1920 Indy 500 winner: Monroe Special Frontenac

[ismaelg]

Hello,

This will be a very long term project.

I was able to hunt down a kind of reasonably-priced built Aurora 1920 Monroe Special. 

Pictures from the ebay listing: Nicely built by the way.




While I had the intention to disassemble and repaint/rebuild, it seems the postal service wanted to help.


Despite been carefully packed, this is what I got. 


So this will be a long term project.

Thanks,
Ismael

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Using the freezer trick I was able to disassemble most of it.  The bag on the right contains the broken parts from the rough mail ride.  It will be a challenge to fix but I will take a crack at it because the other alternatives are triple digit money. 
I'm cheap 🙂

The kit's wheels would require a lot of work to get to barely adequate but still oversized.
Any suggestions for a good 3D print period wire wheel/tire file?  I have plans for several vintage racers and I will need a few period wire wheel sets.

Thanks,
Ismael

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Let the repairs begin!

One of these was fine, the other was broken in 3 pieces.

Thanks,
Ismael

[RancheroSteve]

I've had this one around for years. It actually came with another built-up that I purchased on eBay (a Falcon, I think). Neither the seller nor myself knew what it was and it took me a while to figure it out. I never considered it as particularly rare or valuable, maybe until just now, ha. Missing the steering wheel, but otherwise apparently complete.

It just sits on a shelf with some other built-ups and future projects as I never have figured out what I should do with it. Restore or use as the basis for an unusual hot rod/special? In any case, I will be watching your re-build with interest.

  

[ismaelg]

Hello,

These have a unique story.  The series is of 6 cars.  They are all around 1/30 scale.  They were made by the Best Plastic Company in 1954.  In 1957 Aurora bought the molds. From what I have read, Aurora was involved with them on this project from the start. Aurora re-launched these in 1958 and discontinued them in 1963 never to be seen again. No idea if the molds still exist but I doubt it.  Very simple kits and "crude" by 1963 standard sealed their demise.

The series was created with the help of 3 time Indy winner Wilbur Shaw who was the President of the Indianapolis motor Speedway after WW2.

The cars were the Indy 500 winners of 1920, 1922, 1931, 1935, 1949 and 1953.

I have this one(1920) and the 1922 and 1931 are in transit.  These kits are getting expensive so I am getting built glue bombs to restore.  Missing and broken parts are unavoidable as these are at least 62+ years old.

Thanks,
Ismael 

[Big John]

Looks like a fun project even in 1/30ish scale.  I figure you are already headed in this direction but there was some discussion at this past NNL West about how most of these kits are pretty accurate but are definitely helped with proper scale wire wheels.

[MAGIC MUFFLER]

 

I just sold these 3 kits and they were MINT inside. Had them about 25 years - sold them for approx $60 each.

Edited July 15 by MAGIC MUFFLER

[ismaelg]

Sweet!  I'm looking for the 1931 to complete all 6!  But all of mine are "gluebombs" to be restored.

[absmiami]

Thing 1  -  consider a set of early Mercedes GP wire wheels fr FPP - the resin castor in Portugal - 

thing II - the rims are large enough to consider hand made wire wheels - and you’re a good enough builder to tackle this …

[ismaelg]

Hello,

I was considering that option 1 (FPP wire wheels), but been 5 cars (1920, 1922, 1931, 1935 and 1940) that can get pretty expensive. The 1953 has other type wheels.   Looking at alternatives, including doing my own but I'd like to find a suitable 3D offering.

Thanks,
Ismael

[ismaelg]

Hello,

This project is missing an important part. Seems like an angled wind deflector or something, but it is not a glass windshield.  It looks like unpainted metal in some photos of the era but it was body color during the race.
This picture is from another track but you get the idea.

Anyways I could either spend a lot of money on another kit, or make my own.  I'm cheap. That's why I got the gluebombs instead of the pristine kits.  You know where I'm going.

I made a paper template. Actually a few.  Fooled around with it for a while until it was in the ballpark of what I was looking for.  Then it graduated to a masking tape template, then an index card template. Eventually it made it into a styrene template.

Still oversize, but slowly getting there.

The body will be stripped next.

Thanks,
Ismael

[Big John]

Clear 'Wind Shields' were not common on Indy cars, with a few exception, until the 40s on and them mostly small rectangles ala most Millers,Blue Crowns and Maserati.  Gaston Chevrolet used a metal deflector where Tommy Milton's 1921 winning Frontenac had no deflector.

I believe, and may be wrong, but the Aurora cars are roughly 1/32 scale so FFP wheels wouldn't work.

Edited August 5 by Big John

[ismaelg]

The Aurora cars are about 1/30 but the tires are more like 1/24. That's why they are out of proportions.  I'm working on an article about this series of models.  Stay tuned...

[ismaelg]

Hello,

If it hadn't pretty much been destroyed in shipping, this is probably the best built model I've ever bought. The paint job was the wrong color for the car I want, but it was flawless. There are traces of very fine and careful body work underneath. Every bolt was drilled out and replaced with a brass pin. Seams were beautifully worked.  I got it from Italy. If this model could talk!  
The brake fluid is starting to do its thing but the paint was quite tough.  Still a loooooooooong way to go.

Thanks,
Ismael

Edited August 8 by ismaelg

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Now it is beginning to look like a 1920 car about to be restored  🤣
Brake fluid never disappoints. Still a loooong way to go...










Thanks,
Ismael

[Straightliner59]

This is very cool! This really was a nicely built model. I believe it's about to get even better.  I've developed a thing for these old Indy cars, over the years. I'm looking forward to watching this come together. I would suggest aluminum sheet for the windscreen. Especially now that you have a pattern. The best part of that is, once it's formed, it stays that way!

Edited August 10 by Straightliner59

[ismaelg]

Daniel, that's a great idea!  I was thinking brass but maybe aluminum is a better choice.  I'll play with it. 

Hello,

Technically, I can say that one panel is ready for primer  🤣

Thanks,
Ismael

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Question for my vintage Indy enthusiast friends: I am still a long ways from paint, but will the classic (solid) British Racing Green work for this?  The car was destroyed 105 years ago.  No person who ever saw the car is alive today so we will never know what was the exact color.  All we know is that it was a dark shade of green with a red radiator shell.

Thanks,
Ismael

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Slowly progressing on this. My elbow hurts from sanding but it was worth it.  Pardon the small cell phone pics but I was "in the zone" and did not want to be distracted by the photo gear.

So it was time for a primer adhesion test:
 

Looked good so the test was expanded.


Expanded test was good so I went all in.

 




This will be sanded down to pretty much nothing but it is encouraging.

Thanks,
Ismael

[Straightliner59]

On 8/12/2025 at 8:48 AM, ismaelg said:

Daniel, that's a great idea!  I was thinking brass but maybe aluminum is a better choice.  I'll play with it. 

At least you won't have to worry about the finish! That's the main reason I like metal. I really like this project, Ismael. I haven't watched an Indy Car race in many years, but, this early stuff is very, very cool!

[ismaelg]

7 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

At least you won't have to worry about the finish! That's the main reason I like metal. I really like this project, Ismael. I haven't watched an Indy Car race in many years, but, this early stuff is very, very cool!

Thanks!  It would still have to be painted.  The well known picture that shows it in what looks like raw metal color was not on race day.  I believe that must have been during qualifying or testing. On race day, the part was body color.  My goal is to recreate the car as it was on race day.
Loving this project as it is not only super cool but also rather simple, within the realm of my definition of "simple"  .

Thanks,
Ismael

[PhilX]

On 7/12/2025 at 6:57 PM, ismaelg said:

Hello,

Using the freezer trick I was able to disassemble most of it.  The bag on the right contains the broken parts from the rough mail ride.  It will be a challenge to fix but I will take a crack at it because the other alternatives are triple digit money. 
I'm cheap 🙂

The kit's wheels would require a lot of work to get to barely adequate but still oversized.
Any suggestions for a good 3D print period wire wheel/tire file?  I have plans for several vintage racers and I will need a few period wire wheel sets.

Thanks,
Ismael

 

Nice project ... 🙂

I dont know the Freezer Trick ... ?

 

 

 

[ismaelg]

Hello,

The freezer trick is a simple yet effective process to disassemble gluebombs.

1. You dunk the model in water. I personally use a large ziplock bag just in case some small part falls off.

2. After a few minutes, you drain as most water as possible. In my case I close the zip lock almost complete but allow water to drain from a small opening.

3. Immediately close the bag and put the model in the freezer.

The idea is that water has seeped inside every little gap, nook and cranny.  As water freezes, it expands, usually breaking the glue joints.  As simple as it sounds, it has worked wonderfully for me in the past.

Thanks,
Ismael

[Ace-Garageguy]

Still following, and looking forward to see your eventual wheel-tire solution.  

I have all the ancient Aurora Indycars, but have been putting off doing anything with them 'cause the big round parts are so klugey.

[ismaelg]

Those are all radioactive and dangerous. I am certified to dispose of them properly. 🤣

I am missing the 1931 to complete all 6.  But all are gluebombs.    The wheels/tires are the main problem in all of them.

Thanks,
Ismael