'Altered' Fiat (Mighty) Topolino Update 12/27/14 Finished! Pics!

[Speedfreak]

Hello Everyone, This is my first WIP here so here goes: Altered Fiat Topolino. The Topolino ('little mouse' in Italian) model A was a small (one of the smallest cars in the world at the time) two seater sedan made to compete with the German Volkswagen. It was produced from 1937 to 1948 and had a small four cylinder engine (569 cc) that produced 13 bhp and could achieve a top speed of 53 mph and about 39.2 miles per U.S. gallon.

My how things were altered in the late 50's, early 60's by American drag racers. Right now just prepping the body parts, color is MM Bright Light Purple.

All comments are welcome!

Edited December 28, 2014 by Speedfreak

[cobraman]

That's a nice little kit. It should really "pop" in that color.

[Ira]

Great Project!

Love those little Fiats...

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Ray and Ira. Ya it's a really cool kit. It's an interesting color, my camera showed it as blue so I got it pretty close with software. It should look cool with the whitewall pie crusts on the rear and I'm thinking the big 'moons' on the front not sure yet. Right now I'm thinking black, maybe gloss for the frame and white for the roll bar. Maybe blue for the windows?

Edited March 10, 2014 by Speedfreak

[High octane]

Gene, nice build you've got going there as I happen to be workin' on the same kit as we speak. I've got a good start on mine and hope to have it done in early April as I doing some home decorating as well.

[Speedfreak]

I'll see if I can keep up with you Nick! Going to do more sanding now!

[slusher]

Looking forward to your build Gene..

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Carl, I'll do my best to make it entertaining, lol. I think the purple is going to look great the more I look at it.

[Speedfreak]

Hello everyone, I've got a build question about the three little tabs on the inside of each wheel well. They are so defined and exact it looks like they should have a purpose but I can't for the life of me see what that might be. Are they just tabs from the mold that should be removed?

Thanks.

[crazyrichard]

cool !

[Speedfreak]

First mock-up. Thinking that the wheels (60's Mopar from Scenes Unlimited) and frame will be gloss black. But then again, I think the purple looks cool with white so I'm not sure. Any opinions on colors would be great. I'm thinking Transparent yellow, or , blue for the windows, MM brown leather color for the seat, red for the engine. I'm gonna try and make the decals myself, this is just paper for now. Let me know what you think, thanks for looking.

She might be small, but she's mighty!

Edited March 25, 2014 by Speedfreak

[Speedfreak]

Oh come on, ya gotta admit it looks pretty cool, 'seriously adult hobbyist' cool maybe even.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Speedfreak

[slusher]

Gene,clear blue would look great for the windows and orange, red, or silver would be great for the engine. I would do the seat black maybe semi gloss. Its your build buddy just throwing out ideas. I do like the mighty mouse decals...

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Carl! Well it 'is' the 'little mouse' right? I'll probably go with orange for the engine , and , I got my decal making supplies yesterday.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Speedfreak

[Speedfreak]

Carl, it looks like you're the only one that didn't get the memo on this thing, thanks for your comment.

[slusher]

Looking forward to your update Gene, very cool project....

[10thumbs]

What a cool kit! I love the altereds and old Gassers, especially the Fiat altereds, and Anglia Gassers. I think I'll be building one of these devilish machines some time in the future.

Keep us posted on progress.

Michael

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Carl and Michael, should have some pics up in the next day or so. Got the wheels and frame painted and am putting the basic engine together now.

[microboyca]

Very cool little mouse!It's a cool little kit with lots of possibilities.Cheers.

Ron.

[Speedfreak]

Thanks Ron, update pics soon!

[unclescott58]

Gene, was the "memo" on the Mighty Mouse decals? If so, I got it. And you have got to go with it. A V8 powered Topolino is as "Mighty Mouse" as one can get. By the way, it was my favorite cartoon as a very young child in the early '60s.

As we speak, I'm working on the same kit. So I'll be keeping an eye on yours. Bought a set of Gofer Racing racing decals. In the set I bought is a cartoon rat with the words "Rat Rod" underneath. Thought about that for while, but I don't want build mine to looking like a "rat rod". It is a Topolino, not a rat after all. And I want to mine to be nice and shiny. On the same decal sheet are some Hamm's Beer logos with the Hamm's bear. Growing up in "The Land of Sky Blue Waters", near St. Paul where Hamm's was originally brewed, I'm thinking of going with that. Painting the model in Tamiya's Light Blue Metallic. Then adding the Hamm's Beer/bear decals. Hamm's Beer decals on a A/A dragster? I haven't drank in years, so I kind of like the humor of that. What do you think?

Scott Aho

[Speedfreak]

Scott, I thought that Carl was the only one that didn't get the memo saying, " we don't like this car" 'cause for four days after the second update he was the only one that left a comment.

I remember Hamm's beer well. Growing up in KC they were the sponsor for major league baseball radio broadcast's here, so I've heard that jingle 'many' times! I think the Hamm's logo decals would work well. Like mine it will be a 'what if' car, lol.

Here's a link to an article that was in Mopar Muscle Magazine a few years ago. If you scroll down the second picture on right is the 'original' car taken in 1959, it's 'BLUE', (click to get larger view). The AMT Double Dragster Fiat is based on 'that' car. In your kit there should be a second set of headers, (there is in the 'Tin' version) with one tube hanging lower than the others? In the picture look at the header tube closest to the firewall, same droop. Only thing is, AMT molded it backwards! So if you use it you have to put it on the 'passenger' side, which would be incorrect. It's one of the few pics that exist of the car to my knowledge.

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/featuredvehicles/race_car/mopp_1006_1939_fiat_coupe_altered/

Thanks for the comment Scott, I appreciate it. It's fun to have someone doing the same build! Let me know if you start a thread.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Speedfreak

[slusher]

I did not know your post was moved here Gene. Looking forward to some more update pictures....

[Speedfreak]

Carl, I didn't know it until last night, makes since though. I'm feeling better today, hopefully I can get a couple of pics up.

[unclescott58]

Gene, thanks for link to that article on Walt's Puffer. Very cool. I knew the AMT kit was based on that car, but I never really knew anything of the car, or the driver's career. And I'm glad to see the car is still around. With great detailed pictures to boot.

Thanks,

Scott Aho