GeeBee Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I bought this as a part built kit,the main chassis had been built, all the chrome parts had been stripped of there shiney stuff, and the bodyshell had been painted in a dark green. I popped the bodyshell and a few other parts that had been painted into a plastic tub and given a good coating of Fairy Power spray, and then another which I left on overnight, cleaned it off the next day, this is the first time I had tried this way of stripping off paint, but it certainly the best, and there's no smell to it. I'm going to painting in BMC Iris Blue with a dark blue interior I was thinking over the weekend how to fit the windshield frame to the body after it had been painted, and looking at it, I wasn't happy to just hold it on with a few dabs of epoxy, and as the real thing is held in place by 2 screws each side, I have tried to replicate that by drilling small holes and using cut down brass pins, these will be painted in Alclad along with the frame, also as all the chrome parts had previously been stripped of there shiney stuff, I thought it would be easier to fix them to the body before painted, as they can be pick out using BMF afterwards, they were tricky to fit before, so how tricky they would have been afterwards without getting glue onto the bodyshell I really don't know. Did a bit of sorting out parts and getting them primered, I will sort them into parts to be painted black, bodycolour and Alclad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 (edited) Edited August 3, 2011 by GeeBee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whale392 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Always liked the Bugeye Sprites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62rebel Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 we tend to call them "bugeye" when they're more correctly known as "Frogeye" in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Bug eye or frog eye, I've always liked these cars, too. I know I'll be checking this one out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I was going to say "my eyes are bugging out watching this one", but now I guess "eyes frogging out" doesn't sound right. This is looking good ... little touches like the windshield will make this simple lit stand out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Great start, thanks for sharing, I am loving this already!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I LOVE these little cars as I once owned its younger cousin------------a '72 MG Midget with the round rear wheelwells and wire wheels. Only thing about it was that it was probably one of the most troublesome cars I've ever owned before or since then. But when the carbs were in sync, and the electrics behaved themselves------it was a BLAST to drive! Now this was many years ago (mid '80's) and before I got too big to get in one in later years-------but would probably have no trouble getting in one now. Keep us posted.............this'll be a fun one to watch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Goschke Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Nice work so far! The pins for the windscreen are an excellent idea. Looking forward to seeing how this one progresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share Posted August 5, 2011 Did a bit more on this today, managed to get all the chrome done in Alclad, but it's very hard to photograph and to show the shine, but they are, also gave the wheels a few coats of cellulose wheel silver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 Ordered the paint from paint4u yesterday afternoon, great service as usual, as it arrived first thing this morning, so I thought I had better get the body into top coat, I also did the interior panels and the headlamp bowls, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W-409 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 This is looking really good! Your talents are amazing, when watching your finished builds. I like the job, you've done with the windshield frame. Color looks very good too, keep it going, I can't wait to see more work of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Did a little work on the dashboard today, I had airbrushed it satin black, today I covered the dial rims in BMF, then gave the dash another coat of satin black, I let it to dry out for a few min's, then I got some cotton buds dampened in lacquer thinners, which uncovered the BMF underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgflatliner Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 that's a pretty nice technique for the gauges. looking good, keep it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Cool little car. A long time ago a friend had one with a small block Chevy engine and big tires out back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTMust Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 I'm curious why you didn't attach the headlight buckets before paint........ but I'm sure you have a good reason? Beautiful paint, by the way. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 I'm curious why you didn't attach the headlight buckets before paint........ but I'm sure you have a good reason? Beautiful paint, by the way. Tony Simply, the paint needs to be polished out, and it will be easier to do without the headlamp pods in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 Well got a bit more done today, bit of a mistake really painting the dash black, as it needed to be done dark blue to match the interior, Iris blue Sprites were only available with a blue interior, so it had to re-painted, also the seats got the same treatment, and the interior tub got masked off and painted dark blue, the dash has already had a coat of satin varnish, the seats will get a coat as well, but I will leave the carpets matt, as they don't really have a shine like the seats and dash would, as these would have been vinyl trim on the real thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 Got the bodyshell polished out today, and I fitted the handbrake and gearlever to the interior tub, the bodyshell polished using Minicraft drill fitted with a wool mop, I used Poorboys SSR2 polishing compound, followed by a coat of meguires Crystal Clear wax applied by hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertw Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Very nice to see one of these cars being built. I look forward to seeing it finished. I built one in yellow a yew years back and found another kit earlier this year to put away for a second build in the future. Sure wish Gunze would reissue all the kits in this series of English sports cars, except for the rubber like interiors they are quite accurate and a real blast to build. rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuel Coupe Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 great work, I love these old sprites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Very nice work so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 (edited) Sure wish Gunze would reissue all the kits in this series of English sports cars, except for the rubber like interiors they are quite accurate and a real blast to build. Yes, this is the first time I have built one of there kits, I did have a few Gunze kits in my stash many years ago, I was a bit put off by the rubbery seats and side panels, but they painted up o.k, I've just got hold of there Lotus Elan kit, which still has the rubbery parts .... Edited August 10, 2011 by GeeBee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 Not a lot done today, but I thought I would get the chassis finished, when I got the kit, the exhaust had already been glued into place, I didn't want to risk damaging it by trying to remove it, so it stayed in place while it got it's coat of satin black, it was a bit tricky to mask up and paint satin aluminium, but turned out o.k, this kit doesn't have any engine detail, but it does have the sump molded into the chassis, so that was also masked up and airbrushed green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I was taking a look at the listings at Fantasy Junction and thought you'd be interested in this '59. 75 more shots at the link below. http://www.fantasyjunction.com/cars/1104-Austin%20Healey-Sebring%20Sprite-Original%20Type%20XSP%20Factory%20Racing%20Engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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