Airfix 1/12 Bentley 4.5 litre

[kpnuts]

Hi all I got this back from my ex boss as he no longer wanted it.

I'm going to strip it and rebuild it as a different version, can you guess which version.

It's very rare and was sold for £132,000 (hint there is a lot of wood involved )

Also I had to remove the exhaust as it runs differently.

[DonW]

Hi Ken

Well I'm stumped!

'It's very rare and was sold for £132,000 (hint there is a lot of wood involved '

All the blowers are rare, and if you could get one for that sort of money you'd be laughing. £,1320,000 is closer.

The only one that springs to mind with the exhaust re-routed is the Birkin Outer Circuit car but there's not a lot of wood in that...

Please enlighten us!

Cheers,

-Don. 

 

[kpnuts]

I'm sure all will become clear in the fulness of time.

In other words no not that one.

[DonW]

I'm looking forward to it!

[kpnuts]

In the years since I built this kit I like to think I've got better at weathering engines realistically so this ones coming out to have a do over.

[kpnuts]

Reworked some of the engine.

When I first got this back I had visions of turning it into Chitty but then thought I would check out the different versions this engine was used in and decided on the boat tail version.

What's funny is the first guess a lot of people made on what I was doing with it was Chitty (I thought turning it into Chitty was quite original and no one would think of that) 

I quite liked the idea so my question is (I dont know how to do a poll) which would you like to see most the red boat tail Bentley or Chitty.

[kpnuts]

Did some cleaning up of the chassis.

[DonW]

Please please please NOT Chitty!

Wrong period and - well, just Wrong, Period!

Just my opinion?

 

This is a 'proper' boat-tail Blower, by Gurney Nutting coachbuilders:

 

I think a wood finish boat-tail would look a little bit out of character for the car but it might be interesting...

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edited May 19, 2020 by DonW

[kpnuts]

Hi all started on the body (that rear end wont be pointed it is cut square on the car)

It also flares out over the suspension lots of work on this part just wondering whether I will have to stain the wood red or if the mahogany when varnished will be red enough, I think on the actual car it is stained.

[DonW]

This is getting interesting - here's a picture I came across that I'd not seen before.

[kpnuts]

Surprisingly there are an amazingly large number of boat tail versions I've seen video of a black one with red woodwork where the door is cut round the spare wheel I've seen the same car where it appears there is no wood and it's all steel in maroon I've seen boat tails I've seen boatlails that seem inordinately long (I know someone said it was the fastest lorry in the world) some of the versions I've seen the rear section looks longer than the front ( not a look I like) I'm thinking of leaving the pointed rear end (who's to say there wasnt that version) 

 

[kpnuts]

More work done on the boat tail.

[Bugatti Fan]

Interesting project Ken. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your build. Quite a challenge!

I scratch  built the Hispano Suiza in 1/12 scale with wood planking in a similar fashion about 4 years ago. Putting in all the 0.5 mm brass rivets after the planking almost drove me crackers!

[kpnuts]

Ha ha I wont be going that far (least I dont think so)

Couldn't resist trying a bit of varnish, I must as after 2 or three coats I think it might look alright.

[kpnuts]

Well I've spent most of tonight working on the exhaust (it goes down and under the car on the original version) it has to come out through the side panel on this version and on the actual car would have nuts to undo in order to move the exhaust and open the side panel. On this I obviously cant glue the exhaust to the manifold as I wont be able to put the side panel on and I cant put the side I've managed to figure a way to do it similar to the way it would have been done on the real car (will post pics when I've painted it all) 

[DonW]

Excellent craftsmanship but I don't get the concept. A racer doesn't want all that wood and it would be a terrible touring car. with no hood or sidescreens. 

Maybe in Nice on the Mediterranean, parked next to this...

Edited May 29, 2020 by DonW

[kpnuts]

Hi all regrettably I will no longer be able to post updates on my builds as imgbb (who I've been using ) no longer allows me to upload pics (this just after a week of them asking me to upgrade at £9.00 a month) just as well I didn't. 

All other free hosting sites seem to want you to create your own website to host pics (I'm not interested in spending hours setting up a website just to host some pics) so with regret this will be my last entry here.

Incidentally Don Bentley built loads of wooden boattails (maybe not as racers but this is based on one of dozens of versions.

Edited May 31, 2020 by kpnuts

[DonW]

I'm sorry to hear that, Ken. I was looking forward to seeing more of this model, in my own curmudgeonly way.

And you're right, in those days wealthy customers could have whatever style they could afford and thankfully many did just that!

Cheers,

-Don.

Edited May 31, 2020 by DonW

[kpnuts]

Hi all someone suggested postimage it's easy and seems to work ok.

[kpnuts]

Hey imgbb is working again.

Here is a mockup of the rear fenders.

[kpnuts]

 

Hi all, done a lot of work on it over the weekend.

I've got big ambitions to make the throttle linkages up (we will see how far the ambition gets compared to how much skill and patience I have) I must say I'm quite pleased with how shes looking at the moment.

Ps look what I just ordered (cant wait for it to get here)

[Bugatti Fan]

Terrific model Ken and your build rate is quite prolific from what I have seen of other threads of yours (like ship models) in different forums.

Must admit to loving the look of classic cars with polished wood bodywork.

Edited June 14, 2020 by Bugatti Fan

[Anglia105E]

What an absolutely splendid build, Kenneth...... this whole idea of yours really works. Huge amount of work has clearly gone into the wooden boat tail part of the build, and your attention to detail is outstanding, especially the paint finish. You must be very pleased with the result, and rightly so too.

David

[kpnuts]

Thanks noel and David.

Hi all made the advance and retard mechanism and started the throttle linkages.

[kpnuts]

One side of the throttle linkage