Another nostalgia trip; Pyro '52 Chevy Custom Wagon

[FactoryStock54]

By today's standards these old 1/32 Pyro kits were quite crude, with sectional bodies and minimal interior or engine compartment detail. But some of the subjects they released were definitely interesting and unusual, like the '32 and '34 (sic) Plymouth four-door sedans and this one, which was always among my favorites as a kid. In recent years I've acquired a few original unbuilt copies through auctions on Ebay. I like the challenge of taking these old kits and using modern methods and materials to do them up. Bare Metal Foil was used for the trim (the kit is completely monochromatic with no chrome parts). I airbrushed Polly Scale DRGW (Denver and Rio Grande Western) Cream for the exterior and Polly Scale Steam Power Black for the interior and underframe. Used MicroMesh to shine up the paint and painstakingly hand-brushed the wide white sidewalls (no easy feat given how soft some of the moldings were).

Hope you like it!

Edited July 30, 2008 by FactoryStock54

[Harry P.]

It looks to me like you definitely made the most of that kit.

It's amazing what a little talent can do to! Nice job...by looking at the photos you'd never know what humble beginnings that model came from.

Got any more to share?

[randx0]

very nice! it almost makes me want to build 1/32

[Bernard Kron]

Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! You have created a Funky Llittle Jewel .

[CB]

Nice job, Jerry . Gotta give ya credit for workin with the 1/32 scale. I'm tryin to stop addin little details to my 1/32 "Little T, big wheels" (on the workbench) . Like the Pyro, this Lindberg 1/32 '25T has no chrome in it, but what amazing detail on the Caddy engine in it. I'm gonna hafta try a couple of the other 1/32s Lindberg puts out, maybe make a tail dragger outa the 49Merc.

I'll have to see ifn' I can't find one of these 52 Wagons--it'd look perty good with a chop

[84vanagon]

Pyro was all over the board on their 1/32's. The subject matter was always interesting. You turned a sow's ear into a silk purse!

[FactoryStock54]

Thanks guys! It sure was fun building this one as a grown-up; patience is definitely a plus, not to mention all the way-better tools I have at my disposal now! Doing a half-way decent job now after screwing up the ones I tried to build as kid feels like a successful "do over," a chance to redeem myself (too bad I can't go back and live parts of my life over as easily)!

Harry, I have a few more of the Table Top Classics "under glass" and will post a few of them in the near future. In addition to the 52 Chevy wagon and fas-back, my other favorites in the series were the '34 Ford Victoria, the Model A Woody and the "not-really-a-'34" Plymouth four-door. The '32 Chevy cabriolet wasn't bad either, and the '37 Chevy coupe was always a sentimental favorite. When I was growing up you could get these for 60 cents a pop, but on Ebay over the past several years I've paid as much as $75 for one (the "34" Plymouth) and sometimes the rarer issues sell for well over $100! (I may be sentimental but my mom didn't raise a fool!)

Probably the biggest difficulty in the painting and detailing of these kits is the soft, indefinite molding of raised detail, especially on the one-piece wheels/tires. The toughest operation on this one was foiling the grill and headlight bezels. A lot of the plastic from kits of this era has become quite brittle over time and breakage can be a serious issue. Some scratch-building skill definitely helps.

Thanks again for your positive comments! Always appreciated!

[unclescott58]

Very nice. This is one I'd like to see Lindberg reissue. I assume they have the tool, since they have the '52 fastback. By the way, what scale are these kits really? I don't believe them to be 1/32 scale. All those old Pyro/Life Like/Lindberg kits in this series look small compared to other 1/32 scale car kits out there.

Scott

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by unclescott58