Revell's Beetle is a wise choice. Strong body, windows in one piece, proportions correct and cheap to buy. Bumpers could be more authentic, perhaps, but they're not necessary, which is why I always donate mine to the Chinese as a contribution to future MG production.
More Airfix Beetles
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Along with Tamiya, Revell also make a Beetle in 1:24-scale. I've yet to build mine into a slot car, but hope to do so before Michaelmas, which is when Mrs Grumpy traditionally converts the house into a battle-damaged war zone by changing perfectly edible food into a blackened mess she is pleased to call Christmas pudding.
However, I remain grateful that it isn't my mother's Christmas pudding because her efforts always resulted in an annual rebuild of the kitchen...
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However, I remain grateful that it isn't my mother's Christmas pudding because her efforts always resulted in an annual rebuild of the kitchen...
I spotted a Beetle driving towards me a few days ago, and waved and tooted my horn in the customary manner. Response nil. The Beetle's driver was looking elsewhere, and I then discovered that my car's horn no longer works.
I've, therefore, added the horn to a growing list of things that have ceased to function. The joys of motoring, eh?
I've, therefore, added the horn to a growing list of things that have ceased to function. The joys of motoring, eh?
A tale of modern VW folk.
A chum got stranded in the South of England over Christmas with a stricken car. Chum is pretty handy at fixing modern cars, and went through everything. I suggested that the coil pack had broken down and needed replacing.
On he went working through the night tracing problems and generally cursing and swearing at anything and everything, as we all do. Eventually, he nursed the car home, spending hours making very slow progress with the engine constantly popping and banging.
To cut a very long and sorry yarn short, a friendly mechanic replaced the coil pack, and the car was immediately restored to health. Result? One annoyingly smug git in Herefordshire.
A chum got stranded in the South of England over Christmas with a stricken car. Chum is pretty handy at fixing modern cars, and went through everything. I suggested that the coil pack had broken down and needed replacing.
On he went working through the night tracing problems and generally cursing and swearing at anything and everything, as we all do. Eventually, he nursed the car home, spending hours making very slow progress with the engine constantly popping and banging.
To cut a very long and sorry yarn short, a friendly mechanic replaced the coil pack, and the car was immediately restored to health. Result? One annoyingly smug git in Herefordshire.
A slot Beetle with wire wheels? I saw a 1:1 so adorned years ago, and thought it looked wrong. They were wholly out
of keeping with Erwin Komenda's thinking, so I'm going to make one. I can easily change the car if it looks as 'orrible as I think it will.
However, nothing much is happening on the slot building front at present. Up 'ere in the 'ills, we still have snow, ice and a damp atmo with which to contend, so I might have to wrestle with The Mess instead before the usual pre-prandial riots break out.
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of keeping with Erwin Komenda's thinking, so I'm going to make one. I can easily change the car if it looks as 'orrible as I think it will.
However, nothing much is happening on the slot building front at present. Up 'ere in the 'ills, we still have snow, ice and a damp atmo with which to contend, so I might have to wrestle with The Mess instead before the usual pre-prandial riots break out.
Having just discovered that Mrs Grumpy and Mad Margy are awf to inspect Budapest at the end of the month - earlier than I thought - I'm anticipating a long overdue Beetlefest with liquid refreshment. Usual hurdles first, though, of course.
"Where's my passport? What have you done with my underwear bag? And wipe that smile off your face, and stop looking so happy..."
The meek won't inherit the Earth. There will be nothing left of the place when Mrs Grumpy's finished with it.
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"Where's my passport? What have you done with my underwear bag? And wipe that smile off your face, and stop looking so happy..."
The meek won't inherit the Earth. There will be nothing left of the place when Mrs Grumpy's finished with it.
All quiet on the Western front 'smorn, apart from plinking, plonking, scratching and scraping from BBC Radio 3. Mrs Grumpy is comatose in her scratcher and the cat sounds grateful as a result. Mind and body have been purged of last evening's restaurant, the kitchen sink is devoid of hedgehogs and other mammalian life, and news from the human race is as mad as ever.
Nothing for it but to get on with another Beetle, therefore, and one with spoked wheels by way of a change. Today is also another day closer to the start of the Eff 1 season. Summat to look forward to? Well, slightly more interesting than the sketchbook of someone who designs cars for Hyundai. Probably.
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Nothing for it but to get on with another Beetle, therefore, and one with spoked wheels by way of a change. Today is also another day closer to the start of the Eff 1 season. Summat to look forward to? Well, slightly more interesting than the sketchbook of someone who designs cars for Hyundai. Probably.
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My initial thought (first pic) was, "Wow, things are getting serious. Laurence has built a roll cage", before realising it was your motor to guide wires! Dohhhh, not enough coffee yet to be fully awake.
While dipping your toe in the world of the alternate colour palette may become a thing, I think a nice shade of black would set those wheels off a treat, although it may be necessary to purchase many more Beetles to try all the other colours, just to confirm.
Another plausible excuse for more Beetles fellow slotters would wholehearetedly support, should Mrs Grumpy be doubtful once again.
I'm very slightly warming to the usually incongruous aesthetic of a Beetle with spoked wheels. It doesn't look quite as badly as I'd expected and pictured, especially after cutting the chassis to the right shape and size. Doubtless, many will disagree, which is fine by me because all things considered, it's a piece of design heresy.
Whatever it is, I can't go much further, for it is freezing, damp, foggy, cold and 'orrible. I was invited to join Mrs Grumpy at her Saturday gardening club, but explained yet again that I'd rather place a hornets' nest in my urethra.
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Whatever it is, I can't go much further, for it is freezing, damp, foggy, cold and 'orrible. I was invited to join Mrs Grumpy at her Saturday gardening club, but explained yet again that I'd rather place a hornets' nest in my urethra.
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My eyes are straining, but knock-ons? Really? How would they fit to the drum brakes???
Brilliant, Martin. My thanks. I made a roll cage for a Beetle once but it ended up as Captain Haddoock's walking frame... Not one of my rare successes.
Because the new spoked wheels look nice n shiny, I thought I might paint the body in black...
Because the new spoked wheels look nice n shiny, I thought I might paint the body in black...
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As an acommpaniment to the percussion section you could add a few metal "cards" to the frame at each wheel, contacting the spokes. No doubt a satisfactory if not alarming distraction for your fellow competitor at the green light, if not playing strictly by gentlemanly rules.
Shades of Mr Terry Thomas spring to mind, "You absolute Bounder!" along with Dick Dastardly and his chum, Muttley.
Shades of Mr Terry Thomas spring to mind, "You absolute Bounder!" along with Dick Dastardly and his chum, Muttley.
Ah, the brilliant Terry-Thomas. Not forgetting Ian Carmichael. A reminder of a past age, and of a time when uncle Bonkers was almost sane. Think I prefer him as he is. More excuses for bad behaviour nowadays. Makes life so much easier.
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"by the smell of that cigar your not doing very well at it, what is it a congo rat?" 
Daniel recently posed good questions about the future. Will, for example, Porsches all be powered by electricity, and will Beetles cease to exist? I don't know the answers, but I can't believe that the direction in which we are heading is the correct one.
Recycling plastic bags into 1- series BMWs is possibly a good idea, whilst melting down Airfix Beetles to make anything other than Airfix Beetles is positively retrograde. What, therefore, are we trying achieve? All said and done, the wheel's already been invented, and it has a repetitive habit of travelling in circles until it arrives at sq rt 1.
It's on this basis that we'll probably have more of the same until we have no more. No more Airfix, no more Airfix Beetles. Perish such abhorrent thought.
Recycling plastic bags into 1- series BMWs is possibly a good idea, whilst melting down Airfix Beetles to make anything other than Airfix Beetles is positively retrograde. What, therefore, are we trying achieve? All said and done, the wheel's already been invented, and it has a repetitive habit of travelling in circles until it arrives at sq rt 1.
It's on this basis that we'll probably have more of the same until we have no more. No more Airfix, no more Airfix Beetles. Perish such abhorrent thought.
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More may join you in that purchase @GDSLOT , on the condition they have a model fitted with a switch to deactivate voice mode, complaining mode, shopping mode and headache mode and with the upgrade to be able to continuously search the WWW for second hand Scalextric 70's and 80's F1 cars and VW Beetles.
Gosh, Martin, what a good idea. A device that cuts out moaning, eh? A life that eradicates Mrs G complaining. I'm trying to imagine it. I suppose it would be similar to sitting through four hours of an excruciatingly dully opera whilst wearing a pair of Y-fronts two sizes too small, and finally ditching the wretched things in the bin at McDonald's on the way home.
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