Jump to content

1/24 Tamiya Mini Rescue


Anteater

Recommended Posts

Right then, groovy people, here's the latest from the workbench. Regulars may recall I have a stash of badly built Tamiya Minis that date from the late 80s and early 90s. I'm gradually scrapping them off or salvaging what I can... as per this previous installment:  

 

Now I've moved onto another hopeless wreck from the stash/breakers yard. I originally built this one into a passable replica of a Mk3 Mini packing a very approximate 16v head on its A-Series. The eagled eyed amongst you will note the headlamps have already been scavenged for the Cooper rebuild. It can't stay as it is...

 

spacer.png 

 

That's better...

 

 

spacer.png

 

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, the plan is to create a partially dismantled Mk2 to serve as diorama materal. I just think that will be more interesting than building it up as a complete car, given they're not exactly rare around these parts...

 

Off with the decoration and paint. The paint finish was quite a competent metallic grey, I'm quite impressed with my former self in that regard. But five minutes of rubbing down and it's history. As part of the Mk3 conversions I used to sand the Mk1/Mk2 door hinges off, but only to standard of a gibbon armed with barbed wire, so additionally flatting was needed this time. Holes will be drilled for the location holes of the missing hinges. 

 

You've probably noticed the doors have now gone and door jambs have been added.

 

spacer.png

 

 

As the floorpan will will be visible this time I've removed the moulded seat mounts and added some fluting with plasticard. Look: before and after (courtesy of deciding the original floorpan is too rough so I'm using one from a scrapper that's been pre-stripped).  

 

spacer.png

 

 

Next up, I fancied a more period colour. Damask Red was a good shade on Mk2 Minis and happened to have some ancient Halfords Vauxhall Burgundy left over. Surprisingly it sprayed on very well. I hate throwing stuff away that might come in useful... 

 

spacer.png

 

 

A bit of initial weathering underneath and inside. Grotty footwells... I've extended the bulkhead out sideways too so the gap between the chassis section and body section can be eliminated to look suitably monocoquey and less drafty.  

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

 

Finally for now, a test fit of a salvaged and repainted engine, but I've decided the the paint finish is too matt and not quite glossy enough. I'll sort it out for a future installment. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

Anteater. 

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Anteater said:

but only to standard of a gibbon armed with barbed wire,

🤣

5 minutes ago, Anteater said:

I hate throwing stuff away that might come in useful... 

You and me both!

The engine looks good for a scrapper as is, I think. Will you be doing rust holes as well? It's hard to know where to stop on an old Mini!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes Pete, lightly rusted. It's very easy to go too far with rust holes I think, I've been quite subtle with the floorpan... I'm thinking maybe too subtle now! 

 

I know from experience how Minis tend to dissolve before your very eyes... I've grown up now and drive proper cars these days. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Anteater said:

but I've decided the the paint finish is too matt and not quite glossy enough. 

 

Nothing glossy about the engine in our Mini - oh wait, except the oil everywhere....!! 🤣

 

Looking forward to seeing how this one comes along

 

Keith

 

 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's looking good, I love the number of things that can be done with these Mini kits.  Oh and the Vauxhall burgundy is a favourite colour of mine, which is handy as I accidentally bought way more than I needed so I'm now planning some more builds to use it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's update, and the scuttle/dashboard is in. Technically, if it is to be a Mk2 Mini it should have a black parcel shelf and lower rail, but I prefer the Mk1 colours and style as below. It's not as if anyone really cares. As this is a rebuild of a very old kit I don't have a speedometer decal, so I did toy with the idea of drilling it out to represent a removed speedometer. Quite a high risk of it looking worse though so it'll stay as it is. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

I've done some weathering to the body and glazed it. The tax disc didn't last much longer than the time it took to take this photo, I wasn't happy with the overall proportion of the tax disc holder so I removed it again. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

And a close up of some grot on the scuttle and A-panel. Gosh - so dusty in here! The crack where the sill joins the A-panel happened when I cut the door out but it will superglue up again once the body is mounted. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

Ideally I would have made some seat belts to hang from the B-pillars but I'm out of the necessary photoetch top anchors, and my usual suppliers are out of stock too. As it's a partially stripped down car at least there's an easy explanation for thier absence.

 

I've scrabbled around the spares box for a useable set of tyres. Turns out Tamiya rubber doesn't really last 30 years and they turn very fragile. Some resin steelies (sans hubcaps) and resin tyres would be ace but nobody seems to do them. I have so many first world problems... tsk...

 

The next update should see the body in place, but only after I've forced myself to do my tax return. Bet you're literally on the edge of your seat.    

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice subtle grot there. Does it need/will it get wing mirror & aerial holes?

I was thinking a period add on would be a green sunstrip with Kev & Jane or something on it. But how to do it, I know not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did try to create a sunstrip decal for the Transit I recently built but it was too transluscent when printed on clear decal, and too opaque when printed on white. Creating it was quite easy, printing less so. The research continues...  

 

An aerial for the Mini would mean it needs a radio under the dash rail and speakers on the parcel shelf. Hmmm, not impossible... I'll try and create them, and if you see no further evidence you'll know how well it went.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, Anteater said:

The research continues...  

 

I've done sunstrips (without lettering) by spraying Tamiya clear green directly onto the screen. You maybe could use some white number plate letters for the names, or some generic white aircraft serial decals from the likes of xtradecal;

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X72158?result-token=7ZAr1

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X48045?result-token=kW5Kf

 

Nice progress on the shell.

 

Keith

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wired for sound.

 

Look closely and you'll see a radio under the dash rail on the passenger side, in true unergonomic Mini fashion. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

I've fashioned it from 2.4mm right angle styrene, layers of strip and some 1mm rod for the control knobs. As usual, most of the detail can't be seen once it's slung under the dash, but that's not the point, is it...

 

 

spacer.png 

 

A length of braided line represents the car's loom back from the bulkhead so let's say the speaker wiring is wrapped within. Speakers on the rear shelf to blast out the latest soundz. 

 

 

spacer.png

 

 

And because a radio is no good without an aeriel, I've opted for a roof mounted antenna to pick up Fab 208 and Radio Caroline. Roof mounted is way cooler than wing mounted. This particular aeriel already has music in it - it's made from a tiny nub of drilled 1mm styrene rod which supports the inner from an unwound guitar top string. Funky. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

All the biggest hits, right here on Anteater FM, 

  • Like 11
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

208 and Radio Caroline. And then came Radio North Sea International. Radio one, who needed it? (Except for Kenny, obviously).

Nice radio & aerial. You're cracking on in style. And, in true Caroline style, The Sekonda time is....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've got an aerial exactly like that on the roof of our GT. No radio though - you'd never hear it in a fully stripped out rally car with a 1293 cc motor with a 45 Weber! 

 

It still looks cool though...!! :)

 

Great progress, it's looking really good! One thing that might improve it even more is to drill out the holes in the steering wheel spokes...?

 

Keith

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine was a 1982 HLE. No radio, but I seem to recall it had a blanking grommet in the wing top where the aerial would have gone. The more I think about it, the less sense that makes because if a range topping HLE didn't have a radio as standard by that time, why would the wing have been pre-drilled...? Things get muddled in my head. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 23/01/2021 at 13:49, Anteater said:

rebuild of a very old kit I don't have a speedometer decal, so I did toy with the idea of drilling it out to represent a removed speedometer. Quite a high risk of it looking worse though so it'll stay as it is. 

 

 

 

 

 

Just had a thought.   If you got some clear sheet, for example acetate.  Cut it to size of the speedo and then scratched it it might look like a broken lense and help to obscure the fact there is no dial. Or even spray the sheet with some matt clear to make it look like some condensation got in.  Andy

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good idea on the speedo but the body is on now and I can't really get to it.

 

However, behold, a number plate. I borrowed the idea from @onethritysecond of using Slaters 3mm lettering, except I superglued them in place. Strictly speaking the characters might be a little too deep for scale, but it's a pretty good way to replicate riveted letters and I like it. You'll notice it's a Bedfordshire plate so I added a region-correct Tricentrol dealer sticker. As they were best known for selling Fords let's assume it went through as a secondhand car in the early 70s. 

 

spacer.png

 

 

Also, I have added a small window sticker on the side to cover up a crack. As I went to the trouble of fitting a radio I'm using a 194 Radio City sticker. The car obviously started life in Bedfordshire and migrated to Liverpool sometime before the tax expired in 1981.

 

 

spacer.png

 

 

As a partially strpped car, I won't be fitting any rear lights. This is where my vague plan for a Mk2 Mini falls down as I forgot to cut the large rectangular holes for the later rear lights! So it's now officially a 1967 Mk1 with a later rear seat.

 

 

You'll be glad to hear this madness is nearly at an end and I'm not far off an RFI. Then I'll seek the help I so clearly need.

 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The RFI is published.

 

To answer the question above, I made the decals by copying the required images in a Word doc, sizing them to 1/24th and printing onto white decal paper. Worth noting that the white Slaters letters I used for the number plate were far too bright when I pointed the camera at them for the RFI so I used a hint of grey wash just to tone them down and they looked much better on camera.  

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

spacer.png

On 1/23/2021 at 1:49 PM, Anteater said:

I've scrabbled around the spares box for a useable set of tyres. Turns out Tamiya rubber doesn't really last 30 years and they turn very fragile. Some resin steelies (sans hubcaps) and resin tyres would be ace but nobody seems to do them. I have so many first world problems... tsk...

I did a conversion many years ago, turning the Cooper S into a basic Mini, the wheels and tyres were cast in resin, along with the front grille, I'm sure I've still got a few sets left, where, I'm not sure, I'll go digging in the hobby room later

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...