1:18 Intercooler Kit (Resin+PE)

A charge air cooler 1:18 from Hobby Design

A version of the cooling core for the collector scale of 1:18. The casting is rounded out by photo-etched metal, which carries a ribbed surface in a thickness unattainable by injection molding. The goods are not a kit of a car but an element in their own right for finishing a model that already exists.

What the larger scale brings

A 1:18 miniature is roughly a half longer than the usual 1:24 kit, and that tells on finishing work twice over. For one thing, the elements are far easier to hold in the fingers, so fitting them is not so nerve-racking. For another, though, every simplification is glaring; an empty area behind the grille or crudely suggested ribbing cannot be hidden in this format. The accessory therefore aims above all at collectors who are adding to a finished car.

How to handle the part

Rid the surface of grease and test the seating dry before the primer goes on. For the joint use a glue based on cyanoacrylate and work in small sections, because etch bends under pressure. A darker wash between the ribs and a fine lightening of the peaks will help to bring it out; the whole core then gains depth. Add the surrounding mounts according to the layout of the particular car.

Who the part is for

• Collectors of 1:18 models filling out the area behind the grille
• Modelers of modified cars with a sporting tune
• Anyone interested in working with photo-etched metal in a larger format
• Builders for whom a production cooler is not enough