Apache wheels...

[Mothersworry]

Looking for a set of 1/24 scale Appliance Apache wheels 3d printed or cast. Doesn't seem to be anyone doing these super rare wheels. I know that they have been done in 1/25 scale but I need the larger scale.

Any info appreciated.  

[Texas_3D_Customs]

17 hours ago, Mothersworry said:

Looking for a set of 1/24 scale Appliance Apache wheels 3d printed or cast. Doesn't seem to be anyone doing these super rare wheels. I know that they have been done in 1/25 scale but I need the larger scale.

Any info appreciated.  

Here's my take on that One it's not going to be real easy to print if you want it to be accurate those fins are not impossible and I know I can do it I print the clutch fins for a 6BT fan, but the other part is the rare part if they're rare in real life something tells me it's going to be rare and model life to sell It's really not that hard of a design to be honest I mean it's a whole bunch of repeating patterns. But still putting the time and a designing something like that to sell one or two sets maybe make a dollar or two per pair, If I only sell one set of four wheels it's a lot of time spent for a few dollars

Edited July 8, 2023 by Texas_3D_Customs

[Mothersworry]

Thanx fer replying to my question, yup, the real wheel is extremely rare and apparently just as rare in scale. These wheels were used on the Green Hornets Black  Beauty. Jimmy Flintstone gave me a resin Black Beauty kit in 1/24 and I want to replace the wheels with sumthin a little crisper, wuz kinda surprised to find nobody's makin em resin recast or printed.

The wheels are unique and rare so I would think they would probably sell pretty well sized as a 14-15 inch wheel and as a modern 17 thru 22 inch or so wheel just as sumthin different. You could flow color into the finned areas to contrast with or compliment a cars color.

No big deal, Round 2's Black Beauty kit is comin soon enough and I can always use the resin kits wheels to finish the kit that Jimmy gave me.

Lemme know if you decide to do the wheels, I'll buy a few sets.

7 hours ago, Texas_3D_Customs said:

Here's my take on that One it's not going to be real easy to print if you want it to be accurate those fins are not impossible and I know I can do it I print the clutch fins for a 6BT fan, but the other part is the rare part if they're rare in real life something tells me it's going to be rare and model life to sell It's really not that hard of a design to be honest I mean it's a whole bunch of repeating patterns. But still putting the time and a designing something like that to sell one or two sets maybe make a dollar or two per pair, If I only sell one set of four wheels it's a lot of time spent for a few dollars

 

 

[JS23U]

Might be not the answer to the initial question, but...

The Appliance wheel was included in several older AMT kits around 1970. I think the first one was the Mach I prototype of about 1968 and some of its reissues. Then it was included in the Monte Carlo annuals of 1970 to 72 (all three years). I think there were some other kits, but I forgot which. I know, these kits are old and somewhat rare, but every now and then they (the wheels) show up for sale.

[Mothersworry]

7 hours ago, JS23U said:

Might be not the answer to the initial question, but...

The Appliance wheel was included in several older AMT kits around 1970. I think the first one was the Mach I prototype of about 1968 and some of its reissues. Then it was included in the Monte Carlo annuals of 1970 to 72 (all three years). I think there were some other kits, but I forgot which. I know, these kits are old and somewhat rare, but every now and then they (the wheels) show up for sale.

Thanx fer yer input, Yup, I have the Mach I kit with the Apache wheels and they are very nicely rendered. I wuz also aware that the wheels were in a Monte Carlo kit but I did not know exactly which kit(s) they were in.

I wuz sure that someone had cast these wheels but due to my advanced CRS I couldn't remember who it wuz. I wasn't sure, but I thought maybe Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland had done the Apache wheels but they weren't listed in the catalog. So I took a shot and called Norm, sure enough he had done the wheels and they were available,they just weren't listed in his catalog...and the size scales out to what I need...problem solved.  

[Casey]

The two AMT versions are slightly different, one better looking/more nicely done than the other IMHO. I want to say the red plastic version from the Mach 1 was the better of the two? Maybe @Mark remembers.

The first problem is finding at least one in good condition, with no damaged ribs nor a torn/chunked outer wheel lip area. Second problem is they are wildly unpopular, for the reason you mentioned-- rare wheel in the real world, only offered for a short time, etc. Similar to the Foresight Venture Drag Mag. Cool wheels, but few are aware they exist, and even fewer want a set in scale.

[sfhess]

At one point a few years ago, Greg Wann was casting Apache wheels.

[Ragtop Man]

Mikey, I needed more of the Apaches for some show car duty and a few factory customs, cast a bunch from a mold that I made.

Keep me posted if you need more. IIRC, it was a bit of a trick to cast to get the small windows clean - a lot of tedious back half sanding and delicate work with the frisket knife. 

Would need to knock the chrome down a peg, too - our vendor really nailed the rack I sent in on my last pass before the move.  Too shiny, really, need a coat of clear flat or something to tone them down.

I'll post a pic of the mockup - a '68 T-Bird promo body with the kit custom parts, looks surprisingly good. 

[Mothersworry]

Hey Bob, thanx fer yer offer...got it covered though...Norm took care of me and I got a few extra sets fer a coupla customs I have planned. Used em on the Black Beauty kit that Mr. Flintstone gave me...worked out pretty well, painted with "polished aluminum" lacquer and hand painted the black on the spokes.

Looking forward to seeing the T-Bird...