Alan R

I have never seen a 288 in the flesh unfortunately. However, I did see a F-40 in a small Cotswold town near where I live. As far as I know, all the F-40s in the UK were originally registered with licence plates starting 'F 40 <nnn>' All the best, Alan.

Yes, I thought that the turbos and pipes looked like a bit of a nightmare! I just hope that I got the correct manifolds on the correct sides!

This has been on the back-burner for a while, and I have decided that this also needs to be completed. I have had the kit for a considerable while. The box: I have read a couple of builds and they reported that it's an easy to put together kit, bit it has some minor issues. The rear wheels, for example tend to extend beyond the wheel arches. So, being forewarned, I will tackle that when I get nearer to completion. So for the present, here is where I have got: The body has already been painted, and is not too bad. The engine is partially assembled. None of the turbos or inter-coolers are attached yet. The rear sub-frame is primed and ready to get the top coat. I'm going to paint the wish-bones either aluminium or gold. I have the Tamiya Titanium Gold, so I may use that. The lump: The drive belt on the original was poorly moulded on the front. So, I carefully routed out the moulded on drive belt, then put a slightly more realistic belt and pulleys on. The belt is made from a strip of 5 thou evergreen styrene. Shame it'll all be hidden when installed! The body shell: and the floor-pan: I'm hoping to move this along at a slightly faster pace. Thanks for looking, Alan.

Some more progress. While I summon up the courage to have another go at clear-coating the body, I have been getting on with the cabin. I have put the speedometer into the dash, and the centre boss into the steering wheel. Also, the gear lever is in place... Like this: Not the sharpest of images. I must have moved while taking the picture. Thanks for looking. Alan.

This morning between Bristol and Yate, A Volvo 240 Estate. Haven't seen one of those for years...

More progress. Not a lot but some none the less. Having looked at real FIAT 500s on the street, I noticed that the dash-board had a panel painted in the same colour as the car body. So, I painted the dash in the body colour, then masked it. Once masked, I painted around the masking tape with diluted Humbrol clear acrylic varnish. I tried this out after someone in Britmodeller suggested it was a good way to prevent paint creeping under the masking tape. Once that was set, I covered the unmasked areas with Citadel Abaddon Black. I let it set overnight. This is the result: Not too shabby, I think. No leaking behind the masking tape. I also decided that the rear-seats needed a bit of attention, so I re-painted the rear seat base with dark grey, thus: It's a bit difficult to see here, but I think that it looks better. Finally, I have started priming the door panels. A bit of a way to go yet, as my home-brewed primer is quite thin, since I mostly spray it. Thanks for looking, Alan.

I'm not sure about this, but I think that the 2K lacquer is probably polyurethane with Isocyanates in it. The 1K, I'm not so sure. As for the normal base colours and primers, just take the usual precautions as you would spraying anything. All paints are more or less hazardous, even acrylics. If you spray any paint, either do it in a very well ventilated area or wear a proper mask OR both! Cheers, Alan.

I recently had cause to brush-paint some Zero Paints Colour to touch up some minor damage on a model. You just have to be very careful and brush with very light strokes. Then it won't lift what's below. Ask me how I know...

On the way home from work tonight.... A Rover P6 3500. I Still think this is one of the best cars Rover ever produced. In the car at the time, so no piccies...

Hi Shaun, Probably a daft idea, but in for a penny... Have you though of using fine real wood veneer for the legality plank, the sort you can get from B&Q? It may look totally unrealistic, but you never know. Cheers, Alan.

Some more progress. After a long break on this model, I finally bit the bullet and tried to gloss coat the body. To be honest it didn't quite go to plan. I couldn't get the pressure quite right, I think that the lacquer coat (Zero paints 1K ) is a bit thicker than the colour coats or primer. This resulted in me using too much pressure when applying the 'wet' coat, resulting in runs on the sides of the body. (The floor-pan and dash-board were fine...) So, after a bit of a wait for the top coat to cure, I carefully sanded the runs out. However, this resulted in me sanding through the gloss lacquer AND the colour coat down to the primer! I think that the problem lay in the fact that I tried to rush the lacquer and I tried to do it when it was too cold! Apparently, Zero paints 1K lacquer should be applied at between 16°C and 20°C. It was only about 8°C... Anyway, after a another session with the airbrush, I have got the colour coat back on. Just needs another go at the clear! Anyway, in the meantime, I managed to get the underside complete. OK, less waffle and more pictures: The floor-pan and cabin (as far as it goes): The floor-pan: Notice that the fuel tank and drive-train have been painted up. The black is Citadel Miniature 'Abaddon Black', and the engine (sump, & gearbox) are Revell Aqua Aluminium. Hand painted, as my masking skills are rubbish... The floor-pan and front seats. They are only placed in-situ for the present. I have subsequently tidied it up a bit more to remove areas where the paint has strayed into other places. The silencer (or muffler). This comes pre-chromed, but looks obviously toy-like. I stripped off the chrome in caustic soda, re-primed with zero paints primer, followed by a top coat of Revell aluminium. The tip has been covered in 'chrome-effect' parcel tape, the kind that you use to tape up birthday or Christmas presents. I don't have an bare-metal foil, but I do have this stuff. It seemed to go on really well. Only time will tell... A touch of matt black in the exhaust tip makes it look a bit more realistic too. The floor-pan fully assembled: The disc-brakes are little marvels, each is made up of at least five parts, and they go together well. There are some very small parts, but such is the quality of engineering of those parts, it all fits well. I tend to use Revell Contacta, or Humbrol liquid cement, as they both come with an almost hypodermic needle of an applicator. They both suffer from the same problem though. They tend to spill out of the needle rather too easily and can go everywhere. I finally hit on the solution. Create a small pool of cement on a suitably hard surface (My polythene mixing palette is quit good as it resists the cement. i.e. it doesn't melt...), then dip the tip of the cocktail stick in the pool, and apply the cement to the mating surfaces. It uses far less cement, and the likelihood of it going everywhere (Usually my fingers, thus leaving finger-prints that need to be cleaned up afterwards... Don't ask, I've been there...) I am really pleased with the way the kit has gone together so far. The fit is exceptional, and the detail is more than adequate. Next step, dash-board and cabin... Thanks for looking, Alan.

Fantastic build. This is one on my 'want list'. Whoever says that Tamiya kits are just 'Shake and bake' obviously don't build them! The challenges are just different... I think that some people like to wear a 'hair shirt' and maintain that modelling is all about wrestling with a swine of a kit until it submits (A bit like horse breaking, I suppose...). I have built kits from all different manufacturers, and they all present their challenges. The fun is building a replica of the real thing. I'll get off my soap-box now... All the best, Alan.

Ahh, that explains why I had so much trouble with the Fiat 500 gloss coat. Uneven and a bit rough in places... I tried to gloss coat it in my garage where the temp was about 8 - 10 °C ! I'll have another go when the weather is warmer. Fantastic build by the way. I am drawn to getting this kit as well... Cheers, Alan.

There are people in this country that drop the Rover V8 into a Morris Minor (or even back-to-front, in a Beetle!). I imagine the results to be very similar (Suicidal....)

One of my all-time favourite cars... We had a 1200 deluxe in 1966, not quite the same. If someone did a 1/8th Lotus Cortina, I'd be on it like a shot...

I wasn't sure if I should put this here or in the general discussion topic. However, I like to think of this as a retrospective 'Ready for Inspection' of all the model cars (1/24th as it happens) that I am most pleased with. A few years ago, I went through a purge and binned a number of models that these days I would attempt to rescue. Amongst these are some of the survivors. They aren't displayed in any order of merit, or age... So, from the left, Back row: Tamiya Mazda MX-5, Fujimi Honda CRx, Tamiya Mercedes C9, Fujimi Ferrari 330P, Tamiya Peugeot 205 T-16 Front row: Italeri Jaguar XJ220, Tamiya Mercedes SL500 AMG, Tamiya Ferrari F-40, Italeri Lamborghini Diablo (If only these were the real thing.... ) Thanks for looking, Alan.

Awesome! I always wanted the CB-750 (Even though I thought the Kwak Z1 was more sporty). These 1/6 bike kits are incredible. If only I could find one on evil-bay! Eventually, I ended up with a VF-750F. Wish I still had it... Cheers, Alan.

Unfortunately, the bonnet doesn't open. It's just the black paint in the shut-line that makes it look like it might. It would be awesome if more manufacturers put engine detail in their models. Maybe I'll adapt one of the after market resin engine kits for a future build. Maybe a V8 Audi 80? (I have a Fujimi Audi 80 that needs a lot of fettling....) Many years ago, I tried to make a Ford 3-litre V6 in 32nd scale for an Airfix Escort. Didn't get far. I had the block done, then O-levels intervened and it got put away somewhere.. Ah well.... Cheers, Alan.

This one never made it to the work in progress thread, but this is the second completion of 2017... I used a new technique to highlight the shut-lines of the doors, bonnet & tailgate. I dipped the sharp end of a cocktail stick into some matt black acrylic, and gently drew the point along the panel line. Then using the other end, I gently removed any spill-over. Not a bad outcome, I think. The focus on some of the image is a bit narrow. This was due to the light level being a bit low, me not having my tripod to hand and therefore having to use a relatively wide aperture on the camera. On the whole, this was a reasonably easy build and quite enjoyable. Thanks for looking, Alan.

How many engines per mile does it do?

A friend of mine had one of these. Bought it as a 'runner' through a small ad. It came on a low loader and as for 'runner', the engine was seized! It was some kind of Lotus hybrid (of Lotus' own making), where the chassis was initially build to use the older Renault 4-speed box, but Lotus did a cut-n-shut on the chassis to allow it to take the newer 5-speed Renault box. As with all things British, the chassis was rotten to the core and needed replacing. This was when he found out about the weird hybrid chassis! Lotus actually took a 4-speed chassis, and performed the same hack as they did originally for him. What's more, they didn't charge him any extra for the surgery. The story goes on and on... However, after many trials and tribulations, he got it road-worthy. He reckoned that it cost him £4000 to buy the thing, plus about another 5-6 K to get road worthy. I had a ride in it after he had finished it. What a blast! Of course, we all know that Lotus is an acronym,,, Loads Of Trouble, Usually Serious. Fantastic build by the way. Alan.

That is truly a thing of beauty. Fantastic workmanship. I may have to sneak one of these past the missus...

I'd love to see the build thread for this....

A bit of progress... I have been trying to get the bodies prepped for priming. I noticed that as I was looking at both bodies, more bits were about to fall off. Badly cemented by both me and my son! Some gentle persuasion, and thy were removed without damage. Also, I mentioned in my last post that the 'white' floor pan had the front suspension and steering still installed and that this was going to hinder priming it. Well, after a quick prod with a narrow bladed screw-driver it all fell out with no damage to either the sub-frame or the floor pan. I noticed two large ejector marks on the underside of the rear wing. After a little application of Mr white filler and a bit of wet sanding with 1500 grit, the holes have been filled. I have to admit that when installed on the body, you won't be able to see the marks, but I know it's there... Once both bodies have been prepped for priming I'll post some more pictures. Cheers, Alan.

Here's another build I am going to complete in 2017. This is a brace of Koenig Specials Ferraris that I have had on my 'books' for a considerable time: They are the 'Real Sports Car' series by Fujimi. They are both models that were started some time ago, one by my son (who was probably only about 11 at the time), the other by me. They then got abandoned for no particular reason. So without further ado, here are the pictures: The box art: The 'red' car sprues: The 'white' car sprues: And finally the two model bodies: As you can see, the 'red' car was painted red and then stripped. I had originally painted it with Humbrol gloss enamel (19), but I decided that the finish wasn't up to scratch, and needed some TLC, in this case stripping with caustic soda. I don't think that the 'staining' will come through when I re-prime (hopefully). I will be using zero paints for primer and top colour. As for the 'white' car, my son had painted various parts, but I have decided to strip the part-assembled model (mostly done) and re-construct it. The only issue I have for this is removing the front suspension & steering from the floor pan. I might just leave it there and attempt to work around the moving parts, i.e. the steering. I hope you enjoy this. Best Regards, Alan.