Misha

Been busy past couple of weeks working on the MGB with the last items on the work order. It hasn’t been without its moments of panic in assembling the major parts together! I’ve also settled upon my Deuce Days ‘25 entry to be a woody based upon the Fink/Taylor version. Now that the MG is nearing completion thoughts have turned to what takes its place on the bench, a new build or a WIP, of which there are many to choose from. So had a look at my 36 collection with an eye to the chopped rag top. Finished off the helmet with the exterior strap fasteners and Bell decal with an overall coat of Future. It was then onto a tricky masking job for the rubber strip along the body length. At this point in the build I was dreading that overspray could trash the project! With careful application of tape and plastic kit bag I covered the body for the LP 5, semi-gloss black paint. Once the masking was removed it revealed a very satisfactory finish, which showed one issue, first panic moment! The P/E badge on the grill was gone, after the effort of painting and glossing it to resemble an enamel badge. Regaining perspective, I searched thru the wastecan for all the masking tape, bingo, it was barely attached to a torn strip. The last item to be completed before mounting the body to the chassis were the bungee style cords for the hood/bonnet, and trunk/boot. These were made with heavy Coban sewing thread used for coats. Needed to mount the trunk release upside down, as on the original, to be used as a hook. Yet with the pressure of the cord it had to be reinforced by pinning the tiny piece with a brass rod. Once the cords were done, the major sub-assemblies could be fitted, or so I thought. A great plus to this kit is how well the parts fit. The fine tolerances had an effect upon my paint process as too many layers would affect the final fit. This along with the interior modification to remove the rear cushion caused the body to ride too high on the chassis. With my efforts to fit, I pressed too much and the steering column broke sway from the dash! Panic moment #2! This resulted in taking the three subassemblies apart plus dismantling the interior. In repairing the column & wheel I inadvertently positioned much lower, which was noticed only once it was back together. I also filed the mounting points back on the chassis and body to allow for a better fit. Now that the car was together it remained to fit the rest of the external parts. One unique item that required construction was the bug deflector on the hood, barely noticeable because of size and transparency. The local brewery cans are bare metal overall and, once emptied are a great source for scale brackets and other bits of metal. Combined with a decent P/E bending tool one is able to fashion all sorts of detail items. In this case it was a simple 45 degree bend along a small length of aluminum and a transparency from a bubble pack to make the delicate deflector. The hardtop, which only appeared in the Club Sport version, was requiring more masking and airbrushing to complete it. The first layer was LP 65 Rubber Black for the insulation around the windows and to provide a base for the aluminum coat to follow. Once sprayed rubber it was masked for the Vallejo Metal White Aluminum for the side frames. Panic moment #3 occurred while removing the masking from the roof as two small sections of red decal film lifted at the front and rear of the top! In my attempt to prevent runs of clear coat it appears that the culprit a lack of clear coat at these downward edges of the roof. At this point not sure whether to attribute it to damage suffered during the journey to Florida or to try to repair it with another layer of film. This morning the MGB sits all mocked up, awaiting the final bits ‘n’ pieces to be installed. This has been a very satisfying and rewarding build of a kit that is well thought out and executed with the only drawback perhaps it being a curbside. Even with a chassis plate, the details and crispness allowed for paint detailing. Hope to finish up in the next couple of days, and then it’ll be off to the races! Thanks for your comments Randy. I’m quite happy with this build as it nears completion. That is my weak point as I have a ton of WIPs in line, never mind the stash which serves as a parts depot. Thanks Randy for following along and all the others, Cheers Misha

Hi Andrew, Been following your build! Great detail overall and well executed. Those toggle switches are amazing, need to get some. Cheers Misha

Stance and interior detail is bang on Joe, Congrats! Cheers Misha

? Wow Andrew! Your highly detailed Cobra build is an amazing example of artistry and craft in working with a mix of material. You are way ahead of me as I chose to build a curbside, saving me the rabbit ? hole of a detailed engine and underhood bay. Getting closer to the grid line! Been able to log in decent time at the work bench due to the Arctic Vortex delivering a shocking amount of snow on east Vancouver Island! After a few days of spraying the clear coats the body was safe to handle allowing me to prepare it for assembling with the interior and chassis. To mount the body to the chassis a number of body details need to be attended to such as the gas filler and bungee cords. The structure behind the grill was fitted first from behind that houses the oil cooler and driving lights. As a result of many mockups this scratch built item fit without issues. The result resembles a 67 Shelby somewhat… The added holes in the lower front panel is what holds it and the grill to the body. Using Grandt Line bolt heads the grill ones along the centre have been installed. I mocked up the assembly with the bungee cord in place for a look. Having masked the windshield before, I applied LP 5 semi-gloss black as a base coat and to provide a black interior frame. After masking the rubber seal at the bottom of the frame it was sprayed with X 13 gloss clear in preparation for the Alclad chrome. I have yet to find anything else that is better than Alclad for chrome metallic finishes. The resulting windshield turned out well with the masking tape removed and mocked up on the body. The next job was to apply the final level of weathering on the chassis. For all the weathering washes and effects I used a variety of Vallejo products. It is a treat to have prepared washes available rather than mixing your own concoctions back when I was building aircraft. The above photos show the exhaust mocked up for the shots. It still requires the exhaust hangers to be installed once the body is in place. Also completed a couple of detailing parts such as the tail lights, comp-style gas cap, and wipers. The underside showing the gas cap mounting with the positioning stick untrimmed to length. I neglected to take a photo from above showing the cap in place, it will appear in a future posting. Here are some “vintage” style shots reminiscent of the 1964 Sebring black & white photographs of the time. A big thanks to all who are following this building thread for the Sebring 12 Hour spectacle, Cheers Misha

Thanks Donato for the compliment, keeping my fingers crossed for the next steps. I shot a few coats of TS-13, at first misting it on then with one wet coat. For my recent projects I switched to using the Tamiya LP & TS lacquer paint range with great results. The paint’s ability to self levelling is a real treat. Even in this case I chose to mix the Iris Blue body colour with the Tamiya acrylic paint and it performed in a similar manner. With the clear coat curing over the next few days I’ve turned to completing other components. The helmet is a Super Magnum from Bell, now a vintage item from the sixties. It comes from the AMT 63 Corvette annual which survived through a number of reissues to which I’ve added the textured P/E chin straps. Next step is painting and placement on the driveshaft tunnel, completing the interior. Finished off the front grill with the installation of the photo-etched MG badge using Future as an adhesive followed by a few drops on top to give the clear enamel polish to the badge. The grill has had a number of vertical bars removed for the twin Marchal driving lights. In addition the remaining bars have been treated to an aluminum shade, setting them off against the chrome surround. The scratch built enclosure also houses the engine oil cooler with the radiator in behind it. Tomorrow is another day! Cheers Misha

Thanks Gary, Pierre and Phil for checkin’ in. Getting closer to completion, still a lot of detail items to take care of. I’ve been fortunate to have the “Club Version” of Aeoshima’s MGB as it provides a number of race specific parts such as the perspex light covers and the fibreglass hardtop. I also have the stock roadster kit that I plan on building as an open top racer which will utilize the Minilite wheels from the competition kit, as the Sebring racers ran on modified wire spokes. Cheers Misha

Hi Mark, Thanks for your comment, when it comes to racing vehicles I tend to avoid the high gloss show rod finishes and rather go for a more utilitarian look. If all goes well with the clear coat I plan to wax it without any of the polishing compounds. Cheers Misha

Finished with the decals! This was quite the task involving 27decals including the hardtop, all requiring close alignment. Overall it worked out well, especially in light of the difficulties. Most of which were decals breaking and needing careful repair. The red stripes were from an old sheet of Super Scale and the meatballs and numerals came from Cartograph in Italy. To begin after the red stripes had been laid down was to apply the blank white meatballs, splitting the door ones for the chrome trim. A discovery was made in realizing that the proper location of the fuel inlet needs to sit a bit lower than where I located it. As a result, the white meatball just squeezed onto the trunk lid! The numbers were each applied individually, a total of eight that required alignment with my shakey hands & so-so eyesight. Over all, it’s close yet no cigar. The numerals are rounded, not sharp edged as on the prototype. The omission of the drivers’ lettering on the front fenders is another reason for having a decal sheet custom made. Once dry I’ll clean up the decal solutions used and prep the body and top for the clear coats with TS-13. That’s the latest… thanks for looking in. Always interested in comments… Cheers Misha

KK you’ve got my attention with the body sectioning to shorten your ride. Always admired this Stude as it captured my attention at age four which has led to life of gearhead! Cheers Misha

You’ve done a very sweet build John of this classic Chevy. I saw your earlier posts and thought your exterior colour choice was bang on. Just caught up with your work and compliment you on the interior. Now with final assembly close by I’ll keep following. Cheers Misha

Those Webers are going to look really sweet! Andrew what ratio of thinner to Molitow are you using? I haven’t been all that impressed with the markets so would like to air brush it instead. Thanks & Cheers Misha

I join in with all the comments on your build Andrew! Constructing a Daytona coupe completely out of resin is a challenge that you’re succeeding in achieving a highly detailed replica of the car. I also join in the notion of the builds to reflect their state at the time, so your weathering approach on the chassis works really well. Nine weeks, Oy vey! A bit shorter for me as heading to AZ is nearing and I need to finish this one in a few weeks. I had quite a time applying the red decal stripes as they broke in two spots on the trunk and once on the hood. A couple of touch ups tomorrow when all is dry, then the meatballs. Here’s a shot of the completed interior, minus the helmet (it hides a bad spot on the drive tunnel). That’s it for tonight… Cheers Misha

That’s a neat concept, like the extended t-top and the much more aggressive front end. Some more photos please… Cheers Misha

Great, thoughtful modification! Looking forward to your build. Cheers Misha

Thanks for checking in Andrew! This is a great thread, yet I was curious about the number of entries are still under construction or built? Thanks Mark, since the photo was taken lap belts with hardware, shifter and boot have been installed, as has the top of the dash. The helmet is from the 63 Vette and has had the visor thinned closer to scale and the sharp helmet edges rounded to improve realism. Another great find in the shop was P/E helmet hardware in scale and featuring a realistic texture ! This maybe from an armour or figure kit, fortunately it’s in scale with the 1:25 helmet. The exterior helmet hardware is in the top left corner. Thanks Phil! I’m on the road to actually completing a build, getting better with that aspect. My eye is already roving to see what appears on the bench next… do have that 1953 Victoria WIP, and a holiday gift to start with the new Datsun Z (Nissan Z..) in a BRE scheme. I also began my Deuce Days 2025 entry during the holidays, settling upon a Woody built upon the Dan Fink version. Cheers to all & Happy New Year ? Misha

Over the New Year weekend I decided that the body colour was complete and time to pull off the masking for the stripe. Pleased with the quality of the Tamiya tape in leaving a sharp and distinct edge. (I did apply another white coat before beginning with the body colour to seal the tape and prevent bleeding.) A quick mock up with the interior looks fairly decent. Moving on to detailing the remaining parts, the photo etched exhaust clamps were formed using my new P/E tool making the task easy. Upon enlarging the passenger side photo the light mounted to illuminate the meatball appeared to be the small round housing and not the license plate light provided in the kit. I recalled that years ago I came across a selection of cast metal rally accessories. Checking the parts department I located the bits which included a sprue of the correct lights, bingo! Also worked on the taillight assembly, first colouring the clear lenses with clear red enamel from behind and then fitting them onto the chrome housing. While most of the kit displays smart sprue attachments, the housing has the attachment right at the top tip that will require a paint touch up before installation. It’s slowly coming together now, looking forward to the completion! Thanks for checking in, Cheers Misha

Wishing you the best for the New Year Bill, Been following your 275 #23 build with great interest. Yours mods to what is a slot car and turning it into a replica is your amazing talent. I’m a fan of the early Monogram and AMT static slot cars, having completed the Scarab and WIP of the Mecom Hussein. Thanks for all the details and photos. Be seeing you on the grid in March! Cheers Misha

Thanks Andrew, Actually if we’re sticking with lap belts, so much the better as I don’t need to complete five! Overall this does reflect an issue with visual references that tend to be contemporary shots of restored vehicles with added features to comply with current regulations. This has certainly been true with the MGB build. I see the intent of our builds as representing the cars on the grid as they appeared in March, 1964. Cheers Misha

Thanks Mark, Last night sprayed what maybe the last colour coat on the body. Have laid it aside to cure for a week. Brushing large areas such as bodies has usually led to brush marks and thick layers. I admire your brushwork and was wondering if you have posted a thread ? on your process? The great advantage to an airbrush I find is laying down colour in scale. Clean up isn’t an issue as I have gotten used to my Pasche VL double action that I have used from day one, some fifty years ago now. Recently added an Iwata Eclipse for finer work, beautiful precise construction, better than the excellent VL. Thanks Phil for looking in! I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. What remains are the small fiddley bits that require time and patience, especially with fitting sub assemblies. Regarding the grid… Would it be possible Andrew to have an update on what is already on the grid, which are still WIP and are there some significant entries remaining to be spoken for? Thanks. This morning was spent constructing one shoulder belt! Getting the hang of it, now to fashion a matching one for the other side, the rest of the five point will be a snap ?. I was wondering if five point belts were used in 1964? Wishing all a happy & safe New Year’s Celebration! Cheers ? Misha

Wow Andrew, such an impressive build of this classic Ferrari! Been enjoying seeing it take shape. Cheers Misha

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season! Had a great holiday trip out to the wild west coast of Vancouver Island. Celebrating with family through 120km winds and torrential rains combined with 7 metre surf and record high tides! We stayed on the beachfront and I ventured out to photograph Cox Bay. Returned last night after five days away and got back to the bench … I had done some work before leaving, having begun to spray paint the body colour. This led to an unforeseen outcome with orange peel and splattered paint spots from too low of air pressure for the thinned acrylic paint. I set the body aside with two coats to dry out. I moved onto interior details such as installing the door pulls and window cranks and the roll bar. Completed the dashboard decals for the instruments and radio delete plate , along with paint detailing the bezels, radio speaker surround, switches. Also installed Grandt Line bolt heads into holes drilled into the glossy black shift lever cover. Another item that required scratch building was the driver’s rubber floor mat. Using a masking tape template the shape was cut from plastic textured sheet, painted and decal applied. The next step is to install the five point safety harness using photo etch hardware with black ribbon tape. From there the rest will assemble quickly. The exhaust pipe was further detailed with the Tamiya weathering chalks using blue and orange. Once the body is mated with the chassis, the pipes will be installed using photo etch clamps and hangers. Today I wet sanded the body with 3600/4800 /8000 cloth sheets to reduce the orange peel and eliminate the splatters. It proved to help and I was pleased enough to lay in the third coat. So far, so good, an improvement. Also gave the hardtop its first blue coat after masking the white racing stripe. The entire piece is molded in clear which requires window masking as well. Thanks for looking in on the build. It’s beginning to feel like I’m past the half way point now, yet assembly of photo etch and sub assemblies can be cantankerous as well! Cheers Misha

Welcome to the latest MGB build update. Been spending as much time as possible at the bench, mainly on details as well as painting the body. That part has been a bit of a challenge with the acrylic paint showing orange ? peel plus the airbrush splattering as a result of too low air pressure. With a third coat coming up after wet sanding I’m hoping for a better finish. The chassis is now fully assembled except for the side exhaust. It will still be subject to a bit of weathering. I nearly forgot the body coloured hook on top of the bonnet for the hold down bungee cord. The hook was formed from brass wire for strength and a small plate was added to the centre nose piece. The interior is nearing completion as well with the doors complete with door pulls and window cranks. The level of detail and fit of this kit is a real ? joy! Dash is being detailed with paint with the decals to follow. A mock up, complete with a Bell Magnum helmet on the console. So far all appears to be fitting well with the modifications. Here are some shots of the body as it is now. The orange peel appears to be consistent overall and closer inspection will reveal the splatters of paint. The clear hard top received its first white primer coat so that the interior will appear white. After masking the white stripe the blue body colour will be applied, hopefully with success. The roll bar received its gloss black finish. To help locating the assembly I pinned the bottoms of it to fit into the floor board. The last items are the rubber mat for the driver and the support for the trunk mounted quick release fuel filler. This morning I finished the treatment on the exhaust system with a basic silver coat with masking the weld sections with very thin tape strips. This was followed by an application of clear orange, red and blue for the heat staining. The end bits are really fun to complete as the kit box empties of bits and pieces. Cheer’s Misha

Over the past while I’ve been working on the MGB with the focus on the interior and undercarriage. I masked off the interior panels to apply the Iris Blue to match the rest of the unibody construction. Once painted the panels were mocked up with the seats and dashboard. The white mat piece will be painted rubber While the kit offers excellent chassis detail, the front of the engine is lacking anything beyond the block. While the suspension component does mask most of the fan and pulley assembly, a keen eye will notice the gaps, especially the missing generator! To remedy this, I modified parts box finds, adding a radiator as well. The MGB was also the marque’s first sports car with the Hydrolastic Suspension at the rear axle replacing typical shock absorbers. It was designed by Alex Moulton ( designer of a high end folding bicycle as well) for the 1959 Morris/Austin Mini and used a series of coupled hydraulic cylinders with levers working to compensate the live axles movement. The kit represents this arrangement very well with delicate detailed parts. For the cavity behind the grill housing the Marchal driving lights and engine oil cooler I needed to construct most of the structure adding the lights from the parts ? box. The chassis required surgery to accommodate the new addition. To wrap up the work I added another coat of Vallejo Aluminum by brush to the inner grill for a uniform look. Turning my attention to the photo etched fret for the enamelled badge at the centre of the grill, I used X-27 Clear Red & X-19 Smoke acrylics and a 10/0 brush to finish it. Future will be used to attach the piece with another coat to simulate the enamel gloss. Getting closer to laying on the body colour for the MG which is usually tough for me to begin, yet I usually get into the swing of it, especially when all goes well. The interior requires some more air brushing and touch ups. Also the install of all the hardware such as window cranks, door levers, park brake & dash pedal, five point belt, and more… Overall I ‘m happy about how the build is progressing. A great amount of pleasure is also found in the research of the ‘64 race and MG’s role as competition has always been at the heart of marque throughout its history. Thanks again to all who are checking in on the build. Comments are always welcomed, Cheers Misha

An example from my 49 Shoebox build using half round Evergreen products to create the new interior panels, rear deck and seat patterns. Embossing powder was employed to create the carpet and effect. Hope this offers you some ideas Milo, Cheers Misha

Been working on the smaller details employing kit parts, which have fine, delicate mouldings, and a bit of scratch-building. I had constructed an inlet to sit behind the kit grill. This will house the extra Marchal driving lights, engine oil cooler, and have a “fake” rad opening. The cooler is made from a guitar string representing the coils with an Evergreen plastic surround. The kit roll bar has been modified with an extra horizontal bar to locate the seat harness with a diagonal brace for added safety. Also installed P/E braces below the horizontal bar along with a bracket for keeping the harness in place. The next photo shows an assortment of parts, beginning with the front suspension now with the Lockheed disc brakes. To the right is a group of three added items; held in the clothes pin is the generator, a modified front pulley assembly with a radiator in the foreground. To the left is a grouping of interior bits comprised of the dash top with chrome tonneau snaps, centre mirro mount and defroster outlets. All examples of the fine detail built into the kit. I usually remove parts from the sprues for sanding mould lines and painting, yet withthe delicacy of the stick shift, steering column (having replaced the turn signal stalk with finer wire for scale appearance). The pedal assembly has been painted with a gloss black followed by rubber for the pedals and P/E for the accelerator. The remainder are chassis parts such as the slave cylinder clutch assembly, the front sway bar and the Hydrolastic Suspension units are finely crafted kit parts. The next group will consist of chrome bits for the exterior and interior handles & cranks, in addition to detailing the dashboard, starting hardtop painting and the rest of it… Thanks again for looking in, Cheers Misha