I'm working on a Monogram Mack Bulldog truck in 1/24 scale .... sorry for that! It's my goal to convert this kit into an AEF lorry. The Monogram model kit dates from 1976 and contains nice real rubber tires.
From car modellers I learned that there are rubber materials which cause some damage to the plastic wheels and to the furniture or wooden bases, too.
Do these Mack Bulldog rubber tires damage the wheels and if yes, is it ok to paint the plastic wheels first and then to slip the tires onto the wheels?
Any help is much appreciated, thank you! Thomas Buecheler
I don't have the Mack, but I have a couple of Monogram cars that I built about 20 years ago and the tyres don't seem to have damaged the wheel rims or the surfaces they've stood on in that time. They haven't split either. I'd say that if they haven't disintegrated in the box or harmed the plastic parts packed near them over the last 30 years, then you're safe.
Just in case it might be worth protecting the wheel rims with an acrylic varnish (since it's less aggressive than enamel) and putting the finished model on a base.
