Mercedes-Benz 500SEC

[Kiertomäntä]

How many unfinished/wrecked/ruined models one has to build before realizing that those are not meant be touched? Or only used as "spares"... Apparently so many that at least I haven't reached that. This has been under construction for about 1,5 years now and at this point I'm declaring it finished. 

 

Originally I bought this to be used as spares (or donor) for other projects but as I thought this could make into finished model if wanted to. And with that thought I dug myself into the swamp once again. I'm guessing that the previous owner had tried to make this into some sort of offroader/monster as the suspension was lifted about 20mm in scale. In real car that would have meant lifting it for half a metre! Engine was also modified to have exhaust through the bonnet and all the markings were shaved aff the body. Because of this a lot of the underbody parts were modified, cut away etc. I didn't want to restore it to original just because the hours it would need. So the lowering (a.k.a hiding the evidence of missing parts) was the other obvious solution. This might not actually have been that far-fetched as as far as I know these types of builds were somewhat common in the former eastern bloc countries in the 90's and early 2000s among rich kids after they could get their hands on western premium cars.

 

Body colour is from Scania (very hard for photographing as it turns out), carbon-fibre on the bonnet is single piece from Scale production's sheet, all front vents and openings are carved open, rims are period-correct 3D-printed AMG gen.II's, wheels are stolen from spare parts box and lacquer is AK's ultra gloss with hand polishing.

 

 

[TommyOneTwoFour]

Hi there,

I really like the overall look of this Benz. Not too sure about the CF on the hood and the grille mesh removed, but the colour, stance and those beautiful AMG Penta wheels really look the part!

[Spiny]

Well rescued. It's never easy trying to make a previously built model into a good end result, but going by your description of its monster-trucking you've done excellent work restoring this to something more realistic looking.

[Anteater]

Great colour, the car's got great presence. Well done for rescuing it. This must the old Tamiya kit, right? 

[Marco F.]

That's a real fine looking SEC  Congratulations,  but I also got to ask if it's a Revell or Tamiya base....can't judge it from the pics...

Marco F 

[Kiertomäntä]

On 05/12/2023 at 17:14, TommyOneTwoFour said:

Not too sure about the CF on the hood and the grille mesh removed

I'm not so sure either anymore but I still think it's better than if it would have been just plain body colour. Mesh is still easy to install (actually I tried it before taking pictures) but due to thickness of the bonnet I didn't like how deep it went behind the Merc star.

14 hours ago, Anteater said:

This must the old Tamiya kit, right? 

 

14 hours ago, Marco F. said:

but I also got to ask if it's a Revell or Tamiya base....

It is Tamiya and looking at the box I'm quite certain it's actually the original one from the 80's and not the re-issue. Certainly not the Lorinser...

[Pete in Lincs]

What a great model of a great looking Merc.

[FunkyChiken]

It's a neat looking benz, the colour suits it!