I’ve started my ICM Model T Speedster. What a marvelous kit. I had previously built their Model T touring car. That was a nice kit, though it had many small parts, with large sprue attachment points. That made cutting them loose from the sprue and cleanup difficult. On the Speedster kit they have fixed this problem. The sprue attachments to all the parts are tiny. Removing the parts from the sprue and cleaning them up is really easy. The fit is awesome. The kit is equal to a Tamiya kit for fit!
The lower body is still in (Tamiya) prime. The body will be all red. I was a little surprised that the brass stuff- the radiator and lights, were not vacuum plated. But I am comfortable with Alclad, so I have used Brass alclad and have almost all the brasswork painted already.
The wheel spokes and the firewall should be natural wood finish, so I will get a chance to work on my wood graining
That is so cool! I didn’t even know such kits existed. Vintage speedsters are by far some off the coolest cars ever built. Im watching with interest! Josh
Disaster! I was getting the firewall ready for another coat of paint. I had it held by a clothespin sitting on my bench. I heard a snap, and found the clothespin but not the firewall. I looked for it for about half an hour. I will try again today. My workshop really needs a cleaning. Maybe this is my punishment for letting it get this dirty, but I think the way that clothespin launched that part, it will be a devil to find even in a clean shop. The shop is 20 x 12.
That usually happens to me using tweezers and small parts. Hope you find it. I built their fire truck last year and loved the kit and am now tempted to get the Speedster after seeing your post.
After three days of hunting for that assembly, I gave up. I found a kit for a replacement at a very good price and ordered it. In the meantime I’ll continue with some other work on the kit.
Yesterday I started to make a mold for the firewall. Found my RTV had gone bad, and needed new stuff. Ordered a new batch. Two hours later I went down to work bench to work on Trail 70, since I needed that firewall to continue on speedster, and didn’t want to do anything with new kit firewall till I made a copy.
There on my chair was the old, missing firewall! Now, just the day before I had found the missing cylinder head for my Trail 70, caught between the seat cushion and the armrest support. I guess the Speedster firewall was caught in same space, and sitting down and getting back up caused the firewall to pop back out.
Anyway, got a final (I hope) coat of paint on firewall and put it in drying box overnight. It should be ready to mount today.
It is beginning to look like a car! Got the firewall/cowl in place now. Putting on small detail now, such as lights.
And-- I lost another part! Was putting on one of the cowl lamp mounting brackets- dropped it on the floor and can’t find it. Maybe I am just getting too old for this
This is really coming up well. The red absolutely sets it off. Reminds me of a 1911 Marathon my grandfather restored, red with brass everywhere. Was quite a stunning car. I wouldn’t mind picking up one of these myself.
I can understand the frustration in loosing pieces, however through your perseverance your doing that speedster so much justice!
