Jump to content

Mercedes W154, German GP '38


Recommended Posts

Today felt like a good day to deal with the grille. In the morning I went out to my workshop and turned myself the necessary wooden tool. This is of course a highly unnecessary exercise, it could be done quicker and more than well enough by hand, but I felt this was more fun.

 

154_52.jpg

 

154_53.jpg

 

154_54.jpg

 

The serious work starts. First I carefully sanded both sides of the photo etch with 600 paper to give glue and paint a better chance.

 

154_55.jpg

 

First the rough shape of the horizontal bar was done, working carefully with the wooden tool against a mouse mat.

 

154_56.jpg

 

Then the upper vertical bars.

 

154_57.jpg

 

Followed by the lower bars. Some of the work had to be done with a set of pliers as the material was a bit hard.

 

154_58.jpg

 

There was no way to make a perfectly fitting shape at this stage, but I felt a rough base would be good enough to start gluing.

 

154_59.jpg

 

One end of the horizontal bar was then glued to the nose and left to dry out.

 

154_60.jpg

 

To glue the other end I used a piece of copper wire to stretch the etch into place while the glue set. It all looks very wonky at this stage...

 

154_61.jpg

 

It looks better from above, which is the important thing now.

 

154_62.jpg

 

From this angle it looks like it will never work. I started with the centre vertical bar, shaping and adjusting the fit as best I could and glued in place. Then I continued one by one, adjusting, shaping and gluing, going outwards left and right.

 

154_63.jpg

 

After a few hours and a number of breaks to let CA-glue set things looked much more hopeful. Still some minor adjustments to do.

 

154_64.jpg

 

154_65.jpg

 

154_66.jpg

 

I want the grille to be as smooth as possible to the nose piece, so I applied a tiny amount of filler.

 

154_67.jpg

 

With the filler sanded and cleaned up the nose is ready for a good coat of primer surfacer. More sanding and fine cleaning will be needed, but there's hope. The kit instructions told me I now deserved a beer at this stage, but I missed buying some good beer, so I choose a good bottle of wine that I'm enjoying now...

 

154_68.jpg

 

I think it's now only the two small flanges, or sight glasses, for the side of the rear fuel tank I have to sort out before all remaining parts can be sprayed.

  • Like 14
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks a lot for your kind praise guys. I'm very pleased to be done with shaping and gluing that grille. It took the better part of a modelling day, but it was worth it.

 

This morning I made two simple flanges from 2 mm Evergreen rod and drilled new holes in the body. These can now be fitted after painting and take a dark wash. It's not perfect but will do the job.

 

154_69.jpg

 

With that out of the way all remaining parts and the body were sprayed with 2K-surfacer, and a number of tiny pinholes where filled manually. This will now cure for a while before a major fine sanding session can take place.

 

154_70.jpg

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have still not placed an order for the P2, but have received my MFH Bugatti 35. Still waiting for postie to deliver the MFH RSR; USCP Porsche 550 and Profil24 Howmet. There may be something else but things take so long to deliver that I forget! Oh yes - 1/24 MFH Alfa 33/3. But once that lot arrive, I shall be onto FPPM like a rash. Thanks so much for the inspiration. 👏

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Brandy said:

She's looking great in the primer, and that nose grille is just outstanding. Excellent patience!

 

11 hours ago, Hamden said:

Stunning progress so far, your patience with the grille has certainly paid off!

 

Thanks a lot Ian and Roger. It certainly was a good exercise in patience training, one might even call it character building. I'm not sure I would have had the patience twenty or even ten years ago...

 

7 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

I have still not placed an order for the P2, but have received my MFH Bugatti 35. Still waiting for postie to deliver the MFH RSR; USCP Porsche 550 and Profil24 Howmet. There may be something else but things take so long to deliver that I forget! Oh yes - 1/24 MFH Alfa 33/3. But once that lot arrive, I shall be onto FPPM like a rash. Thanks so much for the inspiration. 👏

 

I'm only happy to provide inspiration that leads to more resin purchases 😎. A P2 is on the way here, I have to build a few more Alfa Romeo's, and I'm also waiting for the P24 Howmet, and I had to throw in the Moynet from LM-75 as well.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/20/2021 at 8:15 PM, Bengalensis said:

Today felt like a good day to deal with the grille. In the morning I went out to my workshop and turned myself the necessary wooden tool. This is of course a highly unnecessary exercise, it could be done quicker and more than well enough by hand, but I felt this was more fun.

 

154_52.jpg

 

154_53.jpg

 

154_54.jpg

 

The serious work starts. First I carefully sanded both sides of the photo etch with 600 paper to give glue and paint a better chance.

 

154_55.jpg

 

First the rough shape of the horizontal bar was done, working carefully with the wooden tool against a mouse mat.

 

154_56.jpg

 

Then the upper vertical bars.

 

154_57.jpg

 

Followed by the lower bars. Some of the work had to be done with a set of pliers as the material was a bit hard.

 

154_58.jpg

 

There was no way to make a perfectly fitting shape at this stage, but I felt a rough base would be good enough to start gluing.

 

154_59.jpg

 

One end of the horizontal bar was then glued to the nose and left to dry out.

 

154_60.jpg

 

To glue the other end I used a piece of copper wire to stretch the etch into place while the glue set. It all looks very wonky at this stage...

 

154_61.jpg

 

It looks better from above, which is the important thing now.

 

154_62.jpg

 

From this angle it looks like it will never work. I started with the centre vertical bar, shaping and adjusting the fit as best I could and glued in place. Then I continued one by one, adjusting, shaping and gluing, going outwards left and right.

 

154_63.jpg

 

After a few hours and a number of breaks to let CA-glue set things looked much more hopeful. Still some minor adjustments to do.

 

154_64.jpg

 

154_65.jpg

 

154_66.jpg

 

I want the grille to be as smooth as possible to the nose piece, so I applied a tiny amount of filler.

 

154_67.jpg

 

With the filler sanded and cleaned up the nose is ready for a good coat of primer surfacer. More sanding and fine cleaning will be needed, but there's hope. The kit instructions told me I now deserved a beer at this stage, but I missed buying some good beer, so I choose a good bottle of wine that I'm enjoying now...

 

154_68.jpg

 

I think it's now only the two small flanges, or sight glasses, for the side of the rear fuel tank I have to sort out before all remaining parts can be sprayed.

 

Stunning job, as always, Jôrgen 👍

I wouldn't have done better 🤥😉

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 23/03/2021 at 20:37, CrazyCrank said:

Stunning job, as always, Jôrgen 👍

I wouldn't have done better 🤥😉

 

Thanks a lot, you are most kind.

I'm sure you would have done it to this level too, at least from what I have seen.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Masking wheels one have to paint in one piece is never easy, not even with a perfectly cut roundel. Especially not a wire wheel with the centre extending passed the edge of the rim.

 

154_74.jpg

 

I cut circles (here I used a drawing template) that are about a mm larger in diameter than the rim and about 4 mm wide.

 

154_75.jpg

 

The rings are cut through at one point before I lift them from the glass, and then applied carefully following the edge. This way the ring is easy to adjust to keep following the edge. The wheel doesn't even have to be perfectly circular.

 

154_76.jpg

 

In the end there is a nice little overlap.

 

154_77.jpg

 

Then a smaller roundel can easily be placed, and in the case of a protruding centre the inevitable fold is easily dealt with.

 

154_78.jpg

 

I've found life spraying wheels to be much easier this way.

 

154_79.jpg

 

Painting other parts have also continued.

 

154_80.jpg

 

A British green nose for Dick Seaman's car. I thought the easiest would be to avoid creating a mask and just paint this freehand with a fine brush, so that's what I did. A new fine pointed 0 brush and a fresh pot of Humbrol #3, then carefully doing the outline, both outside and inside, followed by the individual bars. It's good there are still paint available that don't dry so ridiculously fast...

 

154_81.jpg

  • Like 12
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...