Automotive

I must admit to being a huge WRC (World Rally Championship) fan.  Like the Formula 1 World Series, the WRC races take place in different countries around the world each season.  Races alternate between various surfaces: tarmac, gravel, dirt, snow/ice, and often multiple surfaces within the same race.  The racers consist of two person crews, driver and navigator/co-driver, representing either a “works” team or being an “independent”.  With the occasional exception, the top three finishers in each race come from the “works” teams, as due to the big money behind such teams, they are able to afford the most advanced cars, the top driver talent, and the highly trained and disciplined mechanics necessary to sustain a car over the course of an individual race and the entire season.  For the past many years, the Big Guns have been Subaru, Citroen, and Ford.

Auto Modeling is a quarterly release from Model Art Magazine. The magazine is chock full of pictures of builds in progress, line drawings, and photos of the actual cars themselves.

This issue focuses on F1 series racing from the 60’s. Included are several articles written about the champion machines of this time period. Also included is what appears to be an article about the drivers from this time period. Unfortunately for most of us, the article is in Japanese.

Included is a new kit review article. These show the actual model under construction to completion. As with the rest of the issue, this is accompanied with a multitude of photos.  In this issue, they cover one motorcycle, two cars, and some type of racing spaceship.

Even though the majority of the text is in Japanese, I think that fans of F1 racing would still enjoy looking through the pages at the wonderful models illustrating the articles.

I would like to thank Model Art for supplying the sample issue for review, and IPMS/USA for allowing me the opportunity to do it.
 

The kit represents Prime Minister Josef Stalin’s personal Packard V-12.  I found it difficult to get information on how this car was acquired.  It was rumored that we (the US) gave him dies to make the car, but it’s unknown how true that is.  I was able to get a few pictures, but my computer was giving me a fit, trying to get on a Russian site (not ICM’s), so I stopped.

The V-12 engine was a very durable engine.  Packard had modified these to adapt them to marine use in our PT boats.  Rolls-Royce licensed Packard to build the V-12 framed Merlin, which powered many British and Canadian aircraft, including our own P-51 Mustang, for better performance at high altitude than the Allison engine.

I like this kit, and in the hands of a modeler with greater ability than mine, this car could really sing.  There are some problems that need to be addressed, though.

The Kit

The kit is for a 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery, custom designed and built by Gene Winfield. The kit can be built three ways – stock, street, or strip. The kit comes with enough parts to build two motors and come with a motor stand to place one motor on. The motor can be built three ways, too.

The instructions are well drawn and easy to read, but provide no color scheme to follow. It lets you paint it your way.

The Build

Before beginning, wash all the parts in soapy water to get any mold release agents off them. You begin construction with the motors; there are enough parts to build two. The interior is constructed next, adding both seats and the dash. Next, add the tires and rims by fastening them to the steel axles provided. The interior has enough room to add other accessories, should you desire.

The Kit

The kit for the AMC Gremlin X is a reissue.  It can be built two ways – either stock or as a pro-stock dragster.  This kit has a lot of detail and is very nicely done, very true to the real Gremlin X.  The model is nice and heavy and durable.

The instructions are well drawn and easy to read.  The instructions have all the parts numbered, but the parts are not numbered on the part trees.  You will have to figure it out by the drawings.

The Build

Construction begins with the motor, which can be constructed stock or as a drag motor.  Whichever way you choose, it’s highly detailed and true to the real thing.

The interior comes next.  The dash is highly detailed, displaying all the gauges.  The seats are buckets that can be used two ways – stock or drag.  The drag option has a roll bar that shows padding that a drag car should have. Tire selection is either slick and skinnies, depending on if the kit is built stock or drag.  Optional tinted windows are included in the kit.

History

Introduced in November of 1987, the NSR 250R was the second generation of the NSR line. In what many would call the best year for the NSR line, that model year introduced many innovations that made it a race winning performer. The most significant advance was the PGM module that controlled the carburetor performance, based on input from the throttle and speedometer to adjust the carbs in real time. This was the first computer control of its kind on a Honda motorcycle. This was in conjunction with the Honda RC, or” revolution control” system, an adjustable exhaust valve that constricted outflow at low RPM and opened at high RPM to produce optimum power at any throttle setting. Added to coated pistons to reduce friction wear were larger tires to keep the bike on the road and a powerful 249cc engine producing 49 hp. I’ve never ridden a motorcycle over 125cc and I thought that was impressive! The NSR 250R of this generation was a proven winner at the track, and this model represents what was a race-ready, street legal version of this important addition to motorcycle history.

The Kit

The parts are molded in gray, black, and chrome. According to the instructions, the first step in assembly is the motor. The locating pins are small, making it hard to line up the parts. I used a slow-drying plastic glue rather than cyanoacrylate to make sure it was aligned properly.

Then I dip-painted the fenders, gas tank, carry boxes, and parts F-9 and F-10, using a special process with water and paint. I sprayed black and chrome into a five-gallon bucket filled with water, then hand-dipped each completed and prepared part in. As I withdrew the parts, the paint, floating on top of the water, coated each part in a swirling, soft-edged pattern.

The bike’s rear wheel and its housing went together well, as did the brake calipers, parts B-12 & B-15. When working on the frame, I made sure parts D-18 & D-6 and the rear wheel were all assembled at the same time. Also, when installing the battery, the oil casing and the starter, A-20 & A-22, have to go in first. Extra care has to be taken when cutting out parts O-6 & -7, and E-1, -2, -8, -17, -32, -33, -40, and -45.

History

The new Mini Cooper launched in the US in 2001 and was instant hit with American car buyers. In 2010, BMW introduced the fourth and, to date, the largest addition to the Mini line, The Mini Cooper S Countryman All-4.  The Mini Countryman is the first in the Mini series to feature a five-door hatchback design and four-wheel drive. In the styling motto of “as many different MINI’s as there are drivers”, the Countryman is available in a variety of color options, including the “UNION JACK” which features a flag design on the roof and mirrors.

The Kit: