Monogram's Hemi Fiat - 1/32nd Scale

[gasser59]

This one is at the top of my list as far as holy grail kits. This is the first kit I ever worked on. When I was around 9 years of age, my older cousin had a built up one of these and it fell on the floor. He lost his patience trying to put it back together and kicked it under the bed. With his permission, I dug all of the pieces back out and resurrected it. I was hooked. For years, I have been looking for this kit and finally found a gluebomb on Ebay that I was willing to pay the asked for price. Sure, others had shown up but I wasn't willing to meet their reserve. The built-up kit arrived and was it ever a mess. Over time, I took the wheel/tire combination to my Dremel and made one good front tire and one good rim along with the same set up for the rears and sent them off to Chief Joseph for casting. They came in last week and they are gorgeous. The tires were cast in rubber and the rims in resin. I also had found on Ebay someone who had cast the original Monogram engine for this kit as it was on the original tree so I bought one of those. Someone else had cast the body so I had to have that too. Now I have everything I need to build up a fairly decent Monogram Hemi Fiat. I'll make the frame out of brass and fabricate a dropped front axle out of aluminum tubing and am hoping to make it function. As you can see in the photos, not much of the gluebomb is usable. Enough of this long story, here's a few pics showing the box, the gluebomb pieces and the primered resin body.

This should be alot of fun and a fairly quick build for me. Front axle will take a bit of time in this smaller scale but I don't shy away from a challenge.

Edited December 27, 2016 by gasser59

[vintagercr]

I don't see any photo's

[gasser59]

What do you see Stephen? They show up fine on my two computers.

[Dragline]

Those three 1/32 kits are also Grail for me. I built them during their second run and have seen them on eBay but like you didn't want to pay the entry fee for such simple kits.

 

 

Watching.

[vintagercr]

I couldn't see them on my desktop but I can on my iPad 

[Mr mopar]

this will be an AWESOME save.................. wonder why  Monogram is taking so long to reiusses them ?

[Alix Bernard]

My grail too. When I first saw the 3 kits I couldn't figure out the chrome thingie coming out of the roof( Rollbar) of the 34.

[Daddyfink]

A few years back they announced that they where going to re release them, but, stories started coming out about damaged and missing tooling. Then the whole thing just died. 

I think the Willys was the one that was not available. 

[gasser59]

Thanks for your interest and the info on the other of these kits. There was the Hemi Fiat, Boss Willys, Ford Screamer and one other kit which I think was the '40 Ford. Not sure though. I also have a complete kit of the Little Screamer, second release dated 1976. The original issue was 1966.

Now a bit about my progress. Since the frame was basically plastic and glue I decided to make one out of brass. It was simple enough. I got the inner rims and wheels painted in Alclad along with the scoop I made out of slightly flattened aluminum tubing. The one piece engine was painted with Alclad also on the blower after some careful masking. The engine block will be red like the box. I'm thinking I would like to build this like the box art. I'll need to make up some decals but that's easy enough. I only have pics of the frame for now. I'll try to post the wheels with the tires mounted along with the engine tomorrow.

More to follow. Comments always welcome.

Edited January 1, 2017 by gasser59

[gasser59]

A bit of an update for you guys. ot the engine painted with Alclad over a dark metallic paint then maske it off and painted it red like the box art. Wheels and wheel backs got a first coat of Alclad gloss black and then a shot of Alclad Chrome II. Then the inside of the rims got the same red as the engine. Engine is in the process of getting wired. Driver's side is done and even made a teeny tiny wire loom out of printing plate. Rear axle is glued in place and aligned with the transmission. Here's a couple of pics.

Thanks for following along on this journey.

[W-409]

Great work on this tiny Fiat! I think I have never even seen this kit but it definitely looks really cool! And as usual, you're doing an excellent job with this build. The frame and engine are looking really good. I can imagine how hard it is to do that work in 1/32nd scale, maybe this will encourage me to start my Monogram 1/32 Chevy Malibu!

[Nytrozilla]

This board is being overrun with Gassers and Altereds. When will this madness end? Not soon I hope.

I always wanted to detail out a 1/32 Funny Car.

Good thing somebody with skills beat me to it 

I got a visual of you working on the wire looms. Has the headache gone away yet?

[gasser59]

The wire looms were fun. The first one went into the trash, at least close to it. Once it left my hand, I couldn't see where it went. The second one I'm happy with and the third will do but not as nice as the second one. Now that all of the frame work and rear axle is done, I'm working on the front axle and the ride height. Of course it will have to be functioning and I've never attempted one this size. Should be fun. Think I'll solder one out of brass just so I can get upset with it.  :-)

Edited December 31, 2016 by gasser59

[cobraman]

I'm thinking this will be the best build up of this kit we have ever seen.

[gasser59]

Thanks Ray. I had quite a bit of bench time since my lower back won't seem to let me get to sleep until my tiredness overruns my pain. I finished up the plug wiring, made a fuel pump and one side of the functioning straight axle. Also worked on the pulleys, fuel lines and few other small items. Here's a few pics.

Thanks for interest and comments always welcome.

[Alix Bernard]

Brad, that hemi looks like a different motor!!!! What kind of BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH did you run into? I saw the headers glued to the side of the block. Did it all come apart fairly easily? Never done a glue bomb so I'm curious. Thanks for the info.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Alix Bernard
Got rid of blah,blah,blah. Tried anyway. You guys edit out the word BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH?

[gasser59]

If you read the first post in this thread, I mentioned I found a seller on Ebay who was offering a resin copy of this engine still on the sprues. That's the one I used. I made my own Hilborn influenced scoop out of slightly-flattened aluminum tubing and some sculpted Evergreen for the rear. All I was able to use parts-wise of the gluebomb was the wheels and tires, maybe a few other small things but the glue was the old tube stuff that melted the original kit parts. The kit plastic will break before the glue joint will. I'm glad i got the box too as I really like the artwork on it. Its an original issue box.

[Davewilly]

Very cool Brad! I had never seen these little Gassers...Very cool and great looking box art for them as well.

[Snake45]

Thanks for your interest and the info on the other of these kits. There was the Hemi Fiat, Boss Willys, Ford Screamer and one other kit which I think was the '40 Ford. Not sure though. I also have a complete kit of the Little Screamer, second release dated 1976.

I don't remember a '40 Ford; I only ever heard of the other three. Monogram had two other 1/32 race cars in that line--a Lotus Ford and a Ferrari GP of some kind. I still have a Lotus, one of my very first model cars. I should dig that out and clean it up sometime.

[geemoney]

Great Resto!

I had all three of them!

I think I still have the Willys body.

[gasser59]

Keep the conversations coming, I love all of the discussions from this old Monogram series. I've had quite a bit of concentrated bench time and have gotten alot accomplished. I got the front axle completed and cleaned up the original kit transverse spring, probably the only kit item I've used to date. Engine pulley were trimmed from the blower belt, which was all one piece. Made a new belt from four layers of blue painter's tape, I'll have to rethink that because it started to unlayer when I wrapped it around the pulleys. One layer just wouldn't be thick enough so I'll need to find something else. I temporarily plumbed in the fuel line to the injector fuel block. Still deciding if I want to plumb the four injectors. Time will tell. Also thrown in a mock up just for grins. Onto the pics.

Thanks for your interest.

[gasser59]

Oh, I forgot to mention. The front inside wheel needs repainted.

Carry on.

[Davewilly]

Looks Cool Brad!

[gasser59]

I painted the frame semi-gloss black and am now figuring out the radius rods. I plan on using stainless steel tubing but I'm all out of the small nuts and bolts from Scale Hardware and they closed down. I haven't found another source for those tiny things. I'll get some pictures up once I get the radius rods done.

[Nytrozilla]

Brad, I haven't tried this company yet, but what you need may be here.

http://www.fastener-express.com/