Shite in Miniature II

[Felly Magic]

Better shots of the Vitesse Mini, I really like the model,one of the better Mini castings, may search for others when funds permit.

 

 

[Junkman]

From Twitter

 

 

 

That's just fucking mean.

[Junkman]

Having said that...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I realise that R4 wise I'm not even sniffing that man's arsehole, but how many septic annual kits does he own?

[vulgalour]

Torino time again.  I've now finished the engine, probably.  I want to add HT leads except that I know that if I do that I'm also going to want to add fuel lines and brake lines and really, where do you stop?  Annoyingly I realised I hadn't fitted the oil filter until after I'd glued the engine in situ, so that was a bit of a faff to put in since the oil filter is in a funny place.

 

Interior is mostly finished now.  Plenty of dashboard detailing to do and I've got to tidy up the white for the headlining and C pillars.  I've also found that these people https://www.modelcargarage.com do the seatbelts I want to fit which would save me faffing about making them from scratch.  I haven't got as far as doing all the detritus for the cabin yet, so there's more work to do than it appears here.

 

Hubcaps are on too, just not detailed yet.  I need to add a bit of black paint to the recesses, and either some transparent paint or the supplied decals to the centre caps so they look a bit less fake.

 

I can't fit the body until the interior is completely finished because you have to flex it a bit to get it over the rear wheel tubs and I don't want to run the risk of damaging the paint by doing that repeatedly, especially now I've started to stick the chrome on.  I've got a small number of parts to paint yellow.  The exterior doesn't need that much to complete now, really, and I may have a way to create the bumper sticker I want for not a lot, I'll report on that if it ends up being a success or a massive failure when I make the attempt.  This time, the yellow almost photographed accurately, having the chrome on the body seemed to help the camera see the colour more correctly.

 

 

The lights front and rear are put on with PVA since it's clear setting.  This allows the chrome to do its work, since superglue would make it go cloudy and liquid poly will either remove the chrome, or not touch it at all.  Bonnet needs the underside painting yellow and then either the middle bit painting with a bit of oil/soot staining, or a sound deadening pad making, probably out of very thin felt.

 

[Junkman]

I've also found that these people https://www.modelcargarage.com do the seatbelts I want to fit which would save me faffing about making them from scratch.

 

If I were you, I'd delay my order until the word which must not be named on this overmoderated forum which knows what's good for you and what not, since courtesy of the fucking EU protectionist warmongers, there currently is a 25% levy on everything you import from Trumpistan.

This is only a well meant warning, nothing political, or some such.

[vulgalour]

Do you mean B-*EXPLOSION NOISES*

[Junkman]

Yes, I mean B$%^&T.

Now, don't tell anyone, because it might be controversial enough to unleash all the management's joint decision repercussions on us.

Whatever isn't mentioned doesn't exist, you know.

[MarvinsMom]

Yes, I mean B$%^&T.

Now, don't tell anyone, because it might be controversial enough to unleash all the management's joint decision repercussions on us.

Whatever isn't mentioned doesn't exist, you know.

 

"and remember, remain in doors......."

 

[vulgalour]

It's okay, I only said it once but I think I got away with it. [/Fawlty]

[Datsuncog]

Tragically, this wet cold Friday morn has not yielded quite so much diecast loveliness at the market...



No 50p rummage boxes. No trays of 70s/80s Corgi and Matchbox.

At first, I thought maybe some other bugger had been in and scooped it all as a job-lot, but no: blokey on the stall is planning a quick getaway this afternoon, so didn't bring everything with him today.

Sadly, the Corgi Rovers and Dinky Volvo are therefore unavailable to Mr. Tenmil Socket, who had requested that I make overtures on his behalf.

So what is there today?

Well, this lot:









Old Corgi & Dinky stuff does tend to appeal to me less than the newer stuff that i had as a kid, but if anyone's pickle is tickled by the above, they're a fiver each and I'll be hanging around for a few hours yet...

Not sure how much he wants for the sun-damaged General Lee or the Solido Beetle, but I can ask.

Also available is this mahoosive boxed crane:



Verdict: I ARE DISSAPOINT

[sierraman]

Whaaaaaa! Disappointed!

[Amishtat]

Dinky Hudson and Packard and the Plymouth Suburban if I may, please

[Datsuncog]

Dinky Hudson and Packard and the Plymouth Suburban if I may, please

I shall return and see... the Suburban is pretty rough, having windows made from plastic packaging, mismatched wheels, and seems to have been then painted in the dark with a pot of Tipp-Ex - but if you fancy it for a resto, not a bother!

[Amishtat]

Precisely my intention.. Actually can I have the Impala too please? Useful for spares

[Datsuncog]

Precisely my intention.. Actually can I have the Impala too please? Useful for spares

All four procured, by a whisker (he was packing up when I arrived).

 

Pics to follow!

[Junkman]

So it is too late for that Dinky Caddy?

[Datsuncog]

So it is too late for that Dinky Caddy?

Sadly, it is for this week... never seen him packing up at 12 before.

 

On the plus side, there's more of a chance it'll be there next week - shall I make a note?

[Junkman]

Please do.

No idea why this model keeps eluding me.

[Datsuncog]

So, today's haul (for Amishtat's delight) comprises:

Two Dinkys - Packard convertible and big Hudson sedan, in fairly playworn but otherwise unmolested condition:







Some tyres might be on the shopping list, mebbe?


Also a brace of Corgis:







The Impala taxi has a bit of grille damage and some Humbrol to the lower flanks, but otherwise not too bad - the glazing is intact and everything. A damn sight better than the last Impala that passed between myself and Amishtat.

The Suburban has been subject to a doubtless well-intentioned but god-defeatingly rubbish restoration involving substantial quantities of Uhu glue, a clear plastic window cut from ready-meal packaging, and a fence brush coated in Tipp-Ex. It will provide some excellent 'before' pics once its been rebuilt in a more sympathetic manner, for sure...

[Amishtat]

Many thanks Mr. Cog! I is not disapoint

[Amishtat]

Oddly enough the Suburban is not only in the colours of my local banger team but is substantially better painted than their cars

[Spottedlaurel]

Oddly enough the Suburban is not only in the colours of my local banger team but is substantially better painted than their cars

 

Sounds like you mean The Gladiators?!

[Amishtat]

Yes indeed!

[Felly Magic]

The Torino is looking well there Vulg. a nice change to see one not in Carkeys & Clutch guise

[Amishtat]

Mention of the previous Impala has made me go and find it and remember why I didn't finish it last year. The new silver fillet /suspension unit really isn't a great fit, in trying to jiggle it a bit I chipped the new paint then just put the whole thing back in a box in a huff..Hopefully I can cobble something together from it using the remains of the original and the new one.

[egg]

yes, chipping new paint has that effect on me too. 

[sierraman]

Check out this beast...

[egg]

Thumbs up from me!

[sierraman]

Bought it at a car boot 2 years ago, it was at the bottom of a box with a load of stuff from what looked like a house clearance of someone elderly. Also managed to bag a Healey Sprite by Spot On out of it. Stuck that on flea bay though as it wasn’t my bag.

[vulgalour]

Because I haven't made any progress of visual note on the Torino, tonight I've been working on the the 4CV kit by Heller.  This one is less annoying than the Princess kit thanks to the larger scale, though the engine did need fully assembling before I can detail it because the parts are so tiny, the glue would otherwise make a mess.  This isn't a problem because the way I intend to finish this means the engine ideally needs doing in one lump anyway.  To give you an idea of what I'm aiming for, it'll be something like this.

 

I first primed the bodyshell in a colour as close to red lead as I could get, and then top coat in a nice dark grey.  I'll then give this a black wash, and possibly a brown wash before starting to sand back the top coat in key areas with some extremely fine wet and dry.  I do have to be careful because the base plastic is bright blue and I don't want that showing through at all.

 

For the wheels and interior I've gone with the same beige I've painted the Princess because, against the dark grey, it looks much more cream which is what I want.  For the interior pieces I've got to mask off the beige when it's cured so I can paint the body colour pieces so it's correct.  I'm already looking at plenty of worn out 4CVs online to get an idea of what colours bits should be, where the wear and tear happens, and where the dirt collects.  I doubt I'll get to the same realism standard as that Transit model posted earlier in the thread, though I do want that sort of a worn-out-but-loved look about this.

 

 

The engine is incredibly fiddly to construct, as is the suspension.  Everything has a base coat of black and I'll go through and highlight key components with green and various silvers to mirror that engine example above.  Unlike the Torino, this needs to look grimy and as though it's in use far too often to be cleaned and serviced with any regularity.

 

The underside will mostly just stay black, nothing fancy under here.  It gives you some idea of the nice detailing they've added in, right down to the unusual mud flaps the 4CV has.  There's no propshaft, and not much exhaust to see, since all the propulsion happens at the back.  The exhaust was incredibly annoying to install because of the way it wraps around everything, just like the real thing.

 

One thing I wasn't expecting is that the front wheels can be turned and are free rolling, even though they're not connected to the steering wheel inside.  Means you can display it just a little nicer.

 

 

Right... more dirt research while I let the paint harden over the next couple of days so I'm nicely prepared for the next stage.