Rodney Fox

After the end of WW2 in 1945, Rodney started collecting Dinky Toys, then Corgis and some of the diecasts from the continent.  He became interested in model making and built several aircraft carved out of solid balsa wood, progressing to carving some 1:43 car bodies also in balsa, then moved on to plastic kits. When white metal and resin kits came onto the market he began building and collecting these too.

After leaving school Rodney went straight into an apprenticeship as a marine fitter and turner, then moved to Southampton in 1965 when he went into the aircraft manufacturing industry and eventually became a tool-maker. However, he was made redundant in 1985, and being in his mid 40s found it impossible to get another job. 

Subject ID: 82178

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After the end of WW2 in 1945, Rodney started collecting Dinky Toys, then Corgis and some of the diecasts from the continent.  He became interested in model making and built several aircraft carved out of solid balsa wood, progressing to carving some 1:43 car bodies also in balsa, then moved on to plastic kits. When white metal and resin kits came onto the market he began building and collecting these too.

After leaving school Rodney went straight into an apprenticeship as a marine fitter and turner, then moved to Southampton in 1965 when he went into the aircraft manufacturing industry and eventually became a tool-maker. However, he was made redundant in 1985, and being in his mid 40s found it impossible to get another job. 

Within a few weeks of this happening Rodney was exhibiting models at the Classic Car Show in Birmingham and whilst there got talking to Ralph Foster of Pandora Models. Ralph suggested than he combine his model making and tool making skills and go into pattern making. He offered Rodney a commission, and so Concours Auto Models was born.

From those beginnings, over the years, Rodney has produced many patterns for different people, including the 1929 Arrol Aster Bluebird Land Speed Record Car, and the Gyronaught twin - engined L.S.R. Motorcycle, both in 1:43 scale, for Pandora Models.

Commissions for masters also came for the Piccolino range, in 1:76 scale, including the Sunbeam 1000 HP L.S.R. car, Golden Arrow, Porsche 908 Bergspyder, and the MG "Old Number One”.

1:24 scale featured with the Jaguar XK140 D.H.C. for Small Wheels, and Jaguar 'E' type V12 Roadster for Highlander Models. Four Wheel Models wanted an Alvis TA21 Graber in 1:43, and Electra, in Sweden commissioned two Volvos the PV445 pick-up, and PV544 rally car. Midland Racing Models used Rodney’s skills to convert a number of Aston Martins, and he has also undertaken several military models in 1:87 scale, for Military Figurines.

Rodney took on a number of special commissions, amongst which, was one for Richard Briggs of Minimarque 43, to build and paint 100 only Ford Edsels in 1:43 scale, in bronze and white, all to be supplied to the Harrah Motor Museum in Nevada.

In creating his patterns, wherever possible Rodney would gain access to the full size vehicle to photograph and measure. Most photos would be taken in black and white as that shows up body contours much more effectively. He made a small ruler out of aluminium strip, painted it black with white lines, and would attach this to the vehicle being modelled using Blue-Tack, thus transferring the measurement into the photo.

His photographic method was to lay down a tape rule parallel to the side, front and rear of the car and a few feet away, and then mount his camera on a tripod at a height at about half way up the car. The feet of the tripod would then be placed against the tape rule, so that all photos were taken at the same height and distance from the vehicle

Rodney’s next step would be to take the first shot in-line with the front bumper, then at the front wheel centre line, door shut lines etc. thus eliminating the parallax effect when photographing the complete car in one go. From these photos Rodney would create scale working drawings, taking into account the percentage of oversize to allow for shrinkage of the white-metal after casting. This in not required for models to be cast in resin as they come out of the mould size for size.

Rodney would always start by marking out the position of the wheel centres on each side as a reference point, then start panel beating the sides of the model in sheet brass. All the other body parts would be similarly completed, followed by silver soldering them together, using the highest melting point solder first, then gradually using lower grades so that the heat needed would not un-solder the previously soldered parts. 

Rodney is indebted to Peter Comben of Enco Model for his help and advice in the steps required at the design stage, to ensure that the parts would come out of the mould easily and construction of the model would be as straightforward as possible. One very valuable tip Peter gave Rodney was to insert metal pins into the mould to form location pins in solid metal instead of white metal, which rarely come out perfectly round and are prone to breaking off.

The reason for patterns being made of brass and silver soldered rather than soft soldered is that the pattern needs to withstand the immense temperatures and pressures involved in creating a vulcanised rubber mould.  This method was later made easier by the moulds having room temperature vulcanising silicone rubber inserts that do not require the same heat and pressure. This material is what is used for the moulds that resin cast models are made in, so that the actual pattern can be made of almost everything. 

Rodney’s favourite material for this method was a composition resin called Model-Lab. He found it is easy to machine, carve, rub-down and polish to a high gloss finish.  He also found Plasticard useful in various thicknesses, which he used to great effect when making the chassis and rear bodywork of the Volvo PV445 Pick-up truck for Electra.

During the 10 years until 1995, that Rodney was full-time pattern making, he also undertook wedding chauffeur duties at the weekends driving a range of classic wedding cars such as Rolls Royce Silver Ghosts and Phantom IIIs. As the pattern making started to be insufficient for a full-time income, Rodney took on some individual commissions. The first was from the Photographic Librarian of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, who wanted a full restoration of a three feet long model of a Fiat made by a prisoner of war, in many different materials. Rodney had to remake many individual parts, using plastic steel and metal, so that once again its engine and gearbox would fully operate.

Rodney has been a founder member of the South Hants Model Auto Club since 1981, and through his use of resin to cast certain components, he has made spare parts, firstly for members and then on a wider basis, to convert or detail existing models.

Model shops would also seek his skills in building and converting kits for customers, and these would often be Aston Martins. Around 1993, Rodney took on some tool-making work to cover part of the working week, which he continued with after he retired from his pattern-making in 1999. His pattern making work was all undertaken in a workshop at the rear of his 20 feet garage at home.

He finally retired in October 2009, and has at last a little time to focus on building all the many kits that he has of his own. His role as Chair of the Southampton club, which position he has held for 30 years, since the club’s formation, has meant that he gets to construct and attend, with fellow members, their club displays at prestigious events such as the Aston Martin Owners Club annual meeting at Silverstone. For the display there, in 2010, he created a scale model of the Jock Horsfall’s 2 litre “black car”.

In association with the Northern Model Car Club Rodney’s club provided displays at all the ModeleX shows and supervised the National Kit Building Championships which ran throughout the period.

Subject ID: 82178

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