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Model Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles.Update 4/30/19

bob letterman

Master at Arms
Staff member
I am moving the two car dioramas to this new thread. Later, today, I will post my car collection from the museum. There are civilian vehicles I built in the late 70s early 80s. All were National competition winners, but some have suffered from the years of dust, decal weathering and yellowing.

Bob

Bob Letterman said:
Looking at agentg's police vehicles, I thought I would pop mine on here. I have built quite a few over the years. This one was built in the early 80's.

The first one is a police garage. The California Highway Patrol has just received their first pursuit traffic cruiser. The title is, "What if Chips had a Lamborghini Countach"?

I actually went to a Chips station in San Diego to photograph some reference for this. The idea for the Ford being covered with newspaper in order to repaint the recently repaired rear fenders was a result of the visit.

PoliceDiose.jpg


All the figures are the 1/25th Verlinden, some modified and posed to fit the look! I really can't remember where all the accessories came from, but the Lamborghini was Fujimi and the Taurus was AMT.

PoliceDiosg.jpg


Here is a shot of the interior and engine after detailing and painting.

PoliceDiosa.jpg


The Honda 750 was an ancient kit that I bought off somebody, don't remember the brand, but it was hell to build and make to look like something.

PoliceDiosf.jpg


This one is a traffic stop. This time the citizen has a Ferrari. The State patrol has a Camaro pursuit car. The scale is 1/16th. It was photographed on the parking lot of VLS when it was in O'Fallon, Missouri in 1991. I called it "Gas Pedal Stuck". I only worked in uniform for a very short time in my police career. The majority as a detective. But this was the most common excuse I remember getting.

PoliceDioc.jpg


As this is a large scale, I took two 120mm figures of a Marine D.I. from Verlinden. Converted one to a state trooper, I sculpted a new hat, police equipment, gun, etc. Then the other one I converted into a "Cool Dude". If you look at the break in the trousers of both figures at the shoes, you can see they began as the same.

PoliceDiosb.jpg


The stop sign and street signs are from scratch. If agentg is looking, notice the name of the street. Gravois is a main drag in St. Louis.

PoliceDiosd.jpg


Just thought I would show a couple of my car dios.

Bob
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

Ok, here is what is left of my model car collection from the museum. Back in 1983, I sold 4 large boxes of model cars I had built during the 60s and 70s to a guy that said they had all become collectibles. I thought they were junk. He paid me a large sum of money and that was some of the start up money for what would become VLS. I understand he made a killing reselling them. Good for him! At that time I was competing. I only competed for two years and the models following are close to 30 years old and all have won at the IPMS nationals during that period.

I will start with a Jaguar XKE from Monogram in 1/8th scale. I built this in 1982. I went all out for that time. There wasn't much available to trick it out but, I managed. I had been working for both Pocher Italy and The Sharper Image in the States. Both sold custom Pocher models built to custom specs for customers with big bucks. I never knew how much, I just got $200 a paint job. That was cool with me, I was still a cop and that money really helped our budget back in those days! I averaged one a day, five days a week. A thousand dollars a week was a sweet second income in those days! I did that from 1979 to 1981!

I had never knew another modeler on the circuit in those days. I became involved in competition seriously when I entered the Winds of War in the 1982 IPMS national in St. Louis. After that, I competed for 2 years and then VLS began to grow. I knew instinctively not to compete with my customers so I retired from competition in 1985.

This model won best civilian vehicle in Phoenix, 1983. I took the old monogram kit, totally tricked it out with full electrical, Headlights, tail lights, dash lights, a circuit to work the turn signals, front and rear, and have the indicators or the dash work as well. The horn button worked, I went all out! It had brake lights that operated off the brake pedal and a horn off the steering column.

XKE01.jpg


The interior was upholstered with maroon glove leather and the seats were button tufted. Maroon velvet served as the carpeting. All the gauges lit up and all the warning lights as well on the dash. The engine was fully wired, weathered, and that was very unique back then. I used everything I had learned in Aircraft, armor and ships to add to the realism of cars.

XKE02.jpg


I mounted the car on a base which held the circuits and 14 D cell batteries. The switches that operated the electronics were at the side front.

XKE05.jpg


Some additional shots.

XKE03.jpg


XKE04.jpg


Next, This Heller 1/24th scale Paris Bus won a lot of trophies back in the day. I really detailed in out inside and outside.

bus01.jpg


bus02.jpg


bus03.jpg


bus04.jpg


bus05.jpg


Then there is a Ford Cobra. I used a lot of brass and gave the fuel injected engine a lot of detail. I remember it won it's share of awards back then.

Cobr01.jpg


Cobr02.jpg


There is a story with this one. I had built the diorama, "Gas Pedal Stuck" to completion. I had my first Doberman and he was still a puppy. I had the dio sitting on a trash can waiting to be attached to the base. He came in, stood underneath the dio. I yelled for him to leave and he raised his head, toppled the dio and cars to the floor, and this engine was the only salvageable part left! I was pissed, but he had those great big sad puppy eyes, what the hell!

Eng01.jpg


This was a national winner, but the years have taken their toll. The decals have yellowed and silvered, but I don't have the heart to pitch it!

55Ch01.jpg


Here's another little street rod.

ford01.jpg


I have always liked motorcycles, and had one the vast majority of my life. I liked to build them and here is a model of one I owned. A Kawasaki Z-1, at the time, the fastest production motorcycle in the world!

Kaw01.jpg


Kaw02.jpg


Kaw03.jpg


Next, I built a lot of the old Mercedes cars from the 30s and 40s. I always wished they made these in 1/35th. The maroon and Ivory one were the most used staff cars in the Reich, they were all painted black!

merca01.jpg


merca02.jpg


merca03.jpg


merca04.jpg


Here is a 1/24th Mercedes 540K, a real classic!

mercb01.jpg


mercb02.jpg


mercb03.jpg


mercb04.jpg


Way back then, even Susan entered the competition. She always liked model cars and could never get into military. Here is a 1/32nd MGTC she built in the 80s and won a first place in a model car contest! I coached her a bit, but if you know Susan, believe me, not very much! :notworthy :notworthy

MG01.jpg


MG02.jpg


Here is a little Willys gasser from way back when.

willy01.jpg


willy02.jpg


This Tamiya 1/12th Porsche 911 Turbo won a lot of trophies back in the day!

porsh01.jpg


porsh02.jpg


porsh03.jpg


porsh04.jpg


porsh05.jpg


Finally, I had almost forgotten about this. It was only published in one model magazine in Japan back in '84 I think. I loved those old Mack Bulldog kits and I built this diorama around one. The figures were all I could find close to the scale back then. Believe me in those days the accessory market was a wasteland. I found these in the model railroad scale. They sucked but that was all there was!

Pier01.jpg


I found whatever I could use to build this dio. I scratched the gas pumps and used the Sorry game playing pieces to finish them off. They worked!

Pier02.jpg


I had just discovered PE. Nothing in our market, but it had been introduced in England in the model railroad market. I built my first PE tree here and thought It was sooooo cutting edge!! (y) (y)

Pier04.jpg


I hadn't yet got into electric circuits, so I made a skylight so you could see the garage interior and the car being worked on.

Pier03.jpg


More of those awesome PE leaves and grass! I was in heaven! :D :D

Pier05.jpg


Pier06.jpg


And finally, a shot of the Mack truck!

Pier07.jpg


Hope you liked my old stuff. I am pretty sure all these vehicles were built al least 30 years ago.

Bob
 
A Pocher Ferrari Testarossa Finished, June 13th

My entry in this build is a Testerossa that has been on my shelf for at least ten years. It comes with a stamped steel body that is pre-painted. The paint job on this one sucks, so I will sand it down and paint it a Ferrari Yellow. Everybody does red, I like red, but I also like to be different. At the moment, I have no drastic detailing plans. If possible, I will light it up and make working features but as I have yet to really look at it, I'm not sure!

Here is the required photos.

Ferrari01.jpg


Ferrari02.jpg


Ferrari03.jpg


Ferrari04.jpg


My only plan so far is to sand it all down to a nice surface, give it some undercoat, then a high gloss coat of yellow and let it harden for a few months!

Bob
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

BoB ,

WoW !! The Renaissance Man !! I love it ! That CHIPS Dio is really Cool ! That reminds Me of the Opening Scene from The Cannonball Run - The 2 Girls are runnin' in a Lambo Countach !

The Jag is spectacular ! Especially at th time - It would still hold up now to today's Standards !!

I love th whole collection !

Question - You mention that you covered the seats of th jag in Leather - how did you attach it to th seats. Any Tricks to get it to conform to the seats ? Did you try to reproduce the stitching that would have been in the seats ? Was there any problems trying to attach th leather ? Did you have to stretch it ?

I Love those Cars Baby ! .... I remember you saying that you loved Corvettes - Did you ever build any ?

Thanx in Advance ! :drinks :drinks :notworthy :notworthy :ro:

ERIK
 
A Pocher Ferrari Testarossa Finished, June 13th

BoB ,

WoW ! That's a Huge Rod ... :blush: I mean Huge Hot Rod :D

I bet that's an Awesome size to work in ! Now ... Ya got Me thinkin' ... I was trying to find some stuff for th Tamiya 1/24th scale VW Karmin Ghia or Their Bug .... After lookin at this ... I might have to get th recently re-Issued 1/6( ? ) scale General Lee !!

Yeah .. I'm lookin' forward to this Build !!

ERIK
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

BoB ,

WoW !! The Renaissance Man !! I love it ! That CHIPS Dio is really Cool ! That reminds Me of the Opening Scene from The Cannonball Run - The 2 Girls are runnin' in a Lambo Countach !

The Jag is spectacular ! Especially at th time - It would still hold up now to today's Standards !!

I love th whole collection !

Question - You mention that you covered the seats of th jag in Leather - how did you attach it to th seats. Any Tricks to get it to conform to the seats ? Did you try to reproduce the stitching that would have been in the seats ? Was there any problems trying to attach th leather ? Did you have to stretch it ?

I Love those Cars Baby ! .... I remember you saying that you loved Corvettes - Did you ever build any ?

Thanx in Advance ! :drinks :drinks :notworthy :notworthy :ro:

ERIK

Thanks Erik!

I upholstered the interior with really thin glove leather. I used really thin foam rubber to cover the seats, Then I stretched the leather over them and used leather cement to glue it to the back of the seats. Then, using straight pins, I heated them and pushed them through the leather and the plastic. When in place, I cut them off. After the seats were finished, I covered the backs with the foam, then stretched the leather over and glued in place. Funny, I remember doing that like yesterday!

Thirty years later, you can use your finger to depress the leather and feel the give from the foam.

God, I love this hobby!

Bob
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

Absolutely fantastic. And my favourite car, the Jag (y) (y) (y) (y) (y)

James
 
A Pocher Ferrari Testarossa Finished, June 13th

Oh boy, is this gonna be great!!!!

Flounder.jpg


(y)
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

Truly talented... but I do remember the CHiPs and Traffic Stop scenes from the Verlinden magazines so the talent is not new to me. Those kits would still hold up in a competition!

;)

Regards,
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

Wow! Breathtaking Models!!! :eek:hmy:

I realy like Lamborghini Countach Diorama! :ro:

Btw, Italian traffic police have Lamborghini Gallardo i saw it in Milano last year :huh:


All the best!!! :)
Dusan.
 
A Pocher Ferrari Testarossa Finished, June 13th

This will be interesting to watch. I will an eye on this build.

Joe
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

Wow! Breathtaking Models!!! :eek:hmy:

I realy like Lamborghini Countach Diorama! :ro:

Btw, Italian traffic police have Lamborghini Gallardo i saw it in Milano last year :huh:


All the best!!! :)
Dusan.

Thanks Dusan,

Right!

I have some pics taken in Milano several years ago with Countachs in Police service! Don't think Chips ever used them though!

Bob
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles


Thanks Erik!

I upholstered the interior with really thin glove leather. I used really thin foam rubber to cover the seats, Then I stretched the leather over them and used leather cement to glue it to the back of the seats. Then, using straight pins, I heated them and pushed them through the leather and the plastic. When in place, I cut them off. After the seats were finished, I covered the backs with the foam, then stretched the leather over and glued in place. Funny, I remember doing that like yesterday!

Thirty years later, you can use your finger to depress the leather and feel the give from the foam.

God, I love this hobby!

Bob

YES Indeed. It's just a bigger canvas !! Great tip on the car Seats ! I have th 1/9th scale Kubel from Revell Germany. I've often thought of Cracking that Box !!

Those seats are Money !!

Outstanding Job !! ...... "That's Why He's th Boss !! "
 
Re: Cars, Trucks and Motorcycles

*sigh* i just wish they would still build the cars like the two mercedes-benz! that was style!

spectacular works bob! you never cease to amaze me!
 
A Pocher Ferrari Testarossa Finished, June 13th

what a huge model kit! i ask myself if the ferrari will go VROOOOOOM after completion! in any case there's enough space to wire up for some funky lighting :mpup
 
A Pocher Ferrari Testarossa Finished, June 13th

:popcorn looking forward to see you work your magic on this one Bob!
 
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