Master Making.

The models are first produced as a brass master. This is a highly skilled job and takes a lot of concentration. The masters have to be perfect as any marks, lumps or dents will be reproduced throughout the rest of the process. The guys use have to produce a 'kit' form of the car so that each separate piece can be sprayed or plated as required. Producing a master can take up to three weeks. These parts are then passed on to the mould maker ready for the next process.

Mould Making.

The moulds are made from a special rubber which can withstand the high temperatures that occur during casting. A central spru former (see pic) is placed on then the pieces to be copied are laid around it. The mould is then put into a machine called a vulcaniser which puts heat and extreme pressure either side. This softens the rubber and forces it around the shape of the pieces inside. When cooled it is opened, the original pieces removed and channels cut in by hand to allow the metal to flow to the cavities.

Casting.

The mould is opened and dusted with a powered which helps the metal to flow evenly around the inside. It is then placed in the casting machine which spins the mould at 500 RPM, this also helps the metal to flow around all parts of the mould, filling up the mould from the outer edge first. The white metal ingots are melted in a large pot and poured in to the centre of the mould (see pic). Once the macine has stopped spinning the metal has hardened enough to open the mould and remove the newly cast parts from the sprue.

Clean-up.

The car bodies and all relevent pieces (seats, seat pans, axles etc) are not quite ready for painting and plating yet. The casting process leaves a thin layer of metal around the pieces. This is where the mould halves join and a small amount of metal can leak through so this has to be cleaned off. This is done with a sharp knife, files, sand paper and a lot of care. Any holes or dents are filled too using a car body filler. Once this is done all of the holes for door handles, hood ornaments, wing lights etc are drilled.

Spraying.

Once the models have been cleaned off they move to the paint room. Here they are jigged up on individual frames and given three coats; First is the primer whch gives a good surface for the colour coat and also shows up any problems on the casting, second is the colour coat, finally the model is given a clear laquer finish. This layer helps to protect the paint underneath from chipping and scratching.

Sub-Assembly.

Some of the pieces for the model are sub-assembled. Things like steering wheels are glued into dash boards, seats into seat pans and if necessary the gear stick. These are done slightly ahead of final assembly to allow time for the pieces to dry. Tyres are put onto axles, windows are formed (see photos) and licence plates are painted.

Assembly.

This is where all of the work done by everybody else comes together to produce the finished piece. The bodies are taken from the paint room and checked over to make sure that there are no defects. They are laid out in rows and the plated pieces are glued on. The widows are then cut out and glued in and once dry the whole car is assembled and screwed together. Any remaining painting - usually the tail lights- is done along with any decals. The model is then checked over to make sure that is up to standard, the good ones are bagged, then put onto a tray ready for boxing.

Boxing.

The boxes are counted out and the sticker for that particular model is put onto the end flap. The models are put into the inner box along with the accessory bag. The top piece of foam is put on and the whole thing is slid inside of the outer box. These fully finished and boxed models are then stored in the packing area until they need to be posted.