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All about car model collecting - My 1/43 collection

5K views 21 replies 10 participants last post by  Tonecas 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am starting this Topic to share and to have an open discussion on all aspects of collecting, building kits and modifying commercially available models.

In order to start the debate I am starting by providing links to my Windows Live location where I have the pictures of my 1250 1/43 car model collection as well as links to my thematic Blogs that focus on specific aspects of the collection.

First, this is the link to my Windows Live location where I have the model by manufacturer and each model has a front view, a rear view and a view of the feature (i.e. openning doors) if it has one:
http://cid-0b28de878ac7c756.skydrive.live....ls?sa=749981468

Links to my thematic Blogs:
1:43 CanAm and USRRC Blog: http://143canamandusrrc.blogspot.com/
1:43 Porsche models Blog: http://143porschemodels.blogspot.com/
1:43 Chaparral models Blog: http://143chaparralmodels.blogspot.com/
1:43 Concept cars Blog: http://143conceptcars.blogspot.com/
1:43 Ferrari F1 Blog: http://143ferrarif1.blogspot.com/
1:43 Matra models Blog: http://143matramodels.blogspot.com/

Links to my Blogs that depicts transformed and restored models performed by me, here is where I show how to reproduce models which are different from the originals:
http://143smallmods.blogspot.ca/
http://143modelcolle...n.blogspot.com/

Here is the display of 90% of the collection on the east wall of my living room
[IMG=http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1836/1007740.jpg][/IMG]

If interested see also my other Forum discussion at
http://forums.autosp...pic=143198&st=0

Enjoy it and have a nice day!
 
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#7 ·
Hi everybody,
Thanks for the positive posts. Yes that's true this display has become the focal point of this end of the living room. The cabinets were made for books and then modified by me to have glass shelfs and lighting. My better half also enjoys it (she has her collection of cristals at the other end of the room). We have to get around us what gives us pleasure to the eyes to make more palatable these long cold canadian winters.
 
#10 ·
#15 ·
I've recently begun the adventure known as 1:43, and I am absolutely loving it! I'm a racing history enthusiast and admire vintage racers, specifically endurance racers. And, as you already know, the 43 scale has an astonishing selection of racers from years past. Since venturing into the smaller scale, I've been spending a lot of time on your blog - specifically, admiring your restoration projects! Very cool. And I must say, your collection is epic.


I'm looking to build a "shrine" of sorts similar to yours in my living room (my wife approves) to feature some racing memorabilia along with my 1:43s.

I'm curious to know two things:
Were your cabinets custom built?
What was your first 1:43 model car?
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm curious to know two things:
Were your cabinets custom built?
What was your first 1:43 model car?
Well, I will try to answer your queries as clear as possible,
The cabinets are of the normal commercially available type, they were then modyfied by me. They are not even of the expensive type, but they came with wood shelves (presswood with paper laminated for a wood look a like). What I then did was to remove all shelves and replace them with glass shelves, get adjutable hinges plus get the glass doors cutted to the specific size. Then I also put on the top interior frontal area a fluorescent light (one that is normally used under the kitchen cabinets) and have all the wiring routed through the top of the cabinets where I also located the main switch. Just as an interesting note the glasses were more expensive than the cabinets.
Now the second question, I believe the the oldest 1/43 car that I have is Borgward Isabella made by Marklin (in Germany) and it must be around 55 to 60 years old. Here is the link:
https://skydrive.liv...E878AC7C756!289
I hope that this has been of some help.
As an additional note I just want to state that I decided to do it in 1/43 because of the space that the 1/18 requires, but if you buy a fairly detailed model in 1/43 it most of the time is more expensive than the equivalent 1/18
My recommendation is, if you love cars go for it, and believe me at night to turn the lighting ON and just looking at them it is a great pleasure...
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi everybody, I have finished another project that I am eager to share with all of you in this Forum.
I bought this M.A. Scale ref.143 which was supposed to be a model of the Chaparral 2A that raced in Sebring in 1965; but as I already had that car (a Proline kit) and what I was missing was one of the 1964 Chaparral's with the exhausts leaving from top of the rear cowling and then routed to the rear end of the car.
I decided to roll-up my sleeves and go to work…
And this is what I did/modified seen just before painting

and this is the final result is


As a final note I can add that this M.A. model kit was a real pain to get it into shape as the whole resin casting finishing was very rough, with openings closed and with lots of what I call casting "polyps". But with lots of patience and time IT'S DONE!
 
#20 ·
Well has been a while, nevertheless still adding one more Chaparral to my collection. The Chaparral 1 that raced at the Laguna Seca in 1962 driven by Jim Hall.


This is a Midlantic kit that gave me a lot of work to make it a decent model because although the shape of the resin casting was pretty good everything else was not up to expected level. In fact it felt short on cockpit and external details that I actually had to improve, the following was added:
1- In the cockpit the sides of the rear bulkhead we could see the wheels, they had to be closed
2- Real representation of the instruments behind the dash using aluminium piping of the appropriate dimensions also with wiring connecting the instruments to the front bulkhead
3- Perforated side panels inside the doors
4- The engine cowling openings had to be opened and an engine (from my stock) installed inside as well as chassis bars and brake oil tanks
5- The air inlet on top of the front inlet was not representative (vertical flat) need to be recessed to represent a real inlet
Anyhow, I was expecting better from such an expensive kit, compared to the Marsh they are several points behind.
 
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