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Belkits MG Metro 6R4


Windy37

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Very rammed in there, just wondering if the two pegs are to make installing the engine easier? Also (and this is more a question for other people who build this as I wouldn't want to be hacking at it when you've done such a good job) but is there scope to cut off that white bar prior to building or would that weaken things too much?

 

That said, despite the white bar, you're doing a grand job on this - -perfect guinea pig post highlighting what to watch out for when use latecomers get onto this kit :)

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Very rammed in there, just wondering if the two pegs are to make installing the engine easier? Also (and this is more a question for other people who build this as I wouldn't want to be hacking at it when you've done such a good job) but is there scope to cut off that white bar prior to building or would that weaken things too much?

 

That said, despite the white bar, you're doing a grand job on this - -perfect guinea pig post highlighting what to watch out for when us latecomers get onto this kit :)

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20 hours ago, Spiny said:

Very rammed in there, just wondering if the two pegs are to make installing the engine easier? Also (and this is more a question for other people who build this as I wouldn't want to be hacking at it when you've done such a good job) but is there scope to cut off that white bar prior to building or would that weaken things too much?

 

That said, despite the white bar, you're doing a grand job on this - -perfect guinea pig post highlighting what to watch out for when use latecomers get onto this kit :)

 

19 hours ago, Steve Noble said:

All looking fantastic!! Very well detailed engine bay. Could that white bar be cut off? Or is it needed for strength or to support the body shell or something else? 

Thanks for your interest fellas . The infamous white bar could probably be cut off , as I don’t think it serves a purpose. I was too far into the build to consider chopping it off . When the body is on though, the boot lid will then still obscure a good view of the engine. Builders braver than me should be able to cut the boot lid , to display it open . 
  Regarding the engine detail , I’ve added a couple of pieces of wire to replicate the real thing . Having been lucky enough to see 6R4 s in recent action its always a stand and stare moment to be able to admire the engine close up . 
 Gary . 
 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Had an early finish today , so used the time wisely and avoided all things Christmas to spend some time with the Metro. I’ve not done much to it recently , busy weekends and at the “ don’t really know what to do next to be right  “ stage not helping .  Anyway I have started to prepare the body shell . All the vents and cooling slots have PE grilles . However , I found these to be too “ meshy “ so I have used some black fabric mesh , which looks better . The interior contains the front part of the roll cage , a cop out really as this is moulded to the body shell .....  I’ve painted it , and the window surrounds ,  satin black . It looks OK  , but a model with so much detail really should have a proper roll cage that needs to be built . In the front is a duct , on real cars it’s Kevlar so I’ve painted it Tamiya XF 60 dark yellow , not a bad match . 

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The front bumper has a splitter that on many 6R4s is an orange colour . The photo on the box of this Monte Carlo car is beige . So I have masked up and painted it Tamiya dark yellow , but this is a bit dark . Don’t know whether to leave it like this or do it an orange I have used for Kevlar before . First world problems ..... 

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Thanks for looking , Merry Christmas everyone  ! 
 Gary . 

,

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Spent Boxing Day afternoon decaling . This being an 80’s rally car, the colour scheme is simple , clean and effective, unlike today’s cars which , I think , are over complicated. The decals are going on well . 

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The front grille Mobil decal is made up of separate pieces, each going on a layer of grille , either side of the MG badge . The first shot shows the grille half done , the second completed . 
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That’s one side and the bonnet done  , hopefully find time to do the rest while I’m off . 
Thanks for looking, 

  Gary . 
 

 

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Most of the body shell is now decaled up . The Computervision logos are delicate. The arm on the logo is awkward to position without breaking off , so for the roof logo I cut it off and added it after  . 
I sprayed the front wing blue , but there are blue decals for it , the front having the Computervision logo in white . This is higher up the wing than I would have liked , due to it needing cutting back to allow the edges to fit the wing without a lot of awkward edge folding. 
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After hours searching this is the only good shot of the actual car on the1986 Monte Carlo Rally .

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Thanks for looking, 

Gary . 

 

 

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Really looking the part now Gary! For some reason my car modelling mojo completely disappeared a couple of months back, but seeing you bringing this little beauty to life has started to rekindle the interest.... :)

 

Keith

 

 

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6 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Really looking the part now Gary! For some reason my car modelling mojo completely disappeared a couple of months back, but seeing you bringing this little beauty to life has started to rekindle the interest.... :)

 

Keith

 

 

I think I got my modelling mojo back , Keith , with a combination of more time due to covid restrictions and a renewed choice of rally subjects to build . I m enjoying it just like i did 20 years or so ago . Can't wait to get back out spectating though.  

4 hours ago, Deanali said:

That's looking great, I've folded and got mine out and made a start (I've now got about 6 models in the go) looking forward to the next installment

Hope your build goes well . Just a few niggles with poor design , but on the whole a good kit to build . 

Thanks for your interest 

  Gary . 

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You're right about mojo, I'm also doing a T93 Lola indycar that I've had over 25 years and always fail on numerous times with gloss painting. I think preperation and patience are coming to me with age! Alclad gloss primers have gone down OK on the Lola, got some zero paints for the 6R4. Also got Zero 2K gloss, but a bit worried now about it being too glossy! 

BTW I think the front spoiler does need to be a bit more yellowy. 

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12 minutes ago, Deanali said:

You're right about mojo, I'm also doing a T93 Lola indycar that I've had over 25 years and always fail on numerous times with gloss painting. I think preperation and patience are coming to me with age! Alclad gloss primers have gone down OK on the Lola, got some zero paints for the 6R4. Also got Zero 2K gloss, but a bit worried now about it being too glossy! 

BTW I think the front spoiler does need to be a bit more yellowy. 

Still undecided about the colour of the spoiler / splitter . Really ought to be pale yellow , as on actual car , but don't have a colour to match .

 Gary . 

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38 minutes ago, Windy37 said:

Still undecided about the colour of the spoiler / splitter . Really ought to be pale yellow , as on actual car , but don't have a colour to match .

 Gary . 

I always mix Tamiya XF-4 yellow/green and XF-12 Gold in equal parts for that kevlar colour for the front splitter. It seems to match pretty well. I've seen it look more yellow on some restored cars and a lot lighter, almost beige on some period photo's...

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15 hours ago, Steve Noble said:

I always mix Tamiya XF-4 yellow/green and XF-12 Gold in equal parts for that kevlar colour for the front splitter. It seems to match pretty well. I've seen it look more yellow on some restored cars and a lot lighter, almost beige on some period photo's...

On the photos of the Monte Carlo car the splitter is a beige colour . It's such a visible part that I need to get right , Steve. There are loads of 6R4 photos on tinternet , but for some reason not many of actual works cars in 1986 .  Strange that ....

  Gary . 

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Onto small detailing and windows . Always nearing the end of the build when the prospect of painting window rubbers is upon me . The side and rear windows would have been plastic and are screwed to the frames so I have edged the windows with a Sharpie then used a cocktail stick and Tamiya chrome silver to dab the raised screw heads . The door side glass doesn’t seem to have a rubber seal , as most photos show the base colour under the glass . There are photo etch screw heads , but are tiny and far too fiddly for my eyes and patience. The front screen edged easily and fitted really well , without needing glue . The sun strip decal also went on well , fitting perfectly. So often highly visible sun strips don’t fit properly . There are 4 PE brackets to replicate screen fasteners , which I painted black . Other tiny , but effective , details are battery kill switches , tax disc and sun visors . At the bottom inside of the windscreen should have been a heating element strip decal . Unfortunately, this melted as I slid it into place , so I scrapped it and painted it instead . 
A shot of the windows ready to fit . The lights are also ready , I used Sharpies to colour these to good effect . 
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A problem I encountered was with the Mobil logo on the grille . I applied the decal onto the bonnet edge , then when I fitted the grille , the logo didn’t match up ..... Note the shiny MG badge , a decal . 

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So to sort this , I painted the top decal out then added the top of the Mobil logo in the correct position. Not perfect , but better than it was . 
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Thats all for now , and this year . Thanks for looking , have a better New Year . 
 Gary . 

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Love a 6R4, I remember them testing each one as they were finished on the Longbridge site up and down 'heart attack hill' next to the onsite fire station.

Should have bought one - they were offered to employees for 14K after group B was cancelled. I think full list price at the time was around 40/60K depending on spec.

 

Malc.

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