MG K3, TR3 and MGB 3 Brit Classics

[rob Lyttle]

On 21/05/2024 at 20:59, Spiny said:

that the body put up a surprisingly strong fight against being mated with the chassis.

I've been pondering this comment from @Spiny while I put the interior together. There's going to be quite a structure on the chassis when it comes to fitting time. I'm currently wondering if its feasible to fit and fix the tub in the bodyshell and then fit the chassis, so the operation is done in 2 parts. So far I don't see why not. 

 

 

I'm still working on the dashboard and trying things out, nothing fixed yet. 

I've also done some framing on the front screen in preparation. Almost had a disaster with the transparency--  as I snipped it from the frame at the only attaching point, it sent a shock through the plastic that started a hairline crack 😳 Never had that happen, even when I twisted and pulled parts off the frame as a kid!!

I think it's going to be OK but if things deteriorate I'll apply for a replacement part. A few other shiny parts are attached. 

 

And I had a go at the hood although I may not use it. A set of masks are supplied in the kit and that's my very first time using such a process. It does say they're not recommended for use with a rattlecan but they did quite well and I'll call that a satisfactory 1st time outcome. Nice texture on the fabric but I think the clear panels are TOO clear for a folding hood. They're usually a bit compromised in the see-through dept after a spell of folding and unfolding, aren't they?

Anyway, the interior fittings are a bit of a riddle for these cars. The main issue for this is the internal door handles. The kit has crooked lever handles and these seem to have been dropped quite early in favour of what I'll call "Marina" flip handles (that's Morris Marina if you're not familiar). So I'm researching early types from '62 to maybe '65.

My Dad had an MGB for some time from around 1972 and it wasn't a new car by any means. I've been trying to remember some details. Definitely had early style door handles, and the ignition key went in the dashboard, not the steering column. No directional vents in the dash, and the overdrive switch in the righthand corner. 

I've been trying to think what that chrome box is in front of the gear lever and of course.... it's an ashtray!! Back in the day, eh?!

I can't remember the reg number and can't find photos. I have boxes of 35mm slides for viewing with a projector....remember those?😎

His car was an unusual colour that I've never seen another one of, and it wasn't a respray. I remember hearing there was only 4 produced or something similar. 

It was a metallic kind of paint in what I'd call "straw" or biege, could've been bland looking except for that metallic lustre. If you're familiar with Desert Pink as applied to RAF planes for Desert Storm, I think it was a pale version of that but with the metallic lustre. 

(I really am going to have to look through those boxes of slides, aren't I?😳)

 

I need to start getting the info on the TR3 project on here. I started tinkering with parts back in January and took a few photos along the way. I'll make a point of switching car themes for the next post 😇

[cmatthewbacon]

Golden Beige Metallic?

https://www.classicmg.co.uk/car/mgc-gt-1968-golden-beige-metallic-rally-prepared/
best,

M.

[rob Lyttle]

44 minutes ago, cmatthewbacon said:

Golden Beige Metallic?

Oooh that's interesting 🤔 

I'm going from distant memory here, and that looks like a very dull overcast day in the photos, but I would say it was lighter than that, not quite so Bronze 

[cmatthewbacon]

8 hours ago, rob Lyttle said:

 that looks like a very dull overcast day in the photos, but I would say it was lighter than that, not quite so Bronze 

As you say, it’s very dependent on lighting; you can find pictures online of GBM cars that look everything from desert bronze as above to pale champagne or titanium gold…

best,

M.

[rob Lyttle]

Just before I move onto the Triumph, I have a minor success with the p.e. parts, and a mystery. 

I got myself a little bottle of the glue that is used for sticking false fingernails to hands. Looks like it's a ca based product and perhaps a little bit on the jel side of things. After a trial run, I put on my bigboy pants....🫣 and set about the badge on the boot lid. 

Also did the badge on the front grill, and I think they look better than the decal option which is also supplied. 

Here's the rest of the frame. 

I've no idea what 1 represents, could it be a tiny "MGB" ?? One thing's for sure, I ain't going there. 2 and 3 are the same size and 3 has a bolder font, I'm guessing they are 2 options for the boot lid badge, maybe different years or marks.

But what about part 4...? There's no indication of what or where that goes 🤔 

Suggestions and insights are welcome 🙏 

 

As for the Tr3, here's a flavour of what I've been up to. This is the one-piece chassis pan with everything moulded on...

There's a couple of saw cuts already made front to back because I decided to pile into it and try to fabricate something like this...

I took a picture of this legend before it came off with the saw...

So it's been fun and games alright, and there's plenty more in store as I try to reconstruct 😎

[Neddy]

Blimey, you don't believe in making things easy for yourself, do you?  Good luck with it, it'll be interesting to see it come together. 🤞

[Spiny]

I just checked back on my build now since you mentioned the troubles I had, and it seems you may be on the right lines getting the tub in the chassis first... if you can get it positioned exactly right for the body. The problem I had with mine was that fitting the interior tub stiffened the body up a lot, and I needed some flex in the body to get it fitted over the chassis (it had worked fine in testing before I added the interior). You will get it in in the end, just be careful about what your fingers are resting against when trying to wrestle the two parts together! You're definitely making good, and fast, progress with the build too.

 

2 hours ago, rob Lyttle said:

 

 

I've no idea what 1 represents, could it be a tiny "MGB" ?? One thing's for sure, I ain't going there. 2 and 3 are the same size and 3 has a bolder font, I'm guessing they are 2 options for the boot lid badge, maybe different years or marks.

But what about part 4...? There's no indication of what or where that goes 🤔 

Suggestions and insights are welcome 🙏 

 

 

I can also answer the puzzle about some of the photo etch parts too. No idea about Number 1 as I couldn't find it in the instructions for mine - could be worth checking if your instructions direct you to put it on the dashboard as I can imagine it being there. Part 3 is for the boot badge on the rubber bumper version while Part 4 is for the badge on the front bumper of the rubber bumper so you won't need either of those.

[triumphfan]

To solve your mystery, the tiny MGB script went underneath the bootlid Octagon MG badge on the early cars. Not sure why they omitted it from the instructions as it should be fitted to the model.

Mind you, I've built a few of these and never managed to get the script from the etch fret in one piece 😂

 

Atb, Steve.

[rob Lyttle]

56 minutes ago, triumphfan said:

the tiny MGB script went underneath the bootlid Octagon MG badge on the early cars.

Yes Steve, I can see it in reference pictures now that I look for it. Well, it's WAY below my minimum size rule and I won't be risking the paintwork for the sake of fitting that 

 

2 hours ago, Spiny said:

may be on the right lines getting the tub in the chassis first... if you can get it positioned exactly right for the body.

Thanks for that, Spiny, I'm working on it. Once you realise there's supposed to be a gap where the side windows would slide up, things start to make sense. 

 

I thought I had more pictures of the Triumph chassis makeover as it progressed, but not so much. It was a "bit at a time" or "cavity at a time" process and I ended up with one of these...

 

I blocked in some kind of engine block rather than leave an empty void through the open framework, and something around the clutch and gearbox. And I've been constructing a front suspension. The kit just has 2 plastic rods for front and rear axles that fit through holes. 

The rear leafsprings have gone, removed in the chassis stripdown. Brass wire attachment points are fixed in to take the new springs. I've already had to do this for that little MG K3  I mentioned at the start, the kit with no chassis 🙉 So I think I'll be alright sorting the rear suspension. 

The exhaust system needs a scratch solution as that was simply embedded in the plastic chassis. It doesn't hang under the car, but fits through between the big X framework and the gearbox as it changes sides. 

Ah, here's a picture early in the process showing some upright strips being added to the main chassis members before too much plastic was cut away...

So, a combination of upright strips and top strips and gradually a chassis emerged 😎 I had a few planes on the go to break up the process 

[Neddy]

That is beyond cool, that's a superb piece of work. 

[triumphfan]

Superb modelling Rob, well done. Really looking forward to seeing this one develop.

 

Atb, Steve.

[Toftdale]

If I was building the TR3 I would definitely have thought about improving the chassis like you have,  however I'm not entirely convinced I would have brave enough to actually try it! Top work - Andy 

[rob Lyttle]

23 hours ago, Toftdale said:

I'm not entirely convinced I would have brave enough to actually try it!

Well, Andy, the alternative is to go with the kit parts as intended and then you have years of remorse, wishing you'd given it a go....🫣😅 . I did consider the option of trying a complete scratch chassis using the kit as a pattern, but for some unknown reason I went this way 😶

So I'm making rear leafsprings, but let me show you this...

This is where the embossed spring shape was moulded against the chassis and when it is cut off, it leaves the height of the frame rather compromised, so that requires a bit of extra building up to replace the missing shape. 

Here's what I've got for a spring...

Little bits of Ali tube are included at the ends which slide onto the brass wires in the chassis. I'll take a couple more pictures of the sequence as I do the other one (and a bit of alteration has been done to centralise the bottom plate)

It fits on like this  ...

Once I have 2 springs I'm going to need a back axle with wheels and tyres to try to establish the ride height for the car as it stands on the ground. 

 

This could take a while....😃

[Spottedlaurel]

Excellent work on that chassis, great to see some time and attention being paid to it.

 

I built the Revell issue of the MGB a few years ago, still regret not adjusting the ride height for the late '60s version I was going for - I was in a bit of a hurry to get it finished as a Christmas gift to my stepdad who had a 1:1 example at the time. I don't recall any issue getting it together.

[Toftdale]

Great work on the springs,  it will be an interesting challenge to get all 4 wheels on the ground.   Watching with interest - Andy 

[rob Lyttle]

For the Triumph back axle, I thought I'd make the differential with this as a basis 

 

So what I have is an Ali tube axle with the 2 wheels, tube cut to give the track width required, and a brass outer tube carrying the differential and some brake plates. As you can see, the wheel hubs are very non-scale....  these are the wheel and tyre components-

The brake plates mask the worst of the appearance when the ali axle is slid through the brass tube, 

All I gotta do is mount that to the chassis. Piece of cake, isn't it 😎 ⁉️🤣

The fitting of the chassis to the shell needs to be figured out and on this kit, that includes the big chromed bumper mouldings. I think I've got the back one sussed out. 

It's dechromed for the most part and glued to the tail end of my chassis. The two slots in the shell accommodate the two bumper arms and that's the mounting at the back sorted. 

Once I have the front end figured out and the fit of the chassis to the shell, then I can gauge the ride height I need. 

[Neddy]

Great work on the diff!

[rob Lyttle]

. Cheers, @Neddy. The underside has what detail there is on the moulding and the top side is a milliput blob pushed into shape. 

On 02/06/2024 at 19:27, Toftdale said:

to get all 4 wheels on the ground

Quite so 🤩

 

On 02/06/2024 at 08:01, Spottedlaurel said:

regret not adjusting the ride height

Well, you're sorted for your NEXT one 😉 Not too involved an operation, it turns out. 

Some details are getting sorted on the MGB as the opportunity arises. 

Tail lights are done and fixed. Windscreen is on, things like that. 

The cover behind the seats- the tonneau cover- is pretty well sorted and now painted matt black. It has the row of fastening studs moulded on. Those little fasteners are referred to as "lift-the-dots" I recall. Anyway, I couldn't resist having a go!

I drilled them through and then, using the piece in place as a template, I drilled through the bodywork and fitted stretched sprue into the holes. 

There's one more each side to do but I'm pleased to report that the studs engage with the holes and hold the tonneau nicely. The challenge is, can the hood piece be drilled to match the studs and fit in a similar way? I'll let you know...

Steering wheel is being prepped before fitting, and one other piece of tinkering is the making of an ignition key to fit in a hole in the dashboard.

Not suitable for the later models with the key in the side of the steering column 😃

And I remember the aerial on my Dad's MG- there was a little prong thing on the keyring that was poked into the collar so the top sprang out and you pulled the rest of the telescopic aerial up. And pushed it back down again when parked. There's something like it on the chrome sprue but very small and too fiddly for me. I like something bigger to hold. I inserted a piece of small diameter Ali tube through a hole drilled in the shell,  then a bit of wire glued into the tube and trimmed back. 

So it's getting there 👍

[rob Lyttle]

The TR3 chassis has the back axle fitted. 

The diff doesn't look so tidy from above but I don't need to worry about that...

A good ride height was achieved by attaching a couple of 0.5mm shims on top of the chassis members and tying the axle on, rather than worrying about attaching to the leafsprings. The thread kept it all adjustable until I got everything lined up and satisfactory,  then some drops of the excellent 💅 nail adhesive did the job. With the height established I can fiddle around with the mounts to the springs if required but ultimately nothing in there will be visible anyway. 

While the kit wheels are an odd design and a bit toy-like, there is an upside to the kit's design in that no less than 3 options for the wheel type are supplied. The basic steel type that I've been working with so far, and these...

The plain, domed hubcaps and a spoked wheel option. But neither of these have the boss that fits into the tyre like the steel wheel design. 

I've been trying a makeover on one tyre to see if I can make a wheel that can accept any of the 3 design options I have supplied. It's a work in progress. 

 

This is an attempt to get the spokes recessed into the wheel rather than stuck on the outside. But it's never going to look like the real thing...

All that crossover front to back interlacing is a wonder to see, a marvel 😎

[Toftdale]

Great idea with the shims, I would have been hacking the springs apart - Andy 

[rob Lyttle]

Right O, this WIP requires an update and editing because I had an excellent trip out a few days ago, to take a look around the Squire's shop in Bognor. I've read on other threads about the cast metal Finecast car kits and had the urge to go see for myself. 

Guess what happened....

Yeah, couldn't leave empty handed, now, could I?

 

It's been said that many, if not most, of these kits get stashed or just admired in their boxes, which is a shame and a missed opportunity of the 1st Order 🤔🫣

Well, not by me! I'm hooked from the moment I lifted the lid . Too busy with this to keep the Tr3 posts up to date. 

So it's going to be three Old Brit Classics 

Edited June 12 by rob Lyttle
Spelins

[rob Lyttle]

The Finecast metal kit is a whole different modelling game. Things don't come on sprue frames, they are packed in sealed bags, all numbered and listed. The parts breakdown is fairly simple, this is not a complicated build but it's a different material to work with for sure. 

Here's a flavour of what's happened so far. 

 

The back axle is a modification along the lines of what I've made for the Tr3. As supplied it's a one-piece item.

I took some accurate measurements before deploying the junior hacksaw, drilled through the differential and brakedrums and fitted the brass axle tube. Again the wheels will go on an inner axle sliding through that tube. 

The metal is easy to work, bendable as thin straight pieces like the chassis sides but structural integrity is remarkable as the build progresses. I've opted for C A glue so far, a glue I usually hate working with, and the metal seems to like it. Epoxy or araldite are suggested as options but that sounds nightmarish for mess and length of time. 

Main bodywork parts are done...

 

It seems like the 2 can be glued together and then fixed as one unit onto the chassis which is contrary to the instructions method. But it would enable a paint job on the bodywork while keeping the chassis separate (accept the front coaming needs to be bodywork colour).

This is the front axle...

I'm wondering about the possibility of getting steering on the front wheels... 🤔

[Neddy]

Great progress so far, excellent work on the back axle.

 

It's interesting to note that of the several 50+ year old builds in my display cabinet, the only one that isn't gradually dropping apart due to adhesive failure is the solitary white metal MGA which was assembled solely using CA and is still as solid as a rock.  About as heavy, too!

[2996 Victor]

15 hours ago, rob Lyttle said:

I'm wondering about the possibility of getting steering on the front wheels

Dont forget that K3s had a divided track rod system!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[rob Lyttle]

28 minutes ago, 2996 Victor said:

Dont forget that K3s had a divided track rod system

Oooooh.... have you got any more information on that? The kit piece is just a straight rod with a couple of arms on the ends. Bearing in mind I need to link the wheels in a functional way, I may need to stick with the straight rod option but I'm always happy to gather information. 

 

The prevarication is finished, decision is made, hacksaw has been applied 

All I gotta do now is put it back together again 😎