Bugatti Fan

That Studebaker is a lovely looking car and very European in styling considering it was built during the Chrome and Fins era in the US. One of the nicest looking American cars to my eyes, and this kit build is looking really good.

You did a nice job on that Ray. Resin kits do have their challenges. I would like to get a hold of their Bugatti 251 kit, and I think that this guy also supplies scale laced wire wheels as separate sets too.

I kept all my tools, air brushes, compressor and was very selective about what kits I would keep. Just as I retired, I converted the rear half of my garage into a small studio/workshop and further invested in a small lathe and milling machine. There were times when I was working in an engineering management role and my time was either very limited or non existent to pursue my hobby, and I often felt like selling off all my hobby stuff. Glad I did not as I now spend many happy hours in my Man Cave as my wife calls it, and it keeps me out from under her feet during the day. My advice is never sell off all your model making stuff. Stash it away somewhere as there will come a time when you will want to return to it and not have to start all over with the expense of it all.

Yes I got the point of the original question being about contests Mike, but I was trying to get across that they are not the the be all and end all.

Whatever you do and how you do it is a means to an end. I have seen many exquisite auto models with a figure that looks doll like next to it, so go for it if you do not have figure painting expertise and contract it out of you feel inclined. A lot of emphasis has been voiced about competition in this thread, but that does not really matter. There is plenty of scope to just place your models on display for others to enjoy at shows and so on.

Nice little diorama! A lot of available dolls house incidental accessories are 1/12th scale so there is potential for use with some of the car kits in that scale.

It was reading obituaries in the UK IPMS Magazine and seeing people I have known for many years passing away that got me to thinking about my hoard that thankfully is very diminished now that I have been clearing out unwanted kits. Next modus operandi is to sort through all my reference books and what to do with them. I will probably target a local university or high school and donate a lot of them that I hardly ever refer to these days. Model making books I will try to sell on at a show or something at realistic cheap prices to clear them rather than take them home again.

Stash it all somewhere or in your loft. There will come a day when you will be able to get back to the hobby without having to restock and retool all over again.

Nice model. Quite a lot of these Citroen Vans are turning up in the UK and being restored and converted into mobile snack and coffee bars. There is a company in the UK named Auto Bitz who have a nice range of decals for these van kits, along with all the other goodies they sell.

Not getting the props right! In Hannover Square, Harrison Ford was playing the part of a serviceman in London during WW2. A Routemaster bus was used in one scene. Not made until much later.

Bill, get yourself a will sorted out if you have not already and specify where all your stuff goes. Talk to your oldest niece sooner rather than later for advice or a lawyer. Mark Gustavson who runs the GSL is a lawyer and a fellow car modeller. Might be worth running it by him. I have cleared a lot of my old kits out already and do you know what? I don't actually miss them at all.

When we get to a certain age, all those kits we bought thinking 'I will build that one day' will probably supersede your life expectancy. Do the maths! Work out your average builds per year to get a realistic idea. Sort out the very few kits that you actually CAN probably build. Ruthlessly get shot of the rest via ebay ( a bit of a pain packing and posting) or a dealer if you just want a quick clearance, but don't expect much from them as they have to store, mark up and sell on your stuff. Be realistic about pricing it you go the eBay route as what you perceive to be valuable probably will not be to someone else, or you may just be stuck with it. There may be specialist auctioneers like Vectis in the UK for model kits and toys to look out for. Of course if you feel altruistic, donate all your unwanted kits to an organisation like Help for Heroes in the UK or their equivalents elsewhere, or other charities or motor sport trusts. Built up plastic kits unfortunately are generally not wanted by auction houses, and sadly unless family of friends want any of them they will probably get disposed of. We all tend to build up a collection of books as reference material. Specialist second hand book sellers may be a quick way to dispose of a hoard but do not expect a lot for them. Alternatively educational institutions like a University or High School may welcome good reference books as donations to their libraries. Tools can always be sold on generally of given to other modellers. A model club might be the best place for disposal of tools, air brushes, compressors rtf Well these are a few ideas on disposals.

Bill, thanks for the Faraday Tesla feed back. Looks like this thread has taken on a life of its own since my last post and is interesting reading. Nice to read a good healthy debate with everyone expressing their views in a civilised manner.

What with the ever changing Covid situation, will the last GSL be taking place, or will it be postponed until we all get back to some sort of normality when international travel gets back to what it was?

Interesting post as I thought that Joseph Faraday did experiments and discovered the basic principles of the electric motor. Maybe I am confusing this with something else he may have invented.

Thanks for the feed back about the colour Anders, Cheers Noel

Bruce, your model is coming along nicely and will be following the build. That car has nice lines. Dennis. Your 1/14th scale kit looks incredibly comprehensive. Is it one of Marshall Buck' s creations from his Creative Miniature Associates company? He is currently working on a 1/12 scale Ford GT40 kit I believe.

Why not put this request in the trucks and big rigs modelling area. You may get a better response from there.

Bill, I agree with what you say about information being repeated ad nauseam by so called experts! You can add engineers to the list of professions to those who rise above that. Similar mind set. Analytical.

This thread is getting philosophically so deep my head hurts!

This is a very interesting build Andrew. The Millers have very nice lines. Will be following this thread. Before seeing this, the only Miller kit that I am aware of is an old Auto Kits model I white metal produced over here in the UK. There are possibly others of US origin that I do not know of.

It you get a good finish direct from the aerosol, why would anyone want to decant it for an airbrush? Rather than go to all that bother why not just buy a Molotow chrome refill?

Anders, I forgot to mention in my last post that a friend of mine has also built one of these Heller kits. He also built it with the doors permanently closed as he says the hinges looked weak. What body colour did you spray your model ? It looks a good choice, really suits the car, and you got a fantastic finish on it. I had another look at the engine bay photos of your model and must say it looks very realistic. A real credit to your finishing and detailing techniques.

Anders, you have really done justice to this model. It was such a futuristic looking car back in the day with very clean lines and unusual innovations like the single spoke steering wheel and the adjustable suspension ride height. Superb paint job and detailing. I think Heller also did a saloon version too in 1/16th scale.

Like Mario said, it is nice to revisit some of your old builds and restore them as both personal build skills have been developed and possibly many new accessories and paints may have become available since the original kit issue. The California is a really lovely styled Ferrari and this restored model really looks the business. Well done Helmut. The model is a real credit to you!