What was your hardest build yet?

[vizio93]

See if you can find an old IMC Ford GT40. You'll never look at exhaust systems the same.

What do you guy's mean? Any pic's?

[E St. Kruiser50]

treehugger dave, did you build TWO of those chassis, or is that some trick photography?

because i am in awe of that build even though its not really my style...but to build two of those chassis? almost unbelievable.

Yeah, TWO CHASSIS .

Over 800 pieces per chassis, nearly 1700 pieces for the two.

I scratch-built them side by side.

Just trying to collect all the part's was insane.

I wanted to challange myself, and do something at a level I hadn't seen before - I WAS NUTS .

[FujimiLover]

The KS Competition's exhaust didn't have alot of parts, but it was difficult to get'em all properly lined up together while trying to glue'em together as well. On my red one I even tried CA'ing it and that didn't help as much as I thought it would for some reason.

[Dingo]

I think my hardest model so far is the Revell Cityliner coach which I'm converting to a motorhome, other than that the Chrysler Turbine which I gave up on as there are some broken parts and I have used the motor for another car.

Dingo

[vizio93]

I think my hardest model so far is the Revell Cityliner coach which I'm converting to a motorhome

how is that coming along?

[jbwelda]

heres some pics of the infamous IMC Ford GT header system. i didnt think it terribly difficult though it had its moments and you really wanted to be able to get just one more finger down into there but then again as you can see i probably didnt do it to the standard many others do. to tell the truth i was just glad it was done and looking decent at least.

i could have removed that frickin seam on the muffler end piece though!

[vizio93]

wow that looks like it would be hard. all that hard work payed off though. it looks really good

[CAL]

Revell/Protar Ferrari 250, which is still in progress.

[Bernard Kron]

Because I only began modeling again about two years ago in the Fall of ’07, every build so far is my most difficult yet. This is because every model I start involves several new things I’ve either never done before or have just barely begun to master. The learning curve is probably at its steepest at this point but that’s what makes it fun!

If there’s one thing that’s happening lately it’s that I’m reaching for higher levels of precision and finish in my builds, so it’s getting harder to accept any setbacks or mistakes. The first build where this became an issue was an early 50’s style ’32 Ford roadster with posable front suspension and a highly detailed flathead. I developed a nasty allergy to CA and the project was stopped dead in its tracks. But I was already having trouble detailing the engine and getting the fit and finish I was reaching for. Since then I’ve completed two more cars, both being all-styrene models so I could avoid CA and my painting, detailing and general build skills have improved. In addition I’ve developed substitutions for the CA so it’s probably time to think about getting back to the ’32. Here’s the “evil†’32:

(Click on picture for larger image)

Currently I’m building a pair of ’49 Ford shoeboxes and have encountered a bad batch of Bare Metal Foil just when I decided to learn how to use the stuff! I’m also doing a highly detailed small-black Ford V8 with 4 downdraft Webers on one of them. So I’m back to fine detail work. I think my hands will cooperate better this time! Definitely a case of “two steps forward and one step backâ€â€¦. But I’m lovin’ it!

Here are the Traditional and Pro-Touring ‘49’s and a (very rough) mockup of the engine from the “road racing†flavored Pro-Touring version as they stand so far:

(Click on picture for larger image)

The most important thing is to be patient, enjoy what you’re doing, and keep on buildin’!

[1320wayne]

When I was in my early teens I had an IMC Volkswagon that could be built as a drag version or stock. I was attempting the drag version and never could get anything to go together properly. That kit never did get finished. Now, many years later, I would love to find that one again and see if my current talents would suffice.

It's hard to say which build has been the most involved. I have done way too many over the top insanely detailed Scratchbuilt projects over the past few years it's hard to keep track as to which one was the most involved.

I think I need to build more out of the box projects to keep my sanity.

[E St. Kruiser50]

I think I need to build more out of the box projects to keep my sanity.

Boy, can I relate to that - LOL.

[tabsscale1]

This one was probably my hardest one to build .I use the suspenion from the 67 impala on the frame . i grafted the front and rear into the pickup frame . i also did the chop on it.

[David@MinidreamsInc.]

MY HARDEST BUILD YET WOULD HAVE TO BE MY CUSTOM MADE 1990ed CADILLAC WINDOW COACH AND CASKET ! IT TOOK 2 CADDY KITS ,AN OOP JOHAN AMBULANCE KIT , A TUBE OF SUPER GLUE , ALOT OF MUD ,AND A TON OF TIME BUT THE END OF THE BUILD WAS WELL WORTH ALL THE TIME ! IT FAILED TO PLACE AT THE SHOWS CAUSE IT WASN'T DISPLAYING AND BUSINESS NAME OR NUMBERS IN THE COMMERCIAL CLASS!

[ericmaxman]

It depends on the subject. As for me, I haven't really pushed myself yet. But my only NASCAR was kinda hard to get it to stick together. Other than that, I don't think any of my kits gave me much issues.

[Chuck Most]

Hardest build.... does it count if it isn't finished yet, and will possibly never be finished?

Some that fall into that category:

AMT '69/'66 Riviera hybrid ('69 Body and interior melded with the more detailed chassis from the '66... sounds pretty easy to pull off until ya try it!)

Jimmy Flintstone '51 Buick Chopper Head custom.- The body is pretty much done, the chassis (old Jo Han Olds promo) is close enough for now. Now, I've just got to figure out the windows and make up an interior tub. I'm on my third try for that last one.

Tamiya '86 Mazda RX-7- I don't know why, both of these I've attempted to build ended in disaster.

Jo Han "Pro Street" Rambler- not because the kit was fully detailed or had lots of parts or anything, but the thing was flash city! There was probably as much plastic in the flash as the rest of the entire kit!

AMT '50 Ford Convt.- Riddled with flash (see above Rambler rant), plus many warped and not fully molded parts. I had to raid a couple of '49 kits to get it to end up decent. Not good, just decent.

About the hardest kits I've done that actually turned out well were:

AMT '41 Plymouth (chopped top, custom grille treatment, and lots and lotsa shaving)

AMT '41 Plymouth (installing a 6.1 Hemi from a Magnum SRT, Big and little Billet wheels, adapting interior parts from a Prowler, '57 Ford, and '05 Chrysler 300C)

Galaxie Limited/Jimmy Flintstone '47 Chevrolet Barnette Hearse (streching the chassis, floor pan, and interior floor/sides about 48 scale inches)

AMT '28 Lincoln Touring Car (Lots of small, fiddly parts, and all the excessive flash did not help much!)

[vizio93]

wow that looks great. I love the two colors they go together nicely. how many scale inches have you chopped the roof ?

Edited May 29, 2009 by vizio93

[tabsscale1]

wow that looks great. I love the two colors they go together nicely. how many scale inches have you chopped the roof ?

If I remember right I took a scale 4 inches out of it. One of the truck mags gave away a truck that was close to these colors and I thought they looked good on the 1:1 so i did this to look close to it

[JHDrew]

That's this one...

Way too long to scratch build all these items but it was all about the adventure. On and off fabrication for over ten years.

For those who don't know, it's 1/12th scale and just about everything under the skin was scratch built.

[vizio93]

That's this one...

wow that is amazing. it was worth all the aggravation of scratch building all those pieces.

tabsscale- that 4 inches sounds like alot, but it was just enough to make it look great.

[Modelmartin]

That's this one...

Way too long to scratch build all these items but it was all about the adventure. On and off fabrication for over ten years.

For those who don't know, it's 1/12th scale and just about everything under the skin was scratch built.

That is very Virtue-ous of you Jim!

Seriously though, that couldn't have been a hard build for a guy like you. Tedious, I would believe.

Really seriously, though. That is one of the finest model cars I have ever seen and I have seen a lot over the years including Wingroves, Manuel Olive-Sans, etc. To quote Bill Murray in one of his movies," I have seen better.....but not many."

Edited June 2, 2009 by Modelmartin

[Foxer]

aw common ... that real. My highest compliment.

[Foxer]

1-1949 Mercury custom.

And when do we see this under glass might I ask?

Yeah, "you don't take pictures" After seeing that 427 and this story we won't take "don't" for an answer. We can show you how with the least effort and expense. I REALLY want to see that Merc.