The Little LaFayette That Will (Hopefully)

It's coming along nicely, but at the same time it seems a bit of a shame to convert such a lovely and uncommon engine, but I guess it all depends how much you want it lol!

Have you ever considered using something like Milliput instead of the modelling clay? That is air-drying so doesn't need to be baked, but it can be modelled and painted just like clay. I think you'd find it is tougher as well as its epoxy based