PatW

Thanks guys, the only thing I forgot that I normally do is wire the spark plugs! Like this previous one where I made the airfilters as well out of sponge......... Or this one that I scratchbuilt a turbo installation................... And another...................... But whilst I built my Flintstone resin bodied 4X4 (Mitsubishi Dakar 4X4 system) I used a Corvair motor over the back axle........... And then had to scratchbuild an exhaust silencer after running the candle shaped pipes over the cylinder heads to keep the exhaust away from rocks, deep water crossings etc........................ Being that my favourite vehicles are Beetles (we had 5 in the family), buggies and air-cooled Porsches yes I like air-cooled engines!

It's good to see a true British sportscar! Superb build well done.

Thanks guys, yes midnightprowler one engine pic........... Exhaust extended with alloy tubing. OR...

Well done Jim, tasty motor there!

Well done, great build. Here in the UK we don't see any but when we out last Sunday we followed a German registered saloon. I believe the two stroke engine was two cyinders where as a friend has an early SAAAB 96 which had the three cylinder two stroke engine.

Great build ShawnS, being a five time owner of the real thing (including a '59 'vert) I appreciate a good Beetle build up well done!

Superb build afx. I've had a few fit problems with mine but it's my favourite real car, having had a number of Beetles over the years.

Thanks all! Yes problems firstly with the yellow enamel paint not setting properly, and then when trial fitting the shell to the chassis the front tyres touched the bodywork so after a bit of filing I moved the body forward, bringing the tyres nearer to the centre of the wheel arches. Then a few sliced Manx decals and finish.

I've just finished this on 'On the Workbench'............. I used the Meyers Manx rear window as the front window on this. But as I wasn't totally happy with it, I found a plastic case and as the thickness of the plastic is scale correct, I used the damaged one from the kit as a template to cut another flat screen, with a bit of black sharpie around the edge................

As I'm not totaly happy with the Manx screen, I found a plastic case with the thickness of the plastic nearer scale. So using the original as the template made a new flat screen added with a touch of black sharpie round the edge....................... Is that better or what?

Yes just a couple more.................... There we go all done!

And some more pics> What more pics?............

Here We are Finished (I couldn't change the heading!) Firstly I couldn't use the flat upright windscreen as it was scratched in the box, so being resourceful (use what you've got) I found a new rear windscreen from a Meyers Manx................. I couldn't pull the screen back along the sides of the body as it wasn't wide enough.......... More pics >

As a visitor to Le Mans (not this year but watching it live on Eurosport) it's nice to see a Porsche 962 build up. They were and still are an iconic car. I watched the Le Mans Classic race yesterday morning befor the great race. Most of the grid was Porsches of different ages. But most were the other iconic car the 956 and the 962. Good luck with the build, it looks very good so far!

The final coat of the yellow didn't dry/cure at all so I've stripped the enamel paint and given it a coat of grey undercoat but in acrylic. I could'nt find another yellow at the LHS, so I've buckled under the strain and found a Humbrol gloss Orange. I know it's the same as the boxtop but all my other colours are on the darker side, Crimson , Green etc. So I've just put a second coat on. I'm resin casting bomber seats today, as an utter novice I tried casting some sidepods for a Manx yesterday and surprisingly they came out OK. When the paint has dried fully (fingers crossed) I can finish this one off.

Cheers DynoMight. Various problems have arisen with cracking joints, on the opposite side as before, perhaps due to the kit being old. Having to re-stick with superglue and clamps. Plus re-painting the sides of the body! But we shall overcome!

Yes Jim it's not too bad. Due to it's age there are some fit issues, like the one I had where the mounting plate between the engine and gearbox was too high, so the body wouldn't completely sit on the floorpan. Knowing that before and being able to shave a bit off the top would have been a help. also the rear body section doesn't fit quite right so I used super glue and a clamp to hold it in place until the glue went off, but now having to rub off the residue glue and having to re-paint one side. But that's modelling! DynoMight what's KUTGW?

Thanks for the tips and words guys. Dave email me on wickhampatrick@rocketmail.com. and I'll send them to you. I tried twice to put a message on here and it didn't work. Right today's update. Firstly added a bashplate.............. The body didn't sit on the floorpan because the plate between the engine and gearbox was too high so I added a couple of slices of plasticard............ And now to the decals.........first on the bonnet , a spare one from many of the Manx builds............... Then a few dials were needed. These are from car and 1/32 scale aircraft............................. and so to tomorrow and more hard work on the bench (ha ha)

Thanks for the info DavidG. We had five Beetles in the family so we regularly go to Bug Ins to see if anything has changed. That's where I see most of the UK Manx's. I did a similar linkage on one of my earlier Manx builds, including scratchbuilding the filters from foam and plasticard. The linkage rod is copper wire. I've fixed the exhaust today..... Here it is with the alloy tailpipe. I've also masked and painted the windscreen surround the same yellow as the body, a second coat will go on tomorrow. As the body is taking a while, I put the parts of the shell out in the warm sun today to help the drying process.

Thanks guys, yes mnwildpunk it is the infamous VW flat four on twin choke Webers!

And some more pics..................... The engine is built and added to the floorpan............... The wheels are painted, the tyres are fitted and added to the axles.................... The exhaust is attached in five places on the sprue and breaks at the thinnest point. I've also added a piece of alloy tube to the end of the silencer. I shall perhaps have to add a piece into the exhaust if the broken join isn't sufficient! Some more tomorrow hopefully....... Thanks hemi. Yes I love beach buggies as well. I was looking at a 1:1 Manx that's made here under licence, if I only had the cash I'd have a real one!

Yes another beach/dune buggy to go with my five Meyers Manx , an Empi Imp and Airfix Bugle Buggy.................. As I've just finished the Bugle Buggy in Orange I've chosen Yellow for this one....................... As this one was used I'll have to do some remedial work to that 'bitten' edge................. When adding the top and bottom parts of the body the rough edge is very noticable, so a bit of filler is added. As I wanted the interior and the floorpan all in satin black I built the whole thing then added the colour................ Some more pics to come......................

Here we are, the last three pics on this one..................................

Right here we are again..... I've been very careful painting the new shell from the second kit. When test fitting the body to the floorpan the arches were touching the tyres so I had to trim up very thin strips of Plasticard and stick around the edge of the floorpan to lift the body. Second test fit worked and painted the edge of the card with matt black and attach the body..... All I have to do is fit the lights and number plates to finish it off.

Yes I've seen them in Japan. They have no problem getting around and are very popular with the 'young set' who are always looking at new ways to modify/customize to be a bit different. Anyway from our point of view were just building models and anything new like add on bodywork /wheel arches etc are a help, although I tend to scatchbuild if there's anything that I can't buy already.