HELLER 1/8 CITROEN TRACTION AVANT

It came with floor mats?!  Now that's detail!

The rust and the sheen on the paint make it look absolutely perfect.  I was surprised at how much realism that seat frame added. 

Hi all well I've finished weathering the bonnet and wings and done the drive shafts (all fully working)

hi all here's a tiny update

Hi all well the bonnet is done (I must say I'm quite pleased with it)(not sure whether to put a few small dents in it here and there)

Hi all can anyone tell me where I could get 1/8 weapons as would have been used by the French resistance please.

Hi all last update before christmas.

Hi all did a bit more on the interior.

     I know little to nothing about cars so I haven't commented, but wanted you to know I've been following.   ( Mostly slack jawed trying to figure out how you turn plastic into distressed and aged metal ).  

       It looks great and I'm really glad you didn't toss it.  And I like the bird poop. 

Hi all well I've figured it out, On the ladder frames which you slide the subframe on the sub frame was about a mill away from end of the ladders which through everything else out unfortunately that part was stuck with a capitol S but with a lot of jiggeling I've moved it the mill required so now back to work, I've added the inner roof lining and weathered it.

for some reason the weathering is not showing up in the pics very well, trust me it looks very grubby.

Hi all well this is going to be left for a while to let me cool off (I came sooooo close to throwing it against the wall) went to fit the wings and complete radiator as you saw I did in the last update and with those in place tried a fit of the bonnet (no chance 6 mill gap at the front, or back depending on where you want the gap) after several minuets of scratching my head I figured out what the problem was there was a gap all around the top of the firewall of about 2 mill, lift the front of the car a bit gap disappears and the bonnet fits perfect (I think the floor pan is bent) (I know the back part is but thought I would sort that when I finally glued it on) so lifted the front of the car glued the firewall to the body let it dry, released the body and the bottom of the firewall came away from where that was glued (too much stress I guess ) after a very fidely application of glue to that area, mahoosive amounts of taping to hold it there, let that dry undo the tape all fits perfect, just start applauding myself for sorting it and ping gap at the top again. How I stopped myself I don't know, but I didn't throw it, I don't want to come that close again so having a break for a little while.

Hi all here is tonights update

Sweet build!

Simply stunning. The attention to detail is mind blowing.

Hi all well you must be getting bored by now (I know I am)

Thanks for the very kind comments Jim, I wouldnt know how to apply to sending them there, and anyway I've seen this very kit built a million times better than this.

Well its that time of year again, as little aside from the model got the decs up today

I decided the technique I used on the dent in the tank of the Honda I would use it here aswell

seems like sacralige, the chrome on the radiator grill is so exquisite.

but would be out of place on this car,

and the rust devils been about again

I don't do many autos so I hadn't followed this post but today I started to read it just to see what it was about.  After reading the whole thing, there is only one statement I'd like to make.  This is ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY an OUTSTANDING BUILD.   The way you took some of the pics made it look just like a 1/1 auto too.  It looked like it was being worked on in a garage.  The rust work is fantastic.  

I think you should consider sending the photos to FSM and Scale Auto when finished.  Great chance to get them published and have others see your great work.  Looking forward to seeing the completion of your build.

Jim  

does anyone know where I can get some decent pics of the dash in these as I want to weather it and cant find any decent pics, here is what I have at the moment.

Hi all here is another installment

hi all here is yet another update

hi all here is tonights update, I realise the windscreen needs work but its my first effort at doing glass.

does the bird poo look effective

kpnuts

Thanks Allen, well I'm sure you must be getting bored of this by now (I know you're all so polite you wont say so) so I'll take advantage of your good nature and continue the onslaught.

Not at all! Im actually planning to make a car model for the first time since the 80s and your work and those of the others give me much by way of tips.

Thanks Allen, well I'm sure you must be getting bored of this by now (I know you're all so polite you wont say so) so I'll take advantage of your good nature and continue the onslaught.

You are the master of rust. Very convincing!

Hi all I was checking some of the pictures, one advantage of that is looking at pictures of things 2 and sometimes 3 times bigger than the actual thing you see faults you wouldnt see on the actual item, like for instance a lot of the flat areas of rust are, just that flat, no blistering and no reason to be rust coloured, so I,ve fixed that and dulled the doors and bodywork down and started blending panels and adding general grime (I must say I'm quite pleased with the results so far) if things carry on like this I think the finished thing will look quite realistic (of course having said that I will no probably go and ruin it)

does anyone know how to dull down and dirty the windows and windscreen? all tip welcome.

Hi all well after a disasterous reaction on the paintwork on this I've sorted it (will never be a great job but is ok as an old jalopy) did a bit more staining of the doors and the bodywork and added some rust effects to the black paintwork, still a long way to go on it but is starting to look better now.

Hi all well started with some colour, you may notice not the colour I originally stated as I've given up on Citroen giving me the code (so now of course I will have to change the carpet colour :mad::mad:)

anyhoo here is the start of the rusting (lots more work to be done on it, but I think its a good starting point)

Primer looks good

Should take a good coat of paint

well I'm back from Bonnie Scotland and back at it.