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Finishing Out Group 44 Racing Stable WIP

4K views 22 replies 2 participants last post by  ClearHooter 
#1 ·
This project has been going on a long time over on the Diecast Customs Forum. Since necessity has forced me into another medium to complete this historic SCCA Racing stable. I have started documenting progress (and sometimes the lack there of) on the Modeling Forum. To finish this stable out I'm going to need the following:

F/P Triumph TR-3
E/P Triumph GT-6
G/P Triumph Spitfire
E/P MGB
F/P 1500 MIDGET
B/S Cortina

The plan is as before build the car bodies from white pine and use 1/64th'ish diecast wheels and various homemade parts to finish out the replication.
 

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#2 ·
1500 midget

It's killing me to have to put "rubber baby buggy bumbers" on this car. Notice I don't call this an MG. I call it a 1500 MIDGET. Because at this point MG had begat BMC which begat British Leyland which devoued BL after becoming JRT. To my recollection Group 44 never ran a 1275 cc F/P MG MIDGET. I seem to recall a certain disappointment with that. I don't find any photos of one. I DO recall my disappointment when this car campaigned with the 1500cc Triumph Standpart motor. And by then. Those RBBB's

But a replication is just that. Try to make it as accurate as skills allow. This is starting to look like a 1500 "FIDGET."

I suppose their biggest issue was the transplanted 1500cc replacement for the MOWOG 1275 cc was.... They fell out ! :surprise:
 

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#6 ·
Turned my efforts towards the Group 44 MGB. The wood work is going well. But I'm trying to figure out a way to make the grill work for this one. That wasn't an issue on the 1500 "Fidget." Another basic thing I have learned along with "Don't use wood with knots in it." Try to start with as close to a true cube of wood as possible. Once I'm convinced my block of wood is true. I find myself doubting the views. I shouldn't. So far the views have been right 100% of the time. When I get in trouble the most is saying "This can't be right." But as for the grill work ? "Meanwhile I'z stiiiiiiill think'n."
 

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#7 ·
Pine Wood MGB

Finishing out the MGB. I went with the older livery on this one. Still need to make a white MGB decal for the front spoiler, side-view mirrors and door handles. Since it was so different. I'll probably still do the final livery livery of the "B" after I finish the the other cars in the stable. Right now I'm just trying to get one of each type that raced in Group 44. The Spitfire will probably be next on the list. The TR3, GT6 and Cortina will be the "bears." I got a plan for the coupes. And a plan "B" as well.

What else I learned on this build:

MILLIPUT needs to be painted. Then Pledge. It just looked SOOO good I didn't even have to sand it. But the first coat of Pledge got sucked up unless there was a decal. Second looks better. Probably will do a third coat after I get the ancillaries on it. Can you really have TOO much Pledge ?
 

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#9 ·
Don't know if I'd get airborne with the stuff. But it is amazing. What I like about it is you can mix it up as a thin paste. Paint it on with a brush and as it dries it settles to a smooth finish that, when dried is as they say, "rock hard." I would suggest a primer coat before the finish color if you're using it for major body work like these wood cars. I believe in MILLIPUT !:dude:
 
#10 ·
Group 44, 1500 Spitfire

Got to love it when a plan comes together. I got a block of wood that looks like a Triumph Spitfire. I'm afraid the easy ones will be done after this one. Of course..... This one ain't finished yet.
 

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#11 ·
Another "pine wood wonder" down. Three more to go. Now they start getting harder to do. Probably will try the GT-6 next. Since the "Spit" and the GT-6 have such similar lines. Rely on reflex memory to help with this one while I still have "reflex memory" to call upon. Once I get all of these finished I still have to add sideview mirrors and exhaust to them to actually declare them "done." The wheels strike me as a little too large for this one. They will also be changed as soon as I find something in the junk yard that may be a bit smaller diameter.
 

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#13 · (Edited)
Been working on other projects unrelated to this one. But here's what I got up to now. While this TR-3 is smaller than the "British Invasion" car. It came out larger than I wanted. I guess it'll get photoed with the TR-7 & 8.

1st pic since the change. Just figuring stuff out. ;)(y) OH MAAAAAN ! ! ! I miss my "dead horse."
 

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#18 ·
I knew this one was going to be a bear.... The FORD / Lotus / Cortina wasn't going to win any design awards. Looks like a designer shoe-box imo. Having to put correct character into a shoe-box to set it apart from another shoe-box ? A challenge indeed. I suppose for the time, the Cortina fit the niche. Designing the " designer shoe-box." was one thing I'm sure. But replicating it is another. A bunch of high-crowns and in and outs to the back end.

Note to self: HAVE TO FIND A TIGHTER GRAIN WOOD. Pine's is too inconsistent
306775
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#21 ·
Vac.U.Forming the roof and windows went well enough ( imo ) to proceed. If it should still fall apart somewhere in the process? Then I can still do another. I laid adheasive foil on the roof area as a base. The two fold idea was that it would be easier to achieve opaqueness of a white decal over something beside clear plastic. And that if I can cut the decals a thread width shy of the foil. It would make great trim mold. The latter has proved to be truer than the first. So I still have to add at least one more layer of white decal to the roof area to try and get it closer to the same shade of white as the body. I haven't MICRO-SOL'd the roof decal yet.

Vehicle Car Classic car Automotive design Full-size car
 
#23 ·
I suppose in my excitement at finishing out the Group 44 Stable I posted a separate thread for the GT-6, WIP thread. I regret that. So for continuities sake. And future reference. I hope it's not too redundant to update this thread.. This is the GT-6. and the combined Group 44 Stable. Appreciate y'all bearing with me.
307863
 

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