Is a Drag-U-La model hard to build or easy?

[Blackkat13]

I have a Munsters Drag-U-La and a Koach to build.  What I have been reading up, builders say this is a hard kit to build since it is hard to place the body on the kit.  What kind of mods can you do to the kit?  Has anyone ever cut one of these up? Wired it up? Detailing?  What should I keep a look out for? Also what kind of tires will work best with the kit?  I'm not a big fan of the hard plastic ones that came with the kit.   

[Dragline]

I might call it fiddly. I'd do a fair amount of test fitting first before a drop of paint went anywhere near plastic. To be honest I've never built one but a main skill as a seasoned model builder has to be test fitting. You assure yourself ZERO problems once paint is applied or at least mitigate them to manageable. For me test fitting came out of aggravation from things not going together over the course of years. Take the advise from someone with many failures under their belt. test fit everything before you crack open a bottle of cement.

Mock ups are best but even cursory fittings are better than none at all.

Example: Block halves go together fine. You cement the cylinder heads on where the tabs dictate. You let that harden then slide the intake manifold into place. Large gaps appear where the intake meets the heads. Or the intake rocks in place because the surface is peaked. NOW what do you do? If you have the adjoining pieces sanded and prepped you can test fit them for proper fit and that gap would have been noticed. Sliding the heads up just a tad fills the gap and it all looks tight and right. This is a common weakness in kits. I see it more than half the time when I build. It always pays to check. Oil pans should have a flat surface to cement too. They often do not and you have to sand the area before fit is optimal. Think of yourself as the machine shop. You have to mill surfaces so that parts fit right and tolerances are acceptable.

My sanding stick selection is outstanding as a result of this.

 

Build on Sir.

Edited November 16, 2017 by Dragline
Additional info

[Snake45]

IIRC, our member GTX6970 built one of these up in just two or three days and it looked pretty darn good. Maybe he'll weigh in here. 

[Snake45]

IIRC, our member GTX6970 built one of these up in just two or three days and it looked pretty darn good. Maybe he'll weigh in here. 

I found that thread: 

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/120554-dragula/#comment-1749541

[Blackkat13]

IIRC, our member GTX6970 built one of these up in just two or three days and it looked pretty darn good. Maybe he'll weigh in here. 

Well so far, it's going to be a process to build.  I have the coffin top cut off the car, and split all along the seam lines.  I spent many hours cutting, and shaping a hinge something I have never made before. The lid now open and closes like in the photo on the box.  I have been working on shaping a old dragster frame to fit along the cars frame so it will look more dragster like.  I still have to mod it more to fit behind the seat.  I want to make a radiator with coffin top, and have radiator hoses on it. . Add some more to the motor, and have it wired up nicely.  After seeing some of the photo's of  the real car when Planet Hollywood had it hanging. It has a solid  front and make a bottom how it is in the photo's.  There's a lot to do, on this build. 

 

Thanks for the Under the Glass thread on it.