Always good to start a new project with a clear & clean work area - This kit was already started by the previous owner, but abandoned for many years - I have since dis-assembled it back to the bare parts by reversing the assembly steps. I'll be cleaning everything as I go.
So, what a great start - I've had to use a file, a 1.8mm tap to clear out some of the threads, some superglue to reattach the headlight lenses which were only clipped in (after one came out).
Decided to indicate some disc brake usage on both sides of the disc, just enouigh to be seen through the wheel - will have to remember to do this on the other 3 discs.
Here the parts are being cleaned up, but I've noticed how prominent the seam lines are on the plastic parts. An "Assembler" of this kit might not have worried, but they're pretty obvious...
Re-silvered, now looking much better. The quality of the plastic mouldings is pretty poor, considering this is supposed to be a high quality kit.......or is it??
Pulled the driving lights apart completely as they were VERY poorly assembled (by De Agostini) and the ?? glue was showing in the lens. Scraped away relevant chrome plated surfaces then glued all together, carefully
End of step 24 - I am sanding away the seamlines on the diff, and gluing the joins with SMS Ultra thin cement, then a coat of semi-gloss black - so it'll look good when displayed over a mirror!
yet More of the chassis floor installed - it's actually quite solid when all the screws are tightened & the plastic filling sections are installed as well.
Starting on the steering, connecting track-rods etc - I put a touch of CA glue on the back of the bolts after I adjusted the tighhtness/movement balance
Not happy with the alignment of the Shelby dash-badge - I think the sticker might be a bit crooked, so I set about modifications as getting the sticker off might not be an option
rear back interior fitted - I find myself longing for the installation of the interior rear-view mirror - so I can hang an air-freshener off it - The previous owner must have been a smoker - I can smell it with every part I'm reinstalling - Using "wet-Ones" to clean each part......
rear deck flip-over with hinge - the glue that the De Agostini part-assemblers use must be a a2-month-glue as so many parts have come apart revealing how little glue they used - a lot of fresh glue in place now!
The previous assembler had screwed through the wires, instead of routing the wire around the post - I increased the space behind the post, tested, sealed the bared wires, mounted and re-tested the wiring - AOK!!
Now for the radiator, which had been assembled before - now cleaned up & rebuilt - had to trim the fan mount (silver) in the middle of the radiator as it had about a 15 degree lean on it!!
So I painted all the "belt-ish" bit with semi-matt black - then masked everywhere & painted the remainder with gloss black.
Voila!! - also did quite an amout of chiselling, scraping, filing of the part to better show the differentiation. And who (??) will get to see this??
Mounting the pipes around the engine - discovered that the breather from the RH crankcase head went nowhere - photos showed that mounting to the post at the front of the engine.
modified the post to accept the hose - drill, 0.8mm brass rod, etc
Then discovered that there's no way the hard plastic hose will fit...... went searching for 2.8mm rubber tube....
Days later, all I could get was 3mm rubber round from Clarke Rubber, so bought & used that - same drill & 0.8mm brass rod used, but at both ends. - a touch of silver too
the final connection of the speaker gets plugged in, then the whole thing get mounted, and the wires routed through the inner guard, where leads 1-5 get connected to parts installed much earlier.
and on the right - Word of warning here, the screws provided for the lower intakes are too short, so if you try to make them too tight, there's not enough screw in the plastic vent, and it will (did) strip the hole....
Next step get you to retrieve the bonnet that you got in issue #4 (yes, FOUR!!) and have been storing safely!!!
This step provides all the bonnet hinge mechanism - the plastic parts need to gentle cleaning up. - Be careful which screws you use as the instructions are mis-leading, if not, wrong!
Careful handling of the bonnet is required to get it in place - be careful when FULLY opening as there's very little clearance at the rear of the bonnet with the body cross-beam.
This is really somethiung that should have been done BEFORE the bonnet pins were installed - so I removed the brackets and did it outside of the car - much easier!
bughunter You tend to do big projects with many parts, right? That means a fine detailed model 👍 Impressive!
Are the electronic components and cabling part of this kit series?
14 July, 20:24
Roger Trewenack Hi Bughunter, all part of the de-Agostini subscription based kit - I'm not adding anything extra unless I absolutely have to, this thing is SO BIG, and so HEAVY!!! I think my glass shelves may struggle holding this!!
Big Projects?? I seem to turn them into BIG projects....
I acquired this "kit" from an Acquaintance of Harry Edmond, and had to source a couple of the magazine "issues", including the body of the car.
Now complete, I can begin.....
July 6th - up to step #60.....steering
July 13th - completed step 75 - motor completed?!?!?
July 13th - Chip & some wiring installed
July 15-16th - Working on the body, bonnet & lights, boot & tail-lights