VW Wheels

What with the propeller sticking out of the bottom of the Damper van, the model now won't sit properly on the workbench. I can't be bothered to keep sticking it on a small box, this vehicle needs wheels.

In the kit some very nice two part wheels are provided that fit inside rubber tyres which have a good tread patter. The only problem is that they don't look like Volkswagen wheels. If you wish to pretend your plastic campers have blinged up their van with some new alloys, then you're fine. Sadly Top Gear didn't do this, they stuck with the original VW steel items.

A proper modeller would at this point head off in search of the correct wheels for the model. I can't be bothered. A reasonable version ought to be achievable by simply sticking a decent size hub cab in place. That would leave the holes round the edge and cover the incorrect boss. All I needed was a hubcap.

VW used slightly domed hubcaps on vehicles from the late 1960's. Something like a hollowed out mint imperial would look about right but be a bit useless once immersed in water. The search was on for suitable sized buttons. While looking in a local haberdashers, I spotted something even better - teddy bear eyes. A sheet of these cost a couple of quid.

Back on the workbench I removed the backs and pupils leaving a suitably curved plastic part. Sticking this in place with epoxy gave the desired results. OK so something 2 or 3 mm smaller would have been better but these are near enough for this model. You won't see then when it sails anyway.