Hi to all
I've bought at a flea market a Tamiya Centaur MK CS IV at less than half it's normal price here en Chile (like 45 US bucks). I thought that I've made the trade of the year. Poor naive me, when I opened it, everything seemed to be OK. But looking closely I realized that the upper hull, still in the sprue, was terribly warped by pressure and damaged by heat (this last I think was because the former owner tried to correct it or something). I tried to fix it with hot water, and I've achieved kinda nice results with the back part. Yet I think the front is too damaged, even after many hot water treatment and stuff. So, I only have left the back part of the upper hull (motor cover), some parts of the fenders, the turret, lower hull and all the rest (which was fine after all).
The only thing that I can make with those parts is the almost unknown Centaur Taurus 17-pdr Gun Tractor, but with only one blurry picture I don't think I could make it properly. Apart from this I was thinking about 4 options:

1. A Sexton/Priest like SPG, with 25 pdr.
2. A Centurion like tank, with sloped front, but also with sloped sides, using the turret provided and everything else.
3. A sIG 33B like SPG, using the 95 mm howitzer provided , or a 25pdr
4. Condemn everything to the spares bucket.

Of course I want to make it the most accurate possible, taking into account the suspension an chassis limits, internal arrangments and subdivisions in the hull and so on.

Anybody have a better idea?

Thanks in advance

I'd contact Rainbow 10 in Japan and try to buy the damaged parts from them. On the left side of the page, about mid way down there is a link to ordering Tamiya parts. It is a very nice kit.
http://www.rainbowten.co.jp/english/

I didn't think about that. I'll see if it is cost effective, and, the most important, if Chilean mail is reliable or not.

If a replacement hull isn't cost-effective, post a pic of the damaged hull so we can see how much is salvageable. Most of the front end is flat slabs, so you might be able to cut new plates from Evergreen sheet. (Most of the fiddly detail is at the back...)

Tom

Contact Tamiya for a replacement part. I have ordered parts from them in the past and found them to be most helpfull in making sure I recieved the correct piece.

He's in Chile and you ordered from Tamiya USA (so have I before). Great service but won't deal internationally.