Glue Bomb Rescues?

[Straightliner59]

It may have been done, before, but, I couldn't find it...I was thinking a thread of folks' models that were saved glue bombs might be interesting! I'll start with the three I have. Oddly enough, they are all early Monogram dragsters. The first one I built was the Long John. I was working in a hobby shop when a friend walked in, handed me a baggie of glue-marred parts, a few of which were broken, and asked me if I wanted it, since he was "never going to build it". This was years before the kit was reissued. Of course, I was all too happy to have it. I think I built it within the next few weeks. When I showed it to him, he said, "If I had known it could look that good, I would have kept it!" I just now realized that I never put a brake handle, on this thing! There's a quickie project!

 

One of the guys I worked with, at that same shop brought in the Sizzler, one day to show it to me. It was in basically the same condition as the Long John, but, a couple of its parts had gone AWOL. I asked him if I could build it for him, and said that he could have it back, once it was done. I went to work on this one, pretty quickly, as well, and finished in a matter of weeks. When I took it back to him, he said, "No. You built it. It's yours!"

The last of the three I built was the Slingshot/Cook and Bedwell dragster. I found it at a swap meet, and paid a buck, for it. It was probably four, or five years, before I finished it. I spent some time with this one, because I could so clearly see the Cook and Bedwell car in the lines and form of the Slingshot, that I wanted to build it as a replica. In retrospect, I think the blue may be a little too dark. I'm sure the one in Garlits' museum isn't the right color, because the real car was painted a metallic blue, and the museum car appears to be almost a French blue. I used the old HRM article for reference, and I don't recall mention of the color, in it, other than saying it was blue. All three of these models were original issues, and were built before the Slingshot and Long John were ever reissued. The decals on the C&B car were made by Jack Smith. Last I knew, he still had some available.

Any questions or comments regarding my models are welcome, but, I'd really like to see models that others have saved from their despair! ?

 

[Snake45]

59, you're probably thinking of my "Let's See Some Glue Bombs" thread up in General, focusing on the "Before" pictures of them. 

Great thread idea! Many here will probably know I'm a big fan of rescuing glue bombs. Last year I recorded my 40th rescue or restoration, 10 of these being my own teenage builds and the other 30 obtained from eBay, flea markets, the local toy show, trades, etc. 

Here's a couple of my first GB rescues, done in 2016. Two blue MPC '68 GTOs. The darker blue one I built in 1968, the lighter one I bought from Model Empire back in the '80s, intending to someday strip it and rebuild it completely in Verdoro Green. Since then, my philosophy has been more to preserve survivors, upgrading them only as necessary to get them decent enough to sit on my shelf. 

Here's what the two looked like when I started them. 

 

Here's what they looked like broken down for rescue: 

 

And here's what they look like today: 

I'm looking forward to seeing others' glue bomb rescues, especially Before and After pics. Thanks for starting this thread! 

 

[Tom Geiger]

All the time! I’m not home and on my phone, but here’s an original Blue Beetle I bought in September and a photo of it this week.  I finished it last night but haven’t taken any pics just yet!

[Straightliner59]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

59, you're probably thinking of my "Let's See Some Glue Bombs" thread up in General, focusing on the "Before" pictures of them. 

Great thread idea! Many here will probably know I'm a big fan of rescuing glue bombs. Last year I recorded my 40th rescue or restoration, 10 of these being my own teenage builds and the other 30 obtained from eBay, flea markets, the local toy show, trades, etc. 

Here's a couple of my first GB rescues, done in 2016. Two blue MPC '68 GTOs. The darker blue one I built in 1968, the lighter one I bought from Model Empire back in the '80s, intending to someday strip it and rebuild it completely in Verdoro Green. Since then, my philosophy has been more to preserve survivors, upgrading them only as necessary to get them decent enough to sit on my shelf. 

Here's what the two looked like when I started them.

Here's what they looked like broken down for rescue:

And here's what they look like today:

I'm looking forward to seeing others' glue bomb rescues, especially Before and After pics. Thanks for starting this thread! 

 

I know you're a fan of rescues! I think it may have been your thread that sparked this, in my head. Both the GTOs look much better, in the "after" photos! I don't have any "before" photos of my diggers, since I don't even think I owned a camera, then. Certainly not one that would shoot models. You're welcome, Snake! This should be fun!

Edited January 12, 2020 by Straightliner59

[Straightliner59]

1 hour ago, Tom Geiger said:

 

All the time! I’m not home and on my phone, but here’s an original Blue Beetle I bought in September and a photo of it this week.  I finished it last night but haven’t taken any pics just yet!

Thanks for chiming in. Looking forward to seeing it finished, Tom!

[MrObsessive]

I showed this here recently and while this was not super terribly built originally, it was bad enough that I just had to take it apart and redo it. An eBay win I happen to bump into and for 20 bucks the price wasn't bad at all.

The chassis on this was MUCH WORSE than the rest of the model. To the point that I had to go out and find a parts car to replace the terribly glued suspension as it was simply unusable as is.

In fact, this is the first time I've attempted to rescue a "glue bomb" as far as I can remember. Corvettes are always hard to resist anyway and this '74 was no exception!

Before......

The glass on this was THE toughest thing to get out!

And the damage done to the roof from using so much glue..........

And now after...............new windshield vacuformed........

If you're interested, you can see all of the in progress pics here.

[Straightliner59]

3 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

I showed this here recently and while this was not super terribly built originally, it was bad enough that I just had to take it apart and redo it. An eBay win I happen to bump into and for 20 bucks the price wasn't bad at all.

The chassis on this was MUCH WORSE than the rest of the model. To the point that I had to go out and find a parts car to replace the terribly glued suspension as it was simply unusable as is.

In fact, this is the first time I've attempted to rescue a "glue bomb" as far as I can remember. Corvettes are always hard to resist anyway and this '74 was no exception!

Before......

Thanks, Bill! Nice job with the save. The roof is nice and smooth/flat. It looks great, in the green.

[Tom99]

Pictured, is a 1956 Ford promo, that I brought back to life. 

[David G.]

There's some really excellent work so far.

I tried my hand at one back in 2012. I think it came out pretty good. For those who may be interested, I have a build thread on my personal web site. Here's a Link

 

Thanks,

David G.

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by David G.

[Snake45]

Here's a '32 Vicky I bought in a huge box of model junk and parts at a local flea market. Wasn't even assembled but after sorting through the random junk I discovered that it was almost complete. Near as I can tell it was built when the kit was brand new, around, what, 1962-64? I cleaned it up, knocked off a lot of glue boogers, polished the body, and replaced the tires and a couple small parts. Pretty happy with how it turned out. 

[magicmustang]

Here's two of my glue bomb rescues. Before and after.

[yellowsportwagon]

One I started a while ago. I should finish it. I scratchbuilt the front and rear consoles for it. Always irritates me when the kit has a manual trans but an automatic console and shifter. The worst of this car was the interior. Someone glued felt all over the floor and seats. I fixed it as best I could.maybe I’ll finish it this winter. I put a 65 Riv engine in it too. Better detail and dual quads.

[kurth]

I apologize for the quality of these pictures, but I think I took them with what was an old camera at the time and before I had a good idea about lighting. This is from 2006.

I built an El Camino for a co worker to replicate her husbands car.  I had to start with a glue bomb, and I was lucky to find a lot of two bodies with the correct grill on ebay.  here was the body I ended up using

 

It had a mangled rear lower fender and a glue rash on the roof.

 

and it came out OK, but my Co-worker's husband loved it, so it was mission accomplished.  I used the then recently re-issued El Camino SS for the rest of the build, but I also used the bench seat from the original kit

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by kurth

[Snake45]

This one pretty much defines "glue bomb rescue" (as opposed to "restoration" or "rebuild") for me. '72 GTO from the local toy show. In addition to the usual wheel/tire and overall attitude change, I ended up having to do some airbrush touchup on the paint, although at least 75-80% of the paint is still original. Took it from a complete POS to something worth sitting on the shelf (on the back row, anyway). Kinda proud of it. 

[Bucky]

There's something to be said about "Rescued Relics". All these rebuilds are looking fine!! Makes me want to rebuild a gluebomb! But, I won't hafta buy one...I got plenty of my own crappy builds to redo! LoL

[Straightliner59]

Thanks to everyone for posting your reclamation projects. It's really cool to see this stuff "rise from the ashes".

[av405]

Edited January 12, 2020 by av405

[Snake45]

Here's another GB rescue I'm especially proud of. MPC '66 Corvette purchased in a lot of some other things I wanted on eBay about 10 years ago. Was gonna strip it and rebuild it stock, then decided to see if I could polish out the original paint and do something interesting with it. Came out pretty good IMHO, for what it is. 

[Scott8950]

Since i have gotten back into the hobby i have found i like to restore them more than building a new kit..

These are all some great rebuilds!!!

[Snake45]

1 minute ago, Scott8950 said:

Since i have gotten back into the hobby i have found i like to restore them more than building a new kit..

Me too. I like the challenge, the work usually goes pretty fast (so I can see progress being made), and I like having saved something that might have otherwise been tossed in the trash. 

[Scott8950]

1 minute ago, Snake45 said:

Me too. I like the challenge, the work usually goes pretty fast (so I can see progress being made), and I like having saved something that might have otherwise been tossed in the trash. 

exactly... i love the challenge.. i have a few i have rebuilt i just dont have the before pictures or id post them..

[larman]

Here is an old AMT '57 Chevy, before and after.  B/MP drag car.

[styromaniac]

1964 Monogram Little T .....off EBay.

[styromaniac]

Through the years I've actually acquired 3 or 4 original issue Monogram Little Ts in various states of glue bomb disassembly. Invariably the delicate front suspension on most of them were in terrible shape, along with glue smeared windshields. But seeing as how it was the first model car I built in my youth that I was proud of ( actually placed 2nd Junior division in a model car contest back in 1964 in Palatine Illinois ) I had to revisit it with improved building skills.

Edited January 13, 2020 by styromaniac

[styromaniac]