davecov Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 My take on the Airfix 1/32 Vauxhall 2000 Estate (M302C) This was a battered second hand build that was completely restored. You can read about this restoration here. That is all for now Dave 24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Nice save Dave (oh, poetry...!!) That looks very good indeed! What paint is it, I like the colour? Keith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted July 5, 2020 Author Share Posted July 5, 2020 Thanks, Keith 👍 The paint is Humbrol Gloss Maroon (H20). Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Never had this one, but my boss had a blue one. We had a company saloon in maroon. I used to thrash it to Ipswich when the postal strike was on in the early 70s. Had to get the mail from the Red Star office at the railway station. Used to misfire like hell until it got over 80, then it flew. The early ones used to snap fanbelts, which then went into the timing belt, snapping that. Vauxhall learnt quickly to put a guard on the cambelt. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peekay Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Didn't even know this one existed. Looks great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Super save! She looks superb. Nice work. These are still good and sound kits. Airfix, if you're listening, re-release them!!! Please!!! Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timn Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 I had the real one in blue. Swapped the 2ltr for a 3.3 out of a Ventora. I loved it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Smith Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Nice to see some of the older Airfix car kits being built. Nice job on this one. Many of the old Airfix car kits will never be reissued, so it is good to see a well made one from time to time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo NZ Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 I remember going to the South of France in a VX4/90 estate in 1971. It sat at 90mph for hours on the autoroute. Impressive. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 5 hours ago, Noel Smith said: Many of the old Airfix car kits will never be reissued, so it is good to see a well made one from time to time. Totally agree. So rare to see these built up because of their scarcity and collectors value. A shame really. I can think of a couple of the cars we wouldn't see again, the Capri and Zodiac that were modified for the early 80s hot rod released....sure there was a third but can't place it at the moment. As for the others, Airfix still have the moulds, but they don't think there is a market for re-releases.. Admittedly, that was told to me in conversation with Darrel Burge about ten years ago. Maybe that might change with the on going Classics range? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 The Airfix Cortina was retooled to become the Kansas Kruiser and was available 1980-81. The Zodiac was retooled to become the Night Prowler and was available 1980-81. The Capri was retooled to become the Krackle Kat and was available 1980-81. This Vauxhall Victor Estate was retooled to become the Rebel Rouser, listed in the 1981 catalogue but never released. In 1991 Airfix released a "British Classic Cars of the Sixties" boxing of three kits - the Triumph TR4A, Triumph Herald and the Ford Escort. In 2006 Airfix released a "Classic Car Collection" of three kits which featured the Triumph Herald, Ford Escort and a Vauxhall Viva replaced the TR4A. Since then the Escort and Herald have appeared regularly as individual starter sets but not the Viva. Personally, I prefer the single kits over a triple boxing because the latter worked out expensive if you only wanted to build (for example) two Vivas. Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlambert Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 I suppose cars like the Victor, even though it is very nice, have quite a limited appeal. I'd be tempted if the VIctor were re-released (although I'd prefer a saloon) but I can't see there being too many people queuing up to buy one. I am, however, kicking myself for not buying the Classic Car Collection set and/or the British Classics set when they were available; especially the set with the TR4A as I'm quite fond of Triumph TR sports cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 I reckon the choice of the Victor Estate was solely due to one of the Airfix management having one! I suppose it would easier to convert an estate to a saloon rather than going the other way! Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 42 minutes ago, davecov said: I reckon the choice of the Victor Estate was solely due to one of the Airfix management having one! I suppose it would easier to convert an estate to a saloon rather than going the other way! I was always surprised that Frog also did a Victor estate, albeit the FB version and to a bigger scale. Wish I'd bought all the Frog 1/16th's as well as the Airfix little ones when I'd had the chance! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 12 hours ago, Jo NZ said: I remember going to the South of France in a VX4/90 estate in 1971. It sat at 90mph for hours on the autoroute. Impressive. My late dad had a metallic blue FC VX4/90, to this day one of the favourite cars I've ever driven.... Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlambert Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 My Vauxhall FD Victor memories are vicarious, one of my best friends spent a lot of time in a white Victor saloon with black vinyl roof. It might have been a VX 4/90 that belonged to one of my friend's friends and had, in turn, been the family car before being passed down. That Victor originally had a floor-change, four-speed gearbox and individual front seats but, because said friend of friend was an only child, had been converted to three-speed column change and bench front seat so that the lad could sit between his parents. I think his dad wanted the performance of the VX 4/90 engine and it was easier to convert a 4/90 to have bench seats than find a Victor with a bench seat and drop in a 4/90 engine. Anyway, I get the impression that the Victor was a popular car for going out, because they could get six people in; which was probably the only car that the group had with so many seats (I think the other lads had a Mini and a VW Beetle). It's funny how I feel like I know the Victor, even though I never saw it, let alone travelled in it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Smith Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) The Airfix more kit of the Mk1 Vauxhall Viva brings back memories. I passed my driving test in one way back in the day. Just recently I found an old Lotus Cortina kit in the loft that I tried (very badly) to put a cashback to and hand painted it in Humbrol Lilac (yuck)! Having a few extra years of experience now, I will be undertaking a restoration job and scratch building bits missing like the dashboard. As the kit is not mint I am doing a bit of very subtle change to make a 1963 car. The kit depicts 1964 onwards Mk1 cars. Edited July 14, 2020 by Noel Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 On 11/07/2020 at 23:31, keefr22 said: My late dad had a metallic blue FC VX4/90, to this day one of the favourite cars I've ever driven.... Keith I had a dark green one of those, would love another one, but they are rare as rocking horse poo now. Pulled the engine twice, it was a 3 main crank, and they rumbled. It needed some structural welding more than once. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 On 7/5/2020 at 10:05 AM, davecov said: My take on the Airfix 1/32 Vauxhall 2000 Estate (M302C) Vauxhall kept that FWD pretty quiet . Seriously though, great work Dave (I'll be starting the same shortly). Cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 20 minutes ago, CliffB said: Vauxhall kept that FWD pretty quiet . Seriously though, great work Dave (I'll be starting the same shortly). Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 3 hours ago, CliffB said: (I'll be starting the same shortly). I'd love to be able to build some of these classics. Where do you guys find these kits? I've looked on eBay, but even my Swiss bank account wouldn't stretch to some of the prices asked! Ste ve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 4 minutes ago, fightersweep said: I'd love to be able to build some of these classics. Where do you guys find these kits? I've looked on eBay, but even my Swiss bank account wouldn't stretch to some of the prices asked! Ste ve I have a Cortina and a Zodiac for sale, and they don't run to 3 figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 9 minutes ago, bentwaters81tfw said: I have a Cortina and a Zodiac for sale, and they don't run to 3 figures. Ooo! Temptation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 7 hours ago, fightersweep said: I'd love to be able to build some of these classics. Where do you guys find these kits? I've looked on eBay, but even my Swiss bank account wouldn't stretch to some of the prices asked! Ste ve As with John's build here, the affordable way is to buy a pre-built version and then restore it. They do appear on eBay from time to time. Good luck! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 13 hours ago, fightersweep said: I'd love to be able to build some of these classics. Where do you guys find these kits? I've looked on eBay, but even my Swiss bank account wouldn't stretch to some of the prices asked! Ste ve I was lucky enough to have been left some money by my late father and I decided that I would buy all of the 1/32 Airfix car/bus/lorry kits which we had built together in the Sixties along with dozens of other ones to complete my 1/32 collection. In the end I spent thousands pounds in my quest. In December I had only three Airfix 1/32 car kits in my stash but during January and February I spent a lot of time on eBay. You need to if you want to get these kits as soon as they appear - eBay search emails always come too late. Eventually, I ended up with 75 1/32 Airfix car/bus/lorry kits in my stash and do not need (or want) to buy any more. In the case of this Vauxhall Victor, I was not going to pay silly money (there is one that is always being advertised on eBay for £495). Yes, I did pay a fair bit for it but ironically, because I had to break it down, remove the paint and glue and rebuild it, I got more satisfaction from this build than a lot of my builds of new kits. 6 hours ago, CliffB said: As with John's build here, the affordable way is to buy a pre-built version and then restore it. They do appear on eBay from time to time. Good luck! Cheers The builder was not John, Cliff. It was yours truly.😉 Dave 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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