Ok, I am shouting out for finishing this side project with a loud Hallelujah! When I am done with the entire dio--I'll shout out with two loud Hallelujahs, and I'll celebrate with a grilled steak and grog. Tonight, just a frozen dinner.
A few things to note:
1. As you already know there are some fit issues. I chopped the cylinder head, part of the frame, I lanced part the transmission housing, and even the trailer hitch interfered with the spare tire. It is what it is.
2. The decals didn't go down well; you will notice silvering. I suspect the decades old kit took its toll on them. A better modeler might have been able to do better.
3. The "compressor" is not glued to the trailer yet. I will be routing the wires via the hose through the compressor assembly and into the base. You will notice a slight gap between the two; the two will get glued later.
All in all, not a bad "little" kit.
4. (Updated) I forgot to mention I left the radio antenna off until final assembly.
I banged my head against this side project pretty hard--so bear with me as I celebrate its completion by posting a bunch of images:
What's next? I'll be moving towards mounting these and the X-1 to the base, then wire the battery, paint the hose, and finally, work on the flames. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
End of update.