I just put the last of the details on this scratch built ‘speed shop’. Still needs ‘planting’ on layout and lighting added. The '32 coupe is a Jordan kit. I painted (primed) the 1950 Merc just like the real one I had ‘back in the day’. I love to recreate some of my past in the models I build.
-Bob
Niiiiiice!!! Scratch built or kit? I’m looking to add one to my layout.
Nice scratch build Bob!
Did you make the tool chests?
Dave
Really cool, Bob! A very nifty layout addition. Can you tell us what materials were used for walls, trim etc?
Yes! That’s one of my favorite aspects of the hobby, too!
Scratchbuilding is another. It is great satisfaction to be able to “dream” something and see it come to reality right before your eyes…
Beautiful work! Be sure to keep posting photos, I’m looking forward to seeing it with lighting.
Ed
Someone needs to make a kit of that…
Bob, Me too, and I always enjoy seeing and hearing about your work. Liked those Mercs when I was a kid, think James Dean’s character in the movie “Rebel Without a Cause” drove one.
Regards, Peter
Thanks guys, I didn’t expect so much enthusiasim! This was the first scratch built model that I didn’t make a drawing for, just a pencil sketch of a gas station that was of similar construction from my home town in NY. Guess I should go back and make the drawing for my ‘records’.
The walls of the garage are cement block sheets from RIX and they have interlocking corners. Had to miter two corners to get size I wanted (no space for full length walls?). The office/store is just .040 styrene. All the windows and doors are left over ones from Grandt Line and Tichy. I scratch built the overhead door sections to suggest a full door in the garage. I made all the decals in Corel Draw and from internet images (great source BTW). The tool chests (there are 2 in there!) are from a set of gas station accessories, I think it was JL Innovation. The are other details from that kit in the garage as well: tires, floor jack, parts washer and the air hose meter and compressor.
Hadn’t thought about it but it would make a good kit!
Growing up in the 1950’s was a great life experience and having been involved in ‘hot rodding’ was even better. Those were the ‘good old days’ in many respects, but I wouldn’t trade the model railroading industry for those!
I will post photos when I get the model ‘planted’ on the layout and lighting installed. Though about a welding light kit (have one in parts bin!) in the garage?
-Bob
BTW: It was James Dean who made the Merc so well known, although it was a beautiful car on it’s own. My uncle gave me his with 144,000 miles on a broken speedometer?
Bob,
Great job!! I too love detail…A must in many structures I build. What Your shop and tool box need’s now are…The Tools…If You are interested, I picked up some photo etched shop tools from Detail Associates, that are really great!!! I will be putting them in My kit bash Truck/Trailer shop I am working on. I actually got three of them. I will look later for My receipt, to find out where I got them.
I’ll inclose a scan pic’ of what I am referring to:
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
EDIT: This is the seller I got them from back in Aug:
EXCELLENT job!!! I especially like the Merc and the rod!
In my past, it was “Willie’s Texaco” on Chicago’s NW side. Of course there wasn’t a clean spot of asphalt/concrete/tile in the place. But man, they did some nice work there, and I got a heck of an education.
Frank,
Thanks for the info on the tools. They look more like carpentry and plumbing tools though, although the open end wrenches would work. I like the little details myself; I have a roll of TP in the outhouse and sea gulls on the roof of my harbor scene buildings.
-Bob
What was the day the Merc was back in? (1962?)
Nice model. Custom always works better. (kitbash is the best I can do…)
I grew up in El Paso and our guy was George Brazil, Brazil’s Garage. His thing was Hudsons, he had a 53 Hornet that was the fastest thing in town. My thing in 56 was a 53 Studebaker Commander with a huge Olds V8, by George.
It took me a long time to gather the dozen or so vehicles from my past but for me they were on the top of my list of must haves for my layout. I have a great collection of 40s to mid 50s vehicles (about 90), even my Dad’s 52 Kiaser and 49 Nash “Bathtub”.
Great job on the scratch built!!! Your own scratch builts are always better than kits no matter what they look like. Mine don’t come out as nice as yours.
Scratch building is model railroading at it’s best. Anybody can put together a kit, but a great scratch built is . . . . . Heaven!
Long live the memory of John Allen, my model railroad mentor!
LensCapOn,
quote:
What was the day the Merc was back in? (1962?)
I for one, don’t really understand Your question…had a few Merc’s in My time.
Some info for You:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/business/03mercury.html
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Your model and the whole scene are very nice. Scenes like this are my favorite part of the hobby. I too like having scenes on my layout that are autobiographic. I also love the details, I try to make all of my structures have details. This has given me inspiration to build something similar. I already have some spare tires and mag rims, also a chrome engine waiting to be dropped into an old camaro (my layout is 1990s)…. But I think I’m going to build my scene in the garage of a house instead as that is more of my personal experience.
Anyway I really like your garage. It needs a couple of mechanics and customers and maybe some more details then it will be perfect.
Don’t overlook the Preiser Military tool set [18356 (of course currently out of stock]). I have used this kit; it’s less carpentry and more machine shop so things like the wrench, hammers, bench vises, hacksaw and a welder’s masks (among other things) fit well in a repair shop scene. There are other photoetched kits by small garage manufacturers (not the Detail Associate ones) which you see featured from time to time in Garage Scenes featured on the 1/87 Vehicle club Photo gallery.
Speaking of photo gallerys, do you have a locker room/rest room for the workers in that garage? In Memoriam of the soon-to-be-history nude Playboy Centerfolds, you’ll need a few pin-ups in that locker room…
Very nicely done but,you need some dudes with ducktails and leather jackets standing by their 'rods.
Some 50 era do-wop music coming from a hidden speaker would really set the mood. [:O][;)]
The OP had said “I painted (primed) the 1950 Merc just like the real one I had ‘back in the day’.”
[#offtopic] The pitfalls of colloquialisms.
When Bob mentioned a 1950 Merc , I thought what the…???[:^)]
I couldn’t see a 1950 Mercedes Benz at all!!! [%-)]
Nicely done scene there Bob.[tup]
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
Thanks again for all the kind words, it makes the build even more satisfying. To answer a few of the questions;
Larry: your description of ‘dudes with ducktails and leather jackets’ fits most of my friends back then. I graduated HS in 1959, so you can see the era I was working on. I still have the old 45’s from the 50’s, just have to put them into digital for my sound boxes.
Chutton01: Yes, there is a restroom in the back of the store area, just not modelled in detail. I could throw a couple of lockers against the back wall in the garage, they don’t need much!
Lens-cap-on: Not sure of your question but it was a 1950 Mercury flathead V8 and I owned it around 1960-1962. Sweet ride, wish I still had her (her name was ‘the rat’). I used to paint car names on front fenders for my friends as it was the ‘thing’ to do back then, as well as pin stripping the hood and trunk. Oh, the memories!
Mel: I was a Stude fanatic myself. Had a 53 Commander 2 Dr hardtop with 324 Olds V8, a 53 Champion 2dr coupe, a 54 Commander 2dr hardtop 232 V8 high performance from factory, and my brother had a 56 Golden Hawk with 354 Packard V8 and stick on the floor (very fast). Later I had a 63 Avanti 289 V8. I have HO models of the Avanti and 53 coupe, just haven’t finished them yet.
I have a list of all the cars I have owned to date (I’m 74 now) and it is about 33 so far. I still need a HO model of the 57 T-bird.
-Bob