Enjoying the ride Wade, I’m imagining that by the time you’ve finished the original kit will comprise about 25% of the build 
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Thank you, Tim for following along. It good to know the thread is enjoyable.
25% is pretty darn accurate!
The Sector35 tracks are two parts since they were assembled. the Italeri Panther has a total of 41 Italeri parts out of 168 total parts for 24.4% Italeri parts.
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The Hatch Latches
Italeri provides a pair of HL’s.
Panzers in Saumur #2 has a nice picture (discussion only) of a Panther A’s HL.
Made multiple attempts at scratch building, some of which are provided below for entertainment purposes.
Eventually, realizing this would take until Christmas 
or result in buying a resin kit to copy parts from Meng’s Panther D/A if I didn’t move on.
The red parts installed.
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The kit gun travel lock instructions.
Decided to tweak the GTL based on this picture from Panzers in Saumur #2 (for discussion only).
•straightened chain
•cutting it as shown
•removed a link
•added hex nut to end of chain
•chopped ends off of 72c
•made slot for left side of 72c
•added fiddle bit to left side of 74c
•70b drilled per Samur picture but it’s under the travel lock
While the quality is poor with half a dozen plus sink marks the detail on the GTL is pretty good 
. I liked the Italeri chain better than the On The Mark PE chain for the GTL.
Now to the engine deck then hopefully the upper, lower hull & rear plate can be assembled.
20/20 hindsight, the wiser choice would have been to order GTL replacement parts from Tamiya for a Panther D or G.
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The Engine Deck
Part 50c is missing!
None of the spare Panther hulls are the correct dimensions. Struck out on Ebay for replacement 50c.
How did this happen?
I recall planing to use this once upon a time to replace the Italeri engine.
^^^What happened to the Verliden Panther G engine set?
No, idea that 25+ years ago, probably realized it wouldn’t fit and sold or traded it.
Options?
-
Buy an Italeri Panther kit for replacement parts.
-
Try to make a 50c replacement part
I loathe the idea of paying that much money for an Italeri Panther kit.
Looks like #2 option for this fiasco.
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The plan is to use a drawing of an early Panther D’s rear engine deck in Panzer Tracks Panther as a pattern for the new “erstaz” 50c part. However, with the dimensional errors Italeri built into the model’s rear it’s not necessarily cut and paste for the template.
The full scale 1/35 template was both too long and too wide to fit on the Italeri Panther. However, I’d made several copies scale at 100%, 99%, 98%, 97% & 96% with the intention of using the one that fit the Italeri hull best as the pattern for the new part. The 98% pattern fit nearly perfect.
Taped pattern to a sheet of .010 white sheet styrene, marked all detail locations with a sharp pointed divider, then cut it out.
Needs a lot more clean up etc but attempt #1 is under way.
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Looks like we need to revise the OINK (Original Italeri No-so-good Kit) parts estimate down to 20%…sounds like a pig… 
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That’s it guys, I’m calling it. Code Black. Wade you have officially thusly put in way more work than an Italeri kit deserves. Tim, have the Diorama Police remove the body. If Wade continues, he will be put in for a Meritorious Conduct Medal.
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LOL! 
Thank you, Matt.
Tim, call the paramedics, they need a stretcher!
My hubris meme.
CBE - Character Building Exercise, that’s what I’ll call it. I would have tossed this kit in the trash if I’d realized 50c was missing but due to ‘sunken cost’ will throw more time into to try to salvage the build.
This update, the dark art of “manually 3D printing 
” parts…
The hatch test fitted.
The red marked gaps have to be tightened. Combination of .010 styrene rod and thinned Molak Stucco Putty on the edge for the first round. The blue hopefully OK with just a coat of two of TMSP.
A light coat of Molak Stucco Putty around the edge.
Adding material back with thin coats Molak Stucco Putty isn’t very quick or interesting.
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Replacing the engine deck on this kit isn’t such a bad idea. The original part had working hinges, so you could open it up to see the engine. The hinge pieces were both overscale (IIRC) AND poorly detailed. I had an Italeri kit on my Shelf of Doom, that I thought about robbing another kit for the necessary parts.
Damon.
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Garrand, I think you’re right that replacing 50c is a good idea. I just wish a spare from another kit was suitable.
Decided to pull the Meng Early Panther A as it basically has a very similar hull. Thought it would be good to see this in 3D and not just look at plans.
Indeed as Garrand mentioned the Italeri hinges need at least a few tweaks. Meng parts are light gray. Looks like a pair of solder rings around the filler caps will be in order to add a bit more detail to the Italeri hatch too.
I think the hatch fit is suitable enough.
Here’s Meng’s awesome looking Panther engine deck. It’s inspiring! It also highlights what Italeri screwed up so badly on this model at the top just under the center weld in blue
Italeri.
Drilled bolt holes and cut the slots.
Everyone, understandably molds those blue circled bolts as round but they are hex bolts in my opinion. (Panzers in Saumur #2, discussion only)
Back in 1997, I cut the Italeri Panther kit wheels down to 16 bolts 
because I wanted a Panther D out of the kit.
Being some what OCD, I saved the shaved hex bolts for 26 years - just in case, they were needed for something.
Muhahahaaa!
Found a use for the hex bolts…
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Gentlemen.
I totally enjoy building the Italeri Panthers. Granted. they have flaws just as any kit. But, as a builder not just a parts affixer, I like the challenges involved in correcting kits. This builder is doing this in an exceptional manner! Well done, sir!
Bill
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You – have – gotta – be – kidding??!! You SAVED the bolts??? For 26 years??? They’re exactly the same age as my son. Ayayayay, you sure know how to make other modelmakers totally inadequate, unworthy, amateurs…jeez Glenn/Cheyenne’s definitely gonna need some serious counselling now.
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@BillM Bill, I hear you. I’m having fun with this build to be honest…more fun than I’d have with a newer kit for sure. Working with the older models from the 70’s to 90’s, I usually feel like I’ve done more actual modeling - that may not make sense but I’m happy tweaking the old kits usually.
I suspect Italeri design was doing a high quality project on the Panther based on the gun travel lock, the very nice hex bolt details on the wheels, armor plate inter locks, engine deck grates & sprocket etc. A lot of those parts are very good by any standard. Finance probably pushed the model into release sooner than planned out of necessity or a committee got involved.
I’m looking forward to building an Italeri Leo 1A4 & Leo 2 at some point. I have good memories of both and want to revisit both kits.
My OCD for Panther’s in general sometimes gets a little out of control. It’s twice as bad with Panzer IV’s…
LOL yes, I saved that $#!t for ~26 years…the tape is started to delaminate. I may be a little OCD but definitely not anal retentive or a horder or anything like that…wink 
I changed my picture for this endeavor for a reason. Let’s just say the old TV show The Prisoner & #6 had a little too much influence on me as a child.
LOL! Love the crusier on blocks meme!
Speaking of Diorama police, I think this would make a good vignette and caption.
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You are so ready for the “Great Ones” campaign.
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Greg, I wanted to start on an old Tamiya 1970’s Tiger since the “Great Ones” campaign was mentioned!
Recently, had 2nd thoughts on the Tiger as there’s an ancient Tamiya 1/25 T-34-85 somewhere in the stash.
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Armor_Buff.
I have also built both Leopards you mentioned. You can find reviews of these kits on the leopard club website. Reviewers claim that these kits are better than the kits by Meng!
Bill
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Much appreciated Bill, I will check the Leo club out. I have a Model-Point gun barrel for the Leo 2. It will need a new set tracks and probably be otherwise stock. I recall really being amazed at the engine deck on the Leo 2 back in the day.
Erstaz 50c cobbled together.
May need a few more tweak etc.
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The gap in the lower right hand corner was mostly because the hinge angled down and didn’t allow the part to rest flush.
Bent the hinge plus a shim yeilds the following fit.
This thinner than paper resin flash from the Cavalier Zimmerit sheet proved very helpful making the shims. Super glue to attach and razor blade to make flush.
Pitched the Italeri engine deck C hooks in the trash with with these.
The hinges were tweaked by built up slightly with Molak Stucco to change contour. The two filler caps had a solder rings added to their bases which I speculate is for bullet splash. The early Panther D filler cap seemed flatter than the rounded molded it top of kit kit hatch. Filed to a flatter shape, cast texture added plus ears with styrene rod. The small triangle shaped stop was cut away and replaced with scrap PE & styrene so it would have the corrwct hollow indent on both sides. Another little fiddle bit was added and handle replaced with styrene rod.
Kali demanded a test fit before we move to the three remaining large details for 50c.
Kali’s mock up
Kali suggested we test and see if we can “cheat” in a dimensional band-aid for the hull length with a ~5mm strip of styrene.
Will have to test and see if the rear plate can be "tweaked into fitting…
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