Matchbox/AMT 1/32 Bugatti T59 1934 Spanish GP Tazio Nuvolari

[kyledehart5]

So I haven't been able to have much bench time of late, due entirely to work taking it all out of me. So I wanted to do a quick project that I could work on just a few minutes at a time while still feeling like I was accomplishing something. Feels good to get something across the finish line. These 1/32 Matchbox kits are exceedingly simple but I really had fun with this one. Nothing much to say about it. It is entirely OOB with the exception of Le Mans decals depicting the 3rd place effort of the Flying Mantuan Tazio Nuvolari in the 1934 Spanish Grand Prix. Nuvolari had walked out on Enzo Ferrari and his increasingly uncompetitive Alfa Romeos. He entered most rounds in his own Bugatti or Maserati but the works Bugatti team prepped a car for him for two of the 6 official Grand Prix events. They repainted his car in a red color instead of the traditional Bugatti blue and he turned in their best result of the year in Spain. All cars of 1934 ended up being overmatched by the Auto Union and Mercedes Silver Arrows so this was a great result. Nuvolari was one of the truly great prewar Grand Prix drivers. 

[2whl]

I like the look of the Bugatti's of that era.

[kyledehart5]

Feb 28, 2024 20:56:53 GMT -5 2whl said:

I like the look of the Bugatti's of that era.

Good looking cars for sure. I always liked the type 35s and type 59s. And their road cars weren’t ugly either.

[jeaton01]

Lovely car. Were those wood wheels?

[kyledehart5]

Feb 28, 2024 23:54:02 GMT -5 jeaton01 said:

Lovely car. Were those wood wheels?

Thank you. The wheels were not wood. The wheels are just the biggest shortfall of the kit. The wheels on the real car were either straight wires or the classic Bugatti wheels with the thicker spokes. I’m not entirely sure which wheel matchbox was trying to emulate but they failed on both accounts. A nice 3d printed set of bugatti wheels would go a long way elevating this old kit. 

[garybrantley]

Man, that is beautiful work, Kyle!  🤩 

[atomicholiday]

Dang Kyle, that looks great! Excellent work.
I always thought this was one of the most beautiful race cars ever built.
I see what you mean about the wheels. But honestly I think they look really good on there.

[tcoat]

I LOVE it !
What paint did you use on that? That is exactly the colour I have been trying to get for the Dart.

[keavdog]

Very cool build and subject. Sure would be fun to so 20 or 30 of those style cars racing on the track back in the day.

[garybrantley]

Feb 29, 2024 12:28:43 GMT -5 keavdog said:

Very cool build and subject. Sure would be fun to so 20 or 30 of those style cars racing on the track back in the day.

[406 Silverado]

Nothin like a straightforward build to get back in the swing of that feeling of accomplishment Kyle. When I was building my Maverick, I had to stop and build a kit twice because the Maverick too so long. Lol

This looks great buddy!!

[kyledehart5]

Feb 29, 2024 9:44:08 GMT -5 garybrantley said:

Man, that is beautiful work, Kyle!  🤩 

Thank you so much Gary!

Feb 29, 2024 11:41:42 GMT -5 atomicholiday said:

Dang Kyle, that looks great! Excellent work.
I always thought this was one of the most beautiful race cars ever built.
I see what you mean about the wheels. But honestly I think they look really good on there.

Thank you! It is a beauty of a car, for sure. Always loved the type 35s and type 59s

Feb 29, 2024 11:55:34 GMT -5 tcoat said:

I LOVE it !
What paint did you use on that? That is exactly the colour I have been trying to get for the Dart.

Ah...color, yes.  Well...about that. I mixed Tamiya X1 and X7 until I decided I liked it. Sorry... and thank you!!

Feb 29, 2024 12:28:43 GMT -5 keavdog said:

Very cool build and subject. Sure would be fun to so 20 or 30 of those style cars racing on the track back in the day.

Would have been awesome to see that. And thank you!

Feb 29, 2024 14:53:52 GMT -5 garybrantley said:

Feb 29, 2024 12:28:43 GMT -5 keavdog said:

Very cool build and subject. Sure would be fun to so 20 or 30 of those style cars racing on the track back in the day.

That is some very cool footage Gary. I love watching old racing stuff. 

Feb 29, 2024 16:28:42 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Nothin like a straightforward build to get back in the swing of that feeling of accomplishment Kyle. When I was building my Maverick, I had to stop and build a kit twice because the Maverick too so long. Lol

This looks great buddy!!

Thanks Joe! I feel you on that.  Just haven't felt I've had enough bench time to really get into a meaty build process so I needed something like this. Hopefully I'll have some more time going forward but if not I'll do something else like this. 

[TJ]

Kyle I hear ya on the work thing. This little kit seems to have been the perfect motivator for you. Splendid

[kyledehart5]

Mar 1, 2024 4:55:45 GMT -5 TJ said:

Kyle I hear ya on the work thing. This little kit seems to have been the perfect motivator for you. Splendid

Thank you! Just needed to get something across the finish line, you know?

[garybrantley]

I just have to add this bit of footage.   Not only does it show those incredible German racers from Mercedes and Auto Union, but also throws in some Indy stuff, Brooklands footage and as an extra treat, some land speed record film too! 👍 Man, I love those Auto Union cars...200 mph from 600 HP in a car weight under a ton, in 1937!   Cars and men were made of steel in those days!  😃

[kyledehart5]

Mar 1, 2024 9:20:18 GMT -5 garybrantley said:

I just have to add this bit of footage.   Not only does it show those incredible German racers from Mercedes and Auto Union, but also throws in some Indy stuff, Brooklands footage and as an extra treat, some land speed record film too! 👍 Man, I love those Auto Union cars...200 mph from 600 HP in a car weight under a ton, in 1937!   Cars and men were made of steel in those days!  😃

Going to give this a watch when I get home later. Very cool. Those auto unions were serious machines for sure!!

[rondriaan]

I always find the 1/32 scale a bit strange, but it turned out to be a nice model despite Matchbox's strange choice of wheels.

Nice videos of those racing vintage cars and also nice to see the Auto Union driving around, this will be a future project in 1/12.

[kyledehart5]

Mar 6, 2024 16:37:54 GMT -5 rondriaan said:

I always find the 1/32 scale a bit strange, but it turned out to be a nice model despite Matchbox's strange choice of wheels.

Nice videos of those racing vintage cars and also nice to see the Auto Union driving around, this will be a future project in 1/12.

I have to say, 1/32 scale is strange but this is a pretty nice kit other than the truly strange wheels. But whatever. I hope to see your 1/12 scale auto Union sometime down the road.

[rondriaan]

Mar 6, 2024 20:49:54 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Mar 6, 2024 16:37:54 GMT -5 rondriaan said:

I always find the 1/32 scale a bit strange, but it turned out to be a nice model despite Matchbox's strange choice of wheels.

Nice videos of those racing vintage cars and also nice to see the Auto Union driving around, this will be a future project in 1/12.

I have to say, 1/32 scale is strange but this is a pretty nice kit other than the truly strange wheels. But whatever. I hope to see your 1/12 scale auto Union sometime down the road.

Yes he coming but first a MFH BSA

[kyledehart5]

Mar 7, 2024 16:39:31 GMT -5 rondriaan said:

Mar 6, 2024 20:49:54 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

I have to say, 1/32 scale is strange but this is a pretty nice kit other than the truly strange wheels. But whatever. I hope to see your 1/12 scale auto Union sometime down the road.

Yes he coming but first a MFH BSA

Awesome!! Can’t wait to see that also