Hellers 1/8 Citroen Traction Avant

[kpnuts]

Hi all some of you may know I sold a couple of my ships builds so I had 400 quid burning a hole in my pocket, so I've ordered this and Roy fitszimmonds cd to build it with, my plan (as I'm sure by now you all know I don't build normal builds) is to have it languishing in an old barn or in a garden or yard with maybe a tree growing out of it.

[Chillyb1]

This is a spectacularly elaborate kit and it builds into a phenomenal model; However, of all of those produced by Heller only 31% have ever been started and only 2% of those have been completed*. So let's see some follow through. 

 

 

 

 

* Statistics presented may have been invented by the author. 

[kpnuts]

Oh it will get finished, I do have to receive it first though.

[kpnuts]

Hi all I just ordered the revell 1 / 12 mustang gt 500 and the foose camaro, these and the Citroen Traction Avant and the italari mefistofeles I am going to be a busy boy ( and that's not counting my on going builds )

[kpnuts]

Hi all well it arrived today and it is mahoosive 

that is a 1/12 kit box on top of it
just to give you an idea of its size

these are the sprues there are 3 or 4 sprues to each bag just for comparison (the rule devides the too model kits) the camaro has 1 sprue to each bag apart from the black sprues and that has 2 sprues

 one tip I've already learned do not take the sprues out of the box as you wont get the all back in and shut the lid (unless you have a degree in astrophysics) that is, this is one case where the box is not big enough.

[cobraman]

What parts are the vacuum formed parts ?

[Chillyb1]

What parts are the vacuum formed parts ?

The headliner. I can't tell what the smaller ones are. Maybe other interior bits? 

[kpnuts]

Hi I've been given a superb idea for this, I am going to have it in a barn being readied for a mission by the French resistance with the cross of lorraine and a tricolour on it, the possibilities are endless, need to find some 1/8 figures and things like bren guns or make them from scratch I've been doing some research and this was available in blue irise (which is apparently a course metallic where the flakes aluminum were bigger than modern colours) if I can find I will do it that colour or ac615 blue marine which it was also available in, since I'm on hols from Monday I won't be starting it for a while (lots of other stuff to finish first) but (assuming I can get internet) being on hols will give me lots of time for research.

[kpnuts]

Hi all can anyone tell me where to get 1/8 figures, all I can find is a 1/8 navy seal slightly out of place in the streets for France in 1939-45, I live in the UK by the way.

[sjordan2]

Hi all can anyone tell me where to get 1/8 figures, all I can find is a 1/8 navy seal slightly out of place in the streets for France in 1939-45, I live in the UK by the way.

Search on eBay or Google for dolls or action figures that are 9" or 23 cm, assuming a height of 6' for humans. Indiana Jones? Other media characters?

I can't find the item number, but here's the description of something that looks good to me, on eBay US for $39.99 USD:

Exclusive Premiere Casablanca 9" Humphrey Bogart Ingrid Bergman Hollywood Icons.

Other search terms for that set would include character names, Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund.

Edited September 17, 2015 by sjordan2

[sjordan2]

FIGURES: While you may find the clothing in those dolls too klunky, remember, you can replace it with fabrics that drape more realistically, like silk that you can dye. But these characters from the 1943 film are ideal for everything relating to your subject matter. 

[kpnuts]

Hi all well I've made a start on this mammoth build (and thats without putting it in a dio) tbh once I looked at the instructions, without Roy Fitzimmonds aka roymattblack dvd I would have closed the box and put it away again.
I've read loads of reviews on this and they've all said the engine is badly warped and had to use some reinforcing or some such to make it square, I recon I've been lucky as mine has been a perfect fit (so far) I've even taken pics inside so you can see I've used no tabs or reinforcments ats all (I just hope this continues for the rest of the kit.

[kpnuts]

Hi all been working on the engine, this kit is awesome, the engine alone has more parts than the whole Shelby kit, just as an example that little nut is a separate part I've put the tin of humbrol paint there as a refrence I had to use my PE pencil to place it, thank god I got Roy's dvd the instruction are so vague (there's a little do hicky lever sticks out the side its only about 3mmx2x2 and from the instructions I had no idea which way up to put it)
I've primed it and now I can see a few bits if filling I've missed.

[kpnuts]

Hi all more work on this I've not been able to find a definitive colour for the engine (every pic I've seen has been a different shade of green but since I'm using CAT's info for the bodywork I will use that for the engine as well.

Thats a 1/24 scale car just to show how big this engine is

[kpnuts]

Hi all a bit of an update, weathered the engine and tried to emulate the oxidization on the ally manifold.

[cobraman]

Nice weathering.

[kpnuts]

Here is todays update

these parts were bent so using Roy Fitzimmods dvd I corrected this problem with stretched copper wire

[kpnuts]

Hi all well the engine is done (well as much as I can do without putting it in the car)
The next bit is the front chassis and suspension (to be honest I keep looking at the instructions and I'm tempted to box it back up and put it away) looks to be way beyond my meagre abilities, I would start somewhere else on the model and come back to this part but that may cause problems later on I've no idea whether I can start the body without causing problems with the chassis, I will see how brave I'm feeling, this may be as far as this kit goes for me, really not feeling confident at all on the next bit.

 

[Chillyb1]

I'm glad to see you are keeping up with the build. I'm sure there are quite a few of us checking up on your progress. The engine is looking very nice indeed. 

[Harry P.]

I agree. The engine looks great, very realistic. Nice work so far!

[DumpyDan]

Nice work, that engine look realistic nice work

[kpnuts]

Hi all here is the next update

[Greg K]

wow! that looks to be 100% stamped steel. incredible skills you got.

[kpnuts]

Not skills the rust is just the salt technique as for the scabbing, I do that (this only works with enamel paints) and I recommend great care DO NOT GET THIS ANYWHERE NEAR BODY WORK PAINT JOBS I get a tiny bit of cellulose thinners on the brush a dab where I want the scabbing, do this very sparingly and build it up gradually allow the paint to set then if you want deeper scabbing go over it again you can do this upto 4 times after which I've found the paint will start showing the plastic colour underneath (THIS METHOD WILL EAT INTO THE PLASTIC) so you have been warned. I use dirty thinners as it gives that staining round the scabbing you see on rusty things, I have in the past (not on this as I don't want it that rusty) put dabs of pva before I paint the item which gives a raised part to begin with and if you want a deeper rust effect once the pva is dry add another layer (make sure it's smaller and not the same shape as the first layer)

[kpnuts]

Hi all here is an Idea of just how huge this is, I thought the GT was big but, and dont forget it still has the rad and bumpers to go on, just look at this.