German / Italian Topolino

[BarleyBop]

Another little vehicle for the Italian collection, I may give it the Regio Esercito treatment, rather than the DAK.



That be soooo tiny!



I know what you're thinking: "that's not a model, why its hardly even an appetizer!"

Let's see if we can't just make it tasty!

Cheers

 

[Jakko]

I built the Tamiya equivalent (the Simca 5 — IRL that was a licence-produced Topolino) about a year ago, and it is indeed a very small model It'll be interesting to see how this kit differs from the Tamiya one. Opening doors for one.

 

[BarleyBop]

Bath time!
I've tried with and without, just sayin'.

Water, a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid, a little heat, sonic shake 'em up...



Then a rinse, air dry.

Yup, and good for cleaning rings, chains and cutlery!

 

[BarleyBop]

 

[BarleyBop]

Now comes the hard part.
And I haven't even started.

I bought the kit on an impulse... saw the DAK on the cover, desert colours, softskin.
Check, Check, Check.

But it doesn't have the sun roof! and I'd rather it be in Italian hands, I mean it was the Italian 'Fix It Again Tony' company after all... (I know, I know, that joke now geriatric)

I feel like a surgeon: "We could operate, Mr. Barley, but the chances of you coming out alive are fairly slim"

 

[Jakko]

The Tamiya Simca 5 kit does have the canvas roof, but it's apparently very difficult to find.

 

[BarleyBop]

Okay, not too late to abort; taped, ready to scribe.
Then cut.

 

[urumomo]

 

[BarleyBop]

He shoots, he scores! Now for the fun part, cut.
I only the internal stresses in that roof don't cause it to warp outta shape when I gut it!

 

[BarleyBop]

After tracing the etched groove for an eternity, and hilighting with a water-based micro pigment pen because I need to see!, out comes my favourite little saw.

... the first cut is the deepest...

... and we're through!


Who says modeling isn't exactly a high intensity sport that will make you sweat buckets!

 

[BarleyBop]

Cut all around, not perfect, but I can square the corners and file the edges.
Tight enough that it is holding in place by itself...



Good night all!

 

[sapper23]

Nice choices so far will be watching this

 

[wjbrandel]

Excellent surgery. The operation was a success.

Good work I like the small saw blade.

 

[Jakko]

For reference, here's a picture of my Tamiya Simca 5 with its sunroof:

 

[BarleyBop]

For reference, here's a picture

Nice! Hope you don't mind if I add it to my reference image folder!

 

[Jakko]

Could I stop you if I wanted to?

BTW, Tamiya missed the entire mechanism for folding the canvas roof. If you're going to add the canvas, you may want to also add the bars that allow it to fold and unfold (which I didn't, because I wanted this to be a quick model, not too involved). I found a forum with lots of pictures of the Simca 5 (and 6 and 8) when building my model. Since the only substantial difference between a Fiat Topolino and a Simca 5 is the grille and badge, I suppose these could prove useful for your model too.