Jump to content

1/32 Lightweight Aluminium E Type - Group progress


Recommended Posts

Those light buckets are looking really good.

Just goes to show you don't need plastruct tubing.

An old biro works fine.

Is this the only model following the build?

Let's see some more builds.

Roy.

Cheers Roy. The pen still works too. :)

Grant

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great to see something being done to this ancient offering.

If ever a kit needed an upgrade, it's this. Add a fabric hood as well as the hard top, decent wheels and tyres with alloy options, clean up the body and fill all the see-through areas you'd have a lovely kit. Better still, a completely new kit. I really think they'd still sell well.

Really wish Swash Design had chosen an E type in preference to their Mini and Sprite but that's the way it goes. I'd also like a Healey 100/4.....................

I'm building an Airfix Jag at the minute, cost me £3 so I don't worry if I fail. I'm not doing a lightweight but a Series 1 car - ECD 400, Tommy Sopwith's Equipe Endeavour racer driven by Graham Hill. Although he raced it with the top up, it could be seen around the paddock with the hood folded and that's how I'm going to model it (hopefully).

Watching this thread with great interest.

Dave

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really wish Swash Design had chosen an E type in preference to their Mini and Sprite but that's the way it goes. I'd also like a Healey 100/4.....................

Have to admit I'd never heard of Swash design, so I had a Google - £75 for a 1/32nd Mini - I've forgotten about them already!!

Just found your build Grant, very neat idea on the headlight buckets!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, not for the faint hearted! The Sprite's a bit cheaper but no Japanese resin kit is ever going to be bargain.

The 1/43 mass produced "die casts", (they're often resin) come in at around £50 and 1/43 resin or metal kits - French, Italian or UK are around £60 so it's what you'd expect to pay for a bigger model. Maybe not what you'd like to pay................

And they've all sold out so somebody loves 'em!

You can buy resin 1/32 slot car kits cheaper but by the time you've paid out for wheels an tyres you're still going to have to part with £50/£60. Sad thing is, you'll wait forever to see something decent in plastic in 1/32 scale. Many of the old Airfix moulds are pretty well shot and the Jag's no exception. Sink marks all over the place, bits that don't fit and a lot of shaky areas. It's hard work but it's got a certain charm.......................... :banghead:

Dave

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now I have a car to model.

411893647.jpg

E-Type Lightweight, chassis number S580667 was purchased by Bob Jane in 1963. He campaigned it around the eastern states circuits and Europe until about 1969 when the car was sold. A checkered life was then led winding up in a local West Australian motor museum owned by Peter Briggs where I have frequently viewed it with envy. Still in very original condition with the original alloy engine block, gearbox and differential. Once when on a ride, a visit, seeking shelter in the York branch of the museum on a wet winters day, I was invited to sit in the car. :) My skinny mate sat in Alan Jones 1980 championship Williams.

In 2006 the collection was rationalised, the Jaguar going to Japan.

I hope Mr Tamiya gets invited to see it run and becomes as rapt in it as me.

Back to filling and sanding.

Grant

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks like a nice one...

If you're painting it, remember that the old Jaguars weren't 'white'.

They used Old English white which is much creamier colour.

A good match with modern car paints is Audi Amalfi white.

Any other builds going on???

C'mon - let's see them, or at least a message about your progress.

Roy.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks like a nice one...

If you're painting it, remember that the old Jaguars weren't 'white'.

They used Old English white which is much creamier colour.

A good match with modern car paints is Audi Amalfi white.

Roy.

Thanks Roy. Tamiya Racing White in a pressure pack is the off-white I hold at the moment.

Grant

Edit, Ive taped the windscreen, roof and door liners to the upper shell and am making some profiles for the roll cage. If I'm successful, I'll post profile drawings here. The bracing seems to vary car to car so that'll be up to the individual.

G

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just me so far. I'm enjoying the tutorial very much as it's highlighting an enthusiast approach over my earlier 'impressionist' attempts at this kit.

Catching up by cutting Roy's profiles and affixing same. Here's an overview.

411932897.jpg

Forewarned of trimming, I modified the cut to allow the floor to fit.

Heavy on the filler, long drying time. Doh! At least I can slice it at the moment.

411932895.jpg

Thinking of using some aluminium tube for the roll cage. Found some which scales to about 50mm/2". Opinions on pipe size welcome, I need to check if I have 2mm rod or tube.

411932894.jpg

Doing some measurements for a card 3D outline to check the clearances before the floor goes on permanently.

411932896.jpg

To protect the inner and outer surfaces of the kit window/windscreen against accidental damage, they were masked. Once I'm sure my plan is correct, I'll put it up as a dimensioned diagram.

That's all for this warm Sunday arvo. The mangos are coming along beaut given the dry winter.

411932934.jpg

Cheers,

Grant

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Hello, as I was wandering around Hobbycraft today, I saw the Airfix Starter set of the Jaguar E-Type was 25% off, down to £7.50! So Roy, if you do not mind, I will start on this too and join in this mini Group Build.

This thread came to my attention in a seperate thread in Chat where you mentioned about your aim to show how to improve this kit. Well, I am a greenhorn when it comes to car models, and am keen to learn and get some tips. I will start posting shortly, and thank you so much for taking the time to show us the way.

This will really be somewhat different to my more usual aircraft and ships.

Wish me luck!

Ray

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sincerely, all the very best.

If you follow, I'll get back onto the main build:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234991880-converting-the-airfix-132-e-type-lightweight-how-to-do-it/

I had all but given up on it as there was virtually zero response after all the promises of people following.

Roy.

Hello Roy, I have clicked 'Follow' - it is the first time I have done that!

So far I have just cleaned up the seam lines and filled in sink marks and the runner join mark:

26729036636_1a4a400c6e_z.jpg

26660894552_4152bc2506_z.jpg

26754452405_7497da7aa5_z.jpg

I used a fine scalpel to pare off some of the seam lines then various sanding sticks to finally clean up and polish the bodywork. Perfect plastic putty is my filler of choice so I have smeared some of that on and will finish that off tomorrow. It sands and polishes easily.

I am off to have a look at various E-Type colour schemes, and I will see what takes my fancy.

If I am about to commit any heinous errors, please let me know!

Cheers,

Ray

PS - This is only the second kit I have ever started the same day as I bought it!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hello all! First up, a confession. Not for the first time, I have mis-read instructions. Roy in his tutorial said 'LEAVE THE SEAMS ALONG THE SIDES OF THE BONNET' or words to that effect, in view of the fact that they were supposed to be there. I sanded them off, really carefully, and got some of the best seam cleanup that I have ever had, then I re read what he had said. Doh. I have a plan to put them back though, so hopefully all is not lost. Sorry Roy.

Anyway,some more positive news. I had a charity pen that had run out, which happened to be the right size, so it was trimmed (paying attention to instructions this time) and larruped on plenty of glue and let them set. I was not sure if normal Humbrol polystyrene cement would work with pen plastic, but it did.I managed to get them reasonably well lined up, but oh boy, it was trickier than I thought to get them near true. I let them set for a couple of days. I faired them in with putty, let that set for another couple of days then sanded and filed them down as best I could.

26452625724_8e21512364_z.jpg

27024975896_5b59028164_z.jpg

Next up, I trimmed the back of the front valance to allow it to fit around the light recesses and painted it black, then trimmed some biro ink tube that had been cut and fitted them to the front face of the valance and painted them silver. I had drawn a grid onto the valance to try and centralise the tubes, and bored small holes into the mounting point to remind me where they should fit. I used poly cement again, but added a bead of CA just in case this time.

26963682732_0f623ee4cb_z.jpg

26452632924_800dd03aac_z.jpg

In the last photo the valance is just taped in place at the moment, so I can retouch any paintwork that is needed. The ejector pin marks cannot be seen when the valance is fitted, so I left them alone.

This is going to be a slow build, but I am enjoying something that is totally out of my normal builds.

Thanks again Roy for the advice.

All the best,

Ray

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll get back to the little 'E' asap.

Up to my ears with a slighter bigger model at the mo'

Roy.

No hurry Roy, it will take me a while before I get to where you got up to. I still have to figure out how to 'scale' some of the templates you have done, so that will keep me occupied for a while!

Ray

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Evening all, on the verge of breaking plastic on this one tonight, materials and kit collected and templates scaled. Hopefully get some glue mixed with plastic tonight and some pics up soon! Thanks Roy for the guide so far hopefully bringing this to the top will get a couple of other builds going!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Oh dear, it has been a year since participating in this build. I shall endeavour to return to modelling shortly. 

Meantime, the Jag I selected as my topic is up for sale again. 

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/chassis/3031/Jaguar-E-Type-Lightweight-Roadster-S850667.html

That removes a lot of the angst I was having re: the roll over structure. 

Grant

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...