Airtrax Volvo P1800

[Paul H]

This is one I started back in 2010.  It's by Airtrax, and is moulded in resin.  Tyres, suspension or glass are not included, although wheel covers of the correct design are provided.  Photos of the kit parts themselves are here (not my pics - I had already made a start before it occurred to me to photograph them

I'm using an Airfix (ex Aoshima) 1:24 MGB as the parts donor since the MG's 14" wheels at 1:24 are close enough to 15" at 1:25.  The track is also the same, so most of the suspension parts etc can also be used.  No doubt, the headlights and other small detail parts will also end up being used too.  Headlights (both bowls / surrounds and lenses) are included in the kit, however I don't use alclad, just BMF or a Molotow Chrome pen & so will use the spare MG ones, with Molotow & BMF for other parts and detailing.

 

My overall impressions of the kit are very positive - yes, some cleanup of the parts is required, and there are a few air bubbles that need filling, but no more than expected based on the description from Airtrax. The parts are all well moulded, with lots of detail with all badging on the body, and the dash is especially detailed.

 

Now for the donor parts - the MG kit front suspension is close enough to the Volvo setup, so is being used pretty much as is but will have a few cosmetic tweaks to better represent the design of the Volvo crossmember.  However, at the rear the MG is cart springs, whereas the Volvo is upper and lower trailing arms with coil springs and a panhard rod.  The MG axle and hubs will still be used, but I will need to fabricate the rest of the suspension components.  Wire wheels were a period optional fitment for P1800s, so I may keep those.  If not, they may be hollowed out to accept the standard wheel covers as supplied in the kit unless I decide to turn something up on the centre lathe at work.

 

Anyhow, enough talk – here’s the pics...

 

An early shot, whilst still cleaning up the shell, and tweaking the fit of the chassis.  Also in process of finalising the position of the wheels:

 

Pretty much sorted - also added a section at the bulkhead to represent a box section that is there on the real car, and also to overhang & thus hide the join between body & chassis:

(Also in the middle of cutting away the back of the finely moulded grille)

 

Underside is well moulded too:

 

Grille surround in place - this and the immediately following pics show the grille aperture cut away (compare to the very first pic - the original molding was solid all the way back to level with the front of the radiator):

The front of the radiator (part of the chassis) has the appropriate detail moulded into it, so combined with the opened up grille, it seemed a pity not to show it.

 

Front suspension - springs have been added, and there are now metal rod pins to locate & set the alignment of the crossmember (it needs to be removable, for a lot of further detailing to better represent the Volvo unit & then painting):

The steering is incorrect too, as it still has the MG's rack & pinion, whereas the Volvo used a steering box with idler & linkages, which also need to be fabricated

 

Crossmember as visible from the engine bay - the hollow top will be blanked off, and engine mountings then added.  ON the real car, the top wishbone mounts are highly visible in the engine bay (those bushes are actually changed from under the bonnet!) so that needs detailing too.

 

Rear suspension - the rear remainder of the leaf springs will be removed once the axle location is fixed, and has further location.  The front part of the leaf springs will be remodelled into the lower trailing arm.  Started fabricating the rear shocks (location point on the body was marked in the moulding) & just need to sort out the axle bracket now before the rear brake / hub assemblies can be glued in place properly:

 

Front and side glass is in place - just need to sort out the rear window, but in the meantime, here's a view of the very nicely moulded dashboard:

 

I must confess that I have done little since this stage except buy more Airtrax kits...  In the to build pile I also have their Volvo Amazon saloon, Volvo Amazon estate (I provided them with reference data & also feedback on the masters for that one, and will be building it as a replica of my 1:1 Amazon estate), Jaguar Mk10, Volvo 142 and Triumph TR6.  My excuse is that I am taking my time to build up my skills in order to build it to the standard and detail that I want.  I would say this that this is also because it is my first resin kit, but that isn't strictly true as I built a 1:43 Alpine A110 by Starter when I was about 17 (Christmas present from my father, along with a custom mixed spray can of the correct Alpine blue 😎), but that was like painting and assembling a diecast model compared to this.

 

Anyhow, now that I have posted about the P1800, hopefully it will guilt trip me into actually making further progress.

[Pete in Lincs]

19 minutes ago, Paul H said:

hopefully it will guilt trip me into actually making further progress.

Yes, more please. It's coming along nicely, I liked these old things, shame the bodywork never stood the test of time. I did prefer the 1800E though.

And I do like an Amazon estate too. Good to see something unusual on here. 

[Bengalensis]

Nice project! Those Airtrax kits are certainly no easy work, but if you work hard, and then some, on them, you can get some very nice models from those set of parts, of subjects rarely found elsewhere.

[Pouln]

Looks like a great kit. Love the 1800’s once I had an 1800ES in 1:1 scale. 
Hope you will finish the kit and take us with you on the journey. 
One remark though. I don’t think that Volvo offered officially the wire wheels option. 
Pressed steel with wheelcaps was what the factory delivered as far as I know. 

[Paul H]

Thanks guys & I will try to make some progress on it soon!

 

On 19/04/2020 at 19:20, Pete in Lincs said:

Yes, more please. It's coming along nicely, I liked these old things, shame the bodywork never stood the test of time. I did prefer the 1800E though.

And I do like an Amazon estate too. Good to see something unusual on here. 

The Amazon estate model will be a bit later, as I will need to build up my skills more.  My OCD is such that it will have to be spot on to my real one, but I will resist the temptation to add heavy weathering to match though.

On 19/04/2020 at 19:30, Bengalensis said:

Nice project! Those Airtrax kits are certainly no easy work, but if you work hard, and then some, on them, you can get some very nice models from those set of parts, of subjects rarely found elsewhere.

It's always dangerous opening their product news emails - it is only with great restraint that I do not have twice the number of their kits than I already have...

7 hours ago, Pouln said:

Looks like a great kit. Love the 1800’s once I had an 1800ES in 1:1 scale. 
Hope you will finish the kit and take us with you on the journey. 
One remark though. I don’t think that Volvo offered officially the wire wheels option. 
Pressed steel with wheelcaps was what the factory delivered as far as I know. 

If you want an 1800ES, Airtrax did do one, and it might still be available.

The wires are just the MGB ones for now as sorting out the wheels will probably be one of the last things.  A few 1800s did have wires in period, but I agree that this wasn't a factory fitment.  If I do decided to keep them, they will be painted instead of chrome though.  The kit comes with the correct early full hubcaps for the P1800 (to match the cow horn bumpers in the pics) which is what I am intending to use, but the later types of 1800S wheels should be available too as these are what Airtrax issued with the Amazon kits.

[dbostream]

Interesting project, my favorite Volvo.

 

Also, I like the yellow Viper in the photos.  

[Paul H]

1 hour ago, dbostream said:

Interesting project, my favorite Volvo.

I do like the 1800, and think they are very underrated compared to other, equivalent cars of that era, but my favourite Volvo has to be the Amazon estate.  However having owned one now for 18 years (the first 14 years it was my everyday car), which had been in the family since I was 13 means I might be slightly biased!!

1 hour ago, dbostream said:

Also, I like the yellow Viper in the photos.  

Some more, completed pics of the Viper are here:

 

[Pouln]

On 4/21/2020 at 10:22 AM, Paul H said:

Thanks guys & I will try to make some progress on it soon!

 

The Amazon estate model will be a bit later, as I will need to build up my skills more.  My OCD is such that it will have to be spot on to my real one, but I will resist the temptation to add heavy weathering to match though.

It's always dangerous opening their product news emails - it is only with great restraint that I do not have twice the number of their kits than I already have...

If you want an 1800ES, Airtrax did do one, and it might still be available.

The wires are just the MGB ones for now as sorting out the wheels will probably be one of the last things.  A few 1800s did have wires in period, but I agree that this wasn't a factory fitment.  If I do decided to keep them, they will be painted instead of chrome though.  The kit comes with the correct early full hubcaps for the P1800 (to match the cow horn bumpers in the pics) which is what I am intending to use, but the later types of 1800S wheels should be available too as these are what Airtrax issued with the Amazon kits.

I contacted them. They indeed still produce the 1800ES and Amazon combi. Might order them some day in the near future.