TOPIC:

I've recently bought a super champ, I'm wanting to restore it to as original as possible, my dilemma is the body has the rear end missing, I have bought a copy shell off ebay should I chop my new shell and attach it to the original or just make do with the new one?
Would using a copy shell devalue it?
The new shell is stamped 1982.

rb1763 wrote:

I've recently bought a super champ, I'm wanting to restore it to as original as possible, my dilemma is the body has the rear end missing, I have bought a copy shell off ebay should I chop my new shell and attach it to the original or just make do with the new one?
Would using a copy shell devalue it?
The new shell is stamped 1982.
...

Copy shell? You mean one from the re-release "Fighting Buggy"? The original one should say TAMIYA RCC F BUGGY MADE IN JAPAN (note the absence of the date), the re-release >ABS< TAMIYA (C) 1982 TAMIYA 58034/0982081-00.

I think what it boils down to is how confident are you of your ability to blend the two halves together? The break on the sides will need bracing on the inside (which is always going to be obvious) if it isn't just going to fall apart again when handling it, let alone driving it. Where the rollcage has broken off you'd probably be better off cutting out the stumps of the old bars rather than trying to join the bars themselves.

TBH I'd just fit the new body whole & keep the remains of the old one to pass on if you ever sell it. In my mind that would devalue it a little less than a cut 'n' shut with obvious bracing, and a whole lot less than one where the repairs go a bit wrong

I agree it would be a lot of work, the copy shell comes in blue so I'm not going to paint it, should I clear coat over the decals once I have applied them?

Agree with Jonny, use the re-re shell.
I never clear coat over decals. I see some do, and both sides seem to do ok.
To me, it looks more correct to have the decals on top of the clear coat, like on any 1:1 car.

-Lars

Keep the old body in a box and if you want to sell it, you sell the car with the 2 bodies. That proves that you have a vintage car