Mgb 1/24 Scale By Airfix - Finished Today

[Junkman]

Decided to go the rubber bumper route on this one, just to be different. The kit does include the chrome bumpers as well though. This is in fact the Aoshima kit, but contrary to Aoshima, Airfix gives you both versions in one box.

The colour is original BMC Inca Yellow. The only mod I did is cut out the grille openings and use wire mesh. Everything else is box stock, including the 'high roller' stance, which is correct for a rubber bumper car.

Once I've decided on the colour (always the hardest part for me) I'll do another one with chrome bumpers and this one will also be lowered to the correct stance for a chrome bumper model.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Junkman

[Aaronw]

I think this is the first time I've seen one of these built, looks good. How does the kit go together? I don't usually build sports cars but I do occasionally for a change of pace. If its not a curse and howl at the moon kind of kit I'll keep my eyes open.

I drove a green one just like you built, got about 1 block before it broke down. Nice looking car but I gather that my experience is typical of them.

[Junkman]

I think this is the first time I've seen one of these built, looks good. How does the kit go together? I don't usually build sports cars but I do occasionally for a change of pace. If its not a curse and howl at the moon kind of kit I'll keep my eyes open.

I drove a green one just like you built, got about 1 block before it broke down. Nice looking car but I gather that my experience is typical of them.

Your experience is indeed typical of them. When it was cold, they wouldn't start, when it rained, they leaked and on the rare occasions the sun put its hat on they overheated.

The kit is the antidote of the real thing. It is beautifully molded, the proportions look spot on, the detailing is Aoshima at its finest (mind you, it is a curbside, but interior detailing and undercarriage are superb) and the kit goes really well together. Not a single curse on this one yet. As I said before, if you prefer to build the chrome bumper model, you should lower the suspension by roughly two scale inches. This will be a very straightforward job.

[Aaronw]

Thanks, I'll keep my eyes out for one of these. It doesn't appear that Airfix is currently producing this kit, but maybe they'll bring it back as they get back on their feet and there is always ebay.

The one I drove was exactly like the one you built but dark green. It will go well with the Jag E-type in my stash.

[Zoom Zoom]

Nice work, I can't remember seeing anyone build the rubber-baby-buggy-bumpered version of the kit. Aoshima did both styles, but the suspension on all of them is raised for the later rubber bumper cars; unfortunately most of the early cars I've seen built the builders stuck w/the OOB ride height which is too high for them. I built one of the resin MGB-GT variations, though I can't remember what I did to lower the ride height.

[Junkman]

Nice work, I can't remember seeing anyone build the rubber-baby-buggy-bumpered version of the kit. Aoshima did both styles, but the suspension on all of them is raised for the later rubber bumper cars; unfortunately most of the early cars I've seen built the builders stuck w/the OOB ride height which is too high for them. I built one of the resin MGB-GT variations, though I can't remember what I did to lower the ride height.

Thanks. Yes, as I said, I opted for the rubber bumper just to be different.

With the original Aoshima kits, you had to select which version you bought. The Airfix issue, made from the Aoshima tooling, contains both versions. You are right, if you buiild the model out of the box, it will have the rubber bumper ride height by default, no matter what. To lower it is quite easy. In the back, all you have to do is cut the coils. Up front, it's a tad more complicated, but I'd just cut off the axle stubs and re-drill the kingpins, then use piano wire for the stub axles.

[MrObsessive]

I drove a green one just like you built, got about 1 block before it broke down. Nice looking car but I gather that my experience is typical of them.

Nice build!

That brings back some memories for sure..................some good, most bad.

Yes, mine went a bit further than a block before it broke down........ , but I swear every other week I was fixing something on that car! I had a '71, (a Midget no less) and it was probably the most troublesome car I have ever owned!

I bought the car in March of '85..............and by the end of that summer as fall arrived, reality set in that winter was soon to follow, and there was NO WAY I wanted to work on that thing in the cold winter!

I got sensible and got rid of it for a '76 Dodge Coronet!

[Diesel Gypsy]

Awl, dont be too hard on the little Midgie.

You have to treat her like you would a woman. Lots of tender love & care & a good service now & again & her performance will amaze you

Awlsome model by the way.

Personaly I prefer the chrome bumpered version.

Its a very nice build indeed, thanks for sharing.

[Junkman]

Awlsome model by the way.

Personaly I prefer the chrome bumpered version.

Its a very nice build indeed, thanks for sharing.

Thanks. Still, it is an MGB, not a Midget. And I am glad that I only build the model, not tinker around with the real thing. Building this model nicely is not that much of an achievement, because it is an excellent kit to begin with. As for a real MGB, I think the only sensible thing to do is replace it with an MX5.

[MrObsessive]

As for a real MGB, I think the only sensible thing to do is replace it with an MX5.

[jbwelda]

MX5 aka "Rotus"...im currently finishing up a copy of my 1:1 91 BRG Rotus.

it actually replaced a 54 MGTF i had had since i was a kid...bought it in 65 with the help of my parents.

ive built a couple of these aoshima MGBs, one the rally version that turned out super nice and one a conversion to an All American Models MGB-GT that ive posted photos of here somewhere a long time ago. those kits are nice...i wish i could find another of the rally kits with the nice rally lights etc.

[Junkman]

MX5 aka "Rotus"...im currently finishing up a copy of my 1:1 91 BRG Rotus.

it actually replaced a 54 MGTF i had had since i was a kid...bought it in 65 with the help of my parents.

ive built a couple of these aoshima MGBs, one the rally version that turned out super nice and one a conversion to an All American Models MGB-GT that ive posted photos of here somewhere a long time ago. those kits are nice...i wish i could find another of the rally kits with the nice rally lights etc.

Now that you said it, youare right. It has been a while since I saw the rally kit. There also was a club racer version with hardtop and minilite wheels, which is even more elusive.

What I really wonder is whether there are suitable Rostyle wheels out there somewhere.

[jbwelda]

heres a couple shots of the rally car i built. i went to considerable pains to lower it properly

(that is, realistically underneath) though of course if there was a car that should sit high, it

would be the rally version but im just a sucker for low cars:

here is the box for the club racer version, it seems to share some special parts with

the rally kit, but not all. ive seen this available recently (a year ago or so) but ive not seen

the rally version since i bought it originally. note the ultra cool headlamp covers!

and finally, not to steer too far from MGs and of course your nice one that started the thread,

but here is a car i want to build soon! jay leno evidently has one of these and it was featured

on some speedvision program i glimpsed the other night...i did not get a chance to record it

though. this is one of my favorite period japanese sports cars ever!

anyone ever built this?

[jbwelda]

oh, on the rostars, it seems to me someone did or does offer those probably in resin. i cant remember if it was rep and min of maryland, or this company called southeast finecast over in england or if it was some other aftermarket supplier. or maybe it was that scalekraft guy over in south africa. i know ive seen them somewhere though...

[Junkman]

and finally, not to steer too far from MGs and of course your nice one that started the thread,

but here is a car i want to build soon! jay leno evidently has one of these and it was featured

on some speedvision program i glimpsed the other night...i did not get a chance to record it

though. this is one of my favorite period japanese sports cars ever!

anyone ever built this?

Yes, I once built the Hasegawa Cosmo kit, albeit not the race version. It is a marvellous kit of a stunningly beautyful car and goes together really, really well. An added bonus are the photoetched scriptplates. Wonderful. I don't own the model anymore, otherwise I would post pics. Coincidentally, as of this writing, I have another kit shipped over though. Again, not the race version. It will be built, but it is not next in my queue. The LB 110 Mazda Cosmo must be the second car in automotive history that packed a Wankel engine. Too bad it's not rendered in this kit.

[Junkman]

oh, on the rostars, it seems to me someone did or does offer those probably in resin. i cant remember if it was rep and min of maryland, or this company called southeast finecast over in england or if it was some other aftermarket supplier. or maybe it was that scalekraft guy over in south africa. i know ive seen them somewhere though...

Thanks for the hints. I wonder if the skalecraft guy is still in business, haven't heard or seen anything for quite some time. He had some amazing stuff, to say the least.

Southeastern Finecast is just half an hour away from me (the way I drive), so I'll pay them a visit one of these days.

[Junkman]

here is the box for the club racer version, it seems to share some special parts with

the rally kit, but not all. ive seen this available recently (a year ago or so) but ive not seen

the rally version since i bought it originally. note the ultra cool headlamp covers!

I love the box art. It is so realistic. Note the differential oil puddle which explains why the car isn't participating in the race.

[jbwelda]

that is so funny about the boxart...i never even noticed that before you pointed it out!

so you live right down the road from SEF? that must be great...do they have a retail store there?

i might be in london in march and if so maybe i will try to make it there, though im not that familiar with the geography there so it may well be too far. if so i would love to meet up with you and see some models! i dont imagine you do slot cars too? ive got an invite to visit a major scalextric club in london and try out their club track!

[MrObsessive]

Thanks for the hints. I wonder if the skalecraft guy is still in business, haven't heard or seen anything for quite some time. He had some amazing stuff, to say the least.

The guy who ran ScaleKraft (Guido Fieuw) had a mountain climbing accident some time ago. It was said his injuries were pretty severe, to the point he's no longer casting or building anything.

He had some amazing stuff............I have one of his bodies ('61 Aston Martin Zagato) and the casting is very clean. It's supposed to be a trans kit for the old Monogram Aston.........but it'll be a lot of work though.

[Zoom Zoom]

heres a couple shots of the rally car i built. i went to considerable pains to lower it properly

(that is, realistically underneath) though of course if there was a car that should sit high, it

would be the rally version but im just a sucker for low cars:

here is the box for the club racer version, it seems to share some special parts with

the rally kit, but not all. ive seen this available recently (a year ago or so) but ive not seen

the rally version since i bought it originally. note the ultra cool headlamp covers!

and finally, not to steer too far from MGs and of course your nice one that started the thread,

but here is a car i want to build soon! jay leno evidently has one of these and it was featured

on some speedvision program i glimpsed the other night...i did not get a chance to record it

though. this is one of my favorite period japanese sports cars ever!

anyone ever built this?

Nice MG model! I had the race version at one time, but I don't know what I did with it. I did the MGB GT resin master for Art Anderson way back when. Fun project. It's the only MGB I've built.

And the Cosmo...cool car. My buddy used to work at Mazmart, which was owned by Jim Downing...one Saturday afternoon we took Jim's Cosmo for a ride around Chamblee, GA. What a neat car! And nobody looked at it. Nobody had a clue how rare the car was. It's a tiny car, probably the same footprint as my MX-5. I've got the Hasegawa kit, haven't built it but it looks great for a curbside. I've also built a Nichimo Cosmo Sport, they did the car in both 1/24 and 1/20 scale. The Hasegawa kit is superior.

[Junkman]

that is so funny about the boxart...i never even noticed that before you pointed it out!

so you live right down the road from SEF? that must be great...do they have a retail store there?

i might be in london in march and if so maybe i will try to make it there, though im not that familiar with the geography there so it may well be too far. if so i would love to meet up with you and see some models! i dont imagine you do slot cars too? ive got an invite to visit a major scalextric club in london and try out their club track!

I live about 50 miles from SEF, mostly motorway and I'm a professional speeder. From London itsself, it's just a stone throw really. To my knowledge, they don't have a retail store. You just kick in the front door. This is England after all. When in Rome, do like Romanians, as they say.

No, seriously. If you contact them and make an appointment, they happily show you round their facilities and you even get a cuppa.

If you PM me with your tour dates, let's see if we can set something up. You are more than welcome to my home. So is everybody else from this forum btw, who is dare enough to venture into its proximity. I'm located in Berkshire, right between Reading and Windsor and the M3 and M4 corridor. This is about 30 miles west of London and roughly 45 miles east of the middle of nowhere.

[MojaveRacer208]

The best use for an MGB, Midget, Sprite, Spitfire, XKE, TR3, 4, etc.... is to build a race car out of them! If you want to have trouble on the road, if you want to break down all the time, if you want hydraulic fluid on your shoes, if you want oil on your driveway and garage floor, if you like dealing with constant electrical problems, if you like to pay exhorbitant prices for common replacemet parts....then by all means, drive a British sports car on the road!

When my parents met at a sports car race, my dad was driving a Singer Mk9. They belonged to the Singer Owners Club until it disbanded. I grew up around road racing and sports cars. When I was a kid, we had a slot car track next to the Singer 1500 race car in the garage. The 1st race car I ever worked on was a pair of brand new Lotus 11s getting their electricals completely replaced by my father. I spent my time cleaning and polishing wire wheels. As I look out my window right now from my desk, I see a rubber bumper Midget sitting in the yard across the way, forlorn and not driven for close to 20 years. I have a friend who has a Midget in his living room, prepped for racing with roll bar, racing seat, flares, Minilites, racing tires, race engine, dual Webers ... but unused other than as a curio.

I think an MGB with all running gear from a Toyota Celica would be a nice car! Or a Midget with running gear from a Corolla GTS AE86...of course, one would need to replace the hydraulics and electrics as well.

Richard

[MojaveRacer208]

By the way, I have one of those rare MGB racer kits in my inventory. Plan is to build an American style road racer of the late 60s to early 70s, such as that raced by Kas Kastner, Jim Dittemore and Lee Mueller or Joe Huffaker. It will have a low plexi windscreen replacing the windshield, wider rims on the Minilites with wider tires, roll bar, racing seat, chin spoiler, engine under the hood (no curbside for me), and may have fender flares. I need competition for my Porsche 356 and BRE Datsuns.

Richard

[colin]

OK, so where do I start.

1) I have a 1:1 of your exact model sitting in my garage, 75 rubber bumper MGB, Inca yellow. Found it in a shed on a peanut farm in Georgia.

2) I have two Aoshima kits on the shelf, early chrome bumper models.

3) I am restoring the 1:1 and converting it to pre 1968 chrome bumper

4) I will build my kit as per my finished 1:1

5) You guys with all your negative remarks on MGB's tick me off. I bought an MGB in 1965. Drove it as a daily driver and rallied it on weekends. In 1968 with 68,000 miles on it, I took it off the road and converted it to an E/P race car. In 1970 it won the Ontario Region E/P Championship. It consistently beat the Porsche 356's, even Vic Skirmants.

6) That is a really nice build, hope mine comes out as well.

7) If anyone knows where I can get one of the Aoshima Club Racer kits I will pay dearly for it, just to get the Sebring headlight covers and the Minilite wheels.

I am building my 1:1 as a track car for vintage racing to replicate my racer from 1970.

[Junkman]

I think an MGB with all running gear from a Toyota Celica would be a nice car! Or a Midget with running gear from a Corolla GTS AE86...of course, one would need to replace the hydraulics and electrics as well.

Richard

Nope. Even if you replace the running gear of an MGB with something functional, the body will rust away in no time.

In addition, never put a Toyota engine where a Hemi would fit.

Edited February 2, 2008 by Junkman