1946 Buick Model 76C Roadmaster convertible

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

The 1946 Buick Model 76C Roadmaster is one of the rarest postwar Buick convertibles. Out of 2,587 produced, only four are known to remain. The real car weighs in at 4345 pounds, has a 129-inch wheelbase and sold new for $2,347. It was powered by a 320 cubic inch straight-eight overhead valve engine, making 144 horsepower with a three-speed manual transmission. From 1946 through 1957 Roadmasters were the most elegant and prestigious automobiles that Buick sold. (The information in this paragraph was derived from the © 1998-2008 Conceptcarz.com web site.)

This car started its life as a TKM resin 1948 Buick convertible. If you are familiar with TKM models, they are offerings that are unique in the modeling field but are extremely rough in detailing and finish. The body has been completely reshaped. All of the trim, door handles, headlights, taillights, and emblems were shaved off of the body and replaced with styrene parts that were hand sculpted from scratch using new blank styrene plastic. The original interior was cut out and discarded as well as the original sheet metal "chassis". The bumpers were originally part of the one piece casting of the body. They were cut off, re-sculpted then reattached. The poorly shaped original 1948 grille was cut out and discarded. A new 1946 grille was hand fabricated and attached. The dashboard was originally part of the one piece body casting. It has been cut away from the body, re-sculpted and detailed, then reattached. The entire underside and the inside of this car has been hand cut, formed, sculpted from new blank styrene plastic except for the dashboard. All of the interior trim, door handles, window cranks, power window switches, ashtrays, lines in the seats, grab handles on the back of the front seat, etc. are all hand sculpted. The steering wheel was created from several different steering wheels and reworked. The poorly cast one piece resin tires and rims have been heavily modified. The tire part was cut away leaving only the hub caps and white walls. New vinyl tires with an extra large opening for white walls have been modified and then re-assembled.

Other special interest areas to note on this model are;

1. Paint is the factory offered color of metallic Sienna Rust.

2. Hand made "bomb sight" hood ornament with steel center "sight".

3. Steel antenna in the folded down position in the center of the windshield.

4. Hand made windshield wipers.

5. Color detailed Buick hood and trunk emblems.

6. Two-toned color coordinated interior

7. Color coordinated carpeting.

8. Shifter arm and turn signal arm on steering column (note that the turn signal arm is mounted in front of the shifter arm).

9. A convertible boot was made from scratch using new blank styrene plastic and has been formed for an extremely snug fit to the body and interior.

10. Rear view mirror.

11. Outside door locks.

12. Gas pedal, brake pedal, and clutch pedal.

13. Brake pedal.

14. Clutch pedal.

15. Sun visors.

16. Custom made 1946 Virginia license plates.

There is no chrome plating on this model. Everything else has been painstakingly detailed using Bare Metal Foil, highly polished and sealed with clear coating.

Approximate build time - about three months.

[Jeff Sauber]

Now that's a good looking TKM!! I know all about TKM resins and boy, calling them rough is an understatement.

Those things are blocks of soap.. You must have had some serious dedication and tenacity to see this one through.....Nice work!!

Love the fabrication and craftsmanship of things...My hat is off to you, Sir..Job well done...

Edited July 31, 2010 by J. Sauber

[Jeff Sauber]

TKM: The next best thing to scratchbuilding.

Very impressive. Anyone that can get a halfway-passable result from a TKM is doing something, and this is well past that. It looks so nice most people would have no idea what you started with. If you have a "before" or some in-progress shots I think it would be great to post when you have a chance. I hope your next build is something a little less crude!

I agree...

Lot's of folks still haven't seen a TKM resin body before, so seeing the WIP pics would be great. It would really be a good indication of just how much work went into this thing.

Those things are ROUGH to say the least.

Getting the finished model to look like this, is simply remarkable...

Edited July 31, 2010 by J. Sauber

[jeffs396]

Wow James, that's a beauty!

Please post more of your work, and BTW, welcome to the best model car modeling site on the planet!

[Harry P.]

That is some masterful modeling.

[lizardlust]

I've seen TKM's castings in person - wouldn't it have been easier to scratchbuild???

Those things were NEVER meant to look that good - my kudos to your tenacity, skill and vision to produce such a GORGEOUS replica from such humble origins!!!

[randx0]

I am extemely impressed . I have seen TKM bodies before and what you have done is incredible . My hat's off to you. I like the buick .

[charlie8575]

Very nice job with that, James. And a beautiful color choice, too.

Charlie Larkin

[impcon]

It's guys like you that make my inferiority complex bubble to the surface!!! Seriously though - that sure is a work of art!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not believe how it turned out.. what a cream puff! Judging from the remarks in the posts, I'll stay away from TKM stuff.. my skills are no where near yours. There are few words to really do justice to whatyou have created. A masterpiece indeed!

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

Now that's a good looking TKM!! I know all about TKM resins and boy, calling them rough is an understatement.

Those things are blocks of soap.. You must have had some serious dedication and tenacity to see this one through.....Nice work!!

Love the fabrication and craftsmanship of things...My hat is off to you, Sir..Job well done...

Thanks Jeff! I really like the '48 Lincoln you made, that took a lot of work just getting the body to fit together smoothly.

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

TKM: The next best thing to scratchbuilding.

Very impressive. Anyone that can get a halfway-passable result from a TKM is doing something, and this is well past that. It looks so nice most people would have no idea what you started with. If you have a "before" or some in-progress shots I think it would be great to post when you have a chance. I hope your next build is something a little less crude!

Thanks Mark! Sorry I didn't take any photos before or during the build. There was an inch of resin dust everywhere from all of the filing and sanding with gravel and I didn't want to damage my camera. I saw your Aston Martin, very sharp looking!

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

Wow James, that's a beauty!

Please post more of your work, and BTW, welcome to the best model car modeling site on the planet!

Thanks Jeff!

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

That is some masterful modeling.

Thank you Harry!

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

I've seen TKM's castings in person - wouldn't it have been easier to scratchbuild???

Those things were NEVER meant to look that good - my kudos to your tenacity, skill and vision to produce such a GORGEOUS replica from such humble origins!!!

Thanks Kurt! The Caprice Cruiser you made looks like the actual car instead of a model, very nice !

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

I am extemely impressed . I have seen TKM bodies before and what you have done is incredible . My hat's off to you. I like the buick .

Thanks Randy!

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

Very nice job with that, James. And a beautiful color choice, too.

Charlie Larkin

Thank you Charlie!

[James Haines (dryplastic)]

It's guys like you that make my inferiority complex bubble to the surface!!! Seriously though - that sure is a work of art!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not believe how it turned out.. what a cream puff! Judging from the remarks in the posts, I'll stay away from TKM stuff.. my skills are no where near yours. There are few words to really do justice to whatyou have created. A masterpiece indeed!

Thank you Gary!

[Jim Gibbons]

Simply beautiful. I always wanted to build a '48 Roadmaster convertible, as my aunt had a black one w/ red leather. It's one of my all time favorite '40s cars. I remember how long it used to take to wash and wax it when I would help her as a kid.

After reading all the comments about TKM, I guess it will to remain on a wish list, or I'll have to hope for a good deal on a Danbury Mint version.

[george 53]

TKM????? You sir are a SCULPTOR!!! To make a worthy representation of ANY kind with as Jeff puts it, "A bar of SOAP" takes TRUE courage! You Dun GOOD! If you can do that with a TKM kit, YOU don't need ta fear ANYTHING!!! AND your a better modeler than I! I wouldn't TOUCH a TKM kit, much less pay good money for one!!!

[spkgibson]

WOW That is Stunning Build!Just wondering how much time you have involved in the body?

[Draggon]

That thing just blew my mind. I must go lie down now and rest. Your skill is way beyond amazing.

[Tony T]

Beautiful Buick there!

[Danno]

That is just incredible! As has been said, to turn a TKM into such a beautiful model was truly a masterful feat! Congratulations on such a beauty, and thanks for sharing it with us. More! Bring us more! Don't be a stranger.

[dimaxion]

I know what you started with . I've finished two TKMs . About to finish the third . You excelled with this build . I just cannot add anything for a compliment that hasn't been already said . Thanx ..

Edited August 2, 2010 by dimaxion