Queens Logic VW Beetle

       

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Original Kit:
The Love Bug
Made By:
Polar Lights (kit #6816)
Scale:
1/24
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Queens Logic VW Beetle
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VW Beetle from the movie Queens Logic
Queens Logic VW Beetle windshield detail Queens Logic VW Beetle engine Queens Logic VW Beetle rear

 
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When Polar Lights first announced their all-new Love Bug kit, I was psyched to get one as soon as they were available and did so in the summer of '04. But when I got the kit unboxed, I was disappointed to see that they missed on several of Herbie's specific details (the biggest of which being the lack of a "pope nose" license plate light). I used the sunroof on my modified diecast and two of the hubcaps on the Grease White Lightning, but the rest of the kit was returned to its box until a suitable subject came along. Not that there was a shortage of famous VW Beetles to choose from, but I wanted something that was either esoteric or modified enough that it would be unlikely to see a wide release as a kit or diecast. Cue Queens Logic.

Despite having a cast that included Kevin Bacon, Linda Fiorentino, John Malkovich, Joe Mantegna, and Jamie Lee Curtis, Queens Logic blipped in and out of a limited theatrical release pulling just $613K on a $12M budget. *No one* saw this movie. I won't pretend it's a lost gem à la The Chase, but it was decent enough. Most critically for this project, the last act featured the crew riding around in a VW Beetle that had at least one stand-in for different shots, making exact details somewhat flexible.

So, I had my kit and I had my project. The assembly was just what I expected from other Polar Lights kits from the era: basic but competent parts breakdown, pretty good right out of the box and plenty of potential for upgrades. The exploded diagram instructions were a little weird in places, having callouts to describe major assembly steps rather than detailed views, but the everything was cast well enough that a simple parts check prevented any assembly errors. Flash was practically nonexistent, with only light parting seams along the fenders and roof that needed to be cleaned up. I also filled in the mount holes for the sunroof with bits of stretched sprue and liquid cement, finished with a light glaze of Tamiya putty. I was impressed with the engine, which was much more intricate than I expected. The only change I made here was to the exhaust tips, which I replaced with a pair of crimp sleeves so that they were hollow. The final detail was an exposed wheel center on the front right corner, which I drew up and had 3D printed.

Paint was equally straightforward. The interior was done in semigloss black with the details picked out in silver, the engine was painted Plastikote Anodizit silver base (mostly to see if the can was still any good), and the body was painted Krylon's "Meringue" - the same paint I used on my Zessyaka Subaru, but this time lightly weathered to "daily driver" rather than "barn find." The trim was done using Bare Metal Foil, and it was finished with a set of custom NY license plates and windshield stickers.

 

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