Childhood memories - Monogram's 1/24 Bugatti Type 35B

[billn53]

I won't flatter myself by claiming I am a car modeler (I do mostly aircraft), but I recently finished a '41 Ford Pickup and a '53 Ford Victoria (New Mexico State Police), and enjoyed the change of pace. Now, I have my sights on a kit I built as a teenager in the late 1960s -- Monogram's 1/24 Bugatti Type 35B. I recall thinking at the time that this was a great kit and have had one sitting in my stash for a few years. Time now to see if my memories are accurate!

 

 

 

 

The Monogram kit was recently posted to Britmodeller by @paul-muc and I found another build on Scale Modeling Mania for reference. The SMM build was by 'rapierfighter' and covered eight installments which, when printed out, run more than 100-pages in length! 😲  I don't plan to put in nearly as much time and effort -- if I wanted to do that, I'd instead be building Italeri's 1/12 scale kit.

 

I'll likely be doing this primarily out-of-the-box, although I do intend to detail the engine, engine compartment and cockpit. Thus far, I've completed work on the engine -- Here are a few pics:

 

 

 

 

Most of my efforts were in detailing the supercharger, although I also added spark plug wires and (on the opposite side) filler tubes for oil and coolant.

 

 

 

 

The photos make the engine look huge, but it's actually smaller than you might think!

 

 

 

I next installed the engine on the chassis frame:

 

 

 

 

and added extensions to the overhead cam and the black tube holding the electrical wiring, otherwise there would be an airgap with the firewall (temporarily placed in position, along with an errant cat hair 🐈😞

 

 

 

 

So, I'm off to a good start. Next up, I'll be modifying the dash to properly reflect the Type 35B's instrument layout, and adding details to the firewall.

 

Thanks for viewing, comments & suggestions are more than welcome!

 

- Bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HK-500]

As a fan of "old ladies" , I must say that my chair is booked and my pretzels ready !

So far you did a really nice job !👍

ps: for you cat you can try and start your vacuum cleaner , mine is scared to death just by the noise!😂

[CrazyCrank]

36 minutes ago, HK-500 said:

As a fan of "old ladies" , I must say that my chair is booked and my pretzels ready !

So far you did a really nice job !👍

ps: for you cat you can try and start your vacuum cleaner , mine is scared to death just by the noise!😂

 

I can make the same comment.

I built in in my childhood, very roughly as I haven't experience and skill enough, but I loved it.

Unfortunately, I lost the model during one of my move, and nowadays, this kit is unfindable !

 

[billn53]

2 hours ago, CrazyCrank said:

 

I can make the same comment.

I built in in my childhood, very roughly as I haven't experience and skill enough, but I loved it.

Unfortunately, I lost the model during one of my move, and nowadays, this kit is unfindable !

 

I actually have a second kit on order (found on eBay). Much of the mechanical details are hidden beneath the body, and the kit’s instruction sheet suggests leaving the body off as an option. I think I’ll do that with my second kit — That’ll mean scratch building a bunch of stuff, but the two kits together will make an interesting display.

 

And, that gorgeous 1/12 Italeri offering is looking more and more tempting!

[billn53]

A bit more progress to report before the Christmas break.

 

I replaced the overly-thick engine crank with one I made from brass rod and tubing:

 

 

 

 

Next, I began work to improve the firewall detailing. For starters, the tachometer is driven by a wheel that is attached to the engine cam via a pully arrangement, as shown below:

 

 

 

 

The kit version is molded onto the firewall. Not only does it look clunky, but the pully wheel is in the wrong location (as is the tachometer on the dash) and needs to be moved outboard. 

After a couple hours of scratch-building work (an eye-watering task, given the pully wheel is barely 1/8-inch diameter), I came up with this:

 

 

 

The macro lens is not your friend! It looks a bit better under a coat of primer:

 

 

 

 

I'll be flying out for the holidays soon, so my next update will be in a couple of weeks.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

- Bill

[Noel Smith]

That old Monogram T35 is quite a good kit considering its age (1960's vintage). I have one to build and it looks quite nice apart from the overdone chrome that will need sorting out.

This should be an interesting build to follow.

[billn53]

25 minutes ago, Noel Smith said:

That old Monogram T35 is quite a good kit considering its age (1960's vintage). I have one to build and it looks quite nice apart from the overdone chrome that will need sorting out.

This should be an interesting build to follow.

 

I used spray oven cleaner to remove the chrome. I probably let it sit too long, as it left a brown, resin-like residue afterward that I had to clean up with alcohol. I'd never seen that happen before.

[CrazyCrank]

33 minutes ago, billn53 said:

 

I used spray oven cleaner to remove the chrome. I probably let it sit too long, as it left a brown, resin-like residue afterward that I had to clean up with alcohol. I'd never seen that happen before.

 

In fact, this brownish residue under the chrome is very common on old Monogram and Heller kits.

[kitchentable]

I don’t usually get into cars but will follow this with interest.  It looks like you will do a splendid job, and, the subject matter is simply the best.  I have made two 35Bs over the years.  A white metal Wills Finecast one at 1/24 and, don’t laugh, the Airfix 1/32 one.  Actually the latter came out pretty good and sits nicely; no detailing like you will do though.   Kitchentable

 

 

 

 

 

[billn53]

59 minutes ago, kitchentable said:

I don’t usually get into cars …

 

 

 

 

 

Same here. This will be just my sixth car in as many years. In that same time I’ve built around 50 aircraft, plus a dozen or so space & science fiction subjects. 
But the same modeling skills and need for attention-to-detail apply, so it should turn out fine if I’m careful. 

[billn53]

Okay, I lied. 

 

I actually did a bit more work before my holiday trip (which isn't for a couple of days, yet):

 

 

I painted and weathered the seats:

 

 

 

 

Built-up a cover for the driveshaft and transmission (unpainted, so far). I presume this is to protect the driver's and passenger's legs:

 

 

 

 

And, just for thrills, temporarily fitted the suspension pieces to foreshadow how she'll look when done:

 

 

 

 

My second kit has arrived (the one I plan to build sans body), so the detailing I'm doing now will help immensely when I start working on that one.

[Darwinism]

Beautiful looking seat - it looks like you’ve covered it in real vintage leather!

[billn53]

2 hours ago, Darwinism said:

Beautiful looking seat - it looks like you’ve covered it in real vintage leather!

 

Thank you! The seat took me three tries, stripping the paint in between, before I got it to my liking.

[billn53]

I've just returned from my holiday travels and am back at the bench working on my Bugatti.

 

While I was away, some decals I ordered from Indycals ( https://indycals.net ) arrived. These include decals for the instrument gauges, so I've been working on the dashboard. First, I completely removed the molded-in instruments and switches on the Monogram part and replaced them with new items I scratched-up using punched plasticard and wire:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Primary changes from the kit layout include:

 

• Moving the tachometer from the passenger side to the driver side
• Adding a clock on the passenger side
• Adding various switches and knobs
• Opening slots for the distributor timing lever and distributor wires

 

After an evening's work, here's what I've come up with (once again, the macro lens is NOT your friend!) :

 

 

 

Test-fitted in place:

 

 

 

 

To be honest, the gauges are oversize (especially the tachometer and clock). Indycal's decals are apparently sized for the Monogram kit's dash, so I had to decide between having properly-sized gauges but no decals, or decals on oversized gauges. My other option was to design my own decals (which I had to do for the clock, as it wasn't included on the Indycal sheet). 

 

 

- Bill

 

[billn53]

With the dashboard done, I fixed it to the back of the firewall, installed the steering column, and glued the assembly to the chassis frame.

 

 

 

 

Next, I built-up the throttle linkage to the engine/supercharger:

 

 

 

 

Miscellaneous plumbing lines on the engine and firewall were added, made from thin solder colored with brass paint:

 

 

 

 

Finally, I added belts (made from strips of aluminum tape) connecting the camshaft to the tachometer pully, and finished it off by adding a small piece of plastic rod to simulate the tensioning spring:

 

 

 

 

Another test fit . . . She's starting to come together!  😃

 

 

[Noel Smith]

A very nice model taking shape here.

 

Kitchentable mentioned that the Airfix 1/32nd scale kit as being quite good. I built one ages ago when it was first issued. Bit of a weird kit as it had a nicely detailed firewall but no engine in the kit ! It's as though Airfix was going to and decided not to.

[HK-500]

That is some nice work on the engine and the dashboard👍

[billn53]

A bit more construction accomplished, but today has been mostly a 'paint day'.

 

 

Construction-wise, I roughed-up this pump thingy that's prominent on the passenger/mechanic side of the cockpit:

 

 

 

 

I also replaced the tips of the kit's solid tail pipes with new ones cut and shaped from thin-wall brass tubing:

 

 

 

 

The exhaust piping is about two scale feet too long, so I cut out a section from part P33 to get it to the correct length:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now for today's paint work!

 

I sprayed the body pieces with Revell #52 blue enamel, after first priming with thinned Mr. Surfacer 1200. For the body interior, I sprayed SMS aluminum as the cockpit interior of many Type 35Bs were left unpainted.

 

 

 

(And yes, I'm seriously overdue for cleaning & a filter-change in my spray booth  )

 

 

Various bits and pieces yet to be installed were painted in appropriate metallic shades:

 

 

 

 

The radiator got a coat of SMS Polished Aluminum, and I simulated the wooden steering wheel with oil paints:

 

   

 

 

I realized that I've not posted photos of the front/rear suspension assemblies, and also the wheels & tires, so here they are:

 

 

 

 

The wheels were painted flat aluminum, while for the tires I used NATO Black and (as is my habit) I applied gray and brown pigments to add a bit of interest. 

 

 

Now, let me indulge in a short sidebar . . . 

 

I've noticed brown coloration on older tires and I traditionally use brown pigments to replicate this effect. Today, I got to wondering about why the rubber turns brown. After a bit of research, I learned the brown color is caused by rubber additives (antiozonants) that counteract the deleterious effects of atmospheric ozone on the rubber. The resulting 'browning' of tires is called 'blooming' and shows that the antiozonants are doing their job.

 

That's all well and good. The kicker is that these antiozonants were first introduced in the mid-20th century, so would not have been present in the Type 35B's tires. Thus, my application of brown pigment is inappropriate (grrrr..... ) !!!  Minus ten points for accuracy, Bill  

 

[It's just road dirt . . . That's my story and I'm sticking to it!]

 

 

Tomorrow I'll mate the body to the chassis, and we'll be in the final stretch!

[SnøMotion]

That’s interesting! I always assumed the ‘browning’ of my car tyres was brake dust.

 

Martin

[HK-500]

For myself , I always thought that was the effect of U.V from the sun...😩

[billn53]

5 hours ago, HK-500 said:

For myself , I always thought that was the effect of U.V from the sun...😩

More research . . .

”Tropospheric, or ground level ozone, is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). This happens when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources chemically react in the presence of sunlight.”

 

So, indirectly, you are right. The UV creates ozone, which reacts with the antiozonates and turns the rubber brown.

 

[billn53]

6 hours ago, SnøMotion said:

That’s interesting! I always assumed the ‘browning’ of my car tyres was brake dust.

 

Martin

It’s just brake dust. That’s my new story and I’m sticking with it! 🤣

[billn53]

Ringing in the New Year! 

 

Well, I hadn't really intended to, but I managed to finish up this build with just a few hours to spare in 2024. Actually, I'm 99 and 44/100th percent done . . .  a few small items still remain (spare tire, brake lines, and the little Bugatti logo for the radiator).

 

Here are a few quick photos before I take better ones for an RFI:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I said at the beginning that I wasn't going to do a lot of detailing. But, as you can see below, I find it hard to resist!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I'm faced with a decision to make: Should I pull the trigger and buy Italeri's nice 1/12 Bugatti?

 

Comments and/or suggestions are, as always, more than welcome!  Happy New Year!!!

 

 

[s.e.charles]

" . . . buy Italeri's nice 1/12 Bugatti."

 

 

[HK-500]

This tiny blue rascal gets my heart racing ! 👍  And if your wallet agrees , buy the big sister  : my seat for the show is already booked😉