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Revell 1/25 Austin Healey - Rally replica


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Based on the Revell kit, anyway. My original plan, many years ago, was to build it as something comparable to an AC Cobra - i.e. stick a small-block Ford (or Chevy) V8 in it, use some American alloy wheels, etc, so I ended up using the engine in something else. Then sometime later I read of the Healey replicas/kit cars that were built with other engines, like Nissan straight-6s, so I nicked a Nissan L24 from the spares box and decided to use that. I couldn't find any wire wheels that looked right, but had some left-over Minilites in about the right size. Then while researching 'big' Healeys I found I really liked the rally-prepared ones with the wing vents, modified grille, etc. So what I have built is an evocation of a rally-prepared Austin Healey, without being a model of any specific car. I drilled holes in the wing, tracing the outline of the vent, then when I was happy that I'd smoothed it off enough, cut plasticard strip to shape and added the vanes. The plain chrome headlamps from the kit were replaced with more realistic ones from the spares box, and the spotlights were originally 2CV headlamps. The rear over-riders were from a Gunze Sangyo Healey Sprite, I think. Inside, the dashboard is scratch-built (I also converted to right-hand drive) and the steering wheel is, I think, from either the Racing or Rally Tamiya mini. The roll-cage is semi scratch-built, and the belts are Eduard buckles on other, un-identified self-adhesive belts from the spares box. Oh, and I also used Jaguar independent rear suspension (from the 1/25 Revell kit), not that you can see this in the photos, which might explain the extra arch clearance at the rear. My excuse is that it's extra clearance for rallying... The number-plate decals I printed myself, the BMC ones are from a Tamiya Mini (should really be 'Safety Fast' ones!)

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and many more photos here:

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/TimV69/library/Models/1964%20Austin%20Healey%203000%20Rally%20Replica

Tim

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When I was in high school (1956-1960) I built a Revell Austin Healey kit. I remember it was a flat-cast kit, the body assembled from a top front, top rear, and two sides, or somesuch along that idea.

Im curious if your kit was that way, or if perhaps sometime in the intervening 55 or so years Revell might have reworked that kit?

Alf in Iowa

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hi Alf. As far as I know Revell have never re-worked the kit. This was built from the original-style boxing of it (the instructions say copyright 1976) and several years ago I built one from a similar boxing, I have also owned (but now have sold!) a re-issue in a Matchbox branding, and that was identical and as you describe - the body is made up from several flattish panels. The first time I built one, over a decade ago:

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/TimV69/library/Models/1958_Austin-Healey_100-Six

I tried to sand down the resulting seams as much as possible, but actually the panel seams are visible on the real cars, and covered with chrome trim, so for this build, i used the seam as a guide and glued a thin plasticard strip along the line, and then once the body was painted, I applied bare metal foil to the strip. It's slightly over-scale, but looks effective to me.

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I have had more than one of the real thing, That is about a 1960 MK 2. Got pulled over by the plod a couple of time for tread showing outside the arches.

Ran mine on 72 spoke Cobra wire wheels. I transferred them from one to the next. Still got pulled for it though. I like your build and it brings back memories for me!

BTW your ticket for dangerous parts is in the post! :bobby:

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