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  POR-R(a)

The Autosculpt Story - as told to 87thscale.info by Autosculpt.

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. 

The following Autosculpt models are available, the first hollow-cast models became available in January 2003:

Cat# Model Cat# Model
AC-01 AC Cobra  MI-03 Mini Pickup
AR-01 Alfa Romeo Spider "Round Tail" MI-04 Mini Moke with hood up (Australian version)
AS-01 Armstrong Siddeley 234  MI-05 Mini Moke SE with hood up and side screens
AS-02 Armstrong Siddeley 14hp  MI-06 Morris Mini Cooper Mk1 Works Rally
AU-01 Austin A30 4d Saloon MI-07 Mini 1275 GT
AU-02 Austin A35 2d Saloon MI-08 Mini Van
AU-03 Austin A35 Van  MI-09 Mini Traveller
AU-04 Austin 1100 Mk 3 MI-10 Mini City
AU-05 Austin Seven Ruby 1934 MN-01 Morgan +8
AU-06 Austin FX4 Taxi  MS-01 Messerschmitt KR200  
AU-07 Austin 7 'Chummy' ME-01 Mercedes 250 SL
AH-01 Austin Healey "Frog Eye Sprite"  ME-02 Mercedes 300 SL "Gullwing"
AH-02 Austin Healey Sprite Mk 2 ME-03 Mercedes-Benz 190
AH-03 Austin Healey 3000 Mk 3  MO-02 Morris Minor 2d Saloon
AH-04 Austin Healey 3000 Mk 2 Works Rally  MO-04 Morris Minor Traveller
AH-05 Austin Healey 100 M   MO-05 Morris Minor Pickup
AH-06 Austin Healey 100 S MO-06 Morris Minor Van
AH-07 Austin Healey 3000 Mk I LHD  NI-01 Nymph (Imp based special) 
AH-08 Austin Healey 100 M (plain bonnet)  OP-01 Opel GT
BE-01 Beardmore Taxi  OP-02 Opel Kadett
BM-01 BMW 2002   OP-03 Opel Manta
BM-02 BMW Isetta PE-01 Peugeot 404 Saloon
BO-01 Bond Equipe GT (2+2)  PE-02 Peugeot 404 Pickup
BO-02 Bond Equipe GT4S PE-03 Peugeot 404 Coupé 
BO-03 Bond Equipe 2Lt Saloon PE-04 Peugeot J7 Van
BO-04 Bond Equipe 2Lt Convertible   PE-05 Peugeot 204 Cabrio
BO-05 Bond 875 three-wheeler (hollow casting !) PE-06 Peugeot 203
CH-01 Chevrolet Corvette 1979  PE-07 Peugeot 504 Coupé  
CH-02 Chevrolet Corvette 1957  PO-01 Porsche 356A  
CI-01 Citroen 2CV PO-03 Porsche "Nr.1 " Prototype
CI-02 Citroen DS early  PO-04 Porsche 911
CI-03 Citroen DS late RL-01 Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5
CI-04 Citroen Mehari RL-02 Reliant Scimitar GT 
CI-05 Citroen 11 Sport RL-03 Reliant SS1  
CI-06 Citroen Ami 6 RL-04 Reliant Regal  
CI-07 Citroen HY Van RL-05 Reliant Robin  
CI-08 Citroen 2CV Van RL-06 Reliant Rialto Estate
CI-09 Citroen CX RL-07 Reliant Kitten
CI-10 Citroen BX GTI   RE-01 Renault 16
CI-11 Citroen SM   RE-02 Renault 4
CI-12 Citroen GS   RE-03 Renault 4CV
CL-01 Clan Crusader RE-04 Renault Alpine A110  
CO-01 Commer (Imp Van) RI-01 Riley RM
DU-01 Daihatsu Move RI-02 Riley Elf Mk3
DA-01 Daimler V8 RR-01 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud 2
DA-02 Daimler Dart SP 250  SA-01 Saab 900 Saloon
DN-01 Datsun 240Z SA-02 Saab 900 Convertible
DV-01 Davrian Mk3 SA-03 Saab 95
DV-02 Davrian Mk8 SA-04 Saab 96
DL-01 DeLorean DMC-12 SA-05 Saab Sonett 2
DE-01 Dennis Fire Engine 1950 SA-06 Saab Sonett 2 V4 
DE-02 Dennis Fire Engine 1990 SA-07 Saab 99 Turbo
FI-01 Fiat X1/9 1500   SA-08 Saab 96 V4
FI-02 Fiat 500 SA-09 Saab Sonett
FI-03 Fiat 600 SA-10 Saab 9000 CS
FI-04 Fiat 124 spider  SA-11 Saab 95 V4
FI-05 Fiat X1/9 1300 SA-12 Saab 92
FE-01 250 GTO SA-13 Saab Sonett
FO-01 Capri Mk1  SA-14 Saab 93 1955 
FO-02 Capri Mk2  SA-15 Saab 9.3 1998 3d Coupé
FO-03 Capri Mk3 SA-16 Saab 9.3 1998 Convertible 
FO-04 Lotus Cortina "Air Flow" SA-17 Saab 9.5 1999 Kombi 
FO-05 Lotus Cortina "Pre Air Flow" SA-18 Saab 9.5 4d Saloon
FO-06 Corsair 4d  SA-19 Saab 90
FO-07 Consul Classic  SA-20 Saabo Trailer (Caravan)
FO-08 Classic Capri SA-21 Saab ?? 
FO-09 Anglia 105E Saloon SA-22 Saab 9X  
FO-10 Anglia 105E Estate SA-23 Saab 96 2-stroke Rallye Monte Carlo (E. Carlson)
FO-11 Anglia 105E Van SA-24 Saab EV-1
FO-12 Escort Mk1 2d Saloon  SM-01 Smart car  
FO-13 Escort Mk2 2d Saloon STZ-1 Stutz Blackhawk
FO-14 100E 4d Saloon SU-01 Sunbeam Alpine Mk2
FO-19 Ford Popular 103E SU-02 Sunbeam Talbot Mk3
GI-01 Ginetta G15   SU-03 Sunbeam Stiletto
HE-01 Heinkel Kabine (hollow casting !) SZ-01 Suzuki GX
HI-01 Hillman Super Imp SZ-02 Suzuki Grand Vitara
HI-02 Hillman Imp Estate TA-01 Talbot Express Auto-Sleeper Talisman GL 1989
HO-01 Honda CRX 1989 TR-01 Triumph Herald Coupé
HO-02 Honda CRX 1992 TR-02 Triumph Herald 948 Saloon
HO-03 Honda Beat TR-03 Triumph Herald 948 Convertible
HO-04 Honda S800 TR-04 Triumph Herald 948 Estate
HO-05 Honda S800 Coupé  TR-05 Triumph Herald 13/60 Saloon
HO-06 Honda S800 with hard top TR-06 Triumph Herald 13/60 Convertible
HY-01 Hymer A-Class motor home TR-07 Triumph Herald 13/60 Estate
JA-01 E Type Series 1 FHC TR-08 Triumph Vitesse 6 Saloon
JA-02 E Type Series 1 Roadster TR-09 Triumph Vitesse 6 Convertible
JA-03 XK 120 Roadster TR-10 Triumph Vitesse 2Lt Mk2 Saloon
JA-04 Mk2 3.8 TR-11 Triumph Vitesse 2Lt Mk2 Convertible
JO-01 Jowett Javelin TR-12 Triumph Spitfire Mk3
JO-02 Jowett Jupiter TR-13 Triumph Spitfire 1500
LR-01 Series 1 SWB TR-14 Triumph GT6 Mk2
LR-02 Series 2 Light Weight TR-15 Triumph GT6 Mk3 
LR-03 Series 3 86" WB TR-16 Triumph 2000 Mk1 Saloon
LR-04 Range Rover 2d TR-17 Triumph 2000 Mk1 Estate
LR-05 Range Rover 4d TR-18 Triumph 2000 Mk2 Saloon
LR-06 Defender   TR-19 Triumph 2000 Mk2 Estate
LO-01 Lotus 7 Series 3 TR-21 Triumph Stag Mk2 (top up)
LO-02 Lotus Europa Series 2 TR-22 Triumph TR2 Roadster
LO-03 Lotus Elan Coupé Series 3  TR-23 Triumph TR5 Roadster
LO-04 Lotus 7 Series 3 "Cycle Wing Special"  TR-24 Triumph TR6 Roadster
LO-05 Lotus Elan Roadster  TR-25 Triumph TR7 FHC
LO-06 Lotus Elite   TR-26 Triumph TR7 Convertible
MA-01 Mazda MX-5 (Miata) LHD TR-27 Triumph Spitfire Mk1
MA-02 Mazda MX-5 (Miata) RHD TR-28 Triumph TR3A Roadster
MG-01 MG A TR-29 Triumph Dolomite Sprint 
MG-02 MG B GT TV-01 TVR Cerbera
MG-03 MG B Roadster  TV-02 TVR Chimaera 
MG-04 MG C Roadster VO-01 P 1800S
MG-05 MG Magnette ZB   VO-02 PV544
MG-06 MG Maestro VO-03 120 (Amazon) 4d
MG-07 MG Metro VO-04 144
MG-08 MG Midget Mk2 VO-05 PV444
MG-09 MG Midget TC   VO-07 445 Duet Van
MG-10 MG TD VO-08 210 Duet Estate
MG-11 MG J2 VO-09 164 Saloon  
MG-12 MG M VW-01 VW Beetle (split window)
MG-13 MG NE VW-02 VW Beetle 1200
MG-14 MG TF VW-03 VW Van (split screen)
MG-15 MG A Coupé VW-04 VW Type 2 Van
MG-16 MG C GT VW-05 VW 411  
MG-18 MG F   VW-20 VW Type 2 crew cab van
MI-01 Morris Mini Cooper Mk1
MI-02 Mini Moke

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