Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing 5th overall of Mille Miglia 1955 edition, driven by John Fitch (based on Tamiya Kit 1:24 scale): FINISHED !

[Spiny]

Welcome back, good to see you back on the bench after travelling the world (or at least across one of its oceans!).

 

You've had much more success than I did with spraying the future - when I tried that it beaded up so badly that I brushed it out. But I have had more success with brushing it on - I don't get a shine like you've achieved byt it does level out quite nicely and did allow light polishing. I didn't dare try for anything more as it was covering up some challenging decals.

[CrazyCrank]

Finally, having slept on it, I won't spray Pledge (Future) over the bodywork because :

- doors have been already assembled on the shell,

- windows and other clear parts as well,

- and the masking job to protect them and bare metal would be complicated and hazardous.

 

Moreover, best is the worst enemy of good, I've already sadly experienced that in the past !

 

I'll reserve this treatment probably to the body of the Delahaye 135, and of course to my next models.

 

So, let's go on with the body details, grill, lights, chromed parts and other details

 

Stay tuned if you like, for a quick update

 

[Steben]

I wish you the best!

[Anteater]

8 hours ago, CrazyCrank said:

Moreover, best is the worst enemy of good, I've already sadly experienced that in the past !

 

 

I think you do yourself down there, but those are wise words for many of us...

[CrazyCrank]

Evening mates

 

Not a big improvement today, but I've placed the grill on the car's nose.

 

The bonnet is placed but not yet attached with its 2 articulations. It doesn't fit perfectly anymore because the layers of paint and varnish have made it slightly bigger, however II think I can solve this problem, eventually with micro-magnets.

 

  

 

 

Stay tuned for next steps and thanks for watching

 

[CrazyCrank]

Evening gentlemen

 

It's been a long time since my last post.

I've been busy on multiple fronts and my few daily progress didn't deserve new posts until today.

 

So:

- I've scratch-built sun visors 

- I've put in place the head lights and front turning indicators

- I've put in place the metal transfers for MB logos on the left side and on the trunk lid

- I've 3D printed the fuel filter and its fuel lines (the line "out" is already connected to the fuel pump)

- This fuel filter has been glued in place and the line "out" already connected to the fuel pump

- The cabin has been inserted into the body

- At last, the chassis has been inserted in this set; doing that, the 2 horns unglued !

 

The results in pictures: (Pity, iPhone 13's camera is merciless with the bad details, particularly the awful aspect of the body paint/clear )

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

 A lots of things remain to do:

- Placing all the chrome inserts on the body

- Painting chrome and placing the vent grill in front of the windshield

- Painting chrome and placing the wing wheel nuts

- Scratching and placing door exterior handles

- Putting  in place the rear bumper and the rear lights, and scratching the rear reflectors situated under the rear bumper

- Designing and printing the licence plates inscriptions (decals), referring to John Fitch's picture before the race

- Scratch building and placing the last engine hose joining the water-coolant reservoir to the radiator

- Placing the underbody and the exhaust line

- And finally placing the wind deflector on the bonnet, the exterior mirror and windshield wipers

 

I have a question that I don't have an answer to yet:

- Must I place the front bumper on the body, as it's visible on John Fitch's picture before the race ? (picture below)

- Or not, as we can see the car during the race ? (no picture at the moment because Flick doesn't want to load it !!!! )

 

  

 

Both are possible ! It's a matter of .... I don't know what !

Let me know your opinion if you want, it will be much appreciated.

 

Stay tuned if you like

 

 

 

[Spiny]

I presume when you refer to the paint issues in the photos you mean the microscratches in the close up shots? If so, I bet the vast majority of builds here owuld have the same issue when put under a spotlight under the same conditions - I know mine would. But there's nothing wrong with the build - it looks to be coming together nicely.

 

Incidentally, my vote would be with the bumper as I never feel these look that special without, but you should build it how you want it.

[CrazyCrank]

22 hours ago, Spiny said:

I presume when you refer to the paint issues in the photos you mean the microscratches in the close up shots? If so, I bet the vast majority of builds here owuld have the same issue when put under a spotlight under the same conditions - I know mine would. But there's nothing wrong with the build - it looks to be coming together nicely.

 

Incidentally, my vote would be with the bumper as I never feel these look that special without, but you should build it how you want it.

 

Thanks @Spiny for your warm words 👍 Well, after all, it was a race car and it was dirty before and after the race

 

I've finally managed to load into Flickr the picture where it can be seen that, during the race, the car hadn't its front bumper:

 

 

So you could understand why I'm hesitating !

 

[Michael Church]

I'm genuinely curious how much improvement to speed and/or handling removing the bumpers would have made. On one hand, I imagine any 1950s Mercedes bumper is overbuilt and overengineered, but on the other this was a lightweight performance car. I've wondered the same about other cars. If I remember correctly, Ferrari 250 GT SWBs were raced in all kinds of bumper/partial bumper/no bumper configurations.

 

If only you could find a good 1/24 figure, you could build two versions. One with suit and bumpers and dirty paint, one with racing gear and no bumpers and clean paint. Yes, I know this is a terrible idea!

[CrazyCrank]

1 hour ago, Michael Church said:

I'm genuinely curious how much improvement to speed and/or handling removing the bumpers would have made. On one hand, I imagine any 1950s Mercedes bumper is overbuilt and overengineered, but on the other this was a lightweight performance car. I've wondered the same about other cars. If I remember correctly, Ferrari 250 GT SWBs were raced in all kinds of bumper/partial bumper/no bumper configurations.

 

If only you could find a good 1/24 figure, you could build two versions. One with suit and bumpers and dirty paint, one with racing gear and no bumpers and clean paint. Yes, I know this is a terrible idea!

 

This is a question I can't answer to !

 

I'd like to find a sat man 1:24 figurine I could use to build a diorama as in the above picture with John Fitch, but it seems to be a major challenge (to find one)

Finally, this car will probably be exhibited without front bumper.

It's already quite achieved, it remains only to put the rear bumper and lights, the wind deflector on the bonnet, the licence plate with the right number, the rear reflectors under the bumper.

And then, I wonder wether I'm going to getting the body dirty or not...

[Hamden]

4 hours ago, CrazyCrank said:

I'd like to find a sat man 1:24 figurine I could use to build a diorama as in the above picture with John Fitch,

 

Don't know if this one is any good for your project

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373252787429?hash=item56e7998ce5:g:~4AAAOSwENVfeQ07

 

I have really enjoyed watching you work your magic on this project, it is really stunning

 

  Stay safe           Roger

[CrazyCrank]

45 minutes ago, Hamden said:

 

Don't know if this one is any good for your project

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373252787429?hash=item56e7998ce5:g:~4AAAOSwENVfeQ07

 

I have really enjoyed watching you work your magic on this project, it is really stunning

 

  Stay safe           Roger

 

Thanks for the suggestion, but this one doesn't match correctly with what I'm looking for.

And relatively to my build, it's not yet finished, so, please...stay tuned for ultimate steps and RFI posts...

[CrazyCrank]

Good morning chaps

 

I'm currently printing the licence plate numbers on decal sheet.

After many tries, I've chosen Florence font for the letter W and Bebas font for the numerals, size 12 with space before and after letter and numerals

This give imho a rather convincing matching with the photos above on my Saturday post.

 

It will remain to paint the plastic plate semi-gloss black with a fine silver( or white ?) thread on the periphery, to glue the decal on it, and then to draw above the hyphen a little white disk with the point of the toothpick and white paint.

 

 

Stay tuned for final steps

 

[ejboyd5]

Not to be hyper-picky, but are we sure that the star and 300 SL emblem on the trunk lid should be applied over the "1" of the "417?" It seems hard to believe that when painting temporary racing numbers the M-B team would have taken the time to remove these items, paint the numbers and then reinstall the trim. I know that's how M-B did it when they recreated "417" for show, but there are serious questions as to configuration of the original. The many pictures I have amassed of the 1955 MM are inconclusive on this point.

[CrazyCrank]

1 hour ago, ejboyd5 said:

Not to be hyper-picky, but are we sure that the star and 300 SL emblem on the trunk lid should be applied over the "1" of the "417?" It seems hard to believe that when painting temporary racing numbers the M-B team would have taken the time to remove these items, paint the numbers and then reinstall the trim. I know that's how M-B did it when they recreated "417" for show, but there are serious questions as to configuration of the original. The many pictures I have amassed of the 1955 MM are inconclusive on this point.

Hi Edward

You're absolutely right, it's a question I'm taking in account and I had already planned to apply white paint over the emblem where the numeral cover it !

[CrazyCrank]

Good afternoon Gentlemen

 

I can't resist the pleasure of teasing you by distilling the last steps of this assembly, as with a dropper 🤭

 

To be honest, I'm a bit sad because end is near, at least for this build...so in reality, I'm also procrastinating to delay the final outcome 🙄

In fact, after the RFI section of this one, I'll achieve the naked chassis, and the 2 models will be exhibited in the same showcase, perhaps indeed with a third one, but it's another secret story 😎

 

So:

- I've fixed the issue of the MB emblem over the trunk lid, which a part had to be painted white, as the numeral underneath.

- I've scratched 2 rear reflectors, that you can see under the rear bumper, which are not provided in the Tamiya kit. I've used spare clear parts, reduced their size, shaped them, glued and painted them with Molotov Chrome and Clear Red

- I've assembled, painted and glued the rear lights

- I've glued the trunk lid lock

- I've scratched the door handles with thin nickel strips and used spare photo-etched parts for the keyholes (YES, I've noticed that the left door handle is not strictly horizontal, I'm going to fix that....)

- And achieved the rear license plate

- I've painted Chrome my 3D printed ventilation grill (The Tamiya one isn't realistic neither accurate) and put it in front of the windshield

- I've de-chromed the wipers, because they looked like toys, and chromed them with Gravity Color Chrome

- And glued the exhaust line.

 

Would you like to see some pictures ?.....humm, OK 😉

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

  

 

The last steps before RFI will be to scratch and intend to place into the engine bay, if possible, the water coolant duct between coolant canister and radiator, and at last, to place the wind deflector on the bonnet.

 

Stay tuned if you like 😎

 

[CrazyCrank]

Evening chaps

 

the rear of this beauty is achieved:

 

 

The front part is quite achieved, and you could see this later....you have to save some for tomorrow 🤨

 

[johnlambert]

I love the way you are teasing us with this build's final stages.  I really want to do a 300SL of my own now.

[CrazyCrank]

10 minutes ago, johnlambert said:

I love the way you are teasing us with this build's final stages.  I really want to do a 300SL of my own now.

Thanks John

If you want to add some 3D printed parts or if you need spare parts, I've A LOT of them in my stash, and it will be a real pleasure to give them to you 😉

 

[johnlambert]

13 hours ago, CrazyCrank said:

Thanks John

If you want to add some 3D printed parts or if you need spare parts, I've A LOT of them in my stash, and it will be a real pleasure to give them to you 😉

 

Thank you, that's very generous.  Having seen how the 3D printed parts have enhanced your SLs I'll definitely be in touch if (more likely when) I buy a Tamiya 300SL kit.

[CrazyCrank]

Afternoon Gentlemen

 

Well, I think this one is achieved 😎

It remains only to give it a strong cleanup  and body polishing with Tamiya wax before taking good pictures for RFI posting

 

Meanwhile, some quickly taken pictures:

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

Now, I'm going to achieve the bare chassis, in order to exhibit it on the same RFI.

 

Stay tuned if you like

 

 

[Toftdale]

Simply gorgeous in every aspect - thanks for sharing Andy 

[Hamden]

3 hours ago, Toftdale said:

Simply gorgeous in every aspect - thanks for sharing Andy 

 

Seconded - stunning result

 

   Stay safe        Roger

[CrazyCrank]

Good morning mates

 

Enhancement of the naked chassis in progress, with addition of a lot of missing parts on the "bird cage", some of them in plastic (got from heated section of sprues), majority in brass.

It remains a lot to do on it.

I've also added the 3D printed and chrome painted wheel nuts.

 

Here am I at the moment:

 

  

 

 

Stay tuned if you like

 

[Pouln]

On 11/24/2021 at 3:03 PM, CrazyCrank said:

I'd like to find a sat man 1:24 figurine I could use to build a diorama as in the above picture with John Fitch, but it seems to be a major challenge (to find one)

Have a look here: CGtrader.com. search with keyword: driver

For instance this one: https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-print-models/miniatures/figurines/vintage-car-driver-pilot , but there are many more sitting drivers over there.

 

Your model looks splendid, Thierry. 👍