Foxer

Even without the Pig this is a brilliant build!

You still have to trim the gauge decal or image close to get it to sit within the dash. The best way is using a round punch to cut it out.

I should have put up a photo of the 1:1 when I was talking about it ..

Got the rear 3 seat interior made. These images are before and after the primer coat. I simplifies the center seat a bit and now debating how much of the cushion detailing Ill do. My car has the Mini oval on all the seats and overlapping on the rear center cushion. Since the kit seats have square inserts I may just leave as is. The interior color is black and not much will really show. I had to order the touch up paint from the Mini Dealer as the Brilliant Copper is a new color this year and no one has it. Time to paint the chassis and finish the interior and hope the paint doesn't take 6 months to come.

Try this link

Cool. I do like the car .. I still handles like a Mini and the power is not bad. I went from an Infiniti G37 Coupe with manual ... all the bells and whistles .. 330hp, plenty of torque and handling and brakes that were very well done. The only thing I really miss is the backup camera .. really got used to that with my old neck.

Most decal paper wants an acrylic clear. This protects the ink from dissolving in water.

Thanks, David. It's just waiting for me to put some PE windshield wipers together and I'll be posting it in the Under Glass section. This has been one long build!

Steve's right .. that was all I asked for and the photos have pretty much answered what I was looking for. But, a tutorial like Skip is asking for would be appreciated by many I'm sure. Almost every P.E. set I've seen appears to be done by someone that thinks we are mind readers ... lack of instructions, diagrams or identification of the pieces is standard procedure.

One of my overall favorite cars .. beautiful build!

I just bought a 2015 Mini Cooper S Countryman All4 at the beginning of the year after my rear wheel drive Infiniti G37 Coupe didn't make it up the driveway during a bit of snow ... for the LAST time! Since then, the Mini All4 has has leisurely plowed up through 6" of snow .. I'm saved! I was surprised Hasegawa has a model of the Countryman so I had to build mine. The kit is nicely done, even including a PE fret for badges and logos. Here's the box . on top. I got two so I could do a hot rod version later and an original Mini I may make to look like the new one. Also a PE fret for logos which I may not even need. Here's the first photos I took of the 1:1. The only thing I really have to do is convert the original rear 2-seaters to 3 across in the rear. This was new for 2013. The photos show the original bucket, one gouged out and one with the new seat cushions fitted. I'll have to use some putty to shape the edges of the rear seats on the bucket. The blob on the wire is the rear power shroud that goes on the tunnel in the back.

I'm in awe at what you've done so far. I used an A-Team van to build an '85 GMC my daughter had and din many of the things you've done to up the look of it. I did the dash and doghouse similar to what you did. Nice job on that! The hinges were my downfall and in the end figured I should have done them out of brass as you did. Please show plenty of photos mounting them! I also built up interior panels using plastic strips .. this is almost like watching my van come together! It's all looking good!

With all that experience, Carl, I can see there's not much I can tell you about CAD .. and being Civil, Autocad! I'm a retired Structural Engineer and have done much drafting on board and computer along the way. I started using 3D in the early 90's when 3D Studio first came out. It was only as a hobby as we didn't even have CAD yet in my Engineering/Architectural/Civil firm. It is a long learning curve with any 3D software, but CAD experience will go a long way in any of them. It's "just" another axis! ... you know how that goes. I have heard a lot about Google's SketchUp but never tried it. I'd be worried about curves from what Bill mentions, but I don't know. I would never consider myself an expert .. far from it. The complexity does depend on the complexity of the part. Bodies are the ultimate part in 3D concerning autos. I wouldn't want to even recommend any software as it's just like CAD . the best is what you know. Autocad itself isn't bad especially assuming you are familiar. I do sometimes use 3D Max to layout simple things. I've collected auto meshes from the start and sometimes have one I can use one on a project to test out an idea.

I felt like I was reviewing the past year of MCM Under Glass! Hopefully the upcoming NNL East will be the same. Thanks for the photos, Paul.

I saw something in Fine Scale Modeler this month about plastic single edge razor blades that is said to be safe for scraping clear plastic with out scratching. I'm tempted to try some but have no experience yet. Here's a lint to them.

Nice to seeing this one going together ... I started on my New Mini Countryman but have an old Mini I want to do up the same way.

Thanks so much, Chilly!

I'm sure they go inside. The bends wouldn't look smooth with then to the outside.

Thanks for those photos, Steve! I have received all the PE Wipers to choose from but still have some questions and a request for photos of any of them installed, if possible. Here's photos of the ones I have: First, the Detail Master DM-2520, the ones Steve pictured above: These are the most detailed and look great, as you can see from Steve's photos. There is a written page describing how to install them. I'm wondering if Steve used a pin to mount to the body. Next is the Detail Master DM-2003 15" Wiper Blades. These are "cast" with the blade and arm in one piece. I assume the blade needs to be turned 90 degrees on the arm to be in the proper form. There is a describing this. These look like the simplest of the three. Last is The Model Car Garage MCG-2013 Windshield Wipers stock. These have no instructions for installation other than their standard insert concerning P.E. parts. I do understand pretty much how these have to be bent for installation, but I'd love to hear from anyone with experiences using these ans any photos.

Sorry for your loss. I'm in Mass but the other end of the state in the Berkshires. MassCar model club is the biggest one around you and meets in Medfield, MA. There are some members here on the forum. I would say ebay is your best bet. Just look in the kits for blank spots on the parts trees and if there are at least 4 tires in the box. In you ebay ad state that parts could be missing and that they are your fathers kits and you are unable to determine if they are 100%.

I have 3 different PE windshield wipers and none give any installation instructions except one from Detail Master. These make me wonder how they should be bent and installed to lay correctly on the windshield. I have two from Detail Masters and one from Model car Garage. I'd like to see some good photos of some installed already to see how you did it.

I'm not a pickup nut, but love the look of this one with those huge tires!

This is looking amazing .. the turbo plumbing should always be works of art and yours is!

and it's good to have you here, Tom.

The sad part is you're going to paint over all that beautiful brass .. but it will still look spectacular I'm sure!