Hawk/lindberg Auburn Glitch

[Junkman]

Hehe, they put the front bumper on upside down:

http://www.lindberg-models.com/land_model72324.html

I wish we would eventually get a newly tooled Auburn Speedster. The car would deserve to be accurately kitted. I'm not good enough a modeller to make something plausible out of this ancient Pyro desaster.

[Dave in Seattle]

Soooo.....now the ad picture is a big a POS as the kit itself.....

It really is unconscionable that we have never been able to get a well-done model of that car in 124-1/25 except for (GASP!) diecast. I doubt it will ever happen in plastic.

Dave VanderWal

[patrol52]

I'm not sure, but I think one of the many possible reasons a good model has yet to be made, is the fact that there are so many panels on the car. All the fenders, body, hood pieces, and running boards really need to be separate to make a decent representation.

It it impossible to paint one that is completely assembled [i.e. fenders on] cause the back side is not reachable (at least on the 1:1.)

If one really wanted to, that kit could be decently built to make a reasonable version of the 1:1, without too much hassle. (BTW, If anybody needs some pictures of ACD cars, I have some from the ACD reunion in Auburn.) The '37 Cord; however, is not worth the time I am going to spend to make it holy.

[Harry P.]

Yeah, that kit is a real dog...but with enough TLC it's actually possible to build a pretty presentable model. It takes a lot of work...but it IS possible.

Too bad it's the only Auburn kit available. Sure would be nice to have a good kit of such a cool car!

[ZIL 111V]

Strange that Monogram did not make a more accurate kit, after the excellent release of the Duesy SJ's & the Cord 812 in it's classic car series in the 60's.

After a Duesy & a Cord, would think that Monogram next american classic would have been an Auburn of the 30's.

The ex Pyro kit was made back in circa 1959-60, same for the ex Pyro 812 (this one is real, real bad compared to Monogram 812) & Continental kits ( not so bad but Monogram prewar model is also way better) so we can't expect accuracy, good level of details & perfect fitting in those 50's kits, but as mention the auburn kit can turn out not to bad with patience.

......nearly 50 years later still the only1/25/24 plastic kit of this beauty.....doubt that Revell will kit this one

[Junkman]

Yeah, that kit is a real dog...but with enough TLC it's actually possible to build a pretty presentable model. It takes a lot of work...but it IS possible.

Too bad it's the only Auburn kit available. Sure would be nice to have a good kit of such a cool car!

I dunno. When I look into that Pyro box, it would border scratchbuilding to make anything resembling a real Auburn out of these pieces. OK, there are modellers out there who have the skills. This would be a prime resin to the rescue subject. If I could get a resin pop of a model made by someone who can do this kind of stuff, I would be in model heaven and my Pyro/Lifelike/Lindberg kit be shot at with a pellet gun.

[Modelmartin]

I always thought that the Auburn body panels were well shaped and that is most of the battle. Source some wheels and tires from elsewhwere and some careful tweaking. Of course, I haven't done one yet but maybe I need to. Some of them had exposed wires and some had disc wheel covers. An up convert top would really make it!

Fred Cady once showed me a hand written list of Classic cars that Monogram had considered making back in the day and it was incredible! I can't remember them all but there were Bugattis, Alfas, Packards and likely the Auburn. I think all of the Monogram classics were done just because the powers at Monogram liked them a lot.

[Junkman]

I always thought that the Auburn body panels were well shaped and that is most of the battle. Source some wheels and tires from elsewhwere and some careful tweaking. Of course, I haven't done one yet but maybe I need to. Some of them had exposed wires and some had disc wheel covers. An up convert top would really make it!

Fred Cady once showed me a hand written list of Classic cars that Monogram had considered making back in the day and it was incredible! I can't remember them all but there were Bugattis, Alfas, Packards and likely the Auburn. I think all of the Monogram classics were done just because the powers at Monogram liked them a lot.

Woo, more might have beens...

I'm not convinced the Auburn panels are well shaped. The grille/nose seems too wide and overall the model seems to be too 'stubby'. And as soon as I'm done with all the corrections, in twenty years or so, Hasegawa or whoever does one in museum quality. Btw, can you believe they made the BMW 327 just half as big as necessary?

[HotRodaSaurus]

I have only ever had 2 Pyro kits like this. Dad bought me the Cord for Christmas as a kid, I knew the cowl was wrong and tried to correct it but failed.

Then I bought the Continental(original with the 'well to do couple' scenery) as a glue bomb off the Bay a couple of years back only wanted it for the box,

Pyro did employ some great artists, shame the kits were not up to scratch. I wanted the Auburn box with the car at speed as well but have not seen one latley.

Then again, who made the worst? Premier? Lincoln Futura or Cadillac Eldorado?

[Junkman]

What was the worst car model kit ever would be an interesting thread/poll. My vote goes for a Buick Le Sabre kit that's so bad I even forgot who the manufacturer was.

[Biscuitbuilder]

Strange that Monogram did not make a more accurate kit, after the excellent release of the Duesy SJ's & the Cord 812 in it's classic car series in the 60's.

After a Duesy & a Cord, would think that Monogram next american classic would have been an Auburn of the 30's.

The ex Pyro kit was made back in circa 1959-60, same for the ex Pyro 812 (this one is real, real bad compared to Monogram 812) & Continental kits ( not so bad but Monogram prewar model is also way better) so we can't expect accuracy, good level of details & perfect fitting in those 50's kits, but as mention the auburn kit can turn out not to bad with patience.

......nearly 50 years later still the only1/25/24 plastic kit of this beauty.....doubt that Revell will kit this one

Earlier than that!!! I still have parts of the Santa stuck in my stocking on Christmas 1955, when I was the ripe old age of 11. I thought the kit was cool as h*ll (no, I didn't say that out loud then--never much cared for soap as a Christmas breakfast entre') back then, neat as all get out.

The kit dates from the very earliest of plastic model car kits--and while the science of engineering injection molds was pretty much where it is to this day, the "artistry" of creating an accurate scale model of just about anything was barely ready for solid food. By the way, the Pyro/Lifelike/Lindberg Auburn is more nearly 1/28 scale, perhaps even a bit smaller--that was NOT a small car, as anyone who's seen the 1:1 can attest--those were a car designed to compete with the likes of Buick, itself no slouch for size either.

One of the persistent rumors from the 60's is that JoHan was ready to cut tooling for an Auburn 812 Speedster--would that have been cool or what? I think it would have been.

Biscuitbuilder

[HotRodaSaurus]

Was it Don Emmons that combined the Pyro Auburn and a Monogram Duesenberg to produce a Boat tail Duesenberg. I have the build up in an old Rod & Custom magazine from the 1960s. Looks a real neat conversion.

John

[lordairgtar]

My vote goes for a Buick Le Sabre kit that's so bad I even forgot who the manufacturer was.

That would have been Premier. I saw one at a swap meet last weekend. Utter crapola!