1/24 Heller Talbot Lago T26C Grand Prix

[kensar]

Just finished this Heller Talbot Lago Grand Prix racer.  Even though this kit is lightyears better than the SMER version, it still needs some help.

The typical main upgrade in kits of subjects from this era are better wire wheels.  I took the opportunity to do this by machining some brake drums and wheel hubs from aluminum and rims from PVC pipe.  The spokes are nylon monofilament fishing line.  The spinners are not exactly correct, but I think are passable.  The grill in the front was replaced with wire mesh.

The dashboard is aluminum tape that I did machine turning on using a grinding stone in a Dremel tool.  The instrument bezels are machined from aluminum with aftermarket instrument faces.

I added a few extras in the engine compartment to make it more interesting.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.  If you have any questions just ask.

Thanks for looking.

Edited February 17, 2024 by kensar

[Gramps46]

Really an excellent build.  Thank you for posting it as it provides inspiration for the rest of us.

[TonyK]

A very nice looking model! Great extra detail.

[Allan31]

Beautiful job on that, excellent.

I wish you would do a tutorial on how you did those wonderful wire wheels as CLEARLY... you know what you're doing.

[bbowser]

Outstanding work!  Great job upgrading the Heller kit.

[Yeah Nah]

Gorgeous build and additions Ken.

I have the Atlantis issue of the SMER/Merit version you mention and if I ever get around to building it somehow I don't think it will be up to this standard!  

[Richard Bartrop]

Heller's kit builds up very nice right out of the box, and you've turned it into a real masterpiece.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Yes, very pretty, and as Gramps 46 said, inspirational.

I have this one and a coupla Smer kits in line, and it's great to see how good this kit can look without going crazy.   

Edited February 18, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[89AKurt]

Welcome to the forum!  Outstanding.  I got the SMER kit of the Alfa Romeo last year, the way they represent the spokes is horrible, but there wasn't photo-etch back then (I assume).

[Roger U]

Very nice. The details, especially the wire wheels, and the paint are beautiful.

[Dave B]

That's a really nice build and thanks for explaining your upgrades, never too old to learn something new!!

Dave B

[Mittagskind]

Very nice looking racer.

[Pierre Rivard]

Congratulations Ken for this beautiful build. The kit may have humble origins but what you have done with it is outstanding. The wheels and dash panel are so creatively crafted. The essence of model building.

[Jim B]

Fabulous job.  That's very well done.

[kensar]

Thanks for all the kind comments, everyone.

I was motivated to do a good job on this because I have been wanting to do a subject from this racing era for awhile now and there doesn't seem to be any very good kits.

The box art from the Heller box is also very cool looking.

I just hope some company would do a decent Alfa Romeo 158 or a Ferrari 500 and not want an arm and a leg for it (like MFH does).

As for the wheels, I basically try to duplicate the kit rim and hub.  A lathe and mill are needed for this kind of work.  I find that the hub can be made of aluminum but the rim is better made with a softer material like PVC or polyurethane resin, which machines good and won't break the 0.013" drill bits used for the holes.  The hub is not drilled for the spokes, but the spokes lay in a slot or on a ledge, then superglued there when the lacing is completed on that side.  The monofilament spokes are threaded in a pattern that enables me to use one piece of monofilament for each set of spokes (inside and outside spokes).  This pattern requires the number of spokes to be an odd multiple of 4 spokes: 3x4=12, 5x4=20, 7x4=28, etc.  On this model, there are 28 spokes on the inside and 20 on the outside.  A jig is also needed to hold the hub and rims in alignment when lacing the spokes and I make this from aluminum usually.

[1959scudetto]

Excellent detailing on the old Heller kit, Ken - your upgrades lift this to another level and give us some new ideas (f. e. dashboard)

Edited February 18, 2024 by 1959scudetto

[Gluebomber]

Outstanding build, Ken!

[drodg]

Very nice job

 

[Rattlecan Dan]

That is just plain beautiful. You really did an excellent job. Thanks for posting.

[Bainford]

Beautiful work on this old kit. The wheels and added details really wake it up. A very interesting era for grand prix cars, but like you said, very few good kits available. 

[ChrisR]

Awesome built!

[Phildaupho]

I have always enjoyed looking at these models and yours definitely sets the bench mark with the upgrades you have made. Both the grill and wheels look fantastic.

[Straightliner59]

Excellent work, Ken. There's something about these older kits, built well, that I find kind of moving. As mentioned, earlier, because they're inspirational, there's some nostalgia, to them, and they're just downright cool! 

[Bruce Scully]

A lot of really nice work in this , well done .

[Bugatti Fan]

Nice model and upgrades to this Heller kit. Very impressive build.

The old Merit one is nowhere near as good. It survived along with the Alfetta kit via SMER for ages, but think the moulds may have gone to Atlantis?

However, I have seen both those old kits turned into very nice fully detailed models in the past, so the potential is there and they are relatively cheap kits to buy.