Winter 2024 Model Contest

Need help finding 1/24 wheels and tires please. My wife has 2 of these die cast piggy banks, one which has water damage to the paint finish. I want to repaint it with about 5 coats of translucent candy apple red (Wife wants candy sapphire blue) over a brilliant white base coat (which you all know if you have been watching the AI thread ). Anyway, I want to replace the over sized ugly wheels/tires with something nicer. The wheel base is 4-3/16" and the  Mustang's 108" wheelbase scaled to 1/24 equals 4-1/2".  There's not much room for wider than a stock width. Thanks a million for any help. Some scale 15" Minilite wheels would look good.

Next, I want to customize an 82 C3 Vette model with giant wheels, tires, and flares. I think that I will get the 1/24 Monogram kit shown below. 

I think that I want some 12" wide by maybe 17" or 18" scale diameter wheels with the lowest profile tires (P315/40ZR18) I can find front and back. Any suggestions?

I'm going to bend and solder up some 12ga copper wire for the bottom and wheel openings of the flares and following the top of the fender crease, fill out the side body work with some Bondo. Basically just stretch out the wheel openings. They should barely be noticeable except being about 4 scale inches wider. Completion date hopefully 2026. 

I have a variety for the Corvette. I might also have for the Mustang but they will be unable to support the mass. If you are good with strong hidden vertical support, probably OK. Photos incoming, I need to go down to the "studio" and take a few for this and Solfly.

In reply to TurnerX19 :

Thanks. I was looking for where to buy some. I have been out of the model car loop for over 50 years.

In reply to solfly :

Here are the promised photos of the weathered 356. I took none during the build  

I missed the exposure on this, but look to the floor.

Again, look to the floor, and please ignore the dusty roll bar.

Squirrel's eye view , it has a few scrapes. This all done with multiple layers of rusty on top of the black. At least 10 years ago, it's been to several shows.

In reply to VolvoHeretic :

Besides wheels, I think I have a version of your Monogram Corvette. Main body is the same mold. I don't know if the stock front bumper is in the kit, or just the tack-on. The stock fenders are there underneath. The kit plus 1 set of Corvette wheels and 1 set of Mustang wheels $40.00 including USPS Flat rate box. Corvette wheels on left, Mustang on right. Your Mustang looks "funny", so for reference, the GoodYear shod pair of K-Hs are 1.09" tire diameter. The steelies are 4 bolt 13", the white walls are tall and black on the other side. They'd adapt onto either the all chrome baby moons, the white steels or white with EnFo dog dish. Tires on the packaged corvette wheels are Advan AO11, at least 35 years old, I can't read the date code though Aftermarket "salad shooters" have Pirelli P7, similar date code!  No tires for the 3 spoke directionals, but if you want them they can come along too. I seem to get the PMs ok. Pick your wheels, or the Kit only, no wheels $35 inc. shipping. One set each of wheels, no kit $20 inc. ship.

In reply to TurnerX19 :

Thanks. The bank weighs about 1.6 lbs. The current tire diameter is 1.22" and there is only about 3/8" depth for a wheel/tire. Assuming my scaling is remotely close, the banks tires are 32" dia. and the Mustang GT tires are 26" dia.

I doubt there is enough plastic to shave anything to close enough to work plus having to raise the axle.

These banks abound on Ebay.com: VINTAGE 1974 BANTHRICO 1965 FORD MUSTANG CLASSIC CAR COIN BANK and go for anywhere from $15 to $35.

Maybe I will just paint this one blue and plan on buying a 64 coupe and a 68 fastback to meld them into the sad and tired 68 coupe my wife owns.

Let me do some thinking, I like the Vette and salad shooter wheels. Could you measure the tire diameter for me?

Monogram kits are 1/24. The other big three are 1/25. Mostly. Unless it's Revell selling Monogram molds.

New Revell (revell germany et. al.) molds are 1/24. Also quite a number of very old Revell were 1/24, including the '59 Corvette, the VW Bus, and Porsche Speedster. Then they did an E Type Jag that is more like 1/25.4 , which is 1mm=1", and the queer origin of 1/25 scale. Put the caliper to a big dimension on an early AMT kit. I think they started the trend, but I'm not certain. That was the "official" story when my father inquired, he spotted how small the E Type looked next to a Merit D type. I'll get a pic later of an original Revell E Type nose from the parts box against the 2022 release shown earlier. Also some of the re-releases are not labeled correctly. Keep your caliper at hand folks!

In reply to VolvoHeretic :

Salad shooters are a square set up, 1.020 x o.412 side wall width. The wheels will handle .425 sidewall easily.

Mustang tires are .345 wide for the K-H Good Years, and 1.089 x .300 for the Firestone WW/BW. better pic of the chrome steel + baby Moon as well below.

So this arrived today and I just cracked the box open

They fill the box right up, that's for sure.  Based on the cab, almost no flash, sharp lines and great details.   The instructions are very good and they included the Ford paint colors for 1972 trucks as well.   I hope my skills are worthy, this is a nice kit.

Mine still has the plastic on the box

I didn't know about the paint color card. That's really cool. I often struggle with OEM colors even with the internet. Color chips on a screen are often not very helpful.

I am going to go out and try to source a model locally tomorrow.   I am not much for online ordering if I don't have to so I'm gonna try to find one I can take home.

In reply to RonnieFnD :

Good move. The local hobby shop business was really struggling before covid. My local ones that survived until then are now thriving, I hope it stays. Also check Walmart and other craft stores.

TurnerX19 said:

New Revell (revell germany et. al.) molds are 1/24. Also quite a number of very old Revell were 1/24, including the '59 Corvette, the VW Bus, and Porsche Speedster. Then they did an E Type Jag that is more like 1/25.4 , which is 1mm=1", and the queer origin of 1/25 scale. Put the caliper to a big dimension on an early AMT kit. I think they started the trend, but I'm not certain. That was the "official" story when my father inquired, he spotted how small the E Type looked next to a Merit D type. I'll get a pic later of an original Revell E Type nose from the parts box against the 2022 release shown earlier. Also some of the re-releases are not labeled correctly. Keep your caliper at hand folks!

Bob Johnson, formerly of Monogram and Accurate Miniatures, posted a good history on the Model Cars Magazine forum a while back (Link to thread). Here's what he said about why we have both 1/24 and 1/25 scale car kits:

"MPC and AMT (and Revell) had auto kit lines created in 1/25th scale...  that scale came from AMT obtaining 1/10th scale four-view car drawings from the "Big 3" and them making a 1/10th scale pattern model. That would yield tooling casts in the same size taken from the 1/10th pattern model.. set the reducing pantograph to "2.5" and you get "1/25th scale"...

 1/24th is an engineering scale.. 1" = 24".... create a 1/12th scale model and reduce it by setting the pantograph at "2.0"... instant 1/24th scale..  so, we created these in 1/24th scale..."

RonnieFnD said:

I am going to go out and try to source a model locally tomorrow.   I am not much for online ordering if I don't have to so I'm gonna try to find one I can take home.

I would have preferred buying locally this but I didn't find anything suitable.  The one remaining true "hobby" store in the area (20 minutes away) is mostly RC and trains.  I don't blame them, they need to stock what they can move.

I WILL open the box this weekend!

BenB said:

TurnerX19 said:

New Revell (revell germany et. al.) molds are 1/24. Also quite a number of very old Revell were 1/24, including the '59 Corvette, the VW Bus, and Porsche Speedster. Then they did an E Type Jag that is more like 1/25.4 , which is 1mm=1", and the queer origin of 1/25 scale. Put the caliper to a big dimension on an early AMT kit. I think they started the trend, but I'm not certain. That was the "official" story when my father inquired, he spotted how small the E Type looked next to a Merit D type. I'll get a pic later of an original Revell E Type nose from the parts box against the 2022 release shown earlier. Also some of the re-releases are not labeled correctly. Keep your caliper at hand folks!

Bob Johnson, formerly of Monogram and Accurate Miniatures, posted a good history on the Model Cars Magazine forum a while back (Link to thread). Here's what he said about why we have both 1/24 and 1/25 scale car kits:

"MPC and AMT (and Revell) had auto kit lines created in 1/25th scale...  that scale came from AMT obtaining 1/10th scale four-view car drawings from the "Big 3" and them making a 1/10th scale pattern model. That would yield tooling casts in the same size taken from the 1/10th pattern model.. set the reducing pantograph to "2.5" and you get "1/25th scale"...

 1/24th is an engineering scale.. 1" = 24".... create a 1/12th scale model and reduce it by setting the pantograph at "2.0"... instant 1/24th scale..  so, we created these in 1/24th scale..."

 

We have at least three customers named Bob Johnson at Eclectic Motorworks. One of them stores his cool classic car with us. He's told us he used to work for Monogram. Must be the same person. I haven't talked to him in awhile but I'll see if he has more stories to share. 

RonnieFnD said:

Pretty sure my dad built that one in the 90s. I'll see if I have it still

In reply to Carl Heideman :

He will.....

I have acquired enough crap to get started I believe and a second car in case I mess up the first one.  If you can't tell I have a obsession with gassers. I should probably build a real one.

In reply to RonnieFnD :

That is a terrific staring point. The Monogram kit is a far nicer mold, so do practice paint on the MPC.

solfly said:

RonnieFnD said:

Pretty sure my dad built that one in the 90s. I'll see if I have it still

This kit is a zillion years old. It stated off as the "Badman" gasser. I built that kit and won 2nd in the Scale Auto Enthusiast contest in 1995. It was printed in the Feb 96 issue, gold and black 2- tone. I don't think it fits well at all. 

Gold and black on a 55?