Shite in Miniature II

[andrew e]

@danthecapriman despite ARC becoming Hanson last century today I still stuck a train in the ‘ARC sidings’ in Dagenham 😉

[MiniMinorMk3]

18 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

 

That newer one didn’t have zinc pest did it? It seems to have broken really strangely, almost like the metal went funny and started crumbling and breaking up.

 

18 hours ago, quicksilver said:

Looks like classic zinc pest symptoms to me. Some early 2000s Corgis are known to suffer from it as there was a bad batch of metal going around the Chinese factories then.

Looking at the paint surface it does look like there has been some sort of reaction underneath. I think what caused the initial damage was the car was dropped on to a hard surface and the weakened metal just broke. Unfortunately the bumper has gone missing. I would have used those on the rebuild. 

[danthecapriman]

20 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

 

Looking at the paint surface it does look like there has been some sort of reaction underneath. I think what caused the initial damage was the car was dropped on to a hard surface and the weakened metal just broke. Unfortunately the bumper has gone missing. I would have used those on the rebuild. 

It usually looks like loads of tiny cracks and crazing all over the surface. 
Someone told me it’s where some sort of contaminant is in the metal mixture which causes the different metals to try to separate. It cracks and swells up which makes it very brittle and eventually it distorts as it swells and expands. That’s why my Hornby bodyshell cracked - the chassis started swelling and expanding putting pressure on the plastic bodyshell. Sometimes if you don’t catch it early like I did it’ll expand so much it’ll actually smash the bodyshell roof and cab fronts apart! 
Unfortunately if it’s from a contaminated batch of metal there’s nothing you can do about it. Eventually it’ll just crumble and break apart. Some do it quicker than others though, the Triang models I mentioned lasted decades before it did anything. Some do it within a few years.

[MiniMinorMk3]

There is a crack in the roof, but I think this is from the accident damage.

The side has now fallen off!

Moon Surface paint effect on the bonnet.

[MiniMinorMk3]

What's the smallest Mini?

Maybe this one.

Compared to a 1/43rd

It is only 26mm long.

So what's the scale. Using the overall dimension from an old BL sales brochure...

it works out at 1/122nd.

[MiniMinorMk3]

Progress on the project Mini.

Lets get that paint off.

They don't want you to get into that Nitromors in a hurry.

Place parts on tin foil.

Paint on Nitromors.

Wrap up the foil  and leave to bake at room temperature for a couple of hours. The new Nitromors is not as good as the old stuff, hence the wrapping in foil. It also keeps the aliens away. 

After a good baking the skin paint is now all crinkly.

The base seams to have resisted.

After a good stippling and wash with a paint brush there's still a few stubborn bits left.

So it's back to the foil for another bake.

Then a wash.

Then a final going over with some stiff brushes.

Next time it's time to sort the body out with filling the roof and deciding what to do about bumpers and headlamps. The Nitromors might not as good at getting the paint off, but it had now trouble destroying the plastic headlamp jewel sockets.

[Yoss]

23 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

What's the smallest Mini?

Maybe this one.

Compared to a 1/43rd

It is only 26mm long.

So what's the scale. Using the overall dimension from an old BL sales brochure...

it works out at 1/122nd.

So that's pretty much TT gauge in railway speak at 1:120. I have lots of 1:87 ones for my HO gauge layout.

This is some.

There are lots more in here.

Cost 99p each from Wilkinsons about 15 years ago.

[Yoss]

These are smaller.

[danthecapriman]

More done on the D today.   
Here’s how it started.

 

I’ve shortened the chassis a tiny bit more. Then made up some plastic sections to both fill the void in the middle of the chassis sections and join the two firmly together. 
I used impact adhesive to glue it all together then fitted a spare BA nut and bolt through the whole thing just to hold it tight and secure. 
The nut & bolt won’t be seen after it’s finished.

   
I’ll hide the back one underneath by filling the area with chemical metal putty shaped to look like the gearbox!

    
Next I cut out a T shaped piece to hold the front end of the cab and act as a floor to support the front end.

        
This area is where the little pony engine for the mixer will sit - covering the screws.

   
Inside the new floor piece sits on a ridge under the cab behind the front bumper which holds the height perfect. Then the original front body mount was reused by drilling a hole through the new floor and screwing together.

   

  
I decided to double check the original Dinky interior would still fit. Which it didn’t! 
I’ve obviously cut the front panel down so the interior is now also too big. Luckily though there’s a few strengthening ribs on the interior which can be cut off and sanded down to make it fit. 
It also sits nicely onto the new floor.

   
So here it is as of now.

Tomorrow I’ll build the pony engine and fit that in place. 
It also needs the back half of the front mud guards making. 
Id like to try to alter the design of the front wheels too as they don’t look particularly ‘British’ in appearance. 
Some of these D’s also had a skid plate fitted under the cab to protect the underside from damage on construction sites etc, which might look the part on this one. 
Also needs a pipe adding from the water tank down to the back of the truck for a wash out hose. 
Door mirrors need making and fitting. 
Then paint!

[Split_Pin]

On 19/02/2024 at 16:44, danthecapriman said:

Im waiting for some paint off eBay to carry on with the AEC tipper, so while I’m waiting I repainted the Lincoln’s interior in a different colour so it stands out a bit more. 
It’s Humbrol wine red. I’m not 100% sure about it tbh, but tomorrow when it’s dry I’ll offer it up to the body and see how it works.

 

Then decided to start another truck project, having sorted the cab for it out.

A Ford D series cement mixer. 
Basis for this being a Dinky D800 cab, with the front modified to improve the look, and a Spanish partwork Berliet cement mixer truck acquired fairly cheap off eBay.

   
The biggest problem here will be going from a conventional bonneted truck to a cab over style. You can see the massive length difference and position of the front axle.

I won’t lie, taking a saw to this was a bit nerve racking! But if you want these things you have to!

After lots of chopping and filing…

It’s had the chassis stripped down, the front chopped off, then a lump for under the cab chopped off and cut down, and the Berliet wing’s removed. It’s a bit too short as it is in the above pic so I’ve adjusted it and mocked it up to see how it can go together.

The knife and screwdriver are just holding everything at the right sort of height temporarily, but that better! 
I’ll make something up the reattach the two halves of the chassis together again, and then make a small cabinet for the auxiliary engine that these often had to power the mixer barrel, which will go directly behind the cab.

Similar to this one (from Flickr)

Shit loads still to do on it but the horrible bit is done now!

 

Yes!! This is going to be good. 

[ETCHY]

4 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

More done on the D today.   
Here’s how it started.

 

I’ve shortened the chassis a tiny bit more. Then made up some plastic sections to both fill the void in the middle of the chassis sections and join the two firmly together. 
I used impact adhesive to glue it all together then fitted a spare BA nut and bolt through the whole thing just to hold it tight and secure. 
The nut & bolt won’t be seen after it’s finished.

   
I’ll hide the back one underneath by filling the area with chemical metal putty shaped to look like the gearbox!

    
Next I cut out a T shaped piece to hold the front end of the cab and act as a floor to support the front end.

        
This area is where the little pony engine for the mixer will sit - covering the screws.

   
Inside the new floor piece sits on a ridge under the cab behind the front bumper which holds the height perfect. Then the original front body mount was reused by drilling a hole through the new floor and screwing together.

   

  
I decided to double check the original Dinky interior would still fit. Which it didn’t! 
I’ve obviously cut the front panel down so the interior is now also too big. Luckily though there’s a few strengthening ribs on the interior which can be cut off and sanded down to make it fit. 
It also sits nicely onto the new floor.

   
So here it is as of now.

Tomorrow I’ll build the pony engine and fit that in place. 
It also needs the back half of the front mud guards making. 
Id like to try to alter the design of the front wheels too as they don’t look particularly ‘British’ in appearance. 
Some of these D’s also had a skid plate fitted under the cab to protect the underside from damage on construction sites etc, which might look the part on this one. 
Also needs a pipe adding from the water tank down to the back of the truck for a wash out hose. 
Door mirrors need making and fitting. 
Then paint!

Bloody brilliant, I envy your talent tbh !

[eddyramrod]

Way back in September 2020 I met up with @paulplom at a car boot sale, where I bought some little diecasts.  One of them was a Humvee, approx 1/72 scale, maker unknown.  I wanted it for parts, and once I'd used what I wanted, I didn't throw away the shell.

So with a bit of junior hacksaw work this evening...

You'll see it again eventually; I've now filed it for a cosmic bath along with some other bits that are for use on one specific project.  And no, I'm not showing it until it's ready.

[danthecapriman]

2 hours ago, ETCHY said:

Bloody brilliant, I envy your talent tbh !

Cheers!

Tbh, anyone could do these. It’s not particularly difficult, it’s just being methodical about doing it. The biggest challenge really is overcoming the fear and chopping up the donor models!😆

Even doing the chop on the old Dinky cab front had my ring going! I didn’t want to screw that up even though it was an old cheap cab from a damaged model to begin with. Sometimes you’ve just got to dive in and do it!

[eddyramrod]

A lot of it is trial and error.   Be prepared to do something two or three different ways - or more! - until you find what works.  And don't throw away the failures, you might be glad of them sometime.  That moment when you first take a saw or drill to what seemed like a decent model though... that's a bit of a clencher.  Take a deep breath, try and keep your hand steady.

And good luck!

[bunglebus]

I grabbed 3 out of the available 4 F&F Hot Wheels from Smyths as I don't want a Humvee - I'd like the Jetta if anyone spots it though!

Buick Grand National appears to use the older casting with the separate hood, thought this would be a no-no these days as it's a small separate part

Nice Nova with some new type wheels

This was the one that really caught my eye, as it reminded me of the Matchbox RoadBlasters vehicles. No idea which film it's from, last one I saw was either Tokyo Drift or the ridiculous one where they tow an enormous bank vault along with cars. Yeah right.

Going to have to free it for a better look!

A lovely El Camino hides underneath

[junkyarddog]

Finally 🙄

[bunglebus]

I've seen quite a few lately ^ but didn't know anyone was still looking

[junkyarddog]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

I've seen quite a few lately ^ but didn't know anyone was still looking

I knew I'd find one eventually.

The thrill* of the hunt ect 🙄

[bunglebus]

Yesterday - no Jettas. Today - all the Jettas

[junkyarddog]

Funny that they kept the Jetta name for the septics,always knew it as the Vento.

[bunglebus]

Jetta, Jetta, Vento, Bora, Jetta I think 

[junkyarddog]

Think that covers it.

[danthecapriman]

Slow progress on the D series today. Lots of little bits to make which takes time (and patience!😡)

Got the pony engine made up, and it’s little frame to sit in. Frame is plastic L section with a flat sheet roof. Built a radiator for the end, just some flat sheet glued in front of the fan and some strips glued on the outside to look like louvers. Once the glue’s dried overnight I’ll give it a sand down in a few places. 
Anyone recognise the engine!? 
 

Spoiler

It’s the engine from the donor Iveco chassis used for the AEC! 
It was originally a V8 but the real pony engines usually used a Ford industrial inline 4 diesel, so I just chopped it in half!

Made up an exhaust for the pony engine too, and a little fuel tank.

Then added a couple of angle iron beams to the mixer body as the way it comes it looks like there’s nothing to support the water tank!

Slowly getting there, tomorrow hopefully I’ll get more of it assembled. 
Im not sure really why I bothered so much with the pony engine as you can’t see much of it when it’s in place! I could have just made a box with louvres in the end and an exhaust.

[sierraman]

I thought separate cylinder heads it would be a 2.5 VM diesel. 

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

I thought separate cylinder heads it would be a 2.5 VM diesel. 

I think the V8 it started as was supposed to be a Deutz engine.

If you find photos of early D series cement mixers (and probably others too) the pony engine actually has what looks suspiciously like a tractor bonnet over the engine! It’d make sense though to use an engine already in use for something like farming equipment and use it to power stuff like cement mixers. Just looks funny seeing a tractor front end mounted sideways on the back of a truck.

[morrisoxide]

The Entertainer in Tesco!

I'm glad I haven't painted my low light moggy conversion now, because I was going to paint it green.

The Jag is begging out for some steel wheels and maybe a paint job.

[bunglebus]

Argh I need them!

[Datsuncog]

No such luck in my local Tesco branch last night, sadly. Just more Push-N-Pullers and Fire Dasher trucks from the mid-2023 mix.

Sainsbury's had two tubs of Hot Wheels out on the shelves last night, which raised my pulse rate a smidge, but they both just contained last year's stuff.

Still some nice models in there, but I've got all I want from this selection already!

Meh. Looks like I'll be playing the long game, then...

[Split_Pin]

6 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Slow progress on the D series today. Lots of little bits to make which takes time (and patience!😡)

Got the pony engine made up, and it’s little frame to sit in. Frame is plastic L section with a flat sheet roof. Built a radiator for the end, just some flat sheet glued in front of the fan and some strips glued on the outside to look like louvers. Once the glue’s dried overnight I’ll give it a sand down in a few places. 
Anyone recognise the engine!? 
 

  Reveal hidden contents

It’s the engine from the donor Iveco chassis used for the AEC! 
It was originally a V8 but the real pony engines usually used a Ford industrial inline 4 diesel, so I just chopped it in half!

Made up an exhaust for the pony engine too, and a little fuel tank.

Then added a couple of angle iron beams to the mixer body as the way it comes it looks like there’s nothing to support the water tank!

Slowly getting there, tomorrow hopefully I’ll get more of it assembled. 
Im not sure really why I bothered so much with the pony engine as you can’t see much of it when it’s in place! I could have just made a box with louvres in the end and an exhaust.

That looks like one half of an Iveco 17.2 litre V8 diesel?

[danthecapriman]

36 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

That looks like one half of an Iveco 17.2 litre V8 diesel?

Leftover from the AEC chassis donor! Never throw anything away.