Alfa Romeo - Spider Touring - Brochure - 1932 - 1932

1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider Touring Gran Sport model project in 1/8 scale av Lars Wahlström 1 (31) In the mid 70's I built Pocher's 1/8 scale 1932 Alfa Romeo Spider Touring. The kit contained over 1950 parts and was, at the time, considered to be one of the finest kits ever. Pocher had previously released 3 kits on the same scale; 1907 Fiat 130 hp Grand Prix de France, 1932-34 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza and Rolls Royce Phantom II Drophead Sedanca Coupe. The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider was manufactured between 1931 and 1934. The number of cars manufactured was a total of 188, many of which still exist. In 1932, 68 cars were made. The chassis, was made in two different wheelbase lengths, Corto (2.75 m) and Lungo (3.10 m), was equipped with bodies from different manufacturers and equipment depending on the buyer's wishes, so all cars were different. Many were distinctly racing cars and were successful on both tracks and road races. Pocher's former Alfa Romeo Monza was a typical racing car. My model had a body made by Touring and had a more sports car character. Many parts were common between the different models such as the chassis and the engine. The chassis number 2111046, which can be seen on the model's small manufacturing plates, turned out to belong to an Alfa Romeo Monza from 1933 that still exists today. However, I have not found the original of the kit, except for a similar one from 1934 which is in the car museum in Torino (see page 26). The material of the kit was mostly plastic, but also metal and genuine leather in the seats. The wheels were spoked by hand and the engine contained a movable crankshaft and pistons. Most things were put together with screwes. Suspension, steering and brakes worked authentically. However, several details were a bit awkward, such as the radiator grille and the windshield. In the 1970s, the opportunities for research were limited. I borrowed a book from the library, but the limited illustrations was far from enough to make the extra detailing I had wanted. I built the model with a few small improvements, but basically as it was, straight out of the box. The fit was quite poor on the large plastic parts. Eg. the two spare wheels did not fit when the cover with the wing was mounted. The plastic parts of the body were cast in color, so I never bothered to paint them, but just polished the surface and felt, at the time, reasonably happy with the result. Nowadays, the Internet offers totally different opportunities to do research, so I decided to give the model an update. The work started in April 2021. I had saved Pocher's assembly instructions, which were reasonably detailed but there were no names on the details and there were ambiguities. But at least I got the model together when it went. The details that I mainly intended to review were mainly: • Radiator grille with better detailing • Painting of the body and fenders as well as additions to the body in some places. • The cover over the spare wheel needed to be adjusted so that it could fit 2 spare wheels. Luckily I had saved the wheel which did not fit. • Nicer rear bracket for the exhaust pipe. The kit's was disturbingly ugly. • Surface treatment of the chassis' existing struts and rods. The brass had oxidized ugly. • Fix chassis inaccuracies. • The oil cooler needed to be repainted more nicely due to my previous mistakes. • The cabin floor had been given a felt mat and a cover over the gearbox. This needed to be converted to the correct appearence. • The tire treads needed to be roughened up a bit to look realistic. • Detailing of the engine. • The windshield with brackets needed to be redone to look realistic. If more things should come up, then maybe this was also fixed. I started the research work. There was a lot on the Internet. I also looked at various model building forums and saw the most amazing rebuilds of Pocher models. I got lots of tips. 2 (31) This is what the model looked like before I started. Since most of it was screwed together, it was quite easy to disassemble. I loosened the floor and the tank as well, but then it stopped because I had "secured" the frame and rod screwpoints by soldering them. The engine could be cleaned on some details, but not all. In my research work, I soon discovered that there was no one car that was similar to the other. All seemed specially adapted and had not only differences in the body but also in how the engine was equipped, differences on the dashboard, placement of battery etc. And, since they were made, each car has had its own history for almost 90 years ... 3 (31) Since I did not find the exact original for my model, I decided to try to stick to models from 1932 with body by Touring. I could see that Pocher's model offered a number of inaccuracies and simplifications. I soon discovered a website in the United States, https://www.modelmotorcars.com, which offered a variety of newly manufactured authentic details that could replace many of the faulty ones. It was e.g. tempting to get the front suspension correctly with authentic spindles, spring packages and brake rods. Had the model been unbuilt, I would probably have fallen for that temptation. However, I decided to wait, but I ordered a photo-etched Alfa Romeo emblem for the radiator grille. It would probably have been possible to file out the existing, but, no, it did not feel so fun. In further studies of other model builders' creations, I learned that Pocher used the same chassis beams on all their 6 different Alfas (K71 Monza, K73 Spider Touring, K78 Muletto, K81 Mille Miglia, K89 Coupe Elegant, K92 Coupe Dinner). The original Monza version has 120 mm shorter frame beams at the front than the Corto chassis, and Pocher's successor, the Spider Touring, thus received 15 mm too short frame beams with subsequent incorrect proportions between the front axle and engine. Several of the high skilled model builders at http:// www.scalemotorcars.com remade the entire frame (and more) from scratch due to this and other shortcomings offered by the kit. I let go of the idea that my model would become a masterpiece. An update had to be enough. The front of the Monza (upper pictures) is 120 mm shorter than the Spider Touring (lower pictures). The Alfa Romeo 8c 2300 originally had the accelerator pedal in the middle and the brake on the right, which was not unusual at the time, but several have chosen to rebuild their cars with the accelerator pedal on the right (picture to the right). 4 (31) I started by making a stand that held the model firmly in place both upright and upside down. Then I did research and started with the chassis, which on the Pocher kit turned out to have several errors. I managed to find drawings, or at least fragments of drawings, that were useful. Maybe I could get more help via forums on the Internet. In any case: The crossbeam of the frame under the seat was too far back and the crossbeam just in front of the differential was missing, as was the strut from this backwards towards the tank. A floor was also missing between the crossbeams under the seats. Strange that Pocher missed these details. I decided to remake them, but not move the existing crossbeam. I removed the faulty floor mat and sanded the floor surface, which in reality is made of profiled aluminum sheet. It closes tightly to the gearbox and has openable hatches at the service points. I had already extended the floor back to the crossbeam, but it was not so nicely done, so I remade it. Strange that the length of the floor was correct in the kit, but not the placement of the beam. It was already noticeable how much Pocher had neglected. It's easy to lose inspiration when so much is incorrect. I understand the model builders who remade everything, but since I decided not to do a complete rebuild, I made a lot of compromises. I guess only experts will notice. 5 (31) Then I made new "plates" on top of the floorboard after looking for good models of the original. There were several different variants of the floor's rib profile, probably due to alterations and repairs made over the years. Actually, the floor should be at a lower level between the frame beams, but I decided to use the kit's floor slab as a base for the new floor. However, I supplemented the underside with the folds and ribs to which the floorboards are attached. To be able to get the floor there, I had to make a joint at the pedal bushings. The middle hatch is in reality to access the clutch housing. I made the floor behind the crossbeam new from scratch of plasticard. The picture shows before sanding and painting. It was difficult to find pictures that showed what the floor would look like, but on a forum I found a picture of a crashed Alfa Romeo Monza that was lying upside down. The front floor in place. The gear lever groove for the gear positions is incorrect, but I was content to "chrome" the grooves with a Molotow pen. Lock for reverse gear 6 (31) The rear floor and support beam in place. I painted with Tamiya TS-29 semi gloss black, which I also did on the underside of the front floor. It was tricky to work it in between the frame beams, but it went with a little mild force. I sanded and painted the fuel tank and the oil cooler. The gables of the fuel tank were bad looking with a joint straight across, but I had already, when I previously built the model, made new cover gables of thin plasticard. I then continued to make some new details for the engine, which on the original was a 165 hp compressorfed 2,336 cc straight 8 with overhead camshafts. It made new ignition cables with rubber-sheathed connectors of different types for spark plugs and distributor. I also painted the connection parts of the distributor and ignition coil so that they would look like brown bakelite. I also made the hollow thickening of the rod between the torpedo wall and the radiator in which the ignition cables are to be pulled through. It will later be painted in aluminum color. Furthermore, I made the link system with which you can regulate the ignition from a lever on the steering wheel. The small ball joints were made of hexagonal styrene profile which was "turned" by putting them in a simple drill and filing the shape. The fittings were made of sheet metal from a cigar box and the rods of 0.75 mm piano wire. The tachometer wire, which was made of a guitar string, is to be connected to the rear of the left camshaft cover. I closed the alternative connection for the tachometer cable with a lid. 7 (31) In addition to the ignition control (2), several controls were missing. I made the accelerator pedal link system (5) to the carburetor in the same method as the ignition control. It goes via a lever that also had to be made new. I also made a control that affects the idle position of the accelerator pedal (4) and which is operated from the dashboard via a rod, which through the torpedo wall is connected to a lever at the rear of the steering box. The steering box was on the kit equipped with a threaded rod that I could not find the function of. In a couple of pictures, it looked like there was a long, narrow bracket for a wire to the carburettor's air intake damper that could possibly be the model. But I chose to have the wire bracket on the side of the engine block (6), which seems to have been a more common solution. I removed the threaded rod. 1 3 10 11 8 2 7 4 11 7 6 6 4 5 1 6 1. Hollow rod for ignition cables. 2. Ignition control. Operated from the steering wheel lever. 3. Tachometer wire. 4. Idle control lever. Operated from the dashboard. 5. Throttle control. Links from the accelerator pedal. 6. Control cable for carburettor incl. brackets and arm. Operated from the dashboard. 7. Sensor line for oil pressure gauge. 8 3 8. Speedometer cable between instrument and gearbox. 9. Holes through motor mounts on both sides for pulling cables etc. were missing. 10. T-pipe for connection of front cooling water pipe. 11. Hose clamps for all hose connections. 12. Fuel line from petrol pump at the tank. 13. Completion of lower pedal frame bracket. 14. Painting of suspension, steering and brake rods. 8 (31) 2 4 11 6 7 4 14 14 11 14 11 12 5 14 9 5 12 14 5 The steering box actually has a cast attachment to the engine block, but I left this out. It was tricky enough to make the holes (9) without taking the engine out of the frame. 11 13 9 14 I painted a lot of screw heads on the engine and driveline to give a little more realism, but I left the Pocher text on the oil pan 13 1 10 11 as a proof that this model does not pretend to be perfectly worked out in the smallest detail. 9 (31) I connected the controls to the dashboard, though not authentically, because there should be a lot of other details and electrical cables there as well if it is to be really correct. However, these will never be seen. The dashboard's dials have a black bottom on all the pictures I've seen, and there are blackboards to download from model builders sites, but I decided to keep the white originals. I supplemented with a lever on the control to the carburetor and I moved the knob that regulates the idle. In reality, there are some other buttons on some cars as well, and some not, but it differs in all the pictures I have seen. When I built the model in the 70's, I made the surface of the dashboard with a wood-like plastic foil. I thought it was nice then, but I left it were. In reality, the dash surface is painted metal. 10 (31) I also supplemented with more electrical cables from the generator and starter to the fuse box on the torpedo wall. However, I did not do a complete wiring for headlights, battery, etc. The fuel tank was mounted with the original brackets. Pocher's solution is not authentic and offers a rather ugly screwing instead of adapting to the actual screwpoints. I painted the mounting bracket for the spare wheel black before assembling. I also made a new bracket for the exhaust pipe instead of the original one, which was very ugly. 11 (31) The kit's original brass oil lines for the oil cooler were newly made of black lacquered aluminum wire. Easy to bend and reasonably stable. I also made fittings at the connections. In my research work, I had seen a number of different wiring of the pipes and also different connection points to the oil cooler. But I did as the picture shows. The oil filling tube will come later. The tire treads were sanded off so that they looked more natural. Compare left with right. The chassis was thus complete. And sure; there is infinitely more that could be done, but this time the goal was not perfection, only an update of a model I built more than 40 years ago. 12 (31) 13 (31) 14 (31) 14 (31) For those who wonder about the strange blue background in some photos, it is because they were taken in my homemade spray booth, which is built by the principle "You take what you have". It have walls of a piece of Platon mebrane that was left over when I insulated my basement floor. The filter-equipped extractor duct, which is a flexible hose to be able to be directed, has a filter and is connected to a duct fan with an air flow of approx. 400 m3/h. The fan outlet opens into an existing outer wall vent grille. The lighting is a cheap LED light which is attached to an aluminum tube and inserted into cut-out holes in the Platon membrane so that it is possible to turn and direct the light. At the top, the Platon membrane is stabilized at the front edge of another tube. Broomsticks would work just as well. The floor is made of chipboard. Everything is loosely placed on a couple of cabinets from my old demolished kitchen. There are ready-made spray booths to buy, but I did not find one that was big enough when I was going to paint my previous project, a Chevrolet Corvette, also the one in scale 1: 8. The model in the box is LeGrand's 1/8 scale VW Beetle. The arrangement works really well and can also be used as a work bench. When the chassis was ready, I started with the body. The first thing I did was remove the old grille on the radiator using a dental drill. Judging by the reddish grinding dust, the plating was made on copper. I honed the inner edge of the frame and painted the cut surface with Molotow chrome. I gave up the idea of making openwork bars in the grille. It would probably have worked if they were made of metal. In reality, there is a net just behind the rods so I decided to do it in a different way, where I glued the rods to something that could resemble the net. I cut out the rods of 2 mm wide strips from 1 mm plasticard which I cemented to a base of plasticard which I had previously cut so that it fit exactly in the radiator housing of the body and which I had carved to imitate the net. Then I cemented the rods at a distance of 1 mm using a brass profile. I finished with sanding for rounded front edges om the bars. 15 (31) I supplemented the radiator with the outer pipes from which the cables for the headlights come out. I removed the ugly screw mounts on the headlight brackets and prepared for neater screws in accurate positions. Then I continued to cut off a piece of the cover plate over the spare wheels so that both wheels would fit. In the research work, I saw several different designs of the plate and the wing on top. However, no image with chrome reinforcement grooves. They were pressed directly into the cover. But I thought it would be nice when I built the model more than 40 years ago and had not done enough research. I removed the aluminum foil and the small screw heads made from pin heads and plugged the holes. The wing was in fact much thinner and had a strip of metal on top. The rear of the body, under the spare wheel tub, had ugly cast lines and irregularities that I sanded down. I was also unhappy with the doors that had leather "hinges" and an ugly "collar" below the opening. I managed to remove the leather straps without damaging them. Then I cut off the collar and filled in the recesses, which I suspect comes from that Pocher originally envisioned another hinge solution. My plan was to make new piano-type hinges, as it is in reality. I also filled in the recesses in the back edge of the hatches. Why did Pocher make them? Fine sanding remains in the pictures above. 16 (31) I made the hinges from aluminum sheet from a beer can. They would be as wide as the back edge of the hatches. I marked where the plates would be cut. First I did a test piece to see how long the flaps needed to be for them to be rolled exactly around the pin. Since the plate was quite soft, it was possible to cut with a sharp scalpel. Then I gently bent the outer end of the flaps and then used the hinge pin, of 0.8 mm piano wire, as a support to gently roll the flaps around. Despite the thin alu-plate, the hinges became sufficiently stable. I then cut down one leg so that it fit on the door and was supported by the existing knobs. I made a third hole to get a better grip for the leather strap. The other leg will be threaded into the slot that the leather strip previously went through. I also improved the recessed fold in which the doors are located. The protruding wing is in fact divided in line with the hatches. I marked the joint by scratching a dental probe. I also took the opportunity to test what color I should have for the body. I stuck with Humbrol 41 Ivory, which is quite similar to the plastic's own color, but less yellowish. 17 (31) The next detail I wanted to change was the windshield. The glass was badly cast and too thick. There was a gap between the lower edge of the glass and the body, where in reality there is a sealing strip. The posts were made of bent sheet metal, and not very faithfully made and had coarse screws. In my research, I saw several variants of post and side windows, but I wanted the variety that most corresponded to the free glass edges of the kit. The windshield wipers, with the motor placed on the glass, I had not seen in any of the research photos with the Touring body. A single wiper motor sat on the underside of the body, at the top of the dashboard. Then the arms of the two windscreen wipers were connected by a rod. I decided to redo the whole package with windshield because this is a detail that stands out and can take the attention away from the details that I compromised with. I measured the angle of the windscreen slope and then held the body at such a slope that the windshield line was horizontal to the table. It turned out, fortunately, that it was possible to hold the body so that it received support from the front legs and the upper edge of the torpedo wall so that the angle would match exactly. Then I mounted a pen so that I could draw a line on the body that aligned with the lower bracket of the windshield against the body. Then I cut a 0.5 mm strip of plasticard, 1.0 mm wide, equal to the thickness of the window, to support the window and the sealing strip and glued it in place. 18 (31) I filed the old windscreen so that it matched exactly with the body's support strip. Then I made a template of cardboard for the new windscreen, which I made a little higher because I thought these proportions matched better with the pictures I saw in my research. Then I started to make the side posts from a U-profile which I slotted and glued so that there was a bend at the bottom towards the body bracket. I carefully sawed off the rear side and moved it so that I got a groove that corresponded to the thickness of the windscreen. Then I made a filling that was sanded to a rounded profile. Lastly, I made the footplate that has a hollow core against the post. As a filler, I often use a self-made variety that I make by cutting small pieces of plasticard and dissolving them in liquid cement such as Tamiya. Depending on the dilution, the putty can be made differently viscous and with different colors depending on the color of the plasticard. The posts will later have a chrome-plated top. The side window brackets were made of leftover sprues, which I "turned" by using a drill and sawed out the groove with dimensions corresponding to the thickness of the side windows. Test assembly of posts and windows. The windscreen has got the seal towards the body. It fits exactly over the support strip (see page 18). I made the seal of two form-cut strips of black 0.5 mm plasticard and glued with Micro Kristal Klear, which does not dim the transparent plastic. 19 (31) I continued with the hood. I was dissatisfied with the hinges, which were lumpy and had fittings that did not allow the hood to fold properly. The hinges had double-folded legs, which took up an unnecessary amount of space. This was especially noticeable on the long piano hinge in the middle. I fastened the hinge and sawed off the upper parts of the legs. One leg is missing in the picture to the left. I also filled in the old holes in the plastic, so that it was possible to move the screws to a slightly greater distance from the hinge. I completely replaced the small hinges. The original on the left in the image below. I found mini hinges on Amazon. I drilled these and shaped them so that the screw fittings would go around. I also found several different assortments of mini screws on Amazon. The circles on the inside of the hood come from a mechanism that makes it easier for the parts to come loose from the mold. Where they become visible, I will putty and sand them to an even surface. 20 (31) All the parts of the body that should have off-white color were then ready for painting. I masked the interior's leather upholstery, which unfortunately could not be removed in undamaged condition. It was a bit tricky to tape exactly to the contour and I first tested on a piece from the previously cut off "hinges" that the tape would not damage the leather. The doors were left in the closed position. Touch-up painting may be needed in the doorways later. The hood's small hinges were mounted before painting. A few details remain to be made. It is the body parts on the frame between the radiator and the torpedo wall. These were included in the kit, but did not fit the properly, so they were never installed. I still had them, but decided to make new ones after the body part was mounted on the frame and better adjustment could be made towards the fenders. All painting was done with airbrush, Harder & Steenberg with 0.4 mm needle / 15 psi, and I started by painting the inside of the body in the places where it could be visible. The color I chose was Humbrol 41 Ivory, thinned about 50/50 color/thinner. 5 coats of paint and 4 polishes later it looked like this. I used Meguiar's Ultimate Compound for the first polish, then Tamiya's 3-step polish. I wax after the moldings are installed. The color became a little whiter than before, but that was the intention. In any case, the color is perceived as off-white. I made new hinge screws with a slightly neater format of trackless spectacle screws that I found in the screw kits from Amazon. The side hinge screws are painted, because they should not really be visible. 21 (31) I saw several variations on the side moldings. I made mine from aluminum tape of a slightly thicker variety, which can be bought on a roll in hardware stores. A little trickier to put there, especially at rounded corners, but it looks better on this scale than the thin foil normally used for plastic models. This thicker foil can be polished up to high gloss finish. I then waxed with Tamiya Modeling Wax. The poor fit at doors and hatches is striking. However, I chose not to redo the doors because they were already in place. The hatches are processed, however, but it still did not turn out perfectly. The people at Pocher were probably in a hurry when the base for the molds was made. When I originally built the model, I had made an underside of the seats. There should have been some kind of spring mattress bottom, even if it probably did not have a closed underside. The picture also shows how the inside of the hatches was taken care of. The radiator, with its new grille and emblem, turned out really well, I think. The photo-etched emblem (see page 4) was a bit dull on the surface, but it was easy to polish to a mirror finish. 22 (31) The body was mounted on the frame at the intended screw points. The windscreen, the chrome post tops and the windscreen wipers were also fitted. I used the old wiper arms and blades, but rebuilt them so that they looked more accurate. I also made the chromed bezels on the body that the wiper blade shafts run through. Note the push rod between the arms. The wiper motor was placed above the dashboard behind the steering wheel. The side windows are mounted later when the fenders are in place. I now started with the fenders. First I made the body parts that connect the radiator package to the torpedo. The original parts were unusable. In order for these parts not to be visible under the fenders, I had to increase the fenders at the bottom. I also had to adjust a lot to get a better fit between body, frame and fenders. The pictures show before filling and sanding. My intention was to have about the same dark blue color as Pocher's original, so I looked for colors that could match and found Humbrol 15 and Tamiya X-3. I tested both and decided to continue with Humbrol. Probably mostly to be able to brush paint some metal parts, such as the bezels around the headlights. 23 (31) The side steps of the fenders are in reality mounted on brackets that protrude from the frame. These were missing in the kit and they would not have been able to be mounted properly due to the attachment of the fender package to the frame. I made "fake" consoles on the underside of the steps instead. The front fenders have a rear bracket that runs slightly slanting under the fender and is attached to the frame just behind the bracket for the front suspension rod and a front bracket attached to the same holder as the shock absorbers. I also supplemented with these and a holder for the oil cooler refilling pipe. I also made a new bezel at the fuel cap. In my research I saw several different models of this, but I chose a solution with a cover plate that holds a rubber seal around the pipe to the tank. There are quick-release tank caps to buy, but I chose to keep Pocher's original. To be able to mount both spare wheels, I had to extend the center bolt that holds them in place. Even when I built the Alfa from the beginning, I had to make an alternative holder because the fit was so poor. In my research, I have not seen a single image of a spare wheel tub that looks the same as on Pocher's kit. The rear of the body ends in height just above the lower edge of the spare wheel tub. See the picture below to the right and the pictures of the 1934 Alfa Romeo at the car museum in Torino, which may have been a model for Pocher's kit, but with many deviations such as the encapsulated spare wheels. However, I like Pocher's rounded bottom edge and filled the small hollow that was at the bottom in the middle before I painted. Since the bodybuilders met the wishes of the individual customers in the 30s, my Alfa must be adapted to my preferences today. But you might think that Pocher was a bit careless. 24 (31) The fenders and headlight houses with details were now painted and polished. As on the body, I used Tamiya's 3-step polish. The fender step guards were molded into the fenders. At the oil filling pipe, they were cut around the hole in an ugly way, without fittings. I made new end fittings from plasticard. I first painted the protruding rubber part black and then coated the step guards with aluminum foil of the thin type "Bare-Metal-Foil" intended for model cars. I also made the front middle part between the fenders, where the starter crankshaft goes in. This was missing in the kit (see picture on page 4). I first mounted the headlight housing brackets, then the fenders. For the fenders I used new screws with slightly larger heads to avoid the washers I used before. I also monted the headlights' electrical cables, or rather, the metal flex hose that the cables run in. It comes up through the channels on the side of the radiator that I made earlier (see page 16). The fender brackets for the headlight housings are incorrectly turned on the kit, but I left it at that. The oil filler pipe was misplaced about 10 mm on the side fender of the kit, so I had originally made my own solution with a circular soft rubber profile to cope with the difficult bends. It was cracked by age, so I remade it by using a thick sprue which I formed to correct fit. 25 (31) Even though there was an electrical starter, all cars had a starter crank at this time. It was seldom used and then a plug was inserted into the threads so that no dirt would get into them. I made the plug and the bracket that holds the crankshaft together with the front crossbar of the frame. The right picture also shows the frame mounts of the front fenders (see page 24). The side windows are mounted. The starter crank is placed in the door side pocket. The key is in the ignition switch. Only the wheels are missing. The spare wheels are in place. So is the license plate. The picture to the right shows how skewed the body of the kit is in its casting. The left side is 5 mm longer than the right between the torpedo and the door. Really bad of Pocher to be so careless. 26 (31) Then the Alfa Romeo got on its own wheels again. Only the hood remains to be mounted. I have made it so that, in addition to being able to be authentically upfolded, it can be lifted off completely. The following pages show the finished result. 27 (31) 28 (31) 29 (31) 30 (31) The Alfa moved back to its old showcase along with my other 1/8 scale models. The work on the Alfa Romeo update began in April 2021 and ended in July 2021. I did not count the working hours I put in, but I estimate it to be about 350. When the kit was released, it was considered luxurious. Today I think it is really bad and requires a lot of laying on of hands to be good. But that is a part of a joyful hobby and it has given me pleasure during two building periods with more than 40 years apart, so I'm far from disappointed. It would certainly have been possible to make the work on this model considerably better and more accurate, but it has not been my intention to make a masterpiece, just a some improvements with most of Pocher's kit left. If anyone should discover errors or misconceptions that I have made in my work or documentation, I am grateful to know about this. It would be fun to build one of Pocher's later models, such as one of their Mercedes 500 K, to see if the quality improved over time. If I find an unbuilt one, I will probably go for it. Most of the pictures in this document I have taken myself, but there are also some pictures from my research taken from the internet. I hope no one gets upset that I used the pictures without permission, but are happy that they have been helpful to me and perhaps other enthusiasts to pursue their hobby. This documentation can be obtained for free from me as a pdf. by sending a request to: [email protected] I have done similar documentation on two other models in 1/8 scale; The Monogram 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray and The LeGrand 1976 Volkswagen 1303 Cab. These can be sent free of charge by sending a request to the same address. Stockholm July 7, 2021 Lars Wahlström 31 (31)