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My particular field of interest in racing cars is predominately vintage and classic. Unfortunately there are very few reasonably priced kits available in my favourite scale. Many of you will be aware of the old Merit Grand Prix car kits. They had quite a range including the D type Jaguar (one of my all time favourites) Maserati 250F, Talbot Lago and Alfa Romeo 158, to name just a few. The kits are really quite ancient now and I believe they were first manufactured at the dawn of the plastic kit era. That having been said, they are fair representations of the original subjects and with a bit of re-work and a few additions, can be made into reasonable looking models. I've managed to acquire a number of these kits over the years as prices for unbuilt examples in good condition can get quite interesting. My most recent irresistible find was in a local charity shop. There were four kits with a sticker price of £2.25 each. I handed over £20 for them as that was all I had in my wallet, it felt like the right thing to do. Haul was, Ferrari D50, Vanwall, BRM P25 and Cooper 500. So, I am slowly working my way through them. All were built examples but definitely not 'glue bombs'. I have completed the Vanwall and have been slowly working on the BRM P25. This years model club Christmas competition is themed, an annual event, this years theme is 'Lincolnshire' i.e. anything built or used in Lincolnshire. The BRM, being built in Bourne, fits the bill nicely (I'm also doing a 1/32 Red Arrow) so I have to crack on with this. The pics that follow show the basic kit, a built out of the box example (these pics are from the net) followed by my progress pics of the build so far. Also, you need to know that the Merit kit was of the early P25 prototype. This was before Colin Chapman suggested a re-think on the suspension and the transverse leaf spring was dropped. So there will be no pretty red springs peeping out above the rear wheels. Work starts with the body. Removing the moulded in radiator grilles and rescribing the panel lines, these are raised on all Merit car kits. The tyres and wheels are from South Eastern Finecast. They sell kit parts separately and these come from their BRM P57 white metal kit. The castings have been improved by drilling through and adding the smaller holes. The rims have also been smoothed slightly. A new floor has been added together with transmission tunnel. Reference for the cockpit has come from my own pics taken at vintage race meets. They are all of the later P25 but I am hoping not too much changed in this respect. I could find no detail pics of the early car. The pinky white blob at the rear of the cockpit is the front of the fuel tank, this was un covered right behind the drivers seat! This was made with body filler applied over the top of the flat kit part. The real fuel tank was, of course, rounded in profile. It was common for cars of this era to have tubular chassis covered with a metal skin. The tube chassis could be seen running down the sides of the cockpit so this has to be represented. I make some measurements and draw a jig. The two sides of the frame are joined together under the instrument panel, this also makes it easier to handle and attach as a single piece on final assembly. A quick mock up of how it looks. Instrument panel will have details added and I need to scratch a gear lever up. Finally, couldn't resist a quick mock up of the car. Now thinking about how to scratch up an exhaust system, probably with 2mm solder. Thanks for looking. As usual, I am open to suggestions or improvements, etc. Cheers, Steve.