PatW

Thanks guys, yes the 1st build of 2015 is out of the way. I have a Christmas gift, Ferrari 599 GTO under bright yellow paint at present, with the wheels the same colour and I'll black gloss the spokes. It has a red interior already painted as well!

I ordered on 22.12.14 that order was posted on the 24.12.14 in the USA and received today in Buckingham UK. It's from teddyb2336 on ebay.com, 2 X packs of Resin Dodge Dually fenders, wheels and tailgate.................... I don't know yet what I will fix them on, could be a truck or van or whatever!

I built 13 last year (2014) so I must keep up the momentum. I've just finished a Tamiya Mini Cooper 'S' & started spraying a Revell Ferrari 599 GTO. I tried last year to do two a month so that will be my target.

It's on Eurosport here in the UK. I've watched it virtually since it was first run. Friends from UK and SA mechanic for major teams, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mini and on various bikes. Superb competition, the last real long-distance Rally Raid! The other ECO-Dakar is being run at present through some of the African countries that the Paris-Dakar used to use.

My 1st finisher of 2015!

Cheers Matthew and a Happy New Year!

Great build Ray, I have one on the 'To Build' shelf and I really should get round to it!

Cheers Bruce!

Now we've cleared the decks after Christmas this was another gift from my youngest son. A '57 Chevy coaster, made of ceramic with a cork base to put my hot cups of tea or coffee on, rather that put rings on my model making table.

Thanks to you all for your comments, Jonathan, Richard, Al and Ron. Yes it's been a busy year but as I'm now retired it's just the way I like it. I'm also gradually learning how to Cast. The seats and surfboards (with their masters) above are in Resin Plaster (with hand formed molding rubber medium) and I have the hardware to try clear/coloured resin casting with liquid based molding product. I also scratchbuild a bit as well, which is also handy to get the job done rather than spending cash when you can make it yourself and have it now! It's all go and I'm still learning a hell of a lot which is great. The PC helps because I search on Google for each build, for colours, wheels, stance, detailing etc. So 2015 will be a really good year for my (our) hobby!

OK horsepower here is the card heading on the Comet kit........................ As you can see this one was a Novo (Russian) kit. Some say it was also produced under the Frog label and others say Airfix!

Yes I like the idea of a 1/24 version of the DS. We used to have a lot on the road here in the UK. Friends had the DS estate to carry his family of 4 and their BMX gear to race meetings. I've just finished the 1/16 scale DS by Heller. Atmobil, I did need the room to build it it's true but as it was so big I just polished the body with a top quality Auto resin polish.

Cheers Bob, yes as I've now collected around 85 kits I'm trying to build one a fortnight. I tried one a week but that was too much, waiting for glue to set and paint to dry!

and two more.............. My last one but the first finisher of 2015.......... A brace of Cooper 'S', one rally one race. Happy New Year to all out there wherever you are!

And a few more.............................

And a few more.......

And a few more.................

Thanks guys. Well Bob it was just a Flintstone Manx shell and windscreen frame, Mitsubishi 4X4 transmission, front axle/steering with a Corvair Motor. Spare seats, steering wheel, Manx lid, spare wheels and sand ladders, scratch roof rack, Lancia Stratos bull bar and lights and Manx rear tyres front and back. Ok a few more................................... A bit of casting..........

And approx Eleven More.

The paint on the '63 Chevy Nova Outlaw is possibly the best I've seen in 2014!

From my youngest son a Revell Ferrari 599 GTO for Christmas...........

Thanks Miles now suggesting turning the Hi Ace into a Pick-up has really what we say in the UK 'Put a cat amongst the pigeons'! My imagination whilst cooking the Christmas dinner and serving up to the family is going to work overtime! Thanks also to ace, I've also started the Cooper 'S' racing version............... But not quite finished it. Perhaps the first finisher of 2015?

Yes Joe I reckon it should be. When I looked yesterday at the artwork It looks although it already has a double tyre width on the back, it just needs extending outwards! Although I haven't yet looked in the box since it was washed when it was first delivered about 12 months ago

Cheers guys for your feedback and it was great fun sorting it. Especially having seen these in the flesh being tested nearby supposedly in secret, prior to both rally use and track racing. We just had to have the bog standard 848cc Mini Countryman, yes the one with the wood trim down the side and double doors at the back! Very inconvenient the double doors when you were driving, because as you looked in the interior rear view mirror you only saw a big metal bar down the middle. A few years after production started a Fibreglass body parts specialist came up with a single rear door with a large window, hinged on one side, but of course that was an aftermarket extra so you had to buy it and fit it yourself and as it came in base white fibreglass you had to paint it as well! Yes Bob & family, please have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Model making New Year in 2015 and that also goes for everyone out there wherever you are!

Yes thanks guys. Yes the Works team used what we would see now as halogen bulbs, but it took years to perfect them and be able to use them in competition and in road cars. Their first problem was that they would get so hot and melt the light lens if they using perspex covers to stop stones etc. breaking them.