Fiat Topolino (Please help me)

[Bugace]

Hi guys!

Before I wen't into a total darkness, modelbuilding drought, I started on a whole buch of projects. Some will probably never be finished, but others diserves progress.

One of the projects I like the most is this stock Fiat Topolino.

I began with a resincasting of the Revell partsbox body. Using Revells Beetle Convertible fenders as basis for scratching Fiat fenders.

Scratcing, as the Beetles fenders are way too wide.

Here is my problem. The Revell grill was not close enough to beeing a correct stock grill. I had to remove it. What I have is a rather frail surrounding for the grill it self.

How do I attack this problem?

My self might think using different sheet styrene, putting those that will be the grill ribbs, away from some used as steering the distance betweene them. A kind of laminating thats allows me to shape the grill ribbs when put together. Then somehow manage to remove the ribs from the distance pieces, with the ribbs intact. Other ideas I don't have.

PLEASE, You top scratchbuilders, help me out.

AND SORRY, BUT THE R&R VERSION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Edited May 10, 2012 by Bugace

[Bugace]

No one?????

[gasser59]

Hi Tor - this is quite an undertaking and one that should be completed as its quite unusual. Last year at one of the local contests, I saw on of these built up as a stock Topolino and the guy used a Revell '34 Ford model for the fenders. You know theone. Its the one that is completely undersized and almost looks like a 1/32 scale kit. It actually came out quite good. I know you've used bug fenders for yours but I thought I would throw this out there. Good luck and I'm not enough of a body man to help you with this one.

[Bugace]

Hi Tor - this is quite an undertaking and one that should be completed as its quite unusual. Last year at one of the local contests, I saw on of these built up as a stock Topolino and the guy used a Revell '34 Ford model for the fenders. You know theone. Its the one that is completely undersized and almost looks like a 1/32 scale kit. It actually came out quite good. I know you've used bug fenders for yours but I thought I would throw this out there. Good luck and I'm not enough of a body man to help you with this one.

Not the body that is the problem, but that grill. Guess I will have to try my way.

I've seen a stock build up as well based on the AMT body. But both AMT, and Revells grill are wrong, so it would not help using either. AMT, and Revell have used fiberglas cars as theire referance. At least the front have been fiberglas. There they have of course done the grill as easy to install as possible, and casting the front as easy as possible, insted of going for prototypical correct compared to the road car.

The Revell '34 You mention is nice as a base building a British Y Ford. That body should also be interesting for those building drag cars. If You like Buttera frames, then that Revell kit could work as donor for both a Aardwark 1915 T, and a Y Ford. That is how I use it.

[Mike Kucaba]

As I recall,Topolinos had two distinct grills. One was just two slot and another was three slot. Long ago Dean Milano in Scale Auto detailed how he made the grills on a replica he did.

[Mike Kucaba]

Here's a stock grill.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=fiat+topolino&start=281&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1176&bih=555&

[FASTBACK340]

As already mentioned, the Revell `32 kits fenders are almost a drop-in swap. I've seen it done by several different builders and it looks pretty darn good.

[rustybill1960]

Is the grille from the Round 2 from last year no good?

If its okay I know where you can get a resin copy.

The copy has been reworked to fit better.

If I can get the link to the photo I will sent it to you.

If this helps

Looks real good, I like what your diong!

Thank You for sharing

Later

Russ

[Bugace]

Neither Revell's, or AMT's, grill are correct.

The dragster grills looks like this one.

The stock Topolino grill is not rounded in bottom.

My grillopening is not ready yet, as it is too edgy in the bottom. Also falling in too soon from top to bottom.

But as I'm going to make a detailed model, I wish to make the grill see through.

Edited May 13, 2012 by Bugace

[Psychographic]

This might be hard to explain/understand.

First make your grille surround out of rod, then starting in the middle glue your first grill bar to the rod. then put a spacer in that is not long enough to reach the rod for the surround, with that as a spacer, glue your next bar into place. Slide out the spacer and keep repeating until you are done. Hopefully when you are done, it will be strong enough to very carefully sand your grille bars to the contour of the nose.

You're gonna need a lot of patience and time to pull this off.

Good luck with it.

[Bugace]

This might be hard to explain/understand.

First make your grille surround out of rod, then starting in the middle glue your first grill bar to the rod. then put a spacer in that is not long enough to reach the rod for the surround, with that as a spacer, glue your next bar into place. Slide out the spacer and keep repeating until you are done. Hopefully when you are done, it will be strong enough to very carefully sand your grille bars to the contour of the nose.

You're gonna need a lot of patience and time to pull this off.

Good luck with it.

This is very close to the methode I thought about as well. Only I think I will make the spacers standing betweene each rib, even when shaping the curvature.

[Mike Kucaba]

As I recall,Topolinos had two distinct grills. One was just two slot and another was three slot. Long ago Dean Milano in Scale Auto detailed how he made the grills on a replica he did.

I need to make a correction on this: The replica that Dean Milano made was a stock Anglia and a panel. That's where the reference to a two slot and three slot grill opening came from. I'm not sure he made a replica (stock) of a Topolino.

[badcaditude]

Sorry, if this is out of line. Here's a crazy idea. A 3D printer. I'm looking into getting one.

I've started a 1/25 scale '69 Austin America/1100/1300 years ago. Finding a set of the Teardrop Taillights, Head Light Bezels, Front Signal Lights... not to mention a long list of other pieces is impossible. No one has ever Kitted one. The Head lights could be Sourced from a Original Tamiya Mini Cooper Kit. I don't know how to attach pictures here from My Pictures.

I had an easier time scratch building a Van I designed after a Note Pad someone gave me. I used a Revell Surfite Chassis and engine. The only problem I had and knew it was going to be a problem was the roof warping. Yeah, it warped.

To make the Wheels look different I stripped the chrome, painted them silver and put them on backwards. When I find it, I'll post pictures.

[Rossa156]

An Austin America????? I owned an MG 1100 and two Minis, an Austin sedan and a Morris Traveller. I've only see an Airfix 1/32 MG 1100 4-door ever made. I really like to see your Austin America.

Patrick

[cobraman]

Funny that a Austin America was mentioned. I had a 69 Austin America many years ago. What a piece of %$@& that was.

[horsepower]

As already mentioned, the Revell `32 kits fenders are almost a drop-in swap. I've seen it done by several different builders and it looks pretty darn good.

It's actually the Revell '34 Ford fenders that fit so well, the kit used for the model I'm building as a street rod came from the black molded one, it's the Hot Rod version I think, or the same fenders come in the burgundy '34 Ford roadster kit also.