Need some help please.

[Briggers]

Ive just finished the Tamiya Willaims FW11, everythings fine except the engine cover is a bit warped at each side where they meat the sidepods and doesnt fit properly (as you can see in the photo below).

Is there anyway i can sort this? Ive tried gently bending as much as i can without breaking it. I thought maybe if i heated it up a bit over the stove it might be bendable or would it just melt?

Suggestions welcome, thanks.

[The original Kit Builder]

Don't put it anywhere near the stove! That will cause it to melt unpredictably.

Use very hot water and try to relieve the warping, but be gentle and don't expect miracles.

[roymattblack]

I had a similar problem with the huge 1/8 DeAgostini McLaren.

The fix...

I'll try to explain in an understandable way.

Cut 4 x pieces of 1mm plasticard - 10mm long x 3mm wide.

Glue two of the strips - one each side - on the inside of the side pods where the top 'ought' to fit, roughly in the middle.

Glue the strips level with the upper edge. We'll call these pieces the 'blocks'.

Glue the other two pieces to the upper panel (the warped bit) in the same place as the two blocks you fixed to the body.

Call these bits the 'top blocks'.

Cut two pieces of 1mm plasticard 10mm long, 9mm wide.

Glue these bits to the two top blocks on the upper panel, but let them hang down by 6mm from the panel.

Right - lets try to make sense of what I've said...

The main body will have two small 'blocks' glued on the upper, inner face of the side pods, in the middle.

The upper warped panel will now have two tabs hanging down on the inside, in line with the pieces on the lower body.

The upper tabs will also be set back by 1mm so they would effectively slide down inside the lower body where the 'blocks' are.

Last - cut two more 1mm pieces - 10mm x 3mm.

These are the 'locking parts'.

Glue these to the outsides of the hanging tabs.

When it's all dry, the upper panel should now fit in place and the tabs will clip in against the blocks on the lower body.

To remove the upper part, squeeze it inwards a tad and lift.

I hope all that made sense...

I've drawn a pic - below... Hope it helps.

The other pic shows the fix on my McLaren AFTER the tabs were added.

The gaps along the side (before) were horrendous...

Roy.

Edited March 14, 2016 by roymattblack

[shood23]

My suggestion is the same as roys, in making some small bits on the warped bit to keep it in place on the unwrapped bits

Shaun

[Briggers]

Thanks for all the advice.

Not sure im understanding you right Roy, but i think you misunderstood how the engine cover fits. Heres what i mean.

[roymattblack]

Right - got you.

I thought it was a short-sided cover with side panels below it.

Could you not glue some little tabs under the upper warped panel that would slide under the body panels in front?

Roy.

[Codger]

A heartbreak on an otherwise beautifully built model.

The lesson here is to mock-up and test fit EVERYTHING before paint and finish.