Jaguar Question

[NOBLNG]

Well I feel stupid! I’m working on the Revell Jaguar Coupe. It is a very nice kit despite the roof height issue. So I was cleaning up the body, sanding the mold lines and ejector pin marks. I got it looking real smooth! Then I grabbed the instructions and there on the cover is a nice full color picture of the model, complete with chrome fender trim that I just sanded off.? It should have been obvious to me that they weren’t mold lines. So my question is…should I leave it with the smoothed fenders? I have some .030” half round that I could replace them with. It shouldn’t be any harder than doing the seams on a vinyl roof. The .030” is the smallest size available, but is it small enough?

Edited November 12, 2021 by NOBLNG

[Mark]

I wouldn't use half round, I'd use square stock (available in smaller sizes), just a little sanding will knock the corners down.

I have to do the same on a Revell Austin-Healey that someone else started.  They molded the multiple-piece body together and sanded the raised seams off of the front fenders.  Those are swage lines (body panels overlapped and crimped together) and would take a lot of metalwork to eliminate on the 1:1 car.

[NOBLNG]

I never though of that. But after googling a bunch of images I realize not all e-types had that molding. I thought they all had it to cover a body seam. Here is a pic of a 1964(?) that doesn’t have them. I don’t feel so bad now.?

Edited November 12, 2021 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

Does anyone know when the chrome trim on the fenders appeared? From looking at restoration photos, it look like it covers a body seam. This Revell kit is obviously a series 1, but does it represent a specific year and is the fender trim a proper feature for this particular model? Thanks in advance for any enlightenment. ?

Edited August 4, 2022 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

Another question?…did the opposite sweep of the wipers depend on whether the car was RH or LH drive? I imagine so?

[Tabbysdaddy]

Yes, wipers are opposite on RHD vehicles. 

[Mark]

The wiper sweep definitely differs on LHD versus RHD cars.  I've got the same thing to change on a Modeler's Toyota C-HR kit.

Just a hunch, but I'd bet the vast majority of XK-Es have those seams.  There ought to be a website devoted to the cars and the detail changes.  I wouldn't proceed without knowing enough about it.  You might decide to put them back anyway.

[NOBLNG]

Thanks. There are a number of sites dedicated to them. I will have to start sifting through them. According to the two pictures I posted, the wipers that are included in the kit are only correct for a RHD vehicle.?

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

...after googling a bunch of images I realize not all e-types had that molding. I thought they all had it to cover a body seam. Here is a pic of a 1964(?) that doesn’t have them. I don’t feel so bad now.

A fairly uncommon mod was to weld the seams and fill them to achieve a one piece look.

Similar work was done on bugeye Sprites and Triumph Spitfire and GT6 cars.

Edited November 12, 2021 by Ace-Garageguy

[jaymcminn]

 

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

Does anyone know when the chrome rim on the fenders appeared? From looking at restoration photos, it look like it covers a body seam. This Revell kit is obviously a series 1, but does it represent a specific year and is the fender trim a proper feature for this particular model? Thanks in advance for any enlightenment. ?

Revell's Series 1 pretty specifically represents a late 1961 or 1962 car. 1961 cars had flat interior floors, external bonnet latches and welded bonnet louvers. 1962 cars had dropped floor pans for more legroom, bonnet latches relocated to the inner sills and stamped louvers, all of which are present on the Revell kit. By 1963 the shiny aluminum center console surface was replaced by vinyl and the "tombstone" seats had been replaced by seats with vertical pleats. The chrome trim was there to disguise the seam between the bonnet sides and top. To my knowledge all E-types had the fender trim from the factory.

Edited November 12, 2021 by jaymcminn

[NOBLNG]

6 minutes ago, jaymcminn said:

 

Revell's Series 1 pretty specifically represents a late 1961 or 1962 car. 1961 cars had flat interior floors, external bonnet latches and welded bonnet louvers. 1962 cars had dropped floor pans for more legroom, bonnet latches relocated to the inner sills and stamped louvers, all of which are present on the Revell kit. By 1963 the shiny aluminum center console surface was replaced by vinyl and the "tombstone" seats had been replaced by seats with vertical pleats. The chrome trim was there to disguise the seam between the bonnet sides and top. To my knowledge all E-types had the fender trim from the factory.

Thanks. That is pretty much what I have been discovering. The blue car in my above post may have had the seams filled or perhaps an aftermarket fiberglass bonnet?

[Matt Bacon]

Scribe along the line with a scriber or back of a knife blade, roll some 5amp fuse wire under a steel rule until it’s completely straight and use thin superglue to fix it in place in the scribed line to make the trim. You can either scribe the line and paint, then fix the wire, or fix then paint and finally run fine wet and dry or a sharp knife along the top to re-expose the silver metal…

best,

M.

[NOBLNG]

2 hours ago, Matt Bacon said:

Scribe along the line with a scriber or back of a knife blade, roll some 5amp fuse wire under a steel rule until it’s completely straight and use thin superglue to fix it in place in the scribed line to make the trim. You can either scribe the line and paint, then fix the wire, or fix then paint and finally run fine wet and dry or a sharp knife along the top to re-expose the silver metal…

best,

M.

Interesting idea!? I could scribe the line and use the butt end of a .021” drill bit to make a half round trough for the wire. I have some .015”x.020” evergreen that I was going to use. Hmmm?

[NOBLNG]

There, I fixed it!? Thanks Matt for the idea! 
I scribed a line, then deepened it with the butt end of a .020” drill bit. After some flat black paint and a mist coat of clear, I cleaned out the groove and glued in some .020” beading wire. Then some more clear.?

Edited November 28, 2021 by NOBLNG

[bisc63]

Well that just WORKED! Looks spiffy!

[Classicgas]

Well done repair. Actually it probably looks better than the kit molding under foil would.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Yeah, looks great. Guess I'll be stealing that little trick.   

[Old Nasty]

Only you will know.

[Matt Bacon]

Looks great -- very well executed. I'm going to pinch the deepening with the drill bit idea for my next one!

best,

M.

[Rodent]

Bob Ross would call that "A Happy Accident". It looks great, and I agree that it probably looks better than foil on the kit nub.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Rodent

[landman]

7 hours ago, Classicgas said:

Well done repair. Actually it probably looks better than the kit molding under foil would.

X2

[NOBLNG]

Thanks everyone. I’m glad I was able to “accidentally” come out ahead for a change.?

[NOBLNG]

Another question…what is this “oblongish” hole to the rear of the door? Is it a little cubby hole? I’ve seen pictures where it appears black, and one where it is a bright white. The white could be a protective film over some type of grill? I can’t find a direct reference to its purpose.

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by NOBLNG