Here goes...        I have always been interested in classic cars, mainly Triumph, and also model cars. My original job was as a decorative plaster, this involved making original art work, leaves, Cherubs, even at one time dragons for the Dorchester Hotel in London. So it was only a matter of time before I made a plaster model of the car I have owned for nearly 20 years, a Bond Equipe 2Lt convertible. I made a mould of the model, cast about seven and sold them very quickly at the Equipe rally. The regalia secretary for the Triumph Sports Six Club saw these models, and ordered a range of Heralds, Spitfires, Vitesses etc. These models were 1/20 scale, and we went on to make a few Minis and Triumph 2000s in the same scale. I also did a commission for Joe Elliot of 'Def Leopard', his wife’s Porsche 924 in 1/18 scale, this lead to a couple of figurines, Ian Hunter for Joe Elliot and Woody Guthry presented to Bob Dylan. All this was a side line earning little. The turning point came with the idea of making a chess set made up of 1/100 scale model cars. The sets didn’t sell very well, but people wanted the little cars, so I made a few more 1/100 scale, then the slightly larger 1/92 scale. I had been accused of copying other models, so 1/92 was good because no one else uses that scale. I left my job as a decorative plaster technical manager in 1993, to start Autosculpt full time. I work from my three story house, with a workshop in the basement, a studio in the spare bedroom, and an office in the corner of the main bedroom.

The early 1/20 models were modelled in clay and cast in plaster, but clay dries to quick for the 1/92 scale models so a special blend of wax is used. I work from photographs and overall dimensions, although these are not strictly adhered to, to get the model to 'look' right. When the overall shape is achieved, I mould the model in silicone rubber. From this I make one resin model, at this stage the model has no wheels or details like door handles, wipers etc. I work on the resin model to remove all the tooling marks left from the wax model, and a coat of primer shows up any remaining faults. Only when the finish is perfect I can add the wheels, details and base. The finished model is then moulded in silicone rubber again, and from this I can produce the finished product, but first I usually make about five to remould so I can make five models at a time.

Most models are commissioned by clubs or dealers, and usually it takes an order for 100 models, depending on how popular the model will be (the less popular the car, the bigger the initial order needs to be). But every now and then, I make a new model just because I fancy it, e.g. the Jaguars and the AC Cobra.

I have set hours each day for production, 5.30 am to about 9 am, this is because I cannot have any distractions during production, the resin sets in about half an hour, and if I leave it in that time, the work is ruined. I mix the polyester resin with aluminium powder, to form a thin paste, this is brushed into the moulds to give a coating of 0.5 – 2mm, when this has set, each model topped up with resin mixed with dry plaster, the plaster is to add a bit of weight, and stop the resin over heating, as it gets ver yhot when setting. Once the models have set, they are set on one side to cool. Next stage is to polish the models on a buffing wheel whith a wax polishing compound, after this, I dip the models in matt black paint, and wipe off the excess, this brings up the detail. Final finishing is done by my wife Ann, she gives them a final polish, and sticks the felt on the bottom. The models are stored in plastic bags, and not boxed until dispatched. We keep between 20 and 100 of each type in stock, we do not have space to keep all these models in boxes. Occasionally I will adapt an existing plastic or metal model, adding detail or correcting the shape. About 85% of the range is all my own work.

Autosculpt's reworked Datsun Z (Cat# DN-01 on the foreground, compared to old model in background).	Coming soon: well-known 4-wheel drive in kit-form.