Was sorting through my workbench due to ongoing renovations and came across this. This is a kit that I started in 1998…it’s absolute garbage and quite possibly unbuildable. For some unknown reason I don’t toss it. I don’t even build cars anymore, but it bugs me that this kit got the best of me. Part of me wants to finish it but every time I do I remember why I put it away.
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You can win over this kit.
You know, deep inside, that you can beat it into submission.
Bad kits are there to test our abilities 
Go for it!
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Yes I’m sure that I can. That’s probably why I haven’t thrown it away over the years. The resin is full of air bubbles which makes it a real chore to look halfway decent. It also requires a ton of scratch building for the interior and suspension which is okay. The hundreds of air bubbles are what really hold me back.
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Darren, Go for it!
Sorting this 25 year old shelf queen proved very satisfying. It got the best of me in 1998. Not finished but it’s pretty close.
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That kit looks awesome, you’d never know it’s been giving you problems…well done. I think I’ll take another run at it in the near future. What kit are you working on exactly?
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Darren, sweet, happy to hear you’ll take at shot the old rascal! Looks like a cool car build.
Hopefully there’s a good technique and filler for air bubbles. Maybe something like Mr Surfacer wiped flush with a Q-tip dampened with Mr Color Leveling Thinner or Perfect Plastic Putty wiped with water or alcohol etc.
It’s the old1990’s era Tamiya Panther G kit. Supported with 1990’s era aftermarket like Verliden engine, Cavalier Zimmerit, On the Mark PE, Tamiya PE, Jaguar resin interior, Tank Work Shop Radiators & fans, Tamiya ammo and some scratchbuilt fiddle bits. The Sector35 pre assembled tracks are from ~2020.
Started in 1998, but after a few weeks, I got overwhelmed with fit issues between the radiators & interior and fixing damaged resin parts with tear out. Wasn’t brave enough in 1998 to chop & modify expensive (to me) aftermarket resin parts to make it work etc.
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Find a round styrene rod, or a few different, which is/are big enough for the bubbles.
Find the corresponding small drill bits (avoid the very thinnest ones, they break too easily).
Drill out the air bubble, wet the tip of the same diameter plastic rod with CA-glue, insert rod in hole.
Cut off excess rod, let CA cure fully.
Move on to next hole of similar size, wet rod, glue, cut, move on.
Repeat until all holes of that size have been filled.
Change drill bit for other size holes if needed.
Edit: When all holes have been filled and the CA has cured it is time to sand or file down the little plastic rod nubs and the “collar” of CA-glue around them.
This should be easier than trying to get putty smooth and then trying to sand away the edges of the putty.
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Isn’t it funny how far kits and aftermarket stuff have come…boy do we have it easy nowadays! Don’t you give up either.
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I have done something similar to your way on plastic but never resin or in such quantities…may end up with more styrene than resin 
I based that suggestion on my method for treating unwanted holes (Tamiya motorization holes, aarrgghh)
and ejection pin marks.
I tried with putty a few times and it drove me nuts trying to get a smooth surface again.
Another trick I use with small resin parts (upgrade sets for styrene kits) is to sand down a fraction too much on the mating surface of the resin part and then glue it to a small styrene shim.
Let cure, trim off the excess, glue to styrene kit just like a styrene part.
Makes it easier to position the small parts and less messy to glue them in place.
Edit:
One tool that would be worth getting is a punch-&-die set to punch out little styrene disks.
Many uses for them, I use them mostly to produce small disks that fit inside ejection pin marks
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You know I was just thinking, it’s a model of a 1997 Subaru world rally car…great weathering opportunity
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Yo!
Go for it!
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Oh yes I have both of the Waldron punch and die sets from a million years ago if you remember them.
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Only one way to find out!
Great way to develop your skills, but definitely don’t let it get you down if you need to put it aside from time to time. I’ve got WIP projects that are pushing 30 years old and I go back to them with renewed enthusiasm over the years only to put them away again when I hit another road block.
Enjoy the challenge, enjoy the little wins, keep growing your arsenal of weapons to fight the little styrene and resin demons.
Looking forward to progress reports.
Cheers, D
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Thanks…I’m feeling some renewed energy from this group.
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We’re like alcoholics,
trying to get others to drink
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OMG Darren! You’ve fallen in with a bad crowd here - I know these guys, they’re all ga-ga on solvent abuse – oh the humanity save yourself & bin that kit! 
On the other hand maybe there’s a place for Masochists Anonymous, in fact a dedicated Campaign for Lost Causes…? 
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