Revell 1:25 BMW Alpina B6 2.8 - Finished!

[Alan R]

I guess it's the enthusiasm. Once you get started with a WIP, you want to show more.

This is one that's been on my work-bench for a while.

Maybe if I show the progress, I'll be encouraged to finish it...

The obligatory box cover:

My wife bought this for me at Hamleys toy shop on our first trip to London the same year we got married in 1992.

It's fairly typical Revell. It's reasonably moulded with quite a lot of flash. The engineering of some of it is quite simplistic. For example the wheels are highly chromed and when assembled, solid. You can't see the brakes through the spokes. This was one reason why the project stalled. I wanted to do something about the solid wheels, but lacked the courage to work out how to hollow out the solid backs of the wheels.

So, this was where I had got to with the chassis and body:

The engine had been completed, and so had the exhaust, but I still couldn't summon the courage to perform drastic surgery on the wheels.

That's the way things stood for nigh on 10 years.

By the way, I used Halfords Car acrylic sprays for the bodywork. It's really rather good.

Last year, I bit the bullet and decided to have a go at hollowing out the solid backs for the wheels so that you could see the brakes.

The solution wasn't too hard after all. However, since I would now have see-through wheels, I needed some visible brake discs and callipers.

So, this is what I did:

1. I removed the solid backs from the wheels by drilling holes around the inner part, and using my trusty Swann-Moreton scalpel, carefully cut the solid backs out.
2. I stuck the two wheel halves together, and retained the hub to start work on the brake discs.
3. I cut some 30 thou plastic card into 9mm squares and drilled a tiny hole at the centre. I needed four of these.
4. I then trimmed off the corners to make them approximately circular.
5. I then threaded each 'disc' onto a shaft on my Dremel and spun it up to about 1500 rpm, and using a file I removed the excess plastic until the disc was truly round. I enlarged the holes with a rotary file bit in my Dremel.
6. Repeat three times.
7. Each disc needed a back as a part of the axle hum. I used 20 thou card and made four 6 mm diameter discs. These were cemented onto the back of the 9mm discs.
8. The old hubs were cemented onto the front of the discs.
9. I then made four disc callipers out of 40 thou plastic card carefully cut from a card template ( I have retained the template as I plan to do this again on another Revell BMW).

The end result was this:

I also stripped and re-primed the chrome wheels with the intention of spraying them aluminium to make them look more realistic.

I am not looking for accuracy per-se, but something that looks like brakes that will be seen through the wheel spokes.

The callipers are representative of four-pot callipers usually seen on performance cars like the B6 2.8

The square holes in the discs match the square pegs on the stub axles of the kit. A quick test shows that the discs are more-or-less in the right place.

So, we have reached this state so far:

Thanks for looking.

Alan.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Alan R

[Hamden]

Like your solution to the wheel problem, looking forward to seeing this come together

Roger

[Alan R]

Finally, an update:

I have completed the disc brakes, and installed them on the model.

The discs and wheels:

I started by painting the discs black. This is a technique used by Warhammer figure painters. It seems to make a better primer coat than grey, especially for metallic top coats.

I used the new Abaddon Black colour, which replaced Chaos Black. On the whole, the new colours seem quite good if a little thick out of the bottle.

The hubs are a little over-sized really, but I was using the original wheel 'hubs' to save time and effort. Once the wheels are on, they shouldn't be too obvious. As I said before, I am trying to achieve an effect of discs/pads behind the spokes of the wheels, rather than absolute accuracy. Also, this is my first real attempt at scratch building anything more complicated than minor details, such as aerials, or ignition leads. When I attempt this another time, I will fabricate the hubs as well. (I have two other models where the brakes need 'improving').

I then painted the hubs a sort of 'steel' colour. This is a mix of 50% Mithril Silver & 50% Tamiya Metallic Grey. It gives a good satin metallic finish. The discs themselves were painted using Revell Aqua Aluminium. This seems to equate quite well, to discs that have seen some use. The callipers are painted in a mixture of Humbrol Midnight Blue acrylic and Tamiya Aluminium. I can't remember the actual ratio. Another picture:

And fitted to the car:

Actually, they don't look too bad, even if I do say so myself...

That's all for the present. More soon...

Edited February 24, 2015 by Alan R

[Alan R]

Finally!!! Wheels on. It's beginning to look like a BMW...`I always wanted a 3-series, I have ended up with a SAAB...

Only one small thing... One wheel is a little too high and the model 'wobbles'. It doesn't sit quite right. However, I can live with that. It doesn't look all that odd in the pictures.

What's left to do:

• Bonnet (Hood?) to be installed. It's ready to go...
• Rear light lenses to be put on
• Door handles to be painted and added
• Windscreen wipers to be added
• Final painting - Rubbing strip and the like...
• Some decals to be added - though given the age of the kit, that may be an exercise in frustration.

At my pace that should all be done some time in 2017 ....

I have been trying for some time to find a glue that can fix transparent parts on without leaving a mess, always a problem for me.

I have tried CA glue and always seem to get fogging issues, Poly cement risks crazing/fogging the clear parts. Ordinary PVA glue doesn't seem to bind very well, and the part seems to fall off easily. This time I have tried an acrylic glue. I am using "No More Nails" water-based glue. It is supposed to adhere very well and dry completely transparent. Looking at the headlamp covers, I would say that both are true...

Stinks of vinegar though. I wonder what it's doing to my respiratory system...

All the best, Alan.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Alan R

[Hamden]

Hi the BMW looks great.

If you want to use CA on clear parts dipping them in Future first normally prevents fogging as well as helping to make them clearer.

Roger

[Alan R]

That's a good point. I have never done that. I always seem to get CA glue on my fingers, and the part seems to love sticking to me rather than the intended destination

I have fitted the tail lights using "No More Nails", and it seems to be holding well.

Nearly complete...

[Alan R]

The last stage before decalling, which may or may not happen, depending on the state of the decals, is to paint the rubbing strips on the body of the car.

Using strips of Tamiya masking tape and a sharp cocktail stick, I pressed the masking tape into all the crevasses with the point.

Then using a sharp new blade in my Swann-Morton, I carefully cut along the tape. Once I was sure that the tape was correctly cut, I removed the waste tape, and painted the rubbing strips with Matt black.

Pictures:

The front. Notice that the headlamp lenses are missing. They fell out while I was applying the tape. It was nearly curtains for the model at this point, because, as I was picking up the model to start painting the strips, I managed to catch one of the lenses and drop it on the floor. Could I find it? Not on your nelly! This nearly resulted in the car having a high speed crash against the conservatory wall...

However, I tidied up, and left it until the next day. I found the offending item on one of my shelves. So, once the strips were painted and the tape removed (photos later...) I re-attached the lenses and all was OK with the world again.

The back ... and ...

The side. I know, the bonnet looks a bit odd. It's only because of the so-called 'hinge' that Revell have used...

Also. You can't see it here, but if you look through the spokes of the wheels, you can see the disc brakes and callipers. Just what I wanted.

I have since removed the tape and it looks quite good. No seepage under the tape,and a good demarcation line.

Just the rear number-plate and decals to do, and I'm calling it done. That's all for now.

Cheers, Alan.

[Hamden]

Nice save on the head lamp covers

Rubbing strips look great

Roger

[Alan R]

Apologies to anyone watching this thread, or any of my others for that matter, but These builds have stalled due to eye-sight issues.

I recently discovered that I have type-2 diabetes, and that some damage to both my retinas has occurred.

As a result, I have been receiving treatment on the NHS to hopefully correct the problems. However, it's left my eye-sight a bit messed up, and it has become (temporarily, I hope!) a bit of a problem doing detail work.

It doesn't prevent me from doing my day-job (I'm a software engineer/consultant), but it can be a bit like, 'shall I, shan't I? - Nah, not tonight!'. Rest assured I will be back! The sight in my left eye has improved, which pleases my consultant (and me!), and I'm very hopeful for the right eye as well.

I cannot praise the treatment from the NHS too much. I have received courteous and efficient treatment at all times. There has been the occasional wait while seeing the various doctors/nurses, but I can cope with that. By the way, the NHS is the third largest employer in the world, after the Chinese PLA, and the North Korean Army, I believe.

All the best, Alan.

[Hamden]

Sorry to hear your problems, hope your back to full strength again soon

The BMW will still be there when your ready!

Roger

[Alan R]

Finally, after a number of trials and tribulations to do with the old peepers, I have managed to finish something.

All it needed was a few touch-ups in places and bingo, done!

I will be posting images on the ready for inspection section.

Cheers, Alan.