Aurora 1:32 Comet Cyclone

[Maindrian Pace]

1:32 scale Aurora '64 Comet Cyclone "Exterminator" kit. I had one of these about a decade ago mint in the box, but it was too nice to build/modify, so I let it get absorbed in the ebay feeding frenzy, where it was snapped up and sent to Brazil. This glue bomb recently came up in Canada, and I won the auction. It's rather rough, so no problem rebuilding it and improving it a bit. The first thing to go will be the terrible wheels. Any suggestions? Chrome open steelies would be nice, as the Cyclone came with stainless wheel covers that simulate open wheels, but a set of American mags and tires would be nice in the 15" - 18" range. Looking, but not finding much in the way of wheel/tire sets for this scale.

 

[Straightliner59]

1/32 scale parts are pretty difficult to find. If you CAN find any of them, Monogram did a series of 1/32 kits back in the early '80s that were beautiful! They were glue kits. There were a Nova, Charger, and a late-model Camaro. There were street machine versions of each, that had aftermarket wheels. Revell also did a series in the mid-late '80s that were more basic, but, that might have some wheel options. I know there was an  early T-bird, in that series with custom wheels. I only recall that, because I recently found some around here to use on an AMT 1/32 Ranchero. I wish I could be more help.

[Casey]

14 hours ago, Maindrian Pace said:

The first thing to go will be the terrible wheels. Any suggestions? Chrome open steelies would be nice, as the Cyclone came with stainless wheel covers that simulate open wheels, but a set of American mags and tires would be nice in the 15" - 18" range. Looking, but not finding much in the way of wheel/tire sets for this scale.

*edit* PM received.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by Casey

[Maindrian Pace]

Casey, I can certainly use most of it on this Comet and a couple of other cars, I have an Aurora '65 Mustang that needs some work, and the Comet has one race bucket seat so it can use the Mustang seats for sure. Do you want to part with all of it? If so, that's a very generous offer. I'll try to PM you, not sure why I can't receive messages.

[Maindrian Pace]

3 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

1/32 scale parts are pretty difficult to find. If you CAN find any of them, Monogram did a series of 1/32 kits back in the early '80s that were beautiful! They were glue kits. There were a Nova, Charger, and a late-model Camaro. There were street machine versions of each, that had aftermarket wheels. Revell also did a series in the mid-late '80s that were more basic, but, that might have some wheel options. I know there was an  early T-bird, in that series with custom wheels. I only recall that, because I recently found some around here to use on an AMT 1/32 Ranchero. I wish I could be more help.

Thanks for the suggestions, Daniel. I actually have used the Monogram Charger Magnum 500 wheels on a Lindberg Granada a few years back. Those are very nice, and I thought about them for the Comet. I'll have to look at the Revell T-Bird.

[ChrisBcritter]

The weirdo Torq-Thrusts are from the AMT '63 Bonneville, and bravo to you for having found an actual use for the darn things! 

The ones in the Metalflake version of the Revell '62 Chrysler are very similar.

[Maindrian Pace]

I just received many 1:32 parts from Casey, so now the rescue attempt of this mini-glue bomb can continue. Big thanks to Casey for the gift. The front fenders on this car have a weird upsweep at the front edge, and the right side was made worse by a huge glue glob underneath done by the original builder in the '60s which warped it up some more. To correct this, I cut slits in the fenders, dipped them in simmering water, bent them down to a straight position, and added shims to the slices.

Then I did some repair to the hood where it was glued shut, and filled the blower hole. I plan to make this into the twin scooped Cyclone street hood.

[blunc]

I/32 scale slot car parts is the best way to get some great looking wheels/tires.

[blunc]

found this at Electric Dreams :

 

[blunc]

the Revell '07 Shelby GT500 has a nice set of Torque Thrust wheels in it also.

[blunc]

this link has wheels that accept various wheel design inserts:

https://slotcarcorner.com/1-32-Slot-Car-Parts-by-Type-/Wheels-and-Inserts/CB-Design/Insert-Wheels-15x8mm-Silver-p2223.html

[Maindrian Pace]

Very interesting, these may be right for future projects.

[Maindrian Pace]

Much modified Aurora/Monogram Mustang chassis that Casey sent me, rear end narrowed a bit to make room for the widened rear tires. More body repairs, re-shaped front and rear wheel openings, adjusted wheelbase, stance almost finalized.

[Maindrian Pace]

Flattened the hood, start of the scoops.

[Maindrian Pace]

Bodywork almost completed, nasty primer bleed through on that red plastic. Interior patched back together, windows test fitted. Still undecided on the color combo. Aurora molded the optional vinyl top trim below the rear window, so it may get a vinyl top but not sure if that will clash with the scooped hood or the American wheels. 

[blunc]

Mike, have you considered casting the grille assembly and then correcting the "bug-eyed" look of the original headlights?

The fitment of the grille looks like it sticks out much more than on the real car, creating a deeper mounting would bring the edges of the grille frame more in line with the surrounding sheet metal (might need to separate the bumper from the grille) and then reduce how much the headlights stick out.

[Spottedlaurel]

Well done for taking this on, good progress so far.

I think there were also some snap-fix 1:32 kits from a few years ago? I got a couple for my son when he was younger.

As I recently found when I built a 1:43 kit, working at smaller scale has some different challenges to 1:24/25 etc (not just the need for better eyesight/glasses!).

[blunc]

if you're thinking about putting a motor in it, the snapfast nascar kits have a motor that you could massage into being a small block ford, the snap funny cars have hemi's that could be massaged into being cammers.

 

[Maindrian Pace]

4 hours ago, blunc said:

Mike, have you considered casting the grille assembly and then correcting the "bug-eyed" look of the original headlights?

The fitment of the grille looks like it sticks out much more than on the real car, creating a deeper mounting would bring the edges of the grille frame more in line with the surrounding sheet metal (might need to separate the bumper from the grille) and then reduce how much the headlights stick out.

Mike, I will do something with the headlights and the taillights, which are just as bad. I doubt I'll resin cast any of this stuff, though Greg did ask me if I wanted to. I think we'd sell, what, two? I am going to push the grille in a bit, but I'm not getting too carried away with accurizing this car - it's got a lot of problems character; the doors are too long and the C pillars are too thick, which makes the 1/4 windows too small, the rear COMET pontoons on the 1/4 panels go down hill when they should go straight back, and fixing that would mean raising the rear bumper/grille to match the new location, it has no cowl air vent detail, etc, and this is really just a quickie slump buster so I don't want to get too carried away - though I'm already doing more than I planned, so so much for that.

3 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Well done for taking this on, good progress so far.

I think there were also some snap-fix 1:32 kits from a few years ago? I got a couple for my son when he was younger.

As I recently found when I built a 1:43 kit, working at smaller scale has some different challenges to 1:24/25 etc (not just the need for better eyesight/glasses!).

Thanks Nigel. I haven't tried a 1:43 kit yet, but I do like to punish myself sometimes so a 1:72 is on the bench for when I feel like going blind.

2 hours ago, blunc said:

if you're thinking about putting a motor in it, the snapfast nascar kits have a motor that you could massage into being a small block ford, the snap funny cars have hemi's that could be massaged into being cammers.

 

Funny you should mention that. I remember you telling me a few years back that there are no 1:32 scale small block Ford V8s out there, which was kind of a bummer.

But maybe there are?

1:32 is a great way to use up all those comically underscale bits and pieces that have been included in various 1:25 kits over the decades, and I'm sure we can all name a few.

Above we have a pair of the weird little Cobra valve covers from the Munsters Coach, with a normal sized 1:25 Ford Windsor valve cover for scale, an undersize parts box hypo air cleaner from some sort of Mustang kit, and the tiny little under dash A/C unit from the MPC '65-'69 Mustang kits. Way too small for 1:25, but look how nice it looks under the 1:32 dash. The firewall is a cut down 1:25 parts box piece, and the interior tub was shortened up front to accommodate it.

As for the engine, I cut it out of the original chassis, cut the trans off, cut the oil pan off, and shortened the block because it was a little too long for the Munsters valve covers. I cut down a parts box intake, spaced the valve covers up a few thousandths with some Evergreen sheet, and voilà, a 1:32-ish small block Ford.

3d printing may be a better way to get an accurate engine, which I'll look into in the future. I'll add some shock towers and braces, radiator, and a battery - all available in unintentional 1:32 scale. I think the problem solving is my favorite aspect of working in this scale.

[blunc]

nice use of under-scaled parts box, I thought of that after my last post.

there might be more 1/32 scale builders out there just dying for some decent motors to dress out their builds with than we know of.

some day I may pay for a printed one if it will fit the build.

[Maindrian Pace]

Grill sunk in to a more stock position, bottom of original Aurora oil pan cut off and glued to the Monogram pan, firewall final fitted. Still have to turn down the wheels to fit the tires, then it will come together quickly.

[Maindrian Pace]

It's nice to have a friend with a lathe. It's nicer when he knows how to use it. Its nicer still when he is an ex Hollywood movie model and prop maker, with a list of props that you have seen, like parts of the spinner cars from Blade Runner, the deep sea submersible from Titanic, and countless airplanes and dystopian future apocalypse vehicles. It took him like 8 minutes to turn the Torq-Thrust wheels down.

[Maindrian Pace]

[Straightliner59]

This is looking very cool! I like 1/32 stuff!

[Maindrian Pace]

After too much staring and contemplating, I decided that the headlights needed bezels more than anything else. So I made a set out of Evergreen tube. Also shown are the trial and error examples, including ill-fated aluminum attempts.