Click on the pic for a larger view.
Click here for more pictures on my Fotki site!As mentioned in a previous post, my first John Day Model did not come with instructions. I thought they were missing but it turned out that there weren’t any. Jacques immediately sent me a mimeographed typed double space note three pages long. As I look at it,reminds me of all the term papers I wrote on a typewriter, trash can filled to the brim! Amazing time we live in with word processors and spell check!
As promised the catalog pages circa 1976. Click here or the cover, to go to my Fotki site where the John Day Model pages are stored currently.
About 2 weeks after placing the order via snail mail, remember, the PC hadn’t been invented yet and I had to send a check, I literally got a bag of parts, 26 pieces in all, including an extra rearview mirror. Conspicuously absent were assembly instructions, and seemingly in its place more flash around the parts than I’ve ever seen before. Missing also were any form of protection for the decals. In fact, they were a bit crumpled, though still useable, if one ignored the fact that the topcoat had yellowed already. Over the years the non-stock decals I used have yellowed also.
I subsequently found another kit on eBay for a reasonable price and thus able to provide pictures. I can’t remember if my original kit came in a plastic bag, I assume it did but do remember the glassine bag. It’s a wonder any of the kits survived shipping to one’s home. I suppose white metal is soft and repaired easily enough, but if you look at the air box/rear wing molding, it is bent, the result of the packing method.
Subsequently discovered Autosport magazine from the UK at this hole in the wall bookstore in San Francisco, I wished I remembered the name since it had so much character, Albert something on Geary. In the back of the magazine was a firm called Grand Prix Models, and it felt like I hit the mother lode. Back in those days, one had to order the catalog near the beginning of the year otherwise there was a chance of them running out. Ahhh, the good ole’ days!
As I remember it, it was buried way back near the end of the magazine. In my first complimentary issue of Autoweek magazine that I had received at the Import Car Show in SF one Thanksgiving was a small ad put out by a fellow in New York, named Jaques Grelley. My jaw dropped, tears came to my eyes, for while it was easy to get models of American cars in 1/25 scale, racing cars were somewhat scarser, European stuff just unheard of. I immediately sent off for a catalog and placed my order for my first 1/43rd scale model by John Day, a Tyrrell 006. I’ll post the catalog, which I still have, later. The price for one model was 10 times more expensive than your normal plastic kit, but still cheaper than Tamiya’s limited 1/12 scale models. Oh yeah, Formula 1 was and is my favorite form of motor racing. I remember setting a goal of one kit a month!
If you look at the full size pic, you’ll note that I didn’t know much about sanding at the time, clear coating was yet to be invented, but here was a real F1 model! This was the first time I used automotive paint, Duplicolor from the car parts shop, and even customized the rear wing mount with paper clip thingees. The real car had those, and this model needed it, though in retrospect way out of scale. Front lip along the front of the nose was damaged so I just cut out completely. I was able to aftermarket decals from somewhere that were printed much more crisply and clearly, numbers were from an Auto World slot car decal set, not totally appropriate but better than what was provided. The John Day ones were not registered correctly either.
Still with all its shortcomings, including my skills, I was very happy having this.
