Modelmartin Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 I just finished this model yesterday. I bought the kit in 1979. It is about time. The impetus was that my model club ( RPM -Racing Plastic Models rpmmodelclub.com ) was having The Torben Challenge. HUH? Well, one of our members who is named Torben came up with the idea that each of us make up a list of five models that we always wanted to build that is already in our stash that we have never gotten around to finishing. We would then circulate the list around the table at our meeting and everyone would vote on which of the five they wanted you to build...and challenged us to finish that kit. The presentation was yesterday and eight of us actually did it! That was out of 30 members, though. I guess we all know who was kind of lightweight and wimpy. The Wills Finecast Bugatti T59 is 1/24th scale, all white metal, and came in very small pieces. The body from the firewall to the tail was made up of 7 parts which I soldered together. The underside of the tail was 3 more. The frame is made up of 8 parts. It actually went together OK. It is not for the faint of heart, though. Paint is a special mix of Dupont lacquer I made up a long time ago for my version of a perfect Bugatti blue. I used P/E and resin wheels from Lemans Miniatures. They were far superior to the cast metal spokes which came in the original kit. I used the Lemans tires in the rear and the original Wills tires in front to get the big'n'little effect. Model Car Garage piano hinges were used for the hood. They work quite nicely. I scratchbuilt the radiater screen. I added plug wires and made the loom from a piece of 1/16 aluminum tubing. I will likely add some more detail to the carbs and linkage later. Or not. Bugatti used mechanical brakes on all of his cars until the very late 30s so this beastie has cables running all over it. I used the kit supplied thread and painted it with metallic paint after it was all glued in place and tightened up. It looks OK. This was not going to be a contest model so I didn't get too nutty on it. I am happy to have it done and on my shelf.
Zoom Zoom Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 That is outstanding! Love it I love the club build concept too; I might see if that's something the guys in our club would want to try. Seems like a natural for almost any club.
Harry P. Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 That's really cool! Nice job all around. For a "non-contest" model I'd bet it could win a few contests...
Foxer Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 That looks really good ,,, ya can't beat real metal for that metallic look!
crispy Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Nice work Andy! I like the thread idea for linkages. It looks the part on the car. I'm sure after time it will sag, but it does look good. Hope I see it in June! Chris
Bernard Kron Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Very n1ce build. Has a solid realism to it that's very appealing. Changing out the wheels probably was a good move, the ones you used looking great. The under bonnet area and the chassis rail details are especially nice. Bravo!
randx0 Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 That is some fine work . I'm glad you finished it and just under 30 years.
Modelmartin Posted November 23, 2009 Author Posted November 23, 2009 Thanks for all of the great comments, guys. It was a long time coming and I am happy to have it done. I do have a Jo-Han Sox & Martin 'Cuda kit which I bought when I was 14 in 1971 when the kit came out. It is still sealed but one day I will open it and build it. In two years I will have had it for 40 years!!!
curt raitz Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Very, very nice Andy I did not realize there was a special "Bugatti Blue" also like the model car garage piano hinges...look a lot more to scale and than the hinges I'm using on my Type 32. by the way...JB Weld did the trick on installing the hinges, will be posting updates later Great looking T59, even after all these years
BSteinIPMS Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Hi Andy, At the Twin City Aero Historians meeting on Saturday 14 Feb 2015 one of the members gave me a metal 1/24 Wills Vauxhall 30/98E kit. After a lengthy inventory I found all the pieces are there, so google brought up this interesting information: Bob Wills started producing these kits in England in 1955 (!!) and for the time they appear to be excellent. Not too bad now, either. He later sold out to South Eastern Finecast who produce a wide range of car, locomotive, and structure kits in various scales. They list my Vauxhall kit at £65.79, about $100.96 today. Not a bad gift! Oh, and your Bugatti is lovely. You're better than you tell me! Cheers! --Bob
sjordan2 Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 The piano wire wheels seem to be a big problem for we who want to build a T59, since they aren't properly represented in kit form. The LeMans Miniatures wheels are excellent in 1/24 and 1/32. The kit I want to build is the Bburago die cast body kit (supposedly 1/18 but actually closer to 1/15), and I was able to track down very nice aftermarket wheels made for that kit, with a front axle with the proper camber. Unfortunately, according to the maker, those parts are no longer available.
sjordan2 Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Very, very nice Andy I did not realize there was a special "Bugatti Blue" also like the model car garage piano hinges...look a lot more to scale and than the hinges I'm using on my Type 32. by the way...JB Weld did the trick on installing the hinges, will be posting updates later Great looking T59, even after all these years The true shade of "Bugatti blue" is actually all over the place, with multiple repaints over the years (and after each race) based on what was available to owners, confusing the issue. You'll see blue Bugattis in shades ranging from pale blue to deep French racing blue. All I know is that the legend (never refuted) goes that Mrs. Bugatti liked the blue color on Gauloises cigarette packs of the era, and that's how it began.
peekay Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Beautiful replica, one of the nicest Wills Finecast builds I've seen.
PeeBee Posted February 18, 2015 Posted February 18, 2015 MASTERFUL job. I had that kit and was about half-way through it when my cave was consumed by fire, taking the Bugatti with it. I had the LM wheels as well. These are beautifully cast but very challenging kits, for sure. Kudos. This build is astounding. PB.
gtx6970 Posted February 18, 2015 Posted February 18, 2015 WOW,,,,,,, VERY nice. And the older I get the more I appreciate the earlier cars , Well done , And from 1979,, Even I dont have any unbuilt stuff that old ......
Ace-Garageguy Posted February 18, 2015 Posted February 18, 2015 Man, what a beautiful car...and model.
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