GPS

Out on a walk today along the coastal path near Porthgain, Pembrokeshire, with a loop back inland taking us through a farm yard. Couple of Same tractors in various conditions....

Yes, spot on. It’s a really nice kit

This part finished Scaledown kit is going to be up next for completion. Just spent half an hour working out against the instructions how far I'd got, it will have sat like this for a couple of years. Was further than I thought! It will still take a while, with holidays coming up.

I've bought a couple of aerosols from Clostermann Coatings for a Poclain model. Good service but I have to say I haven't tried using the paint yet! https://www.advancedpaints.co.uk

Thanks Alastair. The bonnet side decals were a pain, both started to break up, but as I’d heard your horror stories, I was able to handle them carefully and keep them together, just. It will stay without the front weight, to be honest I’m happy with that look for now. Away now for the weekend, so I’ll have a think what’s next. Have a couple of part finished Scaledowns that might make it up the list....and various race cars still on the go!

Finished the Autodrome County off last night. Quite pleased with it overall, certainly fills a gap in the collection, but it's not in the same league as a Scaledown kit. I have to give a thanks out to Alastair (Alf Aphid) for the gee up to get on with it.! Have to see what's next from the stash of other partly finished kits!

Excellent John. The one I’ve always been after, having started my career in Doncaster Test and Development on the 85 series.

Making steady progress on the Autodrome County, skid unit completed, rest painted and just needs to dry. I have finished the Le Mans Toyota 88c, though.

Yes, realised that too. I have the skid unit together, so going to fit the wheels and tyres and then work out best place for the steps, but it does look tight.

Yeah, I’m beginning to realise that myself!

Might have to give that try myself then, they certainly look better with glazing.

Brave man! I believe the later ones did have glazing. My blue one doesn't, but the gold, yellow and red (Udimore) do.

Nice photos Smithy and actually quite useful to help me finish mine off......I'm having trouble getting the steps to clear the drive shafts.....they are going to have to come off and be repositioned. Clearly yours is not on the original Autodrome wheels!

That looks really good Martin, I'm going to have to keep an eye out for one of those. How raised are JCB badges? One way I've had reasonable success with in the past is to make sure you have a good layer of black over the raised letters / outline, doesn't have to be too tidy. Over paint the yellow and let dry. Then using a very fine sanding stick ( very, very fine grit wet and dry, stuck on a lolly stick , or something similar), sand over the raised areas down to the black paint. Done carefully it works quite well....you need a solid thickness of black layer and a non flexible sanding stick. The other way is to wipe the yellow off the black as it is drying, but anything soft doesn't stay flat to just the raised area, if you see what I mean?

Looking good Alastair...….and I agree, the wheels and tyres are not the best looking. It looks like I don't have the wheel weights either. Mine are the same as yours, I had assumed the center boss was the weight, I'm sure I remember gluing them in. Looking again at the photos of finished models, it looks like there should be additional parts. So it looks like I'm missing wheel weights and the wafer weights! I'm 99% certain I haven't placed them somewhere else... they were not in my kit.

Fingers crossed for you Alastair. I’m still a little way of decaling, so just shout if you need anything.

Just back from a weeks holiday in Snowdonia. Took the Autodrome County and managed to get a bit done between storms!

Should add, I’ve lots in boxes on their sprues, but I do intend to build them. Honestly

My sentiments too

Sorry, can’t help with the paint question, but that is a nice looking kit. Not seen one before although I’ve heard of the manufacturer. Going to have to keep an eye out for one. I wonder if there are others in the range?

Now I’ve got it out, I might have a go at it at the weekend, with it being bank holiday and for once no family events planned! (Why did I just say that???) I really like that JCB Ian.

Following on from conversations this past week with Alastair (Alf Aphid), I've been "encouraged" to put up a picture of my ongoing Autodrome County 1454. I picked this up on my one and only visit to Zwolle, quite a few years ago now...… really need to get on and finish it. It's now jumped to next on the list, after the Scaledown Matbro, Hasegawa Toyota and Tamiya Capri!

“I emailed them twice possibly three times, not even a reply to say out of production, it’s not that I’m not willing to pay - pretty poor customer relations! “ What problem do you have with the decals? I have this kit, partially built, well, assuming it’s the County, so could scan the decals for you if it would help? Can’t help with the printing, I’m afraid though.

Flown to Budapest, Hungary today for work. Wandering round to find somewhere to eat......had to try a restaurant called “Traktor”. Fantastic food and a nice Porsche Junior in the middle of the restaurant!

Competitor machines were, and still are, bought for comparison. At Doncaster, we used to full lab and field tests. I can still remember performing brake efficiency tests on 85 series tractors and several of the nearest competitors to see who performed best. Sometimes we would fully strip tractors to see how they were put together, and also importantly to see who various suppliers were. Interestingly, now a days most customers do not allow us to put our company logo on parts we supply, you can only use customer part numbers and logos. This helps to control access to your supply base! Of course, the car companies were doing this first.