At the back of the Zwartkop Scale Modeller Club building there is a room that is filled with junk (at least until recently when a kind soul took much time and effort to make the place look more respectable).

While trawling through this room I came across the remains of what was probably a beautiful model of a Hot Rod, long ago.

I felt these pieces of plastic were calling me – and I listened. I looked around and could find many of its parts, but not all. I took the Hot Rod home, not knowing what type it was or its history. I asked my friendly helper ChatGPT to find out for me, and it did.

It is a Monogram kit called the ‘32Ford Sport Coupe. The kit was first released in 1961-1963 as part of Monogram’s Four Star Plastikit series and reissued in the 1970/80s. It was again reissued in the 1990/ 2000s with modernised decals. The decals on this model shows it is of the older issues.

The first thing I had to do was remove the decals – and that was not easy. I discovered the plastic was badly scratched and I spent much time filling and sanding, and it is still not perfect. The sides were so bad I had to glue in complete panels of thin plastic card.

I finally sprayed the model with primer, and then the final colour. The painting is not finished yet.

The engine; I tossed out the original kit engine and was planning on replacing it with an AC Cobra 427 – but then I had another idea, an idea that will not please the Hot Rod purists out there.

Watch this space!