Citroen Traction Avant by kpnuts - FINISHED - Heller - 1/8

[kpnuts]

Hi all since I've found this section I thought I would post pics of what I consider my best build ever. I will post it as a wip although its actually finished (I love old rusty things and my initial ideas to build it in the middle of a field with a tree growing out of it, but I was given a better idea of building it as a kind of last running jaolpy that the French resistance could find for a last mission)

So to start (I read loads saying the engine is warped and needs loads of bracing tabs to make it fit together well (initially I thought I was lucky but I've built this kit twice and both times the fit was purfect) I took pics to prove there was no bracing.

 

[kpnuts]

Ok so heres the next installment.

 

[fnick]

Mind if I pull up a chair? I started (and never finished...) This kit back in 2004... Was good fun but if I remember correctly I gave up when I couldnt get the roof to sit flush on the lower part of the body. Found some pics on my pc. Certainly didn't know anything about cleaning mold lines back then!😄

 

You're certainly off to a good start!

 

Nick

[yvesvidal]

I will be following your build log with a lot of interest for various reasons.

 

My brother (in France) owns an 11CV traction Avant and a 15CV that he restored completely from the ground up.

 

My brother created a BLOG to document the restoration: https://rouler-en-traction-avant.blog4ever.com/

It is all in French, but you may be able to find a lot of good information.

 

By the way this is a video of his 15CV  engine recently rebuilt and firing for the first time in decades....

 

Yves

Edited April 20, 2020 by yvesvidal

[kpnuts]

I would like to point out that I completed this dio some time ago and since finding this section I thought it would be nice to post it as a wip to show how I did it.

So here is the next installment.

 

Edited April 20, 2020 by kpnuts

[kpnuts]

Hi here is the next installment 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by kpnuts

[Egilman]

I'm getting flashbacks to the junk yard I worked in as a young man starting out......

 

Beautiful work.......

 

No,

 

Stunningly Beautiful work......

[Nirvana]

Beautiful start, like the aging of the parts.

[mtaylor]

Shock me up a bit when I saw the first photo and started scrolling down.   I thought you had photographed the real thing.   It's that good.

[lmagna]

I thought you had switched to the real thing as well, until I saw the picture where it is sitting on top of the white appliance. Amazing work and detail.

Edited April 23, 2020 by lmagna

[yvesvidal]

For having worked countless hours with my brother on the real thing, I have to say that your attention to details and incredible realism is stunning, Kpnuts.

 

YVes

[Baker]

Looks great

Nice weathering 👍

[kpnuts]

Thanks for the nice comments. Here is the next installment.

I should mention the carpet colour will change as citroen were going to send me the colour code for a blue colour I'd chosen but never did so I changed the body colour which meant changing the carpet colour.

[yvesvidal]

17 hours ago, kpnuts said:

If I may suggest, there is a small round gasket all around the frame, where the two sides of the hood rest. This is to prevent the hood panels from rubbing against the body and damage the paint, while creating unpleasant noise. A wire of 1 mm or 1.5 mm would be perfect to recreate that fabric/rubber gasket.

 

That model truly builds like the real car.

 

Yves

[kpnuts]

Thanks yves. As I said at the start the model was actually finished long time ago but I did add that rubber.

[popeye the sailor]

as I'm going through this log........I'm thinking to myself that this looks to be a good size model.   I did the double take to find that this is a 1/8 scale model......wow!   gee......I don't know EG.......I think this looks of junkyards I still visit!     superb job KP........love the looks!

[kpnuts]

Hi all another installment.

 

[Egilman]

5 hours ago, kpnuts said:

Hi all another installment.

I do suspect that when your done restoring that honey, it's going to come with the 28 point dealer inspection certificate, correct?

That is so beautiful it ought to....

I have to keep reminding myself your working on a model, not a real car......

Absolutely fantastic work....

Edited April 25, 2020 by Egilman

[kpnuts]

Thanks I feel encouraged to post another installment.

 

[kpnuts]

Heres another update.

 

[Nirvana]

That's so well done, I like the aging of the model. Wish I had those skills.

[kpnuts]

It's easy mate the body is just the salt method the windscreen is just masking .I'm happy to post how I did it if anyone is interested.

[Egilman]

56 minutes ago, Nirvana said:

That's so well done, I like the aging of the model. Wish I had those skills.

You and me both brother you and me both......

46 minutes ago, kpnuts said:

It's easy mate the body is just the salt method the windscreen is just masking .I'm happy to post how I did it if anyone is interested.

Please do, your techniques of aging I've never seen before.....  And we love to expand our tool boxes.....

[kpnuts]

Happy to do so I did a tutorial when I built this originally as I had so many people saying they wish they knew how I did it.

I also had loads telling me i should be ashamed of myself for ruining such a great kit and what rubbish techniques i was using it nearly put me off modeling, luckily I was on decent forums like this and they convinced me to continue ( dont listen to the bashers (theryre everywhere)) I consider this the best dio I have ever done (even over the warspite dio) we all have a build we never think we will beat and this was mine.

[Nirvana]

Tutorial please!

 

[Egilman]

59 minutes ago, kpnuts said:

I also had loads telling me i should be ashamed of myself for ruining such a great kit and what rubbish techniques i was using.....

There are some people in the modeling world that simply need their friggen heads examined..... Something I just don't understand is people that can't see brilliance when it slaps you up side the noggin......

[Old Collingwood]

That is why I love our forum  as we are all not affraid to push our individual  building skills, and try to put our own stamp on what we are building  - giving it a bit of life in any way we wish to.

 

OC.

[mtaylor]

4 hours ago, Egilman said:

There are some people in the modeling world that simply need their friggen heads examined..... Something I just don't understand is people that can't see brilliance when it slaps you up side the noggin......

I find those that critical usually have some mental issues.  Best to ignore the trolls and they will wander off and look for attention elsewhere.

4 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

That is why I love our forum  as we are all not affraid to push our individual  building skills, and try to put our own stamp on what we are building  - giving it a bit of life in any way we wish to.

 

OC.

Spot on OC.  And generally advice or help is only offered when someone asks for some.  

[CDW]

What an inspirational build. I once owned this kit but never started it and eventually traded it away. Makes me wish I had kept it.

[popeye the sailor]

what was the yellow..........primer?  the windshield is cool     very nice job!