Tamiya Mercedes 300SL Announced, new pics added to OP

[jbwelda]

Lotus Elite or full detail D-Type please.

Or a Maserati typo 60/61 would be nice. overdue too

jb

[VRM]

And I think there was some about the wheels too.

Nope - wheels are good. They are a bit of a PITA for detailing and getting the chrome MB emblem in the middle to work, but they are still very good.

The only things I found wrong are:

1. Speakers, but no radio. I wish they had not made a depressed area to sit the speakers as it means I have to wait a bit for the putty to dry before prepping all my non-radio versions. Really not a big problem...

2. No backs to the seat. Easy fix, but kind of a basic error and shows up in the finished model.

3. No tie down rail in the rear section of the interior. This will be a bit tough to correct, but I doubt most will notice it is even missing.

4. Dunlop R5s (tread pattern in the kit) not available until the year after the 300SL coupe ceased production. Really a minor point - the rubber Tamiya gives you in the kit is excellent except for the lack of sidewall detail.

Overall - these are nits, and nothing that keeps me from buying a single kit.

Steve D.

[martinfan5]

Nope - wheels are good. They are a bit of a PITA for detailing and getting the chrome MB emblem in the middle to work, but they are still very good.

Steve, excuse me I wasnt being clear, that is what I was talking about , I didnt mean there was anything actually wrong with them.

[Mike Chernecki]

Does anyone know the correct color of the belly pan? I don't intend to leave it clear, I have found very few pictures of the belly pan, in one it looks ivory/tan and  in another it looks grayish, but could be ivory given the poor picture. Any ideas?

Thanks

[Bennyg]

Does anyone know the correct color of the belly pan? I don't intend to leave it clear, I have found very few pictures of the belly pan, in one it looks ivory/tan and  in another it looks grayish, but could be ivory given the poor picture. Any ideas?

Thanks

I went with grey primer for mine. Don't know what the real car could have been, but I reckon it's a realistic option. 

Ben

[VRM]

Does anyone know the correct color of the belly pan? I don't intend to leave it clear, I have found very few pictures of the belly pan, in one it looks ivory/tan and  in another it looks grayish, but could be ivory given the poor picture. Any ideas?

Thanks

The correct colour is beige...Tamiya sand is good.  It was a painted aluminum part, and the paint usually did not last long.

 

[250 Testa Rossa]

The correct colour is beige...Tamiya sand is good.  It was a painted aluminum part, and the paint usually did not last long.

 

Do you have an exact code for Tamiya sand?

[MrObsessive]

I've not seen a name "sand" for Tamiya. There's "Buff" which is XF-57.

[martinfan5]

I've not seen a name "sand" for Tamiya. There's "Buff" which is XF-57.

Its Light Sand, TS-46

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXRS76&P=W

[Mike Chernecki]

Thanks, I have an unopened can of TS-46 in my desk.

[MrObsessive]

Its Light Sand, TS-46

Oh OK.........I was looking particularly at their water based acrylics. I seldom if ever use their sprays.

[sjordan2]

The belly pan would usually be a warm medium gray.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-300SL-Gullwing-OEM-Genuine-Center-Belly-Pan-Great-Condition-/231913679747

EDIT:

Here is a very complete and accurate reference for a Gullwing, including belly pan shots toward the end.

http://www.fantasyjunction.com/cars/1661-Mercedes-Benz-300SL Gullwing-3.0 Litre 6-Cylinder

Harry should note that this car doesn't have outside review mirrors; one simple factory mirror was optional for the driver's side, anything else like a Talbot style mirror would be aftermarket.

Edited July 4, 2016 by sjordan2

[VRM]

The belly pan would usually be a warm medium gray.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-300SL-Gullwing-OEM-Genuine-Center-Belly-Pan-Great-Condition-/231913679747

EDIT:

Here is a very complete and accurate reference for a Gullwing, including belly pan shots toward the end.

http://www.fantasyjunction.com/cars/1661-Mercedes-Benz-300SL Gullwing-3.0 Litre 6-Cylinder

Harry should note that this car doesn't have outside review mirrors; one simple factory mirror was optional for the driver's side, anything else like a Talbot style mirror would be aftermarket.

Skip, nothing personal, but Paul Russell (the noted 300SL restorer that puts them back to factory standards) told me it was originally a very light beige, and I think he knows a helluva lot more about the subject than either you or I.

My Strawberry Red came from his shop (he is about an hour away from me), and I could probably get him to mix up some belly pan beige if I really wanted to.  He restores to an as left the factory condition - the pics you posted from Ebay or a car with restoration inaccuracies might not be the best example of a car exactly as it left the factory, (though your shots do look beige-ish with a hint of green to me).

Steve

 

Edited July 5, 2016 by VRM

[MrObsessive]

Skip, thanks a TON for that link you posted! Some VERY nice and detailed pics! I saved most of them, and they'll definitely come in handy someday when I decide to build the kit I have.

[sjordan2]

Skip, nothing personal, but Paul Russell (the noted 300SL restorer that puts them back to factory standards) told me it was originally a very light beige, and I think he knows a helluva lot more about the subject than either you or I.

My Strawberry Red came from his shop (he is about an hour away from me), and I could probably get him to mix up some belly pan beige if I really wanted to.  He restores to an as left the factory condition - the pics you posted from Ebay or a car with restoration inaccuracies might not be the best example of a car exactly as it left the factory, (though your shots do look beige-ish with a hint of green to me).

Steve

 

I certainly will bow to Paul Russsell's knowledge; all I know is from the many images I've found online, only one of which shows a beige color. Incidentally, how do I get my hands on some strawberry red metallic paint? ?

[sjordan2]

Skip, thanks a TON for that link you posted! Some VERY nice and detailed pics! I saved most of them, and they'll definitely come in handy someday when I decide to build the kit I have.

The best all-around reference book I've found is "Mercedes-Benz 300SL" by Dennis Adler, usually available at Amazon, with reasonable prices for the soft cover. Lavishly illustrated with color photos and factory images. Includes the cabrio, plus year-by-year changes. Should answer most questions that a modeler might ask. There are other good ones, including a couple from the Benz-published "Faszination SL" series.

[sjordan2]

Well, I passed along the belly pan question to my executive contact at the Benz factory's Classic Center in Irvine, CA, and he said "if I'm not mistaken, the belly pan is body color." I think he's mistaken.

[peteski]

All these variations in color make me think that maybe the color depends on when the car was made during production run?  Could that be a possibility?  Maybe some had a body color pan while others had light beige or gray pans? I'm no expert mind you, and I don't play one in the online forums either. But I own one of those (still unbuilt) models.

[BVC500]

My two cents: Skip and Steve are very close on the color, and probably only differ because of their perceptions. A warm gray could be taken for a beige.

On to another topic. As Steve pointed out, Tamiya included speakers but no radio. An easy fix, but the problem I'm running into (short of creating it myself) is that I haven't found a suitable photo etch radio. A google search reveals photoetch radio faces for 70's and 80's cars, but not really for 50's and 60's cars. Anyone have any luck?

Edited July 6, 2016 by BVC500

[sjordan2]

This 1953-59 Becker Mexico (tube type) was the factory option for the 190SL and 300SL Gullwing.

 

The key part is getting the mounting panel right, which goes beneath the dash at the center.

Edited July 6, 2016 by sjordan2

[sjordan2]

If you want to do the standard blue/gray racing plaid, download the accurate pattern below. Accurate scale is ten color squares across the seat back. You'll have to fill  in the pleat seams on the kit seats, since the cloth plaid was never pleated.

 

Edited July 14, 2016 by sjordan2

[250 Testa Rossa]

I have a Tamiya 300SL in my stash. What size Hobby Design rivets do you suggest for detailing out the door panels?