Buiding Pet Peeve ??

[Rich Sipos]

The model race car hobby has really taken off in the last few years with many out standing builds, even other types of car models. For the most part 1/25" scale is I think the leading scale with 1/24" close behind and parts are some what inter changeable. Some parts work well together as in a1/24 engine in a 1/25 body not so noticeable but if you use the wrong size wire on a distributor it takes away from the model. Lately on some of the model sites weather custom cars or race cars the ignition wires look like water hoses! It is to bad because the model was done very well and could have taken top honors at a show. What are your thoughts ? Enjoy
 Rich

[Dirtman]

I agree Rich. But.....sometimes I think the prewired distributors look too small to my eyes. Is it an optical ellusion or just me? Some of mine look good, some, not so much...

Rett

[Brian Conn]

  I use the pre wired distributors on my engines....and I have been accused of being a rivet counter.....with that being said, I think part of the problem is more with the kit manufactures than with the builder.  I am not familiar with the web sites that Rich Sipos speaks of, so I am not going to comment directly on those particular builds, but to get ignition wires that look like water hoses, I am assuming the hoses between the block/water pump and firewall, they would have to be 1 mm. or perhaps a slightly larger dia. in 1/25th scale.  The largest dia. plug wires that I am familiar with are 9.9 mm. (1:1 scale)  Accel, Moroso, Mallory etc, etc. which measure 3/8" or less than 0.50 mm. in 1/25th scale.
  SHAMELESS PLUG... I use the Morgan Automotive Detail pre wired distributors.....the distributors look like real distributors...not simply a round piece with some pieces of wire hanging out. The plug wires measure 0.47 mm. which is right on the money as far as I am concerned.
  As far as a distributor looking right with the rest of the engine, I am going back with what I said earlier in this post about the kit manufactures being partly to blame.  I cant comment on G.M , MOPAR or any import engine sizes and dimensions but with Ford engines I have amassed quite a bit of info. over the years.  I have, what's supposed to be small blocks, that in size are almost as big as a fat block 427 and visa versa....big block 429/ 460 engines that could be easily mistaken for a 351 Cleveland.  I have seen kit distributors that where either way too small or excessively over proportioned......so it is quite plausible to have an accurate, aftermarket distributor that looks too big or too small with a disproportionate sized kit engine.   

               

[Lefturns75]

I have never used a pre wired distributor.  I have never bought one.  The Wire I use is .46mm and that is close enough for me for high perf. stuff.  I bought a few rolls years ago and it is enough to last me a life time.  I have red, blue, grey and black.  I have seen builds with pink, green, and who knows what other color and I have to ask why?  I can understand if it is on some funny looking show rod but it just looks plain dumb to me on a mustang or camaro.   And when they look like a spider is sitting on the distributor with legs stretched out to the plug locations.  I have seen guys use phone wire for plug wires and it looks to me like fuel line going to the plugs.  I have mixed 1/25 and 1/24 parts to get the correct look to the eye.  I have two full fender cars and one open wheel car posted on this forum with mixed scale parts, can you tell which parts they are???  Sometimes exact scale don't cut it and you gotta go with what "Looks" right.  Modeling is sort of slight of hand tricks.  You trick the eye and it looks right even though its not.  I build models, not exact replicas so I'm not too worried about on the money parts.   As for the rivet counters, they need to get a life and some I have met through the years need to to acquire some skills too but that gripe is for another thread.   

[sentsat71]

Me, even though I painted most of my builds since sometime late summer of 1971, I found that it is my stumbling block, even simple paint schemes, like one color for the body, etc.....In some ways, I think that is what burned me out in 1979-80.....since then, the only completed builds were the 1st two Monogram sprint cars of Kinser and Swindell, back in 1987.....Were other projects around 1986-87. but they stalled out, some no longer exist, the others around somewhere......a couple close to being finished, but never did, primarily because i switched hobbies in '87.....

So I guess for me, collecting kits has been my focus......
Something that's gotta' change soon......

[421sd]

I prefer 28 gauge wire on the engines I wire for plug wires. Radio Shack used to sell it on a small roll called WIRE WRAP. They went out of business here in my home town but it can be bought online if you GOOGLE it. Some will disagree with the size but it looks very close to 1/25 scale to me.

[Brian Conn]

  I ask this question because I honestly don't know the answer........
  Where does build accuracy stop and rivet counting start?
  I consider build accuracy to be when a builder does a replica build, or a period correct build or a show room stock build.
Anyone??? 

[Lefturns75]

I don't know about most guys but I do this to have fun.  If you build a stocker lets say and when someone looks at it they know which car you modeled.  That is what you were trying to do.  When someone starts in with "It didn't have that kind of wheels, that car used goodyears, that's the wrong engine, it is wired wrong, the color is off"--you can pretty much bet those are the ones that have built nothing, have nothing to show, or has one on the bench but you never see it and its never finished.  I have seen it at shows, on forums and even at simple display get togethers.  How exact you want to get is up to you, the builder.  Who cares what scale each part is as long as it looks right to the eye.  I have mixed 1/25=1/24 and 1/20 parts on builds and Nobody ever mentioned it.  It LOOKED right to the eye.  Build what you like and like what you build.  If the rivet counters don't like it they can go pound sand.  9 out of 10 of them don't know the subject I modeled as well as they would have you think.  Recliner Quarterbacks.  To have played the game and criticize is one thing but to HAVE NEVER played the game and criticize is all together different.  So…..if you build a 302 with a mix of parts and it LOOKS like a 302, you have pulled it off.  If it looks like a 260 with Boss 429 heads, it aint gonna work. 

[Dirtman]

Well said Turns. My feelings exactly! I don't do replicas as a rule, 'cause I can't afford to pay someone to do decals and I don't really have the patience to do the research to do it right! I'm doing some of my own race cars and that's good for me. The rest of my builds are cars the way I think I would build them if they were real....And......I'm very content doing it this way!

Rett

[Rich Sipos]

Thanks Guys for the input. As lefturn was talking about rivet counters it is annoying, the build has to look right to the builder, others are second. The hobby should be fun to do period. I like to do replica builds and what ifs, on the replicas I try to get as close as possible to the real deal. working off of a picture or two can be difficult. Pictures just show the out side most times with the driver hiding part of the car. Part of the enjoyment in a replica is the research on the car and finding more pics of the car, and now with the internet and FB there are thousands of picture and info. When I do one and can't get info on the interior I try to remember how the cars were at a track or the time frame the car ran and do the cage and interior that way. This has worked well on my builds. Enjoy
 Rich

[john2]

   I usually make mine up as I go along.  From time to time, I will do a " semi replica " which to me is the best of both worlds. I call those a " could  of  been. "  In other words, any of the well known drivers or owners, could have done one like it.

I mostly like to just make up my own numbers, colors, and sponsors, and then try my best to hand letter them well.  I had rather risk poor lettering and  have on the car what I want, than to always use standard decals.

To each his own.  Do it like you enjoy.  What the others think, really doesn't matter. Have fun your way.

[john2]

 X

[bandit2026]

I have built a couple of replicas because I had the decals and a model to match but mainly I build models to suit me. My dad built modifieds in the 50s and early 60s under Nascar rules. Ford in a ford, Chevy in a Chevy no chopped up bodies and such. If I remember a cool paint job I may copy that's  about it. Parts box decals.  I build to relax. I use to go to shows and stay really late for someone to give a trophy that I don't have room for. Now I may start a model and not touch it for months as I'm on the road in my rv.

[Olderndirt]

Brian;

  I think it’s different for each builder. I draw the line at actual rivet counting, and worrying over if Igot the correct firing order on my models engine. But I do think you should do as much as you can to be at least reasonable correct. This is the difference for me between models, and toys. Some of my pet peeves are contingency decals that are not period correct, and scrambled engines with parts that couldn’t possible go together in real life, wrong factory engine colors, along with “finished” models that lack major under the hood components ( like radiator hoses, and ignition coils).
 I really love it when I see a picture of a perfectly build model, lightly weathered, nicely detailed, with a believable background, that makes me really look hard to make sure it isn’t a real car.

  Olderndirt

[Brian Conn]

WOW...great responses 
  It is some self doubt that I have had for a while that has had me pondering a couple of issues.....one of them building for accuracy vs. rivet counting.  My take away from this is that an accurate builder isn't going to count his own rivets , but has the capability to count another builders rivets , which is an unwarranted and unnecessary response....every builder builds to his own self imposed level which adds to the variety and uniqueness of a building community.

  I build to relax...to get lost in the inner sanctum that is the hobby room....I don't have any other hobbies or activities except from the occasional resto-mod work on my 1:1 '76 Ford Gran Torino.  I would like to think that I put my all into a build of the Styrene plastic kind.   
  One of the responses in this thread that has mysteriously disappeared (guess I should have responded sooner?) said something about putting your all into a build only to hear crickets....I can really relate to this, another cause of self doubt ...it was so bad that I would have appreciated hearing from the crickets verses playing to an empty room.
  You guys that do the replica builds are awesome .....what you are able to do with one or two Black and White photos amazes me.   I also have a new found appreciation for the research that it takes to do a period correct build ...particularly an older subject where there is not much, if any, information to be had.  I did a period correct build last year (fictitious local dirt track stock car from 1969)  probably spent as much time researching as I did with the actual build itself.....greatest compliments where from those older builders who would tell me that it was spot on.