My rare auto models

[Gramps46]

It is simply amazing what you have accomplished.  

[caapa]

On 8/24/2023 at 11:24 PM, 1959scudetto said:

Fabulous work, Janos - extraordinary craftsmanship !

I could not imagine myself building in this small scale!

 

On 8/25/2023 at 2:58 AM, Gramps46 said:

It is simply amazing what you have accomplished.  

Thank you very much for the praiseful words. I appreciate your regular comments.

[caapa]

Apollo Intensa Emozione Hypercar 2019

This car has an organic elegance that other modern hyper-cars strive for, but are unable to deliver. The design is all about manipulating the air around and through the vehicle with the highest aerodynamic efficiency. The chassis is a carbon monocoque with front and rear subframes and has a total weight of a mere 105kg. The engine is a Ferrari derived 6.3-liter V-12 that delivers a total of 780 horsepower. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 2,7 sec and able to hit a top speed of 333 km/h. Only 10 examples will be built, each with a starting price of 2,3 million Euros. It's all supposed to be sold.

The model is made by Siku in 1:64 scale (about).

Enjoy the pictures.

[Gramps46]

Hmmm?  At first glance I thought there would be a lot of induced drag due to all the different surfaces but I am a nuts-and-bolts kind of guy and not an aerodynamicist.  

[caapa]

Apollo Project Evo 2021

Bet you felt even more intense emotions when you saw this car. Two years after the Intensa Emozione  Apollo Automobili came to the 2021 International Import Expo in Shanghai, China with the very cool looking Project Evo convincing us that otherworldly design isn't out of style just yet. The car comes with an engine twin turbo, V12, 6,6 litre and 1550 ps. Accelerating from 0–97 km/h in 2.7 seconds, with a projected top speed of 335 km/h. Rumors suggest that the car will have a price tag of about $3 million.  An Evo was seen in Croatia in orange-black paint combo a few weeks ago.

The model is made by XHD/China in 1:24 scale

Enjoy the pictures.

[caapa]

Pontiac Stiletto XP-759 1964 and Cirrus 1969

The GM-X, aka Pontiac Stiletto was one of the stars at the 1964 New York World`s Fair. The concept car was an advanced, high-performance car with styling strongly influenced by aerospace design. It featured aircraft-type steering, 29 toggle switch controls, 31 indicator lights,  16 gauges all spread across the roof and dashboard console. There was a three-way speaker system for inside/outside communications too. Imagine the advantage during voicing a bad opinion of a fellow road user and having them hear every word without to open a window.  A fascinating opportunity. The passengers entered through a side opening hatch which included the roof too and passed between the aircraft-style bucket seats. After the exhibitions GM relegated the car to long-term storage. But in a surprising twist, GM then resurrected the Stiletto by giving it a new, even more sleek nose and a silver paint job. This is when the car was branded as a Pontiac and renamed Cirrus. The Cirrus has also completed the exhibitions tour and was back in storage again until the ‘80s. During a GM`s little house cleaning it was sent to the crusher.

The models are in 1:75 scale and made of wood with vacuum formed plastic roof  and resin wheels.

Enjoy the pictures.

[Gramps46]

I do not remember these show cars so I really appreciate your sharing them with us.  In this scale they are amazing.

[1959scudetto]

Fascinating, Janos - I think you will need a magnifierto see all the tiny details here.

[caapa]

21 hours ago, 1959scudetto said:

Fascinating, Janos - I think you will need a magnifierto see all the tiny details here.

Yes, Helmut - I use magnifier since longer time. My eyes are old so they are not the old ones anymore. I am of the opinion that what I see as good under the magnifying glass is certainly good for the good eyes.

[caapa]

Chevrolet Astro I Concept 1967

Long before the name was stuck on a minivan, the Astro I was the sleekest thing on wheels: a concept car created in 1967 by Larry Shinoda.  The extremely low build of the car required special solutions. The entire body aft of the windshield was one piece and tilted up and back with a large screw mechanism. At the same time, the two bucket seats lifted out of their normal positions to aid ingress and egress. A V8 engine would have been too big so they installed the enlarged Corvair flat-six engine 2.9-liter and rated at 240hp mated to a production Corvair Powerglide transaxle. The planned top speed was 318,7 km/h. A three-element periscope was used in lieu of a rear-view mirror. It gave the driver a wider field of view and compensated for the lack of rear glass. Although the car was completely built it was never a runner.

The model made by Corgi 1:64 scale. I repainted the heavily play worn car with some details by painting.

Enjoy the pictures.

[1959scudetto]

I think I remember this model from my childhood...

[caapa]

Chevrolet Astro II Concept 1968

In the 1960s Arkus-Duntov was totally convinced that mid-engine was the only way to go for Corvette to compete effectively in styling, image, and performance against the top European sports cars. The idea was first explored publicly with the Astro II mid-engined concept car in April 1968 at the New York auto show, penned by Larry Shinoda the design guru of Corvettes. A 400 hp 7 liter big-block V8 was mounted backward, with its starter and ring gear under the seatbacks. The car was rolling on spoked cast-aluminum wheels, it boasted four-wheel-disc brakes and could generate an incredible 1.00 g of cornering grip - on street tires. While showing mid-engined concept Corvettes excited the press and public and created interest, the idea of actually investing in converting the Corvette to a mid-engine layout was strongly opposed as a major production cost-increasing risk. The project was finished. But two design features were later applied to production Corvettes. For ’73, when new bumper requirements  have entered into force the Corvette got an attractive, body-color Astro treatment. Then for ’74, the Corvette’s tail was restyled to look like the Astro II’s.

The model made by Politoys in 1:43 scale. The painting was in very bad condition so I repainted and detailed it.

Enjoy the pictures.

 

[Big John]

Any of my Etzel kits, especially the Miller Indy winner.

[Big John]

Or my  modified Brum customized Bugatti type 57.

[caapa]

21 hours ago, Big John said:

Any of my Etzel kits, especially the Miller Indy winner.

 

21 hours ago, Big John said:

Or my  modified Brum customized Bugatti type 57.

Hi John,

very nice two models. The Miller is a metal kit ? And which scale ? Looks with mutch details.

The Bugatti got a good paint combo I like it ! (as all of the Bugattis)

Thank you for sharing with us.

[Big John]

Thanks for your kind words.  The miller is a Chris Etzel resin kit which had a assortment of metal castings and photo etched parts.  He also used Top Queen/Willis Finecast wheels and tires for several of his kits.  Yes, this is one of my favorite color schemes.

[caapa]

VW Type 64 Berlin-Roma 1939

In 1937 began the organization of a road rally from Berlin to Rome. Because of the Sudeten Crisis the race was postponed to 1939. In September 1938 a project was started to create KdF’s (aka VW Beetle) Berlin-Rome competition car. The car using type 60 KdF-Wagen’s mechanicals with design from Porsche 114 project. (a V10 mid-engined layout) The engine was 1131 cc, 4 cylinder boxer with 39 bhp. The well streamlined bodywork helped the poorly powered car to a top speed of 140 km/h but the race did not take place due to the outbreak of World War II. There were 3 units built, the first was built and later dismantled, chassis probably used for car no.3. The second was ready at end of 1939 and during 1945 the roof was cut off by US soldiers.  Later parts of the car were sold for the owner of the third car. The third car was completed in summer of 1940. Ferry Porsche used it  and had the car rewamped in 1947, supposedly at Carozzeria Pininfarina in Italy. In 1949 the car was sold to Otto Mathé – an austrian motor racer who raced with the car regularly. (in the 50`s Otto Mathé was Niki Lauda’s childhood idol)

The model made of wood and the uper part of cocpit vacuum formed from transparent plastic. The scale is 1:75.

Enjoy the pictures.

[caapa]

Chevrolet Astro III. Concept 1969

The Astro III concept was only three feet high, making it the lowest concept model ever created and designed by GM. Developed under the leadership of Bill Mitchell, the car was an experimental two-passenger turbine model at the Detroit Auto Show 1969. It was a realy unusual car: two frontwheels closly, easily be steered by power-assisted pistol-grip lever controls, powered by a 250-C18 gas turbine engine, the view to the rear is by a closed-circuit television viewing screen. The lift-up canopy for easy access for the driver and passanger is inspired by aeroplans. Although the public and the profession are admired the design, the acceptance of a 3-wheeled car was no option for the buyers. Today, the Astro III concept model still exists and is part of the GM Heritage Collection.

The model is made by Hotwheels about 1:64 scale.

Enjoy the pictures.

[caapa]

3 minutes ago, caapa said:

Chevrolet Astro III. Concept 1969

 

The Astro III concept was only three feet high, making it the lowest concept model ever created and designed by GM. Developed under the leadership of Bill Mitchell, the car was an experimental two-passenger turbine model at the Detroit Auto Show 1969. It was a realy unusual car: two frontwheels closly, easily be steered by power-assisted pistol-grip lever controls, powered by a 250-C18 gas turbine engine, the view to the rear is by a closed-circuit television viewing screen. The lift-up canopy for easy access for the driver and passanger is inspired by aeroplans. Although the public and the profession are admired the design, the acceptance of a 3-wheeled car was no option for the buyers. Today, the Astro III concept model still exists and is part of the GM Heritage Collection.

 

The model is made by Hotwheels about 1:64 scale.

 

Enjoy the pictures.

 

Sorry, there is a mistake: the manufacturer of the model is Racing Chapions and not Hotwheels.

[caapa]

Chevrolet Sting-Ray Convertible 1963

For the first time in the Corvette's history the wind tunnel testing influenced the final shape of a new model.  Underneath the bodywork, the technology has gone new too: a rear transaxle, an independent rear suspension and four-wheels disc brakes with the rear brakes mounted inboard. The new convertible had nearly twice as much steel support in its central structure as the 1958–62 ones. The resulting extra weight was balanced by a reduction in fiberglass thickness, so the finished product actually weighed a bit less than the old roadster. New for the 1963 model year was an optional electronic ignition, the breakerless magnetic pulse-triggered Delcotronic and the engine was good for 356 horsepower. Production was divided almost evenly between the convertible and the new coupe – 10,919 and 10,594. In 2004, the Sports Car International named the Sting Ray number five on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s.

The model is made by Revell in 1:24 scale. The model is incorrectly marked on the chassis as type 1965.

Enjoy the pictures.

[caapa]

Duesenberg Mormon Meteor Special 1935

For Fred and Augie Duesenberg, it had always been about the racing. Fred kept his hand in the racing program, located across the street from Duesenberg Inc. Three years after Fred’s death in July 1932 - Augie led the way in setting a land speed record at Bonneville with driver Ab Jenkins and the remarkable supercharged Duesenberg Mormon Meteor Special. A centrifugal supercharger, designed by Fred, ran at six times the engine speed, increasing manifold pressure 7,5:1 at 5000 rpm and boosting engine output to a remarkable 390-400 horsepower, according a Duesenberg dynamometer test. It was August 31, 1935, scorching nearly 49°C heat was radiating off the glistening white salt flats. The Meteor run ghost like out the vortex of thermal reflection  and  hurtling past the timers at nearly 160mph. A new land speed record ! But it was not enought. The car run 24 hours long on a 10 mile ovel track and set an other record: an average of 233 km/h. The distance travelled is nearly the equivalent of driving USA coast-to-coast in one day.

The model made of wood with vacuum formed fenders in 1:75 scale.

Enjoy the pictures.

[1959scudetto]

This a great-looking miniature, Janos - unbelievable how you can work out these details in that small scale !

[Gramps46]

Truly a great looking model Janos.  Thanks for sharing it with us.

[caapa]

On 10/27/2023 at 8:11 PM, 1959scudetto said:

This a great-looking miniature, Janos - unbelievable how you can work out these details in that small scale !

 

On 10/29/2023 at 4:24 PM, Gramps46 said:

Truly a great looking model Janos.  Thanks for sharing it with us.

Thank you very much the nice comments. If I think back to my initial models there is some qualitative improvement indeed.

[caapa]

Ferrari Testarossa Spider 1985

There is only one official convertible variant of the Testarossa, commissioned in 1986 by the then-Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli to commemorate his 20 years of chairmanship of the company. This Testarossa Spider has an Argento Nürburgring exterior, a white magnolia leather interior and a white electronically operated soft top that could be manually stowed away. It had a solid silver Ferrari logo on the hood instead of the regular aluminium one. The spider had  a standard 4.9 L flat-12 engine with a power output of 396 PS, though the top speed was reduced because of the excessive weight arising due to the reinforced chassis. The vehicle was delivered to Agnelli in four months. Despite many requests from interested customers, Ferrari refused to produce the car as a regular production variant. Pininfarina and some aftermarket firms such as Straman, Pavesi, Lorentz and Rankl, and Koenig Specials offered unofficial Spider conversions on special consumer requests. So all further spiders are one-offs too.

The model is made by Revell in 1:24 scale. I found a ref picture with the white rear end and repainted the car accordingly.

Enjoy the pictures.