Mercedes 300SL Gullwing 1/24 Tamiya with photoetched detail up set from Hobby Design

[CrazyCrank]

2 hours ago, JeroenS said:

Awesome. Real nice work Thierry. I see your point about removing the body from the chassis again, I wouldn't like that either. Bad for blood pressure. Wouldn't it be an option to have the bonnet laying loose on the body? You wouldn't be able to open and close but you would be able to have a closed bonnet to appreciate the lines of the car, and it could be removed to reveal the engine. I have to say, with all the effort you did on this specimen, it would be a shame to not be able to enjoy it with all doors and bonnet closed. 

 

Pity, Jeroen, it is not possible ☹️

 

De facto, one part of the engine -  I think it is the intake manifold, or the airbag that is attached to it - exceeds the level of the bonnet, and acts as a spring, pushing the bonnet upwards, so that the bonnet is never flush with the body.

Yet, it is a shame, but there's no other solution that the one I mentioned above.

 

Finally, having slept on it, this "disaster" isn't a tragedy !

Indeed, you don't see them on the pictures and even with the naked eye, if you don't know they are there or have an eagles eye, but there is A LOT of defects and imperfections on this model:

- micro deep scratches over the painted and cleared body, when I sanded it before polishing, particularly over some angles or wheel housings.

- This was fixed with paint touch-up using the Daimler Silver sprayed with the airbrush over the clear with extremely low flow and low pressure.

- Color irregularities over 2 or 3 places, that I cannot explain

- 2 moulding lines bad sanded, invisible even with magnifying glasses on the primed body, that appeared only after clear coating

- etc...etc...

 

The new kit is ordered and will be delivered next Friday.

This second car could be painted black, with an interior light fawn, or metallic light blue with the interior orange red..for instance (Follow This link)....or Ivory with red interior...Will decide later !

 

It will be assembled OOB (hum, with some mandatory extras anyway), and, leveraging my knowledge of all my previous mistakes in assembling and painting, focusing all my efforts over the exterior aspect of the car, I hope to build a lovely daughter to the first MB.

Finally both car could be exhibited together under the same showcase ...

 

Stay tuned

 

 

[silver911]

You have my deepest sympathy for your troubles Thierry...the curse of adding extra levels of detail...which...no matter how carefully you plan and measure...is always waiting to strike.

However...your idea of a 'daughter' is a good solution...and means we get to enjoy another superb build

 

Ron

[JeroenS]

Sounds like a plan Thierry. I do like the metallic blue option... But that's just me 🙂

[Spiny]

That is really looking good bonnet issues notwithstanding. In fact, this isn't the first time I've heard mention about clearance issues with the bonnet on this so definitely something for me to be careful of when I built it.

 

But your build looks amazing, and the issues you mention don't strike me at all. In fact, even without the final pieces that first picture could pretty much pass for the real thing at first glance (if it wasn't sitting on a giant piece of foam!).

[CrazyCrank]

Good evening gentlemen

 

Thanks so much Jeroen, Ron and Spiny for these amazing compliments and kind words.

 

This journey is quite finished, I'm just waiting for  some micro brass tubes (0.8, 0.6, 0.4 mm outer diameter) which I think to use for scratching an antenna for this beauty.

 

Tonight, I've assembled ( 3 very tiny parts each), painted and fixed the tail lights, and assembled the 2 windshield wipers. They're made of 3 micro PE parts each, and it's been pure hell to assemble them, and to fix them on the body.

BUT, It's done, and without damaging any other element of the car.

 

So, let's go for some rough photos, waiting for the RFI show:

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

To be continued , thanks for watching

 

 

 

[JeroenS]

Three PE parts per windshield wiper? Wow. I can imagine that being a frustrating bit of work but you managed beautifully. Your work on the engine does show nicely like this. To have 2 of these side by side... not a bad idea!

[ejboyd5]

Wonderful replica!  Please consider finishing the second one as the 1955 Mille Miglia class winner and 5th place overall car driven by John Fitch.  It had a graphite gray exterior with a blue/blue plaid interior and carried large white 417 numerals.  Several days after the race it was used by Mercedes-Benz to verify the top speed of the 300 SL and recorded 155.5 mph on a closed section of the Autobahn.  It was one of the most famous of the 300SL series and deserves your attention to detail.  Thank you for reporting your progress on the silver car, I enjoyed it greatly.

[CrazyCrank]

17 minutes ago, ejboyd5 said:

Wonderful replica!  Please consider finishing the second one as the 1955 Mille Miglia class winner and 5th place overall car driven by John Fitch.  It had a graphite gray exterior with a blue/blue plaid interior and carried large white 417 numerals.  Several days after the race it was used by Mercedes-Benz to verify the top speed of the 300 SL and recorded 155.5 mph on a closed section of the Autobahn.  It was one of the most famous of the 300SL series and deserves your attention to detail.  Thank you for reporting your progress on the silver car, I enjoyed it greatly.

Who ! Thanks so much @ejboyd5 for this huuuuge compliment.

Coming from you, a specialist and owner of this car, it's even more valuable to me ! 

 

Your suggestion for the second replica seems very interesting, and I'm interested in any information, documents, photos, videos about it, particularly the spots of the car, and a RAL reference, if possible, for its color.

Best regards

 

[CrazyCrank]

To @ejboyd5 : I think the graphite gray you mentioned above is referenced by Mercedes with DB 190

I've look for RAL references of this color on the net, and found RAL 7024.

Could you take a look on a RAL 7024 sample and confirm or not that it's the color you mean ?

 Thanks  in advanced 😉

CC

 

[CrazyCrank]

Good evening Gentlemen

 

Today is a great day...this long journey is lastly ending 🤔

 

I've scratch-built an antenna for my beauty.

This antenna if made of:

- 1/:  a 0.5 mm thick washer got from  1,5 mm outer / 1.0 mm inner brass tube, for the base of the antenn

- 2/3/4/5:  short sections of successively 1,0 mm / 0.8 mm / 0.6 mm / 0.4 mm bras tubes threaded one each other

- 6/: A longer section of 0.18 steel piano wire, with at its free end a microscopic drop of UV resin

 

The result is:

 

 

To install the antenna, I drilled a 1,1 mm diameter hole on the right front fender.

 

The result isn't too bad, imho:

 

   

 

  

 

This build took me approximately 9 months, as usual, that is the duration of a normal pregnancy

 

I have tho thank all my contributors, all of you guys who commented, criticized, or liked my build since its beginning, particularly @harveyb258, @Bengalensis, @Pouln, @JeroenS, @johnlambert, @Hamden, @Harry Callahan, @PROPELLER, @silver911, @Spiny, @ejboyd5, @Endeavor, @Stickframe, @Alan R, @nick, @Schwarz-Brot, @Toftdale, @Fnick, @airea, @Roy vd M., @NickD, not forgetting @Redstaff, @Brandy, @Mr Mansfield, @rob Lyttle, @PZRGREN, @KonaDawg, @bmwh548, @quieto, @motogpMatt, @chrispisme, @Alpha Juliet, @Paul H, @harti20, @Ghost69, @dannybgoode, @NigeG, @Marco F., @Vanroon, @bbudde, @Peter Roberts, @John_W, @Pascal, @Jochen Barett, @mchernecki, @Mick4350, pfffuuu ! I hope I've not forgotten anyone 🤭

 

I've now to make some good pictures of the car, in order to open a RFI section thread ....

 

However, this saga isn't really achieved, because it will be continued  by the sister-car of this one, and I think I'm going to consider the suggestion of @ejboyd5, so stay tuned.

I'm probably going to open a new thread for the MB 300 SL number 417, 1955 Mille Miglia, driven by John Fitch.

 

[Redstaff]

That is a stunning model CC, I think it is still one of the best looking Mercedes ever built and you have done a great representation of it  

Well done for sticking with the PE wiper blades, I have tried a couple of times, given up and used the kit ones, you must have a lot more patience and nimble fingers than I have 

Looking forward to seeing the other one next to it in another 9 months  or hopefully a bit quicker  

 

Ian 

[Peter Roberts]

VERY nice job, inspiring! Thank you posting this build, especially in your circumstances. Much appreciated.

[Marco F.]

What a lovely result 🤗

That was a fantastic build and and a always real interesting WIP 

Sometimes these fantastic builts....make me to wonder if I should keep on going with this hobby 

......thanks for sharing and I will keep on glueing 🤔😇🤗

Marco F 

 

[rob Lyttle]

Brilliant and inspiring CC‼️😎

Definitely look forward to the Mille Miglia race car too 🏁

 

Lovely Merc 

[Toftdale]

I'm sure that most of us everytime we build model we always try and make it better than the last, so I'll be watching with interest to see how you're going to improve on perfection 🤣 - Andy 

[Hamden]

 

A stunning result with a superb replica to show for it.

Looking forward to watching you bring it's sister car to life now

 

  Stay safe      Roger

[silver911]

This build has been a real pleasure to follow Thierry...an absolute masterclass...looking forward to it's partner build to come

 

Respect

 

Ron

[airea]

Thats is a great result of a big effort, really brillant model!!

[PZRGREN]

Outstanding build and thread. Thanks for sharing. 

 

Roger.

[Pascal]

Superb result, fantastic work.

 

Sincerely

 

Pascal

[ejboyd5]

On 3/23/2021 at 3:25 PM, CrazyCrank said:

To @ejboyd5 : I think the graphite gray you mentioned above is referenced by Mercedes with DB 190. I've look for RAL references of this color on the net, and found RAL 7024. Could you take a look on a RAL 7024 sample and confirm or not that it's the color you mean?  Thanks  in advanced 😉 CC

 

DB 190 was the color.  I have a lot of information on '417' that I can send direct and not burden this site.  EJB 

[CrazyCrank]

12 minutes ago, ejboyd5 said:

DB 190 was the color.  I have a lot of information on '417' that I can send direct and not burden this site.  EJB 

Hi @ejboyd5

Thanks for confirmation.

Of course, I'm now interested in any information regarding this car, as I've decided to follow your suggestion to build it. It's though very nice of you to offer it to me 👍

I think you've kept my email address, but, just in case, I'm going to send you a mail to confirm my request.

Thanks so much in advance

 

[Pouln]

Only 9 months? Well, you created a model to be proud of. It looks fabulous, Thierry.