MG K3, TR3, MGB, AH Sprite. 4 Brit Classics

[Noel Smith]

Nice work on all these models.

A separate thread for each may have worked nicely on here.

[rob Lyttle]

On 09/10/2024 at 15:26, HK-500 said:

but wondered what its purpose was !😁

There you go, every day's a school day on here, isn't it?

Well I finally achieved some intl trading in AUD, and the order is placed. And the die is definitely cast here, ready for some 3D printed action. Going to be a new experience for me but the reviews are great and the pictures look excellent if a little challenging 😀 

 

I noticed a current build of the Airfix Sprite in 1.32 scale on here and I can see more front suspension detail on that than there is on this "high tech" kit. It seems that there was a standard plastic kit issued by Gunze Sangyo of the Sprite, I'm wondering if that version has anything more in the way of suspension, steering or underside content. 

Did I mention that the seats and side interiors are all moulded on the black "rubber" sprue along with the tyres?🫢

[rob Lyttle]

On 09/10/2024 at 19:15, Noel Smith said:

A separate thread for each may have worked nicely on here

Yeah,  Noel, you're probably right. It was only 2 when I started 😎. Just kinda grew...

[rob Lyttle]

My package from Mini Retro in Australia arrived in seems like no time at all. 

Duane degruchy is the guy responsible and he has a niche all to himself, doing an Austin A30 in all its various forms, an A40 which was my very first car, and this much needed add-on upgrade for the Sprite. Apart from the main front chassis and engine bay unit, there's something like 50 other parts all perfectly formed, beautiful wheels and tyres and everything from small to tiny 😀 

Here's the front chassis dry fitted to the bodywork...

I've Already fitted the battery, heater unit, brake hydraulics and voltage regulator and wiper motor. 

Also spent a few happy hours building up the engine and gearbox, and several more bits to go. 

 

 

Slotted in place, you can see the model is already transformed 😍

It's a challenge for me, a new modelling experience, but I'm blown away by the accuracy and detail he's incorporated into this little bundle of bits. And mating to the original kit parts is perfect so far 👌 

[Toftdale]

The sprites looking top, however I do wish you hadn't shown the engine transkit as I have the sprite in my stash and to cut a long story short I've broken my promise to myself not to by any more kits, but in this case it was definitely worth it. - Andy 

[rob Lyttle]

5 hours ago, Toftdale said:

to cut a long story short I've broken my promise to myself

Definitely a worthy exception to the rule, I think!😎

I'm not usually much of an aftermarket consumer and more usually bashing things up with bits of plastic and stuff, whatever is lying around 🙄 but the Gunze kit is just too lacking. Is yours the "high tech" version with white metal chassis etc.??  I understand that there's a styrene version of the kit too, but just as "low tech" as the metal version .

[Toftdale]

On 27/10/2024 at 23:17, rob Lyttle said:

Is yours the "high tech" version with white metal chassis etc.??

Yes, I've got the one that comes with the additional hard top, luggage rack and luggage.   The main reason I went for the High-tech one was that it comes with the photoetch,  which I'm fairly sure the normal version doesn't.   I've actually got a couple of other kits in the range,  however it was definitely the subjects that appealed to me other than the seduction of a High-tech kit.  The Lotus elan I have does have an engine and reasonably detailed engine bay, but the rest are lacking in a lot of detail - Andy 

[rob Lyttle]

I've been doing a couple of aeroplanes for the classic Airfix group build which has taken quite a bit of my sparse modelling time, but there has been progress with the cars too, specifically the Sprite with the Mini Retro upgrade. 

Rear wheels, brake drums and tyres are supplied so the car has a matching set all round, so my back axle set-up has been adapted to accept these on an Ali tube axle. 

 

The metal rear chassis still "floating" till I'm happy with the ride height. 

Tinkering with the details under the bonnet has been a mostly enjoyable recreational activity, though testing at times. 

I've added battery leads and some wiring loom, reinstalled the distributor on a wire shaft after knocking it off, managed a lead from there to the coil,  4 plugs inserted and a couple of clumsy tries at 4 plug leads. It's no good, a step too far for me, I'm going to leave that for the moment. 

 

Front suspension provided a few challenges.  Separate top links with damper units need to be installed through the wheel arches with a mounting pin locating into a hole in the chassis member...

Top arrow is the unit installed and the bottom arrow shows the hole into which the other unit must attach. I found it easier to get the tiny item in place and engaged in the hole and then dot it with cyano. Otherwise it all gets quite panicking! 

The parts design precludes having pivoting steering but under the circumstances that's OK and there's a bit of adjustment available before glueing so I've put a little bit of a turn on the steering. 

That picture is the 2nd wheel assembly and the trackrod is inserted through the chassis. So the challenge then is to mount the wheel plate to the top link, and the steering arm into the trackrod end, and the bottom wishbone into place too, and keep a little bit of steering angle to match the 1st wheel....🤩

I actually painted the pins and holes in matt white to aid visibility, and again got the fit and installation sorted first and then dotted the joints with cyano 

 

After that, the wheel hubs and tyres just fix onto the brake plates and the job's done ✔️ 

 

 

So, a couple more hose pieces to fit around the engine and then it'll time to look at the bonnet mounting hinge arrangements