1/24 146 Ace Model Shop Sport Roadster
Multimedia Model Kit, Box Condition: Good++
Dated 1946. This well designed kit is primarily wood with plastic wheels and tires and with some metal details and other metal parts. Features main wood parts that are all cut to profile (cut in two dimensions) or die cut and other wood stock such as dowels and blocks. There are four excellent plastic one-piece wheels with tread and a small clear wax paper sack with some small metal parts (like a steering wheel, etc.). There are excellent instructions with detailed building text, full size three view drawings, photos of the assembly process and a very nice photo of the built model. Never started. The kit has been inventoried with all parts present, and the small parts bag is still factory sealed. The famous modeler Gordon A. Babb founded Ace in 1942. Mr. Babb was born in 1897 and became a well-known builder and competitor in the model field with aircraft and cars. National 'how to' hobby magazines often carried details articles about how to build his designs. In his first year in business, he sold 1,800 jeep kits. By 1952 the line had greatly expanded the line to hot rods, T-rods, midgets, roadsters and much more and he was expecting to sell 600,000 model kits. Mr. Babb was famous for inventing the first gas-powered midget racer model which sparked a nation-wide building spree and speed competition. His 'Ace Model Shop' was in Pasadena, California and the mailing address was 60 N. San Gabriel Blvd. Later the address was simply Ace Products, Pasadena 8, California. Most solid 'display' kit producers in the 1940s simply provided plans and blocks of wood, maybe with a few accessories. Ace went well beyond that with all cut-out parts, fully formed wheels and even some metal parts, occasionally small plastic details and sometimes even decals. The plans went well beyond the average also, featuring numerous views (not just three), detail views for sub-assemblies and even text instructions. There were at least 15 car kits in the line and also many military vehicles which were popular kits in World War 2. We don't know what happened to Ace 'Models Of Merit' but the introduction of plastic kits (started by the Highway Pioneers) put an end to most wood kit production.
This item has been sold.
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