Matt Bacon

Looks very sharp, David. I'm (sadly) glad that it's the kit that doesn't put the rear chassis-suspension location arms in the wrong place (ie they should actually join, rather than float), not just me! At the risk og sounding picky, I'm not sure that the transverse reinforcement plate across the transmission tunnel in the right place:

As promised, time to start on the front end: Basic parts. As you can see, the main tubes are slide moulded in one piece, which eliminates one of the few issues with the Ninja.... the seams between the front and back H-shaped pieces they used instead back then.The colours are very accurate, if a bit weird! The single piece wheel carrier is beautifullly detailed and crisp. At the far right, you'll see a tiny cylinder with what look like crenellations, which is the reservoir on the wheel carrier at the left. Just like the golden inner damper tubes, the sprue gates for the part actually only go into the flat mounting face, so you can remove them without affecting the visible surface colour at all. Just another example of really thoughtful tooling design. And together. This image exaggerates the mould parting line on the tubes: it's not that visible at all. As you can see. I decided that putting the detail decals on now would be a lot easier than after the whole thing was assembled! Control levers -- five parts each, including a teeny-tiny handgrip end cap on the assembled one above. These will get some detailing on the bolts etc. Ready to fit. Do not put them on backwards ? Another subassembly completed. That's the end of Day 4. Tomorrow the fuel tank and seat bring some colour to the proceedings. Oh, and one last thing... Hard to resist a test fit! best, M.

The TR4A is also relatively easy to get hold of, and up to the same standards, as is the Mercedes 280SL… though that one will cost you a fair bit more if you ever find one! best, M.

Just beautiful. Flawless paint and detailing… which is what such an icon deserves. Love the backdrop, too… best, M.

OK... very bad news. I think I'm going to have to declare this kit unbuildable. I've discovered some.... flash In case you're having trouble spotting it, I've circled the offending area. That leakage around the sprue gate is... unacceptable. ? Seriously, this is the only sign of a moulding issue anywhere in the kit. I forgot to take any pictures of the radiator built but off the bike. There's a water and oil radiator, a four part frame, and a couple of hoses. I washed the radiator matrix to reveal the texture, but goodness knows where you'll be able to see it from with the fairing on! More of those nice etched parts for the front wheel. Those discs are in a different league from the one at the back! Shorter session today, so that's the end of Day 3. Forks are next on the agenda, with some rather nice slide moulding on show... best, M.

Gordon Murray is very scathing about cf for car wheels on the basis that if you curb or pothole one, it’s probably a write-off. I guess for a dedicated racing bike with a neat stand, that risk is pretty minimal! Best, M.

Oh… I think I’ve figured out how the carbon is done. I think it must be using the “hydro-dipping” technique, where you float ink printed on a carrier film on a tank of water, dissolve the film with “activator”, and dip the sprue in, picking up the ink in the pattern on the water. That would explain the “flow” of the weave pattern, and the ink ghost marks on the back of the parts. best, M.

Back to the workbench instead of dining table for today's session! Frame half with a few small detail parts attached. And this is (I think) the rear brake pedal assembly the siver cylinder, pedal, carbon shield and reservoir are all separate parts. The swing arm going into position. There are a lot of pivot points to line up, but they all fit very precisely. The brake line from the rear calliper on the swing arm attaches to the silver cylinder in on the brake pedal assembly. Note the carbon cover over the chain drive sprocket above. Don't forget to put it on before closing up the frame! Frame together. It's fixed to the engine with three screws on each side, and then a long one runs through the front end. Silencer assembly. I've touched in the bolt heads with a Molotow pen.... there'll be more of that to do before we've finished... Exhaust on. There are three pipe parts from the cylinder head -- a twin and two more convoluted outers -- 2 2-into-1 unions and the silencer part. The joints between sections are a little loose, which helps get the whole run snapped into position, but they are pretty solidly fixed now everything is in place. I used a little AK Extreme Metal Brass, Copper and Blue to give some low key heat effects (again, it's not too obvious on the real thing.) And that's the end of Day Two. best, M.

Which contains all this lot: best, M.

Some of you may remember I built Meng's Ninja in 1/9 a couple of years ago, and very much enjoyed it. This is the latest in the same series, and also the pre-coloured version. The quality of finish has moved along significantly, with the carbon fibre and livery being incredibly crisp and the variety of shades and tones on the other parts much wider than the Ninja. It's a very sophisticated snap kit with a few screws here and there, usually where the real thing has fasteners. Like all of Meng's snap kits, they've thought very long and hard about what can be seen and what can't, and where to put joints and sprue gates to minimise any rectification after assembly. So without further ado, Day 1 of this build: The usual classy satin Meng box which is completely packed with plastic. All ABS, so no glue required. Note the beautifully printed cowl parts in the foam lined box to the right. Engine block is a flat pack built up around an invisible (but still press-fit) frame in the middle. The fit is very good, but keep a wary eye out for the odd raised ejector pin mark on a hidden surface before pushing it all together. The detail is fabulous, but I'm in two minds about using a wash, because in all the pictures of these things I can find, they are very well looked after and pristine. Airbox and throttle bodies. That pipework is one multibranched part that just pops perfectly into place. Engine taking shape. The first use of carbon parts warrants a closer look at the textre. I really don't know how it's done. They aren't decals, and there's a "ghost" pattern on the other side. If it's a mask, it's a very clever one, and if's some sort of printing it's equally impressive. Rear shock absorber: there are 9 parts in there, and it's fully functional... Steel etch for brake discs -- very detailed and surprisingly hefty. The holes are even slightly chamfered on the "good" side. I did apply wash on the chain: Citadel "Nuln Oil" Carbon fibre rear "mudguard" in place. Three parts that snap together cleanly and the CF weave even continues across the joins... And this is where I got to at the end of the first building session. Next, we begin the frame. best, M.

This is the Revell Snap 2nd generation with the Polar Lights 1st Gen: And the 720 Mirage (a GT with the wick turned up to 11): The external visible differences are limited to a more open rear bulkhead to let the heat out of the engine bay, so it's a pretty easy conversion... best, M.

Fantastic model from a not-so-easy kit. Love the colour — there are so many that only Lamborghini can get away with, and Arancio Borealis is one! besr, M.

That looks brilliant… well done. I wish the real thing could even be a “dream drive!” One of the most convincing and true to life models I’ve ever seen… best, M.

Always like the Isuzu 117, and that late-model looks really nice... best, M

If I can make a suggestion, tack the doors and any other pieces (hood?) that are going to be body color in place and do it all in one go. Matching multilayer paint in separate sections is really tricky, and it's all too easy to think you are treating each element exactly the same for it to become clear you weren't only when you bring the finished parts together... best, M.

Thanks, guys! @Anglia105E I can't build ALL my Jags in Opalescent Silver Blue... ? It is probably my favorite Jaguar colour... best, M.

Late '60s vintage Airfix kit from their "contemporary" range of the time. The re-issued kit is a bit tired, and needs hauling into shape, but the detail and finesse of some of the mouldings (look at that "leaper" on the hood) is surprisingly good. For a Brit car, it's quite big even though it's the ultimate evolution of the "small" Jaguar saloon not the 420G, which is a barge. They're not as well liked in the collector market as either the Mk 2 or the XJ6 which came later, which seems a bit unfair given they have the independent suspension of the E-Type for handling, the most powerful regular XK engine for go, and plenty of boot space and accommodation for four adults.... anyway, on with the pics: Highly recommended for the £15 it costs now, rather than the £150 you'd have had to pay last year on eBay... best, M.

Boeing auto lock nut plates... I feel a close personal connection with the part number.. best, M.

Just number plates to come, then it will be off to Under Glass... best, M.

If you test fit the front and rear screens in the body off the chassis, there are quite large gaps around them. However, if you pull the body sides tight to the chassis, it changes the shape enough that the fit is much improved. So I decided that although I'd fit the side windows before bringing chassis and body together, the screens would be attached after the main assembly was completed. Not my best detail painting, but the wheel will mostly be held by the driver. I didn't glue the wheel in place so I could move it to make sure the driver could get to grips with it... And here is under way. "e looks like an 'armless sort of chap, doesn't 'e? Chassis complete and ready to go in. All the chrome is Molotow. Just final details to go on now. You can see from the "leaper" on the hood how fine some of the detail parts are. It's a very impressive bit of tooling that has gone slightly to seed over the years, rather than a crude kit in any way. More to follow soon... best, M.

This one's been going for a while, so this is a long post. Airfix's Jaguar 420 has been one of the "grail" kits for classic British kit enthusiasts for years. It's not been released in a very long time, and while some people are fans of the "Festival of the Ordinary" contenders like the Vauxhall Viva estate or Morris Marina from Airfix's contemporary range in the 60s, the Jag has a bit more appeal to me as a subject. But not £120-worth of appeal. So imagine how glad I was when Airfix announced they'd added it to their range of Classic re-releases this year, along with the Beach Buggy. The kit is reasonably well detailed, with engine, opening bonnet and complete drive train with independent rear suspension from the E-Type. There's also a driver figure, who we'll see more of later. On my kit, the body was slightly splayed out, and there are definitely plenty of moulding age-marks to be taken care of. But the proportions and shape look very good. After several rounds of filling, sanding and primer, this is what we get. Note the "shelf" at the base pf the C-pillar. Not only is the C-pillar the most dinged up bit of the mould at the seam, but it's also completely missing this body detail. It's only on the S type and 420s, not any earlier "Mk2", so it' not surprising that the designer didn't spot it it. Built up with plastic rod and filler. Interior and chassis painted. Surpisingly, the carpet in the "red-on-red" scheme is brighter than the seats instead of the other way round. Citadel paints and washes for the interior trim, and Tamiya Titanium Gold to represent Opalescent Golden Sand from the Jaguar palette. Engine built up. It's got a strange taper front to back almost like forced perspective, but it seems to fit well, and looks OK in place. Probably some compromise forced on the designer by the thickness of the plastic in the body. You could do more with it, but you'd have to watch out for the engine bay space -- those wheel arches with cutaways are not how the real thing is laid out, so the space for ancillaries and plumbing/wiring is limited. Test fit of the body and hood, which doesn't seem too bad. Engine in the body and interior parts painted. The "wood" is my usual mixture of flesh tones overlaid with Tamiya clear orange, and the dials detail painted with white gel pen ink. Panel line wash applied using Citadel yellow "contrast colour", prior to final polishing. Chassis assembled. So you don't have to go through the same rigmarole as me later, cut a couple of square notches about 3mm wide and 2mm deep in the corners of the radiator, so it can drop a little between the chassis rails instead of resting on top. That way the hood will close. More to follow.... best, M.

I know things are different in the US, but how many cars actually have a 3G connection (in Europe that means their own SIM card and mobile subscription)? Handful of high-end BMWs, Mercs and Audis. Most work on a Bluetooth connection to the owner's phone or proper Apple Carplay/Android Auto integration. Either way, the phone has the connection, not the car, and whatever connectivity the phone has, the car has it too. And all of them are designed to make sure they work if there's no mobile network coverage -- which is why anyone who tells you an essential use case for 5G mobile is autonomous vehicles is blowing smoke... best, M.

I guess that's the Revell Germany kit in export version. Looks really good, and they are such fun cars. All I ask is don't go overboard with the wheels and arches! You see Coopers with wide wheels, and you know they are all show: the real thing's suspension and wheels/tires are a finely tuned solution for competitive racing, and a bit of oversteer is all part of the mix. The best drivers sling Minis into corners on a 45 degree drift angle and power out in a straight line, and being too grippy and uncompliant messes that up... best, M.

That look isn't new: ? (and yes, the above is a fabulous engine, and nothing like so hard to work on as it might look, I'm reliably informed...) best, M.

Rapide's a good choice. But I think Bill's XJ6 has it all for a "realistic" option, either for Europe or the US. If we have any Aussie members, I'd be keen to hear what you'd pick for a ride that has the Great Sandy Desert in the middle of it, one way or another... best, M.