Eric Macleod

I agree with Mark's comments, though i did once own a 1981 Rabbit painted yellow...you have me thinking...Great model in every way.

Dont we all wish!

You gotta get one!

True. If there are four collectors in each state of the union willing to pay the price, and there are, they sell out. And you are right; they are very, very nice models, often depicting a subject unavailable anywhere else in this scale.

Not what I expected. I like it.

I appreciate all the words of encouragement. I will be doing some work on it tonight and have some photos up tomorrow.

Pico, Thanks for the nudge. My 1930 L-29 Phaeton Sedan is indeed on my list of "gotta get it done this year" projects. But no, it has not been 15 years. I got interested in building a Cord L-29 in 1978 and actively started working on the model in 1982. Given that I do not (and never have) see it as an abandoned project, it has to be one of the longest standing incomplete model projects in history. Eric

While waiting for the paint to gas out on the '34 Ford Cabriolet (has anyone else found that paint is drying very slowly in this cold weather?) I worked a bit more on the TROG Duesenberg. I decided to lighten the frame and mocked up the overall look. If it looks like I am working unusually fast (especially for me) it does help to have a stash of finished junkyard Duesenbergs laying around to choose from. I am thus assembling parts from sub-assemblies which really speeds things along. I did get the fenders bobbed and removed the sidemount spares but may do more with them. That 734 Packard may get copied by me. Love it! I have to have a car the Duesey can race, right?

Thanks for the compliment Art. I have seen cars both ways. It was not uncommon for Cabriolets to be upholstered in mohair in the early 30's, though this was more common in more expensive cars (last August I saw a totally original interior in a '33 Nash Ambassador Convertible Sedan, tattered but definitely wool broadcloth). Todays preferences certainly favor leather in open cars. For ease of building I very well may go ahead and use leather as the look of mohair is proving, uh, challenging...to say the least. So, how did I make the leather? I used a red primer base with various colors of tan, brown, orange, dark red and black very rapidly spackled in a random pattern. While all of that was still wet I sprayed Model Master Dullcoat over the top which created the effect of smearing the still wet paints together. It was pure dumb luck but it worked. In the mean time, here is an improved wiring loom I made for the engine. I used aluminum tubing for this. The spark wires will come out of the ports.

I am well aware these are expensive models but who can argue when they repeatedly sell out? I have nearly everything Automodello has produced and will attest that they are stunning in the flesh and are highly satisfying. While i enjoy building models as much as the next guy there is something about the instant gratification that is wonderful when opening the package. One other thing, while i know these look like commercially produced reviews, the author is 100% me.

This will be impressive. I'll be watching your progress with interest.

I have been thinking about this for quite a while. The recent flurry of TROG projects has gotten me thinking about moving this project to the front burner. So what is it you may ask? The very highest performance cars in America in the late '20's and early '30's were Duesenbergs. They were also the most successful American racing cars both here and abroad (I know about Bugatti's and Bentleys but I am talking American made). That being said, I have always been perplexed as to why more Model J Duesenbergs were not raced. While Ab Jenkins did some speed runs with the highly massaged Mormon Meteor and there was a well known race between the Marx Brother's Mercedes and Phil Berg's Duesenberg Barrellside (J-299), there was no formal record of anyone racing a Model J. That brings us to today. If I were to win the lottery the third car I would buy would be a Duesenberg Model J...or two or seven. Just because I could I would take one said Duesenberg and whale the tar out of it as often as I could. Inspired by the TROG events I would prep my Duesenberg and line it up to run the beach. Being a Duesenberg, I would not pull out the interior, instead I would put tonneau covers on the open compartments. I would add some speed equipment specifically done for Duesenbergs (such as the dual carb setup and a Monel exhaust manifold and would put knock-off hubs on the wheels. I would leave the factory exhaust in place but install a gigantic cut out for that special sound while racing. Ala Bentley, I would install protective screening over the radiator and those big beautiful lights. I also would commit a sin and have a set of bobbed fenders made. Just for fun I will make a few subtle changes such as changing the direction the doors open. The notion of a Full Classic entry into a TROG event is not unprecedented. In combing through reference photos somebody recently entered the event with a 1931 Auburn 8-98 Speedster sans fenders. I figure if an Auburn was welcome in New Jersey a Duesenberg would be okay too. Below is the model I started with. No offense to the TROG crowd but it seems most appropriate to start with one of my "junkyard" Duesenbergs. This is a "just for fun, what if?" build so authenticity is out the window. Of course, if I do win the lottery, I'll build the 1:1 also.

The gull-wing Merc sute looks interesting.

Sure...Ford and Dodge were still pretty tight then so he may be willing to get off the Ford path in this one instance!

Thanks Slotto! I have another dilemma. I have started on the interior and wanted to replicate the mohair fabric upholstery. I tried flocking it but I am not at all satisfied with the results (though I do like the look of the carpeted areas). I still have to apply flocking to the area around the shifter but the photo shows where I am so far. Another area I worked on is the rumble seat. It is upholstered in a mottled leather. That I am happy with. I know I have seen some of the open cars with leather through the entire interior, not just the rumble seat area, but for an upscale car like a cabriolet I think the seats and door panels should be fabric. That is also what the reference photos show, when the car is a high point restoration. Have a look and opinions are most welcome.

I have messed with these slush casts before. They make great junkyard dioramas. You sir have made one into a work of art. Well done.

It's starting to look like a car!

The body is fabulous but it seems a shame to enclose that magnificent chassis. This is a stunning model in every respect.

I have hit a milestone. I have now had to strip and repaint every single panel of this model. Either i have buggered them up or I have gotten dust in the paint or have found a defect. Maybe...just maybe I am now done. We'll see.

Your interior is a work of art all by itself. The door trim and locks are especially impressive.

Those look absolutely perfect. It looks like a real 1:1 set. Great work.

I have been watching this thread from afar. This is a most impressive model of a very important subject. I will continue to watch with interest. Thanks for allowing us to come along for the ride.

You sure doknt come across as a novice if this is where you are starting out!

So I figured out what I did wrong. I sprayed the paint in my garage (always do in the winter) and it was simply too cold to be blowing paint out there. Yesterday it was nearly 60 here in balmy Michigan and I had the paint up to 70 degrees on a freshly stripped and prepped surface. Here is what I came up with. MUCH better.

Automodello 1970 and 1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III 1/24 scale resin models Order from Automodello.com or call 877.343.2276 Priced at $299.95 (Bright Aqua 1970 with Black fixed roof-production limited to 150 models), $395.95 (Platinum Edition 1971 in Triple White-production limited to 100 models), $449.95 (Homage Edition 1970 in Black with fixed roof and Tan interior-production limited to 24 models) including shipping and handling. Most readers of this publication know the Lincoln Continental Mark III was introduced in 1968 following nearly a decade of a single model offering by the Lincoln Division. The 1960’s ushered Lincoln from a brand with sales eclipsed by Imperial in the late 1950’s to a brand of stature comparable to Rolls Royce in the 1960’s with sales surpassing Imperial and with enough market penetration to give Cadillac pause. Such was the quality of the 1961-1968 Lincoln Continentals, thus they were a very tough act to follow. Follow Lincoln did and with a spectacular offering in the Mark III. While there was some controversy regarding the name that effectively dismissed Continentals of 1958-60, there was no doubt that the Mark III was a home run. Beautifully proportioned, the Mark III was an instant success and heralded as a styling highpoint. Until Automodello introduced a set of resin cast models in several attractive colors there had been no 1:24 scale models of the Mark III. Not surprisingly, these models were an immediate success and sold out very quickly. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Motor Company last year, Automodello has released a trio of very special, limited-edition models of the Continental Mark III. These are not merely a revival of the popular Mark III models previously released by Automodello, but a completely re-booted introduction, complete with new, model year specific, features and previously un-available color schemes. I have seen other versions of the Automodello Lincoln Continental Mark III which featured easily removable sunroofs allowing a fine view of the interior. This feature continues on the Triple White Platinum Edition, though it does not represent the vast majority of actual Continental Mark III’s. To address customer requests to have cars more closely resembling their own cars Automodello is offering both the Bright Aqua 1970 car and the Black Homage Edition 1970 car with a standard roof, sans sunroof. Like previous editions, under magnification, dashboards are easily read with controls that appear to be in proper scale. Throughout the interiors, tiny details delight the eye. The steering column and wheel is a fine model in its own right with correct markings and authentic looking wood trim. To the eye of this reviewer, the light-colored interiors of the Homage Edition and particularly, the Triple White Platinum Edition, allow for the subtlest details to jump to life. The correct wooden applique on the doors absolutely jumps to life in this application. Like other Automodello offerings, the chrome trim is beautifully applied and arrow straight, a significant accomplishment particularly atop the edges of the fenders where this detail easily could appear heavy handed. It does not. This reviewer can also attest that it is quite securely applied thus not prone to being dislodged by heavy handed reviewers. Tiny details abound such as radio antennae in proper scale, sparkling taillights, chrome exhaust pipe tips, correctly finished windshield wiper cover and-my personal favorite-distortion free windows. Wheels and tires appear properly scaled and the slightly wide white-wall tires look just right inside the chrome trimmed wheel wells. Like previous versions of Automodello Mark III, this reviewer cannot help but to take a step back from the model. I continue to be impressed with the presence of the car and its size. Make no mistake, this is a big, heavy model of a big heavy car. Compared to its peers, the Mark III was imposing. The model deftly conveys this impression. It is a beautiful piece of art to behold, even if you have no interest in cars of this era, or even cars as a whole. The Lincoln Motor Company turned 100 years old but once. While these are not inexpensive models, they are premium offerings of an already limited production run and will only be available once in a lifetime. If history gives any indicator of the value of this model as an investment, this author suggests potential buyers look at what has happened to the value of models that were offered at the Pebble Beach Concours from the Franklin Mint years ago. These models originally sold for around $250-300 and now are worth over $2000 in some cases. If you have any interest in the great luxury cars of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, your collection will be incomplete without an example of these highly recommended model. Respectfully Submitted, Eric Macleod