
Matt Bacon
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Everything posted by Matt Bacon
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And South Yorkshire this morning. Looking forward to getting some quality time with it! best, M.
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Not necessarily everyone's cup of tea, don't you know, but some folks might be interested in a trip down memory lane. A pair of Airfix's state of the art for 1973 kits. The buggy was made by Bugle, and was popular for its integrated headlights and general build quality. Fistral Beach or Pendine Sands have all the sand of their Californian cousins, but are a bit, well, colder... The triangular Bond Bug is all-original, though, designed by eccentric genius Tom Karen to update the prehistoric product lines of Britain's two three-wheeler (the result of a tax break) makers, Bond and Reliant, when they merged. I have made a blue thing. It's better in daylight, but this 'ere nail varnish makes for a good metalflake effect for the full 70s OTT look. Bits of a Bug. This is definitely one of those early 70s Airfix 1/32 car kits, on a par with the K3 Magnette or Prince Henry, with fine details, and quite a few of them. Fortunately it's also moulded in Airfix's new dark grey plastic, which is reasonably hard but not brittle, so separating those small details is a lot less fraught than with the older kits. Even the engine is pretty reasonable for the scale (never mind that it's mostly going to be unseen). I may be deviating from the instructions (they aren't that clear!). But looking at pictures of the real thing, the mouldings are pretty seamless, without obvious filled joint lines like you find on a Lotus Esprit or Ferrari 288GTO between the fibreglass sections, though there is a step along the sides. So I've decided to assemble the three main body parts, fill and clean up before painting. Although the rear panel has the boot door in it, only that part is black and opens... the rest merges smoothly into the body sides, and the wheel arches are also seamlessly blended into the body. And yes, I did check with a mockup that it was possible to get the chassis in AFTER building the body this way... Did I mention the instructions weren't clear? Well, in this case they are just plain wrong. Thanks to a YouTube snippet of a Bug restoration I figured out how the steering box and linkage work. The hole in the steering box faces backwards, not forwards (makes sense, it's where the column fits into it), and the 8 link goes on the pin that's now on the outside. Then the other rod and L lever from the axle all join up quite neatly... Orange-ness sooon... best, M.
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The pricing is a bit steep for what it is, which may be a result of the licensing. But the alternatives are a Doyusha kit with iffy shape that’s equally kerbside and expensive, or an Airfix/MPC or Aurora “licensed spy car” kit with better shape and an engine at serious collector prices. Remember Revell has form in this space with the EasyClick Porsche 356: a simplified pure snap coupe, and a more detailed cabriolet with more and more accurate pieces. They can get the “mass market” Goldfinger one out the door to sell to all the folks who want a Bond car semi-toy with gadgets; then follow up with a more detailed “regular” DB5… If it wasn’t so expensive, I’d be seriously tempted to leave off the bumpers, fill the roof panel and armour slot, replace the wheels with some nice 3D printed wires, and have a pretty cool classic GT on the shelf sooner rather than later. Like this: best, M.
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Really interested to watch this. I’ve done a few of these little Hellers, and they are sweet kits. Good shapes, reasonable detail, and a pleasingly quirky set of subjects from around Europe… best, M.
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer The West Wing Blackadder Inspector Morse The Muppet Show
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Trying to stick to single movies: Star Wars Some Like It Hot Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade The Last of the Mohicans (Michael Mann) Duck Amuck (Looney Toons short) The Right Stuff Grosse Pointe Blank OK, I stuck to single movies. Just not five of them (though one is less than five minutes and can count as the cartoon before the main feature) best, M.
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This is definitely going to date me. A combination of albums that are emotionally important in my life, and some that are great records irrespective of my connection with them (and I’ll try to do five or it could be fifty…) Kilimanjaro -Teardrop Explodes The Doors - The Doors ABC - The Lexicon of Love Prince - Sign O the Times Human League - Dare Pulp - Different Class (And because you can’t love music and not love The Beatles - Rubber Soul) I know I can’t count… best, M.
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There have been many tuners who have gone to work on Datsun/Nissan's 240Z (Fairlady Z). None is better known in the UK than Spike Anderson. Between 1973 and 1986, his company produced 77 Super Samuris, They originally came in two specifications: the "cooking" Super Samuri with a work of art for a cylinder head and 3 double Weber carbs; and the Road Racer spec which had a whole host of other track-focused upgrades to brakes, suspension, exhaust, cooling, safety gear and even bigger carbs. Since they were built, many have enjoyed further development. Which means that you can pretty much choose your spec and find a car that it matches. Needless to say, there is no handy kit of a cult British-tuned version of the 240Z, though there are many different Japanese ones (and one US BRE spec kit). This one started life as a Fujimi "432R", because it's one I happened to have in hand after an inspiring visit to Donington Historics this year, where about 10% of the UK's Samuris were on show. The 432R is a different (very) hot Z, fitted with a Skyline GTR 2-litre engine. Despite being kerbside, with the hood moulded shut, the kit came with a regular engine as well as the GTR special, mostly to provide what you can see between the wheels under the chassis. I opened up the hood, and then added the very distinctive front air dam. Most of the engine bay parts are scratch built or robbed from other kits, copying the Tamiya kit details where possible. The carbs are 3D-printed and bought off eBay, the wheels are Minilites from Motobitz, etched details and badges from Model Car Garage, and the distinctive script "Samuri" decals were ALPS-printed for me by a member on another forum, for which huge thanks to Jorgen. Now I'm off to do something simpler. Though I must admit to having acquired a Hasegawa 432R kit (again curbside), first because they are also super cool and secondly, I have to do _something_ with that engine, don't I? best, M.
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One-Off Quiz #38 - Finished
Matt Bacon replied to carsntrucks4you's topic in Real or Model? / Auto ID Quiz
It was the Lola GT look that pointed me in the right direction as well. A brief look for a little-known road-going Lola prototype and then I started on Ford concept cars, beginning in 1966... best, M. -
The chassis is not finally glued into the body yet, but this will be the last set of shots from the bench. Just the plates to add, and then off to Under Glass. It's definitely getting dark earlier these days... I did a few last bits of "prototype-inspired" gizmology on the right hand side of the bay, which was looking a bit empty. I know a wash bottle when I see one, but I think we also have some bits of a high-capacity oil cooler set up and a heavy duty fuel pump as well. Probably. Anyway, there's some more plumbing and wiring to busy things up a bit. Just need to decide on what registration it's going to wear, now... best, M.
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Thank you... This will be the last you'll see of the cabin interior, I suspect: It's a bit of a black hole, but I decided I couldn't leave it without seat belts. The inertia reels fitted on the supension pillar turrets are as they are fitted on one of my two reference cars, and yes, that is how the belts run past the seat. I guess they come up over the outboard shoulder when you put them on. The other car has a roll cage fitted, and a four point harness attached to that, but I like the road car vibe of this one. This is here for the teeny-tiniest detail. The Model Car Garage etc set has many, many neat parts, including, something described as a "key fob" (yes, it has ignition keys, too. If only I could figure out what to do with them). It's a small disc with an etched slot in the middle. Key fob or no, they make really neat door lock barrels, seen just below the door handle! best, M.
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Checking I can open the hood successfully... best, M.
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Getting to the home straight now, I hope! Engine compartment details are pretty much done: It's a mixture of parts from other kits, resin carbs, scratchbuilt bits copying the Tamiya kit, and some creative gizmology. My favorite bit is the wired-in work light on the offside wheel arch. I though it was cool on the real things, and this is turned down from some clear plastic rod. At the right angle, it even looks like it has a reflector. And now....drum roll please... with huge thanks to a member on another forum with an ALPS printer: I thought the scripts would be have to be left as a "nice to have", but I managed to find a font that was "close enough" to the original signwriting, Jorgen rose to the challenge with his printer, and the Swedish Postal service was extraordinarily quick and efficient, and here we are. So massive thanks to Jorgen from Britmodeller and three cheers for this worldwide hobby community of ours! And now I see I need to tidy up s bit of that quarterlight chrome... best, M
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Thank you! Slowly getting on with details: One of the things that I have been trying to figure out is the hood hinge. Remember, I cut the hood free from the body, so it has to sit back into the space it came from, but also open up to view the engine bay. This is complicated by the V shape of the grille and front edge of the hood, so the whole thing has to move forward as it opens for the front edge of the hood to clear the top of the grille. Also, cosmetically I want it to look a bit like the mechanism on the real thing. Eventually, I got there. The functional part of the hinge is a simple L made from bent brass wire on each side. It's fixed into a hole 2.5mm behind the front edge of the hood on each side, at 90degrees to the hood surface, and is 4.5mm long before it twists outwards. Measure many times before cutting on your build. When it's shut, the rod sits vertically downwards into the gap at the front of the fenders. As you lift it, the hood can move forwards until when it's open, the nose overlaps the point of the grille and the sideways projections are caught up alongside the headlight fairing. To fit it in, you have to turn the hood across the opening so the slightly wider pins go through the aperture and lodge in the right place. The real thing is made up of an articulated "lazy-8" strip hinge that lifts the hood up and out. I made the detail with slices of square section tube that was about the right size, cut and folded slightly. You can see the brass pins at the bottom, and the white plastic cosmetic sections sitting on top. After painting and some test fitting, we get here: The hood stay is guitar string, with aluminum tube for the hood socket/ radiator frame hinge point. Still more to do on the engine bay details. And yes, even with all this stuff that was never meant to be there inside, the hood does close properly... best, M.
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Artists that should be in the Rock n' Roll Hall of fame.
Matt Bacon replied to Mike C.'s topic in The Off-Topic Lounge
And everyone should listen to Sonic's Rendezvous Band.... M. -
Artists that should be in the Rock n' Roll Hall of fame.
Matt Bacon replied to Mike C.'s topic in The Off-Topic Lounge
Not sure Lydon and co would agree..... now if you'd said "New York Dolls...." best, M. -
Porsche Outlaws & Hot Rods
Matt Bacon replied to afx's topic in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)
I hope it's got a front end lifter... best, M. -
Artists that should be in the Rock n' Roll Hall of fame.
Matt Bacon replied to Mike C.'s topic in The Off-Topic Lounge
I do rather like the fact the Kraftwerk were inducted as "Early influences"... Robert Johnson, maybe, but Kraftwerk? (Even though I'm someone who buys the well-made argument that they were foundational to electronic music, disco AND hip-hop, so probably one of the most genuinely "influential" bands ever). It's the "early" part I'm questioning... best, M. -
Artists that should be in the Rock n' Roll Hall of fame.
Matt Bacon replied to Mike C.'s topic in The Off-Topic Lounge
You know those “Top 100 singles ever” or “Top 100 albums of all time” lists? They always tend to have an overdose of more recent stuff, ‘cos people remember them, and really old stuff is forgotten. I heard one recently where “Careless Whisper” was No.1 and Robbie Williams had two in the Top 10, and nothing by the Beatles made the Top 20. I mean, I like Careless Whisper, but a better song than Penny Lane or Hey Jude? I think the Hall of Fame’s job is to recognise folks after some time has given a perspective on how successful, innovative, influential and important they were on “popular” music. Get rid of that “current hot thing” bias. Basically “Can you imagine them in the company of David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Prince and Dolly Parton?” beat, M. -
Artists that should be in the Rock n' Roll Hall of fame.
Matt Bacon replied to Mike C.'s topic in The Off-Topic Lounge
I think Mr Plant and the boys might have something to say about that... best, M. -
Those nice folks at Model Car Garage have come up with a photo etch detail set for Z-cars. I lucked into it while looking for a source for the "Datsun" scripts for the lower fenders. UK models, which became Samuris, don't use the "Fairlady" branding, but they do have all the badges in the same fonts. Fortunately this set includes ALL the options for the body badges and many, many details. Some of which I will use on this build, some I will save for later. The etch is crisp and deep (and even...), so a once over with Tamiya Matt Black acrylic, wiped off the raised detail after it's dried with a cloth lightly dampened with X-20A thinner brings out all the detail and looks "just like the real thing"... I decided to do one window part-lowered, for a better view of the interior. Both side windows are cut from acetate, but the main screens and quarter lights are the kit part. best, M.
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Looks fantastic. Black, chrome, black pen or some much cleverer masking technique? best, M.
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Now... where does the rocker cover breather hose go when you have three side-draft twin Webers? On regular cars, with an air filter manifold feeding the normal twin carbs, it just connects into the airbox. I assume it goes somewhere, though one of my reference cars just has a little right-angled filter "mushroom" sprouting from the breathing hole... I think that might foul the hood, though. best, M.
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A bit of a milestone, I think: I had to add a couple of plastic strip shims to the chassis rails to raise the radiator and frame to the height of the engine fan, which also brings the upper frame corners "close enough" to the fender tops. This means the engine is now firmly fixed to the chassis in its final position, so I can do some wiring and plumbing around it tomorrow, when everything has fully cured. That's a relief... the hood will close fully with that radiator, ignition wiring and the shock strut in position.... phew! best, M.