Added a new car to my stable! That is a stable of model cars that I used to build many years ago. Yes, I have another hobby besides photography! For the last few years, I have been meaning to start building model cars again. Finally, about a couple of months ago I dug up a model that I started building many years ago and put together a new toolbox with the minimum tools and paints necessary. The half-finished model was a 1937 Packard Formal Sedan and most of the chassis, including the engine, was done. The coach, the fenders, doors, etc. were all painted but not all in place yet.
As I started putting some parts in place, I realized that my eyes were not as good and my hands were shakier. The dexterity I once had has diminished significantly. This particular kit was also very detailed with tiny hinges holding the doors, the hood, and the trunk, many parts disappearing between my fingers. I was determined to finish the model even at the expense of doors not opening. After all, anyone wishing to see the detailed interior could look through the windows!
It took me much longer than it used to, say 20 years ago and I moved in small, careful steps. Missing some of my old tools and the kind of glue I used to use made things go a little slower than I expected. But, a couple of days ago, I put the finishing touches and finished the 1937 Packard Sedan. It reflects all the grace of the era, at least in my eyes. I thought I would share some photographs of the finished model with the friends and visitors of this site. Most importantly, I wanted to share the photographs with my sister Binnaz who, after seeing the model in progress during a Skype conversation, indicated how much she loved it.
For the curious, it is about 13.5″ (34 cm) long and 1/16 scale. That makes the actual car about 18′ or about 5.5 meters long! They were cars! Here is 1937 Packard Formal Sedan.
Ed Haskell says
Hi Cemal,
Thanks for the memories. When I was little our family car was a green ’37 Packard Formal Sedan. I used to stand on the running boards and pretend I was a fireman. Of course, it would have been more realistic if the car had been fire engine red.
Sadly my new home in Tulsa does not have a photo club like PSRI.
Hope you and the girls are doing well.
Ed
Cemal Ekin says
Ed, I am glad to have triggered good memories. A green Packard no less! I did not know you moved to Tulsa, I’m sure there are many nice things you are enjoying other than a camera club. We are doing fine, thanks for asking.
Best,
Cemal
Haluk Atamal says
Unbelievable detail! No wonder your photos show the car almost as real – instead of like toy models.
I guess the most difficult part was the painting.
Thanks for sharing, Cemal. Take care!
Cemal Ekin says
Haluk, good to hear from you. The kits generally are quite detailed and this Entex kit was particularly so. You are right, painting these is quite hard. This was painted probably 20 years ago, maybe more. I tried to “pose” the car to make it reasonably realistic. Glad you enjoyed.
Take care,
Cemal
Mike says
A great hobby Cemal! I too used to build a lot of scale models when I was younger, mostly airplanes. When they were done I would take them out in the yard and hang them with fishing line, and photograph them against the sky. The very beginning of my interest in photography!
Eventually, I joined the Air Force and worked on full sized planes for 9 years. I still made the occasional model, but began to do more cars. I did a few with the boys when they were young, but nothing in 15 years. A few months ago, I picked up a model car, and also assembled a small tool box and some paints and rediscovered my joy for working with my hands!
Thanks for sharing, and a beautiful Packard! Love the color!
Cemal Ekin says
Mike, I seem to have triggered pleasant memories with this post, I am so glad. I had a car I built many years ago, a Bugatti Royale, which I took to show to the owner of the Newport Auto Museum probably in the 1980s. The owner bought about 6 of my models including the Bugatti. I was sorry to have sold it and kept looking for the same kit, alas nowhere to be found. A little more than a year ago I found it on eBay and bought the model. If I can pull up enough courage I will start building it. We’ll see.
Take care,
Cemal
Ramazan KAMARI says
Cemal hocam merhaba.
Okumak ve fotoğrafları izlemekten büyük keyif aldım. Arka plandaki nesnelerin rengi güzel otomobili daha belirgin görünmesini sağlamış. Bir de öndeki sis farlarını çok sevdim.
Selamlar.
Cemal Ekin says
Ramazan, sesini duymak hos oldu, sagol. Arkada gordugun tuale basilmis bir fotograf. Koyu renkli yer ve arkadaki fon da deri koltuk! Arabayi yapip bitirebildigim icin mutluyum, her nekadar bazi fonksiyonlarini tumuyle yerlerinde tutamadiysam bile.
Selamlar,
Cemal
Bill Clark says
What fun! I can still smell the “airplane glue” and even feel a little light headed thinking back to the models I used to make as a kid.
I like the way some of the the photos interact with each other in the copulation of the images. Might be a nice project to play around with.
Cemal Ekin says
Thanks, Bill. Something I started probably 20-25 years ago kept me busy for a couple of months. Yes, the photographs are sequenced to give each other some support, even some feeling of motion. I am glad you recalled pleasant memories and enjoyed the post.
Take care,
Cemal
Salvatore Capircho says
Cemal-Love this!!! Thanks for sharing. Great job on the car. I was a huge model builder in my youth. Planes, cars/race cars/dragsters, ships, etc, purely for entertainments sake, I had thrown out all of those ‘collectible – hobby’ items, however, there are a few items that I could NEVER bring myself to part with. I was always with the original monster movies of the 40′-50’s . With that, I was a huge builder of the Aurora (Kit) monster models (Aurora Plastics Corporation) from the 60’s. Phantom of the Opera, The Mummy, Frankenstein, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dracula, The Wolfman, plus many more. I still have those! You gave me some inspiration – I need to get them out and photograph them.
-Sal
Cemal Ekin says
I am so glad I posted this, it seems to have triggered good memories. Today, I started the Bugatti Royale. It will be longer than this Packard and I’m sure it will take me several months to finish it.
Take care,
Cemal
Paul White says
Cemal,
It appears your post triggered many memories for us all. It was great to see your finished work.
Alas the years are not kind to us with fine detail work and our hands and fingers cannot do what the mind tells them to do. Patience as with photography is the key.
Cemal Ekin says
Shaky hands or not, I started the new kit. We’ll see how it will go. My challenge now is with spray painting the body and a few other parts. I may actually go to a body shop I know, let the pros to paint the car. I am finding workarounds for shakier hands like clamps, rubber bands, small weights.
Thanks for stopping by, Paul.
Cemal