current incumbents have called it a day. As it is such a prestigious show contest, and as I said in my earlier post it is a great shame that no one has picked up the baton from the current organisers. Surely it could be kept going with some serious trade sponsorship or a new team of organisers formed. Maybe the show could be like the IPMS National Convention and move around the country with local car modelling clubs taking on the organisafion?

Francois, thank you for coming back with information about the circle cutter from Amazon. I could see on the box label it is made by Hobby Tool. They probably have a website with other tools that might be interesting too! I sort of guessed that you probably drew up the wing nuts and had them made. Another item that I saw on the pictures of the full size Bentley fuel tank details was the close up of one of the nuts that are castle shaped where a split pin is fitted. I would imagine that they would be good to be be drawn up in 3D too.I I have a fairly old 3D program on an old laptop running XP named Pro Desktop that was used by schools. So I might ask if you might allow me to use your STL file so I could get some made? Kind regards Noel

Jason Forgot to ask in my last post. How many hundreds of Photos did you take of the 250LM in the workshop? Fantastic reference pics opportunity with a load of the bodywork removed.

Those 3D CAD drawings of the engine interior parts look good Francois. It will be interesting to see them made before they go into your model. The fuel tank looks really good with the real mesh used on it and the bracketry you made for it. I like the way that you reworked the rear lamps for the model to fit proper lenses. The circle cutting tool that you used for the lenses looks really interesting. Who makes it, and where can one be bought from? I have an Olfa cutter but it is useless for this sort of circle cutting as it works like a compass where a point has to go into the middle of the work. Really impressed with the wing nuts, Did you draw them up yourself and print them, or does someone else design and make them for sale. They look really useful for many other models besides the Bentley.

Shortly before I retired I converted the back half of my garage into a secure dedicated model making workshop. Best thing I ever did. I have facilities to scratch build, kit bash and make from kits that I did not have before. But, the main thing is it keeps my mind active whether researching, working out how to approach a scratch build, sourcing kits and materials, overcoming problems during a kit build or bash and achieving a good finish. I tend not to be butterfly minded so stick with a project and not end up with part built models kicking around taking up space. So modelling also helps keep my mind focused too. I have a lot to thank my hobby for down the years, not only on the model car front but other subjects as well. The benefits from talking to modellers of other genres like figures, aircraft, ships, science fiction, railways and armour has enabled me to learn from and adapt many of their techniques to enhance my pleasure that I derive from modelling generally

Tried emailing Cranky a few times by never got a reply to any of them. Anyone else tried?

Now there's a name from the past. Pat Covert, Terry Jessie and Bill Coulter penned a number of books back in the day between them.

This model is starting to come to life now and looking good. Jason, I think fusee chain is a special chain used by horology specialists for restoring clocks. Not sure, but it might possibly look like a bicycle chain in appearance. A look at horologist or jewellery suppliers on the web will be the best way to source it. Nick at Unobtainium has recently been developing a number of very interesting items for the 35B kit, and also for the big Airfix Bentley. More info appears over on the Britmodeller forum showing what he is up to making for both kits.

Scratch building is not as daunting as many think. I started scratch building because I could not get a 1/16th scale model of a Bugatti Type 59 otherwise. The thing is to think of all those small assemblies to go on the model as little models in their own right. It is really making your own kit, but without instructions when you have to put it all together. I would thoroughly recommend getting hold of Gerald Wingrove's first book The Complete Car Modeller 1. He works in metal, but most of what he does can be emulated with plastics. For example where soldering is shown, then on plastics it would be our usual regular cements and adhesives. But however, if contemplating scratch building seriously, then some investment is required in some small machinery, certainly a miniature lathe. Rod and Ian Knott's sections about scratch building on their Motor Museum In Miniature website as recommended in an earlier post would be a very good starting point.

Did not know that Franklyn Mint did a die cast Silver Cloud David. That certainly helps give you a number of alternative bits to use on your models. I guess you must track odd ones down via eBay and maybe brick a brac auctioneers.

David, thanks for your reply. You have certainly done a great job on that very basic Silver Cloud model. The Cloud is a lovely looking car with really nice lines. I guessed that it was the Minicraft/Revell kit sired by Hubley originally. You must have extensively reworked that kit. I had one given to me years ago that someone had badly built, but never got around to doing anything with it. Then the Minicraft one was released so I did not bother to do anything with it, and must have sold it on at some time. I think a collector wanted it for the original Hubley box rather than the kit! The kit lines as you said look good as the basis to work up a good model from it. Building the Cortina standard like your dad's car you started to learn to drive in will give you a nice nostalgic model to put on the shelf.

Thanks for the feed back David If the cellulose works for you, that's good. What is intriguing me by your reply is why you have so many Rolls Royce Silver Cloud models? The only plastic kitted Rolls Silver Cloud? saloon I can think of is that very old Hubley one that was re popped by another manufacturer a few years back. It was quite a basic kit as I can remember and quite crude in places. Incidentally, how are you building the old Frog Cortina? Standard saloon or modified? I think that there has been a big debate about Rustoleum paint in another thread on here.

I use Halfords grey and white primers and found them to be good. What I would like to know is why you are considering cellulose top coat paint? I would steer well clear of using it on plastic kits of any age. Most automotive aerosols nowadays are acrylic based paints that should be good for use on plastics. A look on the internet should find you a company specialising in classic car colours that can make up a aerosol or bottle of touch up in any original factory colour.

When I was an Engineering Apprentice back in the 60's the UK technical college I attended occasionally showed very old American trade short films. One was about the basics of centre lathe turning. There was a narrator on film along with the machine operator. Well, we all had a bit of a laugh when the narrator asked the machine operator about being ready to start. At this point the operator said with over exaggerated enthusiasm 'Yep, I'm all set and just raring to go!' The fact that he was dressed in striped overalls and a Casey Jones style engineers cap made it all the more hilarious for us young apprentices to watch!

Looks like you have the right mindset Milo. We all learn from having failures, but it is picking yourself up after each one that is important and learning from them. There was an advert I saw on UK TV a number of years ago where an elderly lady in New York came across a workman digging up the road. She asked the workman ' Can you tell me the best way to get to Carnegie Hall?' To which he replied, 'Lady, you gotta practice!'

Milo, you sound new to the hobby that I hope you will enjoy from now on. There is a lot of sound advice scattered all over this forum, but my bit of advice is to get yourself a good book aimed at starting the automotive modelling hobby that will take you step by step through all the build stages, and advising on suitable adhesives, paints etc. A quick look on Amazon should yield something aimed at people starting out in the hobby. Good luck with your new endeavours!

Amazing model Tomasz. Look forward to seeing your gallery!

We live, and we learn!

You have a good sense of humour Dave. So have you coerced your daughter into doing the bean counting?

That's the nice thing about the 35B, plenty of options of how to depict the car from well used or neglected to pristine. Not sure how I will build mine when I start it. Got something else on the go at present, so.plenty of time to think about it.