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Ok so thought i'd start this thread as a a bit of fun for the projects sections so hope its of interest. Granted its a bit different from the norm but unlike most Mini builds this will certainly be a rust free zone

As some will know I have a resto thread already running for the build of my late grandfathers Super Deluxe viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1224

Been thinking about getting a little scale model of the car to sit in the display cabinet and recently my better half bought me a dicast kit as a present so as we had such a miserable weekend weather wise thought i'd get cracking with it.

Plan is to make a mini Mini Replica of the car I have been building up for real so the basis is a Revell 1:24 scale kit of a Mk1 998 Mini Cooper. As mine is only an 850 SD there is going to be a bit of artistic liscence in some parts

Here's the starting point


and whats inside


First up was to gather the tools and paints required and will be using exactly the same Surf Blue paint as for the real car and the same for the engine as there was some left over


On to the real work. On the shell casting there is a mould line running along the front wings which to me had to be removed....


...so after a bit of sanding the finished result


And after spraying we have a Mini shell in Surf Blue.


Next will be moving on to the engine.....

the last time i tried to build a plastic model of a mini i sprayed it with a 'car' spray. the damm thing melted!

arggg!

Next up was the engine build, no oil to be seen here i'm afraid.

Engine starts off in a number of intricate parts so here's first part of assembly of the front


and the rear.


Next up was the paint and to start adding the ancillaries. really fiddly but glad with how its turned out.
Front view again


and the rear


At this point the "workshop" was getting hectic but ready to start to install the engine in the bay...

guru_1071 wrote:the last time i tried to build a plastic model of a mini i sprayed it with a 'car' spray. the damm thing melted!

arggg!

I must admit to having similar thoughts so started with a light dusting first. Would have been a shorth thread if the shell ended up in a molten mass

prof peach wrote:Great thread,
Love stuff like this, any modifications to be done to this?

Bit tricky on a re-bore and head work i'm afraid so just resigned to whats in the box and what my shaky hand can come up with in the paint department i'm afraid.

Final pics of the weekends work to bring us up to date

Engine and engine bay assembled


Few more ancillary engine parts can now be added


Then on to the front subframe and suspension


Rear subframe and suspension


Wheels assembled with OEW inners and the chrome hubcaps


and this is where we are currently, chassis sitting on its wheels


Last time I messed about with dicast models I was but a wee nipper and I seem to remember my younger brother breaking them after completion.

Been quite enjoying this so far so all being well hoping to have it done by the end of the week

like it, very neat job, well done good detail

what a brilliant thread !!!! and more to the point, what a cracking job

So that's the reason of the remote housing color thread

Brilliant, been thinking of doing exactly the same thing and was looking at the Tamiya 1/24 kits but the Revell has the standard hubcaps just right. Would make a fairly convincing Mini Minor 850 - most obvious external detail being the grille. Great Work!

Great job! There's a lot of good detail in that kit & you're certainly making the best of it. I have a Tamiya Mk2 Cooper S kit somewhere, it lay around for years & when I started to build it, the grille was missing, but now you've given me an idea, I could build it as a 1960's style racer!

miniminor wrote:Brilliant, been thinking of doing exactly the same thing and was looking at the Tamiya 1/24 kits but the Revell has the standard hubcaps just right. Would make a fairly convincing Mini Minor 850 - most obvious external detail being the grille. Great Work!

Cheers, the Revell kit is pretty versatile as it can be built up in either LHD or RHD versions and also either as a Morris or an Austin. To this end it does have the two different grille types in the kit.

Work continues and this time its been the interior which needed some creative paint mixing to come up with a colour that resembled powder blue but once I was happy with that, painting commenced.

Started off with the floor section which i'd already applied the Surf blue parts to. I then tried to mottle the paint for that carpet effect coupled with handbrake and gearlever fitted.


Then come the seats. Instructions say two tone colour for that 'Cooper look' but I went 850 and did them a single colour like my car.


After which it came to assembly. Seats in and one side section complete with door pockets following painting.


And another view, this time showing the pedals fitted


View from above with both sides all fitted


Although not stated in the instructions I decided to add some cream colour on the roof section to reprisent the headlining. Rear view also fitted.


Next was to move to the dash section. Came out well, but as with all the chrome strip areas the chrome dash rail was an arse to do


Steering wheel and colum assembled


And where we are now with the interior all fitted and complete


Assembly continues tonight

Your doing a great job, nice detailing of the chrome etc

Well after last nights efforts we are pretty much finished on this little project.

So continuation of work was to join all the main sections of the model together.
Then I had to apply the chrome strips to the edge of the windows and down the side of the car. (This was by far the worst job of the whole project )


Then underneath needed the exhaust fitting and the front and rear valences to finish it off.


Final touches required the addition of the lights, chrome and number plates at the rear...


...and at the front.



Which results in one finished model.


Bonnet Up


Gratuitous Side Shot


And just to give you guys some sort of scale perspective. Here it is next to a £2 coin.


I have also ordered a scale number plate set, so rather than use the ones that came with the model I will make up the exact plate as my own car and apply to the model. This is due to arrive next week but as I will be out of the country with work it will have to wait till I get back.

Certainly been fun for me this week and hopefully a bit of fun in the reading for you guys as well.


....now just need the weather to improve and get the real one on the road

Looking good

Very nice. How long do you reckon it took you?

Make sure you get it well waxoiled underneath

miniminor wrote:Very nice. How long do you reckon it took you?

Make sure you get it well waxoiled underneath

at the waxoil.

I guess around 24 hrs in total with half hearted TV watching and drying time included.

absolutely ace, really enjoyed this, great job

Great little car here, I've just finished the Tamiya Rally '67 Monte Carlo

That looks awesome with some great details.

Good to see some others