JOCKNEY Posted March 27, 2022 Share Posted March 27, 2022 Bit disappointed you didn't put the steering wheel on the right side, after all that work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 15 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Bit disappointed you didn't put the steering wheel on the right side, after all that work The honest answer to that is that I never even gave it a thought . Now you mention it , I wish I had done but it's just too much work at this stage unless I did the economy RHD conversion - back in the classic car boom of the late 1980s there were a lot of Healeys returning from the US and they were more saleable converted to RHD , but the correct steering box was difficult and expensive to find and moving the original to the other side of the car didn't work properly , giving far more lock one way than the other . At this point , someone sawed the end off the steering column and mounted the cut-off end and steering wheel on the other side , then welded a bicycle sprocket to each piece of column and linked them with a chain . Bodgery at its best !!! 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted April 2, 2022 Author Share Posted April 2, 2022 Finally got the body onto the chassis and fitted the wheels . I fitted the bootlid but it wouldn't close, so I cut off the hinges and will be gluing it in place - wouldn't have painted the boot floor and the battery if I'd known !! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dean Posted April 3, 2022 Share Posted April 3, 2022 I had the opposite (end) problem with mine. The boot lid fitted and worked fine, but the bonnet just wouldn't co-operate, so I glued it shut. Fortunately, I hadn't detailed the engine, so no tears were shed. Otherwise I would have glued it open. Looking very good so far. The seat piping looks spot-on. Once the extra shiny bits go on, it will really start to pop. Good luck with the shortening the windscreen! It's interesting (to me at least), that when Revell re-released this kit in 1996 (H-1217), and in their "Classics" range (00023, 2008), they didn't include the rubber tyres, just the old moulded plastic ones. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Revell-Austin-Healey-100-six-1-25-scale-/255347658964 This Matchbox Revell kit and the earlier Revell version (H-1202, 1976) are the only versions with rubber tyres and chrome wheels. I have two other H-1202's in the stash and seeing yours, I feel the need to build another one! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted April 3, 2022 Share Posted April 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Mike Dean said: I have two other H-1202's in the stash and seeing yours, I feel the need to build another one! So what's stopping you ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted April 3, 2022 Author Share Posted April 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Mike Dean said: I had the opposite (end) problem with mine. The boot lid fitted and worked fine, but the bonnet just wouldn't co-operate, so I glued it shut. Fortunately, I hadn't detailed the engine, so no tears were shed. Otherwise I would have glued it open. Looking very good so far. The seat piping looks spot-on. Once the extra shiny bits go on, it will really start to pop. Good luck with the shortening the windscreen! It's interesting (to me at least), that when Revell re-released this kit in 1996 (H-1217), and in their "Classics" range (00023, 2008), they didn't include the rubber tyres, just the old moulded plastic ones. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Revell-Austin-Healey-100-six-1-25-scale-/255347658964 This Matchbox Revell kit and the earlier Revell version (H-1202, 1976) are the only versions with rubber tyres and chrome wheels. I have two other H-1202's in the stash and seeing yours, I feel the need to build another one! Mine had rather poor chrome wheels , but the tyres are the horrible 2-piece soft plastic ones . The wheels and tyres in the photo are from an Aoshima MGB . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dean Posted April 3, 2022 Share Posted April 3, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, JOCKNEY said: So what's stopping you ? Let me think. Ah yes, an unfinished TF-104G Starfighter (location currently unknown), plus promised Harrier GR.3 & HMS Exeter. Things to do, busy, busy, busy.............................not. 1 hour ago, rs2man said: Mine had rather poor chrome wheels , but the tyres are the horrible 2-piece soft plastic ones . The wheels and tyres in the photo are from an Aoshima MGB . Yes, I don't what is worse. The original moulded plastic wheels or the horrible two-part tyres and chrome wheels. At least they tried to upgrade it, but rather missed the target. The MGB wheels and tyres look far better.👍 Edited April 3, 2022 by Mike Dean 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted April 4, 2022 Author Share Posted April 4, 2022 Fitted the bootlid , bumpers , headlamps and grille . Fortunately the body wasn't glued to the chassis since , when I came to fit the grille , it became horribly apparent that I'd totally missed the fact that it fits from the inside . The kit comes with solid , single piece, chromed headlamps which looked dreadful . I had a hunt through the spares box and found a pair of lamp buckets from a Revell '48 Ford custom coupe and a pair of clear lenses from an AMT '53 Ford pickup , which greatly improved the appearance . 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlambert Posted April 4, 2022 Share Posted April 4, 2022 That's looking absolutely stunning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted April 9, 2022 Author Share Posted April 9, 2022 And here we have the finished item . As discussed above , the plan was to reduce the depth of the windscreen frame to improve fthe look , then fit a new screen cut from clear plasticard . However , when I test-fitted the frame , it was so distorted that the centre of the lower rail was a good 2mm above the scuttle and the only way to get it to conform was to press the screen into place on the frame . I decided , therefore , to live with the slightly tall screen as it was better than a massive gap under the frame . 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dean Posted April 9, 2022 Share Posted April 9, 2022 There aren't many builds that I watch on Britmodeller, but his one has been both entertaining, and educational. I can see where I can improve on my own model building skills, while watching this excellent build come together. The extra touches (the chrome trim around the back of the soft-top cover, the MGB wheels and the replacement lights) have made such a difference to the finished article. Shame about the windscreen but in this case "discretion is the better part of valour", and leaving the windscreen as-is is probably the right move. I'd be very happy with that if it were mine 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted April 9, 2022 Share Posted April 9, 2022 Very nice indeed cracking work Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted April 9, 2022 Share Posted April 9, 2022 Absolutely exceptional, congratulations. And despite being an MG, Jaguar enthusiast / owner you can't argue with a big Healey Cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 That's simply beautiful and as you said from the start, those colours are the only way to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlambert Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 That's turned out really well and it's been a pleasure to watch it come together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 A cracking build,look's like you could hop right in and drive her off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 I found this completed Healey within the ever expanding gallery yesterday and have two say, it’s turned out wonderfully well. Excellent job all round. Cheers and well modelled.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted April 12, 2022 Author Share Posted April 12, 2022 Gentlemen , many thanks for your most generous comments . Incidentally , I knew that the Healey was an old kit , but it wasn't till I looked it up on Scalemates that I realised it was first issued in 1958 !!! What an amazing kit it must have been back then . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimJ Posted April 15, 2022 Share Posted April 15, 2022 Excellent build and a classic big Healey colour scheme. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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