Short story: I started building this kit around 1991. It’s a Tamiya or Academy Centurion kit with the AEF Designs conversion set. It was in a box in the attic, covered with dust and roofing debris. Cleaned it up and re-glued some broken parts. Gave it a quick wash to bring out details. So, it basically a inaccurate kit with a few lumps of resin vaguely resembling an engine deck and a LOT of scratch building. It doesn’t hold a candle to AFV Club kits as far as accuracy, but it doesn’t look to bad. I know it will give the OCD/ rivet counters a stroke, but I did the best I could with what I had at the time. I am trying to decide if I should go ahead and finish it or just relegate it back to the attic.
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Robert, to hell with it; it’s part of modelling history writ large let alone your own personal modelling history. It looks damn good to me; perhaps some antennae? The finish looks especially good, and very desertworthy. Continue to spruce it all up and be proud of it!
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May as well finish it, looks too far along to just scrap it.
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It’s survived what, 30 years ?? It has held up really well… It deserves its time in the sun… Finish it and make it happy 
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I agree with,the others, given the model survived 30 years, looks very good and was accomplished using generally difficult to work with AEF aftermarket parts - I say definitely finish & keep.
The model has an excellent story and history those are impossible to just build from parts.
Robert, if you got more than frustration, disappointment, and a screw job from an AEF Designs kit, it deserves enshrinement!
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Echo what the others have said. Go for it.
As it was based on the Tamiya kit, AEF wasn’t to blame for inaccurate dimensions. And in spite of what many “experts” say, the dimensions weren’t really that far off. Just compare the different kits to see what I mean. AEF did some great masters, but their casting quality was atrocious. I used the masters to scratch my own parts in many cases as reference material was not the most plentiful back then. I say fix it up and display it proudly. It looks as if you’ve done quite well with it in spite of AEF’s reputation.
I built two of them that I finished back in the 90’s. One I actually started in Berlin in '86 based on a few vague photos in a coffee table book on the IDF, and finished it once the AEF conversion came out. I ended up keeping most of my own parts. One resides in the Tamiya museum, complete with full interior and engine based on an HO scale locomotive shell. The other I still display right along side the many others - Tamiya, Accurate Armour, AFV Club. I won’t post photos here though on your thread. I’m not that guy.
Again, refurbish that beast , but maybe with a better representation of the L7 gun.
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Finish it and put it on the shelf. Very few would be able to identify any inaccuracies and those that could would also spot inaccuracies in your other kits so finish it and enjoy.
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I think it looks outstanding!
You made the proverbial silk purse from a sow’s ear at the time. What you managed then would have stood up quite well in comparison with just about any other contemporary build given what you were working with.
It’s not possible to turn the clock back, and it’s unfair and (IMO) unreasonable to expect what was possible then to be equal to with what’s possible now given the kits and state of of research today. Anyone who has a kit or two (or more) still in their collection dating back more than 30 years ago also has some equally less than accurate builds.
I certainly wouldn’t start tossing out any of my own builds from back then just because they could be done better and more accurately today. On the other hand, I also wouldn’t put a ton of time and effort into trying to bring one of them up to today’s standards either.
If you can finish this one up with a reasonable investment of a little more time and work, then why not? It looks pretty good right now. Finish it up and it’ll make a nice milestone to measure your current work against.
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Yes, I have seen your amazing works. We have met before at the Dallas and Houston model competitions back in the '90’s. I remember you telling me and my friend, Lanny (He built an amazing IDF 1982 Centurion that won many awards) about how Tamiya was wanting you to bring your version to Japan. What an honor!. I probably have photos from those shows somewhere. I remember how seeing your work inspired me to build a T-62 with scratch built interior. It’s still collecting dust on my shelf right now. Anyway, great to hear from you again.
Robert Howarton
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Thanks to everyone for their encouragement. Appreciate the comments. I won’t scrap it. Wish there was a good IDF tank transporter kit to but it on.
Come on boy
finish your beautiful thank! you are a fighter, no modeller behind
Yup, I’ll add my two cents and say finish it! It looks pretty close to the finish line as is. 
Great to hear from you, too! I remember both of you well. I think Lanny had done some sort of three toned Syrian or Jordanian SPG that year that really had some nice chipping effect - not overdone like we see today. I have not been back to Houston in ages - I only pass through now to Galveston to go to the Lone Star Motorcycle Rally every year. It’s amazing what the wife will endure to get a good soft shell crab Po’ Boy.
By all means finish that beast. I’ll PM you in a bit. I’m between Army trips here and really strapped for time at the moment.
Oh, and if you have any photos I’d love to see them. I only have one of the one with the interior (that Tamiya took and framed for me) but it’s small and hidden by the other two Centurions next to it,
its old, but still looking very good, just like the real Centurion 
Sheesh no contest. Keep that baby - it actually looks pretty good! Look, I regret trashing my Tamiya Walker Bulldog and Saladin from back in the day, even though they would be considered terrible models today. They were a part of my past and I liked the models even if the M41 was painted in panzer grey and had West German Army crosses! Heck I even patched up an ancient Abbot that must have been closer to 1/25 than 1/35!
Finish! Give it a suitable backstory if you feel the ‘need’ to justify it’s existence in the ‘real world’ you modeled here. After all, at training centers around the world, tanks and other vehicles are ‘vis-mod’ to look similar to expected opposing forces (especially at the US National Training Center at Ft. Irwin CA where older Sheridan light tanks are modified to look like T-72’s and Humvees like BRDMs [if you squint hard enough]).
My personal favorite is coming up with a fake country or science fiction nation on a near future colony.
The key question is ? Did you enjoy building it? The time you put in and the time to pick it out is what you must decide. None of my builds are worthy of print, but the build and the time I spent is special to me.