Spottedlaurel

Today was Drive It Day.  So I drove it. 

You look like you might have the right setup to have a look a job for me actually.
I've got this thing sat on my drive slowly getting fettled. Stud pattern on these is 4 x 110, really odd size. I've got a quite rare set of refurbished Lotus Eclat (not elite) 14" alloys that i reckon would look the business on it, but they're 114mm pcd. I can well imagine that fitting them might involve redrilling hubs or whatever, if its even possible at all. Might you be up for taking a look? I guess I'd have to send the car & wheels over to you on a truck (no big deal as I'm only about 9 miles from your workshop) and you could see what you think about it.

Number 2, a Fujimi issue of the Nissan Fairlady ZG (Datsun 240Z with aero nose):

What I started with. There is an engine, but as there's minimal underbonnet detail then I've kept that for another Datsun project.

Went for a distinctly non-stock colour - Tamiya Lavender with pearl clear and then gloss clear. Arches, bumpers and spoilers were painted dark metallic grey.

Wheels by Aoshima, tyres from yet another kit. Window trims finished with foil, and wipers and some other brightwork done using Gundam chrome marker.

 

Interior painted metallic salmon pink (!), with a bit of light grey and felt carpet to give it a bit of texture.

 

A couple of quick outdoor shots that still don't really do the pearl finish justice - it's subtle but works well, slightly different to a metallic/mica finish.

Managed to get two 1/24 builds off the bench this weekend, spurred on by wanting to get them on display at the show.
Number 1 was a quick, simpe refurb of a Tamiya 280ZX I bought already built, ostensibly to strip and rebuild but it was tidy enough just to work with what was there:

 

As bought, with brush-painted enamel paintwork and some loose components, but mercifully no glue on the glass.

 

 

Wheels and tyres swapped from another version of the 280ZX kit, missing rear light found inside the body and lenses  painted with clear red and orange, bumpers reattached, mirrors replaced/refitted, body washed and resin polished, and perhaps most satisfyingly was adding foil to the window trims. I left the interior and driver as it was. It came with the little motor as was common in Japanese kits of the time, and I couldn't resist popping a couple of AA batteries to see how it went across the garage floor - pretty fast!
Not immaculate, but better it sitting as a complete model on the shelf rather than in a box as a 'pending' project. And I have a boxed, unstarted kit when I want to do one 'properly'.

A bit of SIM II news to report today:

Sold 3-4 unbuilt kits. I take a few built ones along as a talking point, and to show buyers what can be done with them. This is the Mk1 version of the stall, which then had to be rearranged behind the shelter of the car due to the wind lifting lids off the boxes and redistributing contents....

Put a little bit of the proceeds back into these - left and middle rows from other sellers at the show, two on the right from shops.

The Sunny Truck was one I was particularly keen after I saw it there on a stand last year, because it reminds me of this kit I built with similar wheels and colour:
More in a moment once I've done a bit of editing....

Family fleet attendance at another enjoyable East Coast Japanese meet:

Star car of the day, for me at least, was this lovely Camry:

Recently purchased at an ACA sale.
Closely followed by this Piazza:

The Laurel was second-oldest, with a friend's Celica Liftback taking the honours of being the most aged:

Family fleet attendance at another enjoyable East Coast Japanese meet:

Star car of the day, for me at least, was this lovely Camry:

Recently purchased at an ACA sale.
Closely followed by this Piazza:

The Laurel was second-oldest, with a friend's Celica Liftback taking the honours of being the most aged:

Number 2, a Fujimi issue of the Nissan Fairlady ZG (Datsun 240Z with aero nose):

What I started with. There is an engine, but as there's minimal underbonnet detail then I've kept that for another Datsun project.

Went for a distinctly non-stock colour - Tamiya Lavender with pearl clear and then gloss clear. Arches, bumpers and spoilers were painted dark metallic grey.

Wheels by Aoshima, tyres from yet another kit. Window trims finished with foil, and wipers and some other brightwork done using Gundam chrome marker.

 

Interior painted metallic salmon pink (!), with a bit of light grey and felt carpet to give it a bit of texture.

 

A couple of quick outdoor shots that still don't really do the pearl finish justice - it's subtle but works well, slightly different to a metallic/mica finish.

Managed to get two 1/24 builds off the bench this weekend, spurred on by wanting to get them on display at the show.
Number 1 was a quick, simpe refurb of a Tamiya 280ZX I bought already built, ostensibly to strip and rebuild but it was tidy enough just to work with what was there:

 

As bought, with brush-painted enamel paintwork and some loose components, but mercifully no glue on the glass.

 

 

Wheels and tyres swapped from another version of the 280ZX kit, missing rear light found inside the body and lenses  painted with clear red and orange, bumpers reattached, mirrors replaced/refitted, body washed and resin polished, and perhaps most satisfyingly was adding foil to the window trims. I left the interior and driver as it was. It came with the little motor as was common in Japanese kits of the time, and I couldn't resist popping a couple of AA batteries to see how it went across the garage floor - pretty fast!
Not immaculate, but better it sitting as a complete model on the shelf rather than in a box as a 'pending' project. And I have a boxed, unstarted kit when I want to do one 'properly'.

A bit of SIM II news to report today:

Sold 3-4 unbuilt kits. I take a few built ones along as a talking point, and to show buyers what can be done with them. This is the Mk1 version of the stall, which then had to be rearranged behind the shelter of the car due to the wind lifting lids off the boxes and redistributing contents....

Put a little bit of the proceeds back into these - left and middle rows from other sellers at the show, two on the right from shops.

The Sunny Truck was one I was particularly keen after I saw it there on a stand last year, because it reminds me of this kit I built with similar wheels and colour:
More in a moment once I've done a bit of editing....

Number 2, a Fujimi issue of the Nissan Fairlady ZG (Datsun 240Z with aero nose):

What I started with. There is an engine, but as there's minimal underbonnet detail then I've kept that for another Datsun project.

Went for a distinctly non-stock colour - Tamiya Lavender with pearl clear and then gloss clear. Arches, bumpers and spoilers were painted dark metallic grey.

Wheels by Aoshima, tyres from yet another kit. Window trims finished with foil, and wipers and some other brightwork done using Gundam chrome marker.

 

Interior painted metallic salmon pink (!), with a bit of light grey and felt carpet to give it a bit of texture.

 

A couple of quick outdoor shots that still don't really do the pearl finish justice - it's subtle but works well, slightly different to a metallic/mica finish.

Number 2, a Fujimi issue of the Nissan Fairlady ZG (Datsun 240Z with aero nose):

What I started with. There is an engine, but as there's minimal underbonnet detail then I've kept that for another Datsun project.

Went for a distinctly non-stock colour - Tamiya Lavender with pearl clear and then gloss clear. Arches, bumpers and spoilers were painted dark metallic grey.

Wheels by Aoshima, tyres from yet another kit. Window trims finished with foil, and wipers and some other brightwork done using Gundam chrome marker.

 

Interior painted metallic salmon pink (!), with a bit of light grey and felt carpet to give it a bit of texture.

 

A couple of quick outdoor shots that still don't really do the pearl finish justice - it's subtle but works well, slightly different to a metallic/mica finish.

A bit of SIM II news to report today:

Sold 3-4 unbuilt kits. I take a few built ones along as a talking point, and to show buyers what can be done with them. This is the Mk1 version of the stall, which then had to be rearranged behind the shelter of the car due to the wind lifting lids off the boxes and redistributing contents....

Put a little bit of the proceeds back into these - left and middle rows from other sellers at the show, two on the right from shops.

The Sunny Truck was one I was particularly keen after I saw it there on a stand last year, because it reminds me of this kit I built with similar wheels and colour:
More in a moment once I've done a bit of editing....

Family fleet attendance at another enjoyable East Coast Japanese meet:

Star car of the day, for me at least, was this lovely Camry:

Recently purchased at an ACA sale.
Closely followed by this Piazza:

The Laurel was second-oldest, with a friend's Celica Liftback taking the honours of being the most aged:

Family fleet attendance at another enjoyable East Coast Japanese meet:

Star car of the day, for me at least, was this lovely Camry:

Recently purchased at an ACA sale.
Closely followed by this Piazza:

The Laurel was second-oldest, with a friend's Celica Liftback taking the honours of being the most aged:

Family fleet attendance at another enjoyable East Coast Japanese meet:

Star car of the day, for me at least, was this lovely Camry:

Recently purchased at an ACA sale.
Closely followed by this Piazza:

The Laurel was second-oldest, with a friend's Celica Liftback taking the honours of being the most aged:

Family fleet attendance at another enjoyable East Coast Japanese meet:

Star car of the day, for me at least, was this lovely Camry:

Recently purchased at an ACA sale.
Closely followed by this Piazza:

The Laurel was second-oldest, with a friend's Celica Liftback taking the honours of being the most aged:

Managed to get two 1/24 builds off the bench this weekend, spurred on by wanting to get them on display at the show.
Number 1 was a quick, simpe refurb of a Tamiya 280ZX I bought already built, ostensibly to strip and rebuild but it was tidy enough just to work with what was there:

 

As bought, with brush-painted enamel paintwork and some loose components, but mercifully no glue on the glass.

 

 

Wheels and tyres swapped from another version of the 280ZX kit, missing rear light found inside the body and lenses  painted with clear red and orange, bumpers reattached, mirrors replaced/refitted, body washed and resin polished, and perhaps most satisfyingly was adding foil to the window trims. I left the interior and driver as it was. It came with the little motor as was common in Japanese kits of the time, and I couldn't resist popping a couple of AA batteries to see how it went across the garage floor - pretty fast!
Not immaculate, but better it sitting as a complete model on the shelf rather than in a box as a 'pending' project. And I have a boxed, unstarted kit when I want to do one 'properly'.

A bit of SIM II news to report today:

Sold 3-4 unbuilt kits. I take a few built ones along as a talking point, and to show buyers what can be done with them. This is the Mk1 version of the stall, which then had to be rearranged behind the shelter of the car due to the wind lifting lids off the boxes and redistributing contents....

Put a little bit of the proceeds back into these - left and middle rows from other sellers at the show, two on the right from shops.

The Sunny Truck was one I was particularly keen after I saw it there on a stand last year, because it reminds me of this kit I built with similar wheels and colour:
More in a moment once I've done a bit of editing....

Family fleet attendance at another enjoyable East Coast Japanese meet:

Star car of the day, for me at least, was this lovely Camry:

Recently purchased at an ACA sale.
Closely followed by this Piazza:

The Laurel was second-oldest, with a friend's Celica Liftback taking the honours of being the most aged:

Watched the chinese GP

Looked over last weeks Barcelona photos

And Took delivery of an old skool ford

 

Number 2, a Fujimi issue of the Nissan Fairlady ZG (Datsun 240Z with aero nose):

What I started with. There is an engine, but as there's minimal underbonnet detail then I've kept that for another Datsun project.

Went for a distinctly non-stock colour - Tamiya Lavender with pearl clear and then gloss clear. Arches, bumpers and spoilers were painted dark metallic grey.

Wheels by Aoshima, tyres from yet another kit. Window trims finished with foil, and wipers and some other brightwork done using Gundam chrome marker.

 

Interior painted metallic salmon pink (!), with a bit of light grey and felt carpet to give it a bit of texture.

 

A couple of quick outdoor shots that still don't really do the pearl finish justice - it's subtle but works well, slightly different to a metallic/mica finish.

Being such a glorious day it was definitely an excuse to get the 2CV out (plus it was drive it day…) 

Went to a little meet in the morning, and it was little. But there were a few gems there! 

Then a short drive to the beach, and met up with some friends and their Morris Traveller. 

(There was a car between them when we parked)
The long way home was used too… a lovely day out in the 2CV! 

Managed to get two 1/24 builds off the bench this weekend, spurred on by wanting to get them on display at the show.
Number 1 was a quick, simpe refurb of a Tamiya 280ZX I bought already built, ostensibly to strip and rebuild but it was tidy enough just to work with what was there:

 

As bought, with brush-painted enamel paintwork and some loose components, but mercifully no glue on the glass.

 

 

Wheels and tyres swapped from another version of the 280ZX kit, missing rear light found inside the body and lenses  painted with clear red and orange, bumpers reattached, mirrors replaced/refitted, body washed and resin polished, and perhaps most satisfyingly was adding foil to the window trims. I left the interior and driver as it was. It came with the little motor as was common in Japanese kits of the time, and I couldn't resist popping a couple of AA batteries to see how it went across the garage floor - pretty fast!
Not immaculate, but better it sitting as a complete model on the shelf rather than in a box as a 'pending' project. And I have a boxed, unstarted kit when I want to do one 'properly'.

Family fleet attendance at another enjoyable East Coast Japanese meet:

Star car of the day, for me at least, was this lovely Camry:

Recently purchased at an ACA sale.
Closely followed by this Piazza:

The Laurel was second-oldest, with a friend's Celica Liftback taking the honours of being the most aged: