Anybody collect/build 1:18th scale diecast (or other) model cars ?

[sbtm]

thanx But I don't build, I just buy.. so it's nothing compared to the effort you other guys take for your models.

At the moment I'm waiting for some new R8 GT3 cars from minichamps that were announced last year for autumn this year. Also minichamps just came up with some nice McLaren F1 LM models I'm having an eye on.
Also having an eye on the BBR Ferrari 333 SP, the Autoart Corvette C7.R GTE and always an eye on the Autoart Mazda 787b :-D

 

[Doom77]

Ah ok,nice Thought u build also

I really like it to build,and cant wait to see the finished car at the end im selling them 2,but not all

 

[NBH]

This is something I've always wanted to get in to. But I never knew really where to start at when it comes to F1 die casts. The only die cast I own of F1 is a 2006 Ferrari 248. The rest is my favorite cars from movies and TV.

 

[Jack Vos]

My cars

Check this out
WSI Expensive truck models,1:50 I at least want to get one
Build and painted in the Netherlands (mostly Dutch companies)

No Family sadly

 

[wombat999]

Did you turn your own spindles & hubs and wire your own wheels? Nice work! I want to give that a try one day.
Great job on the Renault!
I'm putting the parts together to scratch build a couple Formula Vee's, and maybe a Lowcost Seven (Lotus Seven clone) in 1/18th scale. The hardest thing is creating cylinders with fins on them for the VW engines.

I've had several CAD lathes and a couple of CAD milling machines for some time. Turning rims, hubs, brake drums and discs, axles, drive shafts and anything else that can be turned or ground is pretty much second nature. Spokes are tedious but once the routine is mastered all it takes is time and patience. I use a lot of RTV moulds to cast resin or pewter, while RTV and Carbon Black produces nice rubber tyres. Photo etching is straight forward enough after the learning curve straightens out, which leads me to your VW barrels. You should be able to get a PE Kit from a decent hobby store, usually aimed at the jewelry hobby or similar craft types.
I'd be looking at K&E (IIRC) aluminum tube for the barrels and etching the fins out of thin alloy sheet, the alternative would be either styrene tube and (really time consuming!) fins cut from sheet styrene, or perhaps casting from a master pattern which would give the look but not the finesse.
Or.......find a heap of metal washers the right size and thread them over the K&H tube!
Nothing is impossible.

The only part of this GTO that came out of a box is the 'kerbside' body shell, and that has been seriously chopped around. Everything else is scratch built..............

 

[Vanaja]

I have a few Volvo. 1:18 vs. 1:76

 

[Tbear]

@Vanaja, great stuff! I do have to add a 122 and a P1800 to the collection. Maybe a P1800ES ... I've worked on both and like the lines of the "shooting brake" better.

I have a question for you ... Is that a 242 between the 121 and the 544?

 

[Craig Patteson]

cant believe im late to the party haha im happy to share my other hobby with you guys
I have been collection 1:43 scale Williams model cars since 2003 and currently have over 250 cars I tend to get both drivers from each year I have most of Ayrton senna 1:18 cars and a few other 1:18 Williams cars along with some 1:2 helmets some 1:4 steering wheels 1:12 nose cones 1:8 helmets and a 1:12 senna lotus other then sim racing this is my pride and joy

 

[Tbear]

cant believe im late to the party haha im happy to share my other hobby with you guys ...

Other then sim racing this is my pride and joy

Aren't they lovely? Very nice!

 

[InsaneOzzie]

In my younger years I loved building Revel model cars, I remember staying up till all hours painting each component in detail, then slowly glue each piece on after meticulously checking to see it fitted as neatly as possible. The cars below are 20+ years old, and the only 3 that have remained intact, although some parts have fallen off (side mirrors on the Testarossa) the Jungle Jim funny car & Camaro were both air brushed, if I remember the Camaro took 3 to 4 days to paint as I had to mask each layer for the next colour. Probably one of the most relaxing hobbies Ive had, I still have half built and untouched models in storage in my shed....one day I'll break them out and finish them.

 

[Tbear]

I guess I got inspired by this thread. After seeing some of the posts, I spent $50.00 on a new cabinet that will give me storage for 33 or if I add another shelf, 44 cars. And I also ordered 3 more cars and parts to modify two more.

Top shelf is Ferrari s ... almost all Ferrari s look good in red OR yellow.

 

[Tbear]

Although I do have a couple 1/18th die cast models of cars I owned, I never thought I'd ever see a 1/18th scale model of my current ride, a bobbed M35a2 Deuce and a half US Military cargo truck. I saw one on ebay yesterday and ordered it up.

I almost cannot believe that somebody build a model of a vehicle that only existed as a prototype back in the 1950's. I had to build my own.

My truck is a 1968 M35a2. He went into the army 2 years before I did.

The model is actually 1/16 scale, but close enough for me. It's electric powered and R/C. They cost about $40 on ebay (here). WPL builds several different countries' military trucks including the old Zil ... and a US 5 Ton ... which I might buy one day to build a model of the gun trucks from the
Vietnam War.

As soon as the model comes in, calling on all on my model making skills, I will pull it apart and and build as close a copy of my Henry as I can. It's going to look great on my desk.

 

[BeatonicTiger]

Where is best place to purchase models car online that aren't crazy expensive?

 

[Tbear]

Where is best place to purchase models car online that aren't crazy expensive?

Oddly enough, the last 10 cars I have bought I found on face book. All I did was do a search for "1/18 scale diecast cars" Some as low as $10.00 a piece.

 

[Edward Gonzales]

AutoArt has some nice 1/18 replicas. I found some catalogues from Paul's Model Art aka Minichamps from the 90's and a small stack of EXOTO.