Heller Renault R8 Gordini

[Nacho Z]

Only because I said I would, I am going to post the completed model of the Heller Renault R8 Gordini.  I truly am a bit embarrassed to post it.  It just isn't a good looking model.  I have added a link to the WIP thread.  If you want to know what a pain in the rear this kit is, please read the WIP thread.  There are detail pictures there.  You will also see why I built it, (it was for a friend).

 

 

Here she is.  Go easy on me!

 

[SpikeSchumacher]

Nothing to be embarrassed about, looks like you did a nice job with a difficult kit. ?

[Dave B]

I won't go easy on you John, that is a great build of something quite unusual.

Tks for posting the completed build.

Dave B

[Jim B]

Nice job on your Renault.  Well done.

[rrb124@sbcglobal.net]

Always thought these were sharp little French hottie's. Good looking model. Didn't know that a kit existed. Gordoni was the organization that made the small French cars competitive. The S.E.V. Marshall lamps are perfect!

[ChrisR]

Very nice.

[1959scudetto]

You turned this difficult kit into a fine model, John. Heller kits often have ill-fitting parts - I have built a few of their race cars which always has been a fight.

[Pierre Rivard]

Well John, we all know you are a very gifted and resourceful builder and you've turned this horrible kit into the best it could be. 

Heller is sometimes the only source for specific subjects we want to model but a box full of surprises...

[bobthehobbyguy]

Definitely nothing to be embarrassed about. Nice looking model.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Looks very good, and I bought one to torture myself with after seeing your WIP, which is most helpful.

Builders like you who post WIPs, especially on difficult kits that don't go together easily, are the best resource on this site.  

 

Edited October 15, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[kensar]

Your work looks very good.  The kit itself - well, it's not Tamiya stuff.

[bbowser]

Very nice work!  As mentioned Heller kits are always an adventure.

[Nacho Z]

On 10/14/2024 at 8:17 PM, SpikeSchumacher said:

Nothing to be embarrassed about, looks like you did a nice job with a difficult kit. ?

Thank you, Mathias!  This was a tough kit for me.

 

 

On 10/14/2024 at 8:37 PM, Dave B said:

I won't go easy on you John, that is a great build of something quite unusual.

Tks for posting the completed build.

Dave B

I appreciate it, Dave!

 

 

On 10/14/2024 at 8:58 PM, Jim B said:

Nice job on your Renault.  Well done.

Thanks, Jim!

[Nacho Z]

On 10/14/2024 at 11:21 PM, rrb124@sbcglobal.net said:

Always thought these were sharp little French hottie's. Good looking model. Didn't know that a kit existed. Gordoni was the organization that made the small French cars competitive. The S.E.V. Marshall lamps are perfect!

Thank you, Robert!  The guy that I built this for just loves this car.  He was a college student at the time and talked about how they would tear around town in this thing.  He said it handled like a go cart.

 

 

On 10/15/2024 at 3:37 AM, ChrisR said:

Very nice.

Thanks, Chris!

 

 

On 10/15/2024 at 3:44 AM, 1959scudetto said:

You turned this difficult kit into a fine model, John. Heller kits often have ill-fitting parts - I have built a few of their race cars which always has been a fight.

Thank you, Helmut!

[Nacho Z]

On 10/15/2024 at 8:18 AM, Pierre Rivard said:

Well John, we all know you are a very gifted and resourceful builder and you've turned this horrible kit into the best it could be. 

Heller is sometimes the only source for specific subjects we want to model but a box full of surprises...

Pierre, you are far too kind!  I wasn’t fishing for compliments and truly am embarrassed with the final product.  I suppose it is true what they say; we are our own worst critic.  I guess it is kits like this that make us appreciate good kits. ?

 

 

On 10/15/2024 at 11:15 AM, bobthehobbyguy said:

Definitely nothing to be embarrassed about. Nice looking model.

Thank you, Bob, I appreciate it!

 

 

On 10/15/2024 at 12:02 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Looks very good, and I bought one to torture myself with after seeing your WIP, which is most helpful.

Builders like you who post WIPs, especially on difficult kits that don't go together easily, are the best resource on this site.  

 

This is my favorite reply!  Thank you, Bill, you made my day!  Before I start any model, I research it to see what others have done with it, what they have ran into, and what extras there are for it in the aftermarket.  I Google it, I check here, I check FB, and I check YouTube.  All I wanted to do with this was to be a resource for someone else.  I would normally post a bit more of my WIP, but this thing deflated my enthusiasm so much that I just wanted to be done with it.
 

[Nacho Z]

On 10/15/2024 at 12:47 PM, kensar said:

Your work looks very good.  The kit itself - well, it's not Tamiya stuff.

Thank you, Ken, and a big Amen Brother! ?  Everyone needs a kit like this every now and then to appreciate Tamiya kits!

 

 

On 10/15/2024 at 7:04 PM, bbowser said:

Very nice work!  As mentioned Heller kits are always an adventure.

Thanks, Bruce!  This was, and probably will be, my only Heller model…lol.

[Phildaupho]

I am very glad you decided to post your Renault as I really enjoyed seeing it. It brings back memories of seeing them race in the 1960's.

[eran_k]

Nice build, working on this one myself and although it's a simple kit i didn't find it too bad.

[Nacho Z]

3 hours ago, Phildaupho said:

I am very glad you decided to post your Renault as I really enjoyed seeing it. It brings back memories of seeing them race in the 1960's.

Thanks, Phil!  Honestly, I had never heard of this car before being asked to build it.  Maybe someday I will see if I can find an old race to watch.

 

 

2 hours ago, eran_k said:

Nice build, working on this one myself and although it's a simple kit i didn't find it too bad.

Thank, Eran!  I readily admit that I had a bit of a bad attitude about this model.  Mine fought me all the way.  Do you have a WIP thread for yours?  I would love to check it out.  I hope your build will be trouble free.  If you don’t have a build thread, I hope you will post pictures of your finished model.  Feel free to post some pictures here if you would like.

[eran_k]

not to hijack your thread here are the 2 photos i have of this build, im going almost OOB just enhancing a bit with couple of 3d printed items like carburetors, muffler and roll cage of my own design.

as for the "bowing" of the section in front of the rear engine lid, i thing it can be fixed by either cutting in the middle and taking out a tiny section or it might even work with gluing a piece of plastic strip underneath 

 

[Rich Chernosky]

John....I think this is a very cool project. Luv the wheels.  Yah...there are some flaws but they are hard to spot and the average observer would never notice them. Don't be so hard on yourself....I think it turned out great.   Now....when I get to mine.......???

[TonyK]

Well, it's a Heller kit and I've found them to be difficult. Your model looks good to me and the nice paint job and clean build makes it look better than I would expect.

[Bugatti Fan]

Nice model build.  Looks really good to me.

 This kit seems to have a few less Hellerisms about it than others I have experienced, but none the less has its own idiosyncrasies to overcome judging by the comments posted on this thread.

As for subject matter, Heller do come up with some more unusual things, this Renault Gordini being one.

Maybe one day we might get a Facel Vega Excellence from them.   Who knows?

[PappyD340]

Very nice build!

[Nacho Z]

On 10/28/2024 at 5:47 AM, eran_k said:

not to hijack your thread here are the 2 photos i have of this build, im going almost OOB just enhancing a bit with couple of 3d printed items like carburetors, muffler and roll cage of my own design.

as for the "bowing" of the section in front of the rear engine lid, i thing it can be fixed by either cutting in the middle and taking out a tiny section or it might even work with gluing a piece of plastic strip underneath 

 

Thanks for sharing yours, Eran!  I thought about the strip of styrene underneath.  I think it would work.  You will have to be mindful of the boot hinges.  The blocks that hold the hinges glue to the underside.  I'm looking forward to seeing yours when it is done.