Ginetta G4 Series 2

[Bengalensis]

I have hinted about this odd kit in some other threads here years ago; a 1/24 scale resin kit of the Ginetta G4. I bought it some 15 odd years ago at Yahoo Japan auctions. The maker was not specified and there was no dedicated box, just an anonymous instruction sheet. Who can resist? Years later another one cropped up for sale somewhere on the web and it was then I learned that the producer was “Hobby House Star Dust”, and that there had also been a dedicated box, at least for some of their production. So what’s the point of having this unbuilt as a shelf or thread teaser? Time to get on with it.

 

 

The kit is not very complicated; a number of resin parts, a separate hard top, quite good light parts of which some are cast in coloured transparent resin, and no tyres. The rims supplied are Minilites that look quite small and simple, and I’m not perfectly sure they were originally included in the kit, I think you were meant to use the wheels from a Tamiya Lotus 7. Scale wise it’s a bit undecided when one starts to measure; the wheel base measures closer to 1/25, while overall length and width comes out closer to 1/24. The length had me puzzled for a long time before I realised that the length usually quoted for the G4 seems to be for the Series 1 cars with their shorter stubby tail section. But it looks a lot like a G4 and overall I have always liked the parts when I played with them. I have tried some different tyres and wheels on it, but never been sure what I wanted to do with it.

 

 

Last year, I think it was, I bought a set of Minilite wheels with slick tyres from Renaissance. These in reality measured to 12” in 1/24 scale diameter but looked quite right. I thought I wanted 13” and possibly build a G4R, which was the works racing version of the G4 with independent rear suspension and a Lotus Ford 1600 twin cam, and that I could live with the measurements. Then it was packed down in its box once again, for which time I can longer remember...

 

 

I still don’t know exactly what to build, but now I will try to get it done. Perhaps a G4R inspired Series 2 road car. Probably opened up rear wheel arches. Minilite wheels is a must. Wider rear wheels? Slick tyres, or something like Toyo 888? Here is a mock up with the Renaissance wheels.

 

 

 

Open roadster with a tiny windscreen and a simple roll bar, or the hard top fitted? I have always thought the G4 becomes a little odd looking with the hard top fitted, but perhaps that will be the right thing? I’m actually leaning towards it.

 

 

 

A lot to consider...

[PROPELLER]

Another superb subject Jörgen!
May I? With the hard top fitted, it's really a very special car. Without? A roadster among very others...

 

Dan. 

[Marco F.]

Great little car,  I will have an eye on your WIP 

The hardtop suits it 

Marco F 

[klubman01]

That looks like a very nice kit.  The castings look clean and crisp from where I'm sat.  The hardtop and the Minilites really suit it.  I'm sure you produce a great model whichever route that you choose.  Should be good.

Trevor

[cmatthewbacon]

There's a some inspiration and a goodly selection of colour options here:

 

https://www.cjm-photography.co.uk/search.html?search=ginetta+g4

 

I've seen a fair few being ragged around Donington in Historics races and they are very cool little beasties. You'll just be needing a TVR Grantura to keep it company!

best,

M.

[Neddy]

I'd go with the majority I think.  Whilst I'd prefer the looks of the open-top the hardtop definitely adds a unique look to it.  It'll be interesting to see how this one develops.

[Malc2]

Either way it is a very welcome subject, especially speaking as a member of the Ginetta Owners Club!

Malc.

[ceeb555]

Really looking forward to this whichever way you decide to go, will definitely be another amazing model 

Can’t wait for you to start and show your amazing skills

Chris

 

[Bengalensis]

@PROPELLER @Marco F. @klubman01 @cmatthewbacon @Neddy

Thanks a lot guys, and great to have you following already. And for once I can make everyone, so far, happy; the hardtop will definitely be fitted 👍 This morning when I woke up I was leaning in that direction, then I spent an hour or two searching around photos, I did some more mock up test fittings, then read your comments ( @PROPELLER is right) and followed the link @cmatthewbacon supplied... Hardtop it is.

 

@Malc2 @ceeb555

I was typing as you commented; great to have you around! @Malc2 I found the Ginetta Owners Club website today 👍

Hardtop it is.

 

I've spent some time today filling small air bubbles and doing some general cleaning up of the major parts. Not much that made it to the camera. The castings are quite good, especially for such a low volume resin kit of probably +20 years back, but of course not perfect. The hardtop is/was a little rough and will still require major thinning out of the inside and fit adjustments. I still like the parts.

 

And I have a much clearer vision now of what this car will become.

[Hamden]

 

Another very interesting project on your bench, I remember watching these racing in the Blue Circle Cement modsport series in the '70's more memories coming back!

 

           Roger

[Bengalensis]

2 minutes ago, Hamden said:

 

Another very interesting project on your bench, I remember watching these racing in the Blue Circle Cement modsport series in the '70's more memories coming back!

 

           Roger

Good to have you along Roger!

It's a lovely little car. I should have built this long ago, but better late than never...

[Vesa Jussila]

One more interesting subject and from manufacturer that I never heard before. Knowing your skills this will be impressive when completed. 

[Andreas.R]

Hello Jörgen,

after looking at the pics cmatthewbacon linked this is a very small car.

Thats why the hardtop looks so big, i would prefer the open top rollbar version.

Once again a unique selection of subjects and kits.

Regards

Andreas

 

Edited August 20 by Andreas.R
text

[keefr22]

Heck, what a crowd, is there room for a little fat bloke at the front?!  Sorry I'm late!

 

Glad you chose this little beauty as your next built Jörgen, I was hoping you would as it's a lovely little car and the kit looks to be deserving of your building and finishing skills

 

2 hours ago, Bengalensis said:

Hardtop it is.

 

Could you possibly embed magnets in the top and body to make it removable and have the best of both worlds?

 

10 hours ago, Bengalensis said:

I bought a set of Minilite wheels with slick tyres from Renaissance. These in reality measured to 12” in 1/24

 

I have a set of those and they always appeared a bit small, but I've never got around to measuring them!

 

Looking forward to the next update!
 

Keith

[Sabrejet]

11 hours ago, Bengalensis said:

I have hinted about this odd kit in some other threads here years ago; a 1/24 scale resin kit of the Ginetta G4. I bought it some 15 odd years ago at Yahoo Japan auctions. The maker was not specified and there was no dedicated box, just an anonymous instruction sheet. Who can resist? Years later another one cropped up for sale somewhere on the web and it was then I learned that the producer was “Hobby House Star Dust”, and that there had also been a dedicated box, at least for some of their production. So what’s the point of having this unbuilt as a shelf or thread teaser? Time to get on with it.

 

 

The kit is not very complicated; a number of resin parts, a separate hard top, quite good light parts of which some are cast in coloured transparent resin, and no tyres. The rims supplied are Minilites that look quite small and simple, and I’m not perfectly sure they were originally included in the kit, I think you were meant to use the wheels from a Tamiya Lotus 7. Scale wise it’s a bit undecided when one starts to measure; the wheel base measures closer to 1/25, while overall length and width comes out closer to 1/24. The length had me puzzled for a long time before I realised that the length usually quoted for the G4 seems to be for the Series 1 cars with their shorter stubby tail section. But it looks a lot like a G4 and overall I have always liked the parts when I played with them. I have tried some different tyres and wheels on it, but never been sure what I wanted to do with it.

 

 

Last year, I think it was, I bought a set of Minilite wheels with slick tyres from Renaissance. These in reality measured to 12” in 1/24 scale diameter but looked quite right. I thought I wanted 13” and possibly build a G4R, which was the works racing version of the G4 with independent rear suspension and a Lotus Ford 1600 twin cam, and that I could live with the measurements. Then it was packed down in its box once again, for which time I can longer remember...

 

 

I still don’t know exactly what to build, but now I will try to get it done. Perhaps a G4R inspired Series 2 road car. Probably opened up rear wheel arches. Minilite wheels is a must. Wider rear wheels? Slick tyres, or something like Toyo 888? Here is a mock up with the Renaissance wheels.

 

 

 

Open roadster with a tiny windscreen and a simple roll bar, or the hard top fitted? I have always thought the G4 becomes a little odd looking with the hard top fitted, but perhaps that will be the right thing? I’m actually leaning towards it.

 

 

 

A lot to consider...

 

I love the G4: it's a really quirky yet elegant car, and in my opinion the best-looking of the Ginettas. I wish I had this kit and if I did, it would be silver! Watching with great interest.

 

[Sabrejet]

Oh and it's GOT to have the hardtop!!! That's what makes a G4 a G4.

[Toftdale]

I'm fashionable late as always to the party 😁.  As the others have said,  very cool subject and I will be watching with interest. 

 

19 minutes ago, Sabrejet said:

I wish I had this kit

I've keep toying with the idea of buying from this seller on shapeways 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZAJXP3CAW/ginetta-g4-tub-1-24

[Sabrejet]

6 minutes ago, Toftdale said:

I'm fashionable late as always to the party 😁.  As the others have said,  very cool subject and I will be watching with interest. 

 

I've keep toying with the idea of buying from this seller on shapeways 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZAJXP3CAW/ginetta-g4-tub-1-24

 

Looks nice but it would be an expensive partwork!

[Bengalensis]

12 hours ago, Vesa Jussila said:

One more interesting subject and from manufacturer that I never heard before. Knowing your skills this will be impressive when completed. 

Thanks a lot Vesa! I hope I can do it some justice.

 

11 hours ago, Andreas.R said:

Hello Jörgen,

after looking at the pics cmatthewbacon linked this is a very small car.

Thats why the hardtop looks so big, i would prefer the open top rollbar version.

Once again a unique selection of subjects and kits.

Regards

Andreas

Thanks a lot Andreas!

Indeed, and I still think it looks a little quirky, but it's growing on me, and it very much defines a G4 shape.

 

9 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Heck, what a crowd, is there room for a little fat bloke at the front?!  Sorry I'm late!

 

Glad you chose this little beauty as your next built Jörgen, I was hoping you would as it's a lovely little car and the kit looks to be deserving of your building and finishing skills

 

 

Could you possibly embed magnets in the top and body to make it removable and have the best of both worlds?

 

 

I have a set of those and they always appeared a bit small, but I've never got around to measuring them!

 

Looking forward to the next update!
 

Keith

You're most welcome Keith, there's always room!

 

I've never looked much into magnets, but it might be possible, but then it would also involve a (single) wiper and a roadster windscreen, both attached to the body, to be movable. I think I'll be happy with the hardtop and wiper fixed.

 

Yes, the Renaissance Minilites are very close to 12", but then there is also the factor how it looks together with a body shell that might have it's own problems... In this case I wonder if true 13" wheels would look too big? I will have to look to some test with that.

 

9 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

 

I love the G4: it's a really quirky yet elegant car, and in my opinion the best-looking of the Ginettas. I wish I had this kit and if I did, it would be silver! Watching with great interest.

Silver was actually an early thought as that is the colour of a (much more recently built) 1/1 "G4" I've sometimes toyed with the idea of trying to buy... It suits the car very well.

 

9 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

Oh and it's GOT to have the hardtop!!! That's what makes a G4 a G4.

It will 👍

 

9 hours ago, Toftdale said:

I'm fashionable late as always to the party 😁.  As the others have said,  very cool subject and I will be watching with interest. 

 

I've keep toying with the idea of buying from this seller on shapeways 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZAJXP3CAW/ginetta-g4-tub-1-24

You're very welcome, it's never too late!

 

I found that one on Shapeways yesterday, but on a different link showing it built:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/72HHE7CWK/ginetta-g4-tank-and-rad-1-24

Looks like a good effort, but still in need of some work to get right I think. The big problem is that as Shapeways went bankrupt this summer I wouldn't send any more money their way... Not sure if their shops are actually working today? I hope the designer of this one will make the corrections needed and put it up for sale elsewhere.

[Sabrejet]

5 minutes ago, Bengalensis said:

I found that one on Shapeways yesterday, but on a different link showing it built:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/72HHE7CWK/ginetta-g4-tank-and-rad-1-24

Looks like a good effort, but still in need of some work to get right I think. 

 

Agreed: the main one being that it doesn't look like a G4!

[Bengalensis]

I got the feeling that the body shell was somewhat skewed, but it turned out mostly to be the right hand rocker panel lacking almost a mm in depth. I glued 1x1 Evergreen strips on both sides and sanded to even heights and straight parallel lines to have something to work the filler against.

 

 

Filler sanded to shape and finished. Now it all looks even enough when mocking it up for test viewing.

 

 

I worked a lot on the hardtop to clean it up, adjusting the fit and removed at least 50% of it’s weight by thinning it down to a more reasonable thickness. It is indeed a bit fragile now… Then I cut open the rear wheel arches to where I think I want them. This is a test with the Renaissance 12” wheels.

 

 

 

 

Here is a test with same tyres forced onto true 13” wheels, of course of completely wrong type... But I think true 13” could work. My friend Wheel Master Johan Brusefält already had a 13x10” Minilite 3D-modelled it turned out, so I have just received his file to tweak it and reduce the width to a front and a rear wheel for this one. I will play with that tomorrow, The plan now is to also create Toyo 888’s as 185/60 and 205/60, and see where that takes the whole thing after 3D-printing. If it doesn’t look good I can at least use the tyres if I get around to build my own Lotus Europa...

 

 

 

 

I also had a look at the seats. The kit comes with the very basic early type seat which is just two cushions on the floor and a common very thin back rest, pretty much like early Lotus 7, I think. It’s quite charming, but I think I want a little more, and some 4-point belts added. I think I will try to create new floor cushions and similar separate back rests with more thickness, I’ve seen some different versions of that set up. I don’t want any of the more modern shaped seat shells I have also seen. I’m also not sure if the rear drum brakes will survive, but that is a lesser problem.

 

[klubman01]

The stance looks just right.  Opening up the rear wheel arches was a good move.

Trevor

[keefr22]

I have to say, just IMO of course, that it looks more 'period correct' on the Rennaissance wheels - the bigger thirteens seem to give it more of a 'restomod' look to my eyes?

 

However after googling images again, it looks like race Ginettas use the bigger wheels, road cars seem to have about the same clearance in the rear arch as yours, but more clearance between the tyre and front arch - as in the 12 inch Minilites on yours.....

 

But I'm sure whatever you choose will turn out to be the right choice

 

13 hours ago, Bengalensis said:

if I get around to build my own Lotus Europa...

 

That's another model I would love to see! 

 

Keith

 

[Noel Smith]

Unusual kit.       Unusual subject.     Progress should be interesting to follow.

[Bengalensis]

11 hours ago, keefr22 said:

I have to say, just IMO of course, that it looks more 'period correct' on the Rennaissance wheels - the bigger thirteens seem to give it more of a 'restomod' look to my eyes?

 

However after googling images again, it looks like race Ginettas use the bigger wheels, road cars seem to have about the same clearance in the rear arch as yours, but more clearance between the tyre and front arch - as in the 12 inch Minilites on yours.....

 

But I'm sure whatever you choose will turn out to be the right choice

 

 

That's another model I would love to see! 

 

Keith

 

I've been under the impression that most G4's on Minilites and similar wheels are on 13", those I have come close to are, but I'm not sure what is general. We'll see where all this ends up, hopefully.

 

My own Europa, yes, it's on the menu somewhere, but I've already done a Tamiya conversion to the earlier (correct IMO) body style and Renault engine, and it's not too tempting, yet, do do it again. I think.

 

11 hours ago, Noel Smith said:

Unusual kit.       Unusual subject.     Progress should be interesting to follow.

I hope it will, you're most welcome!