Heading in yet another new direction!

[Waspie]

It started with Number 1 son buying me an Affix helicopter for Christmas.
Once built I moved to armour, something I'd never touched in my life.
Now the Chally is coming to an end I have been in a quandary as to what will be next.
I know I'll ask Google, (aka SWIMBO), build a car she says!!! Huh!!!! A car?
So I have had a butchers and Lo! John has my first car in the shop.
Sometime this week a VW Beetle will be dropping into the garage.
Why a Beetle, the usual story - first car. Loads of good and not so good tales of CMB380K.
Just wondering now if I can duplicate the rust?????

And if anyone asks, yes, the code works!!

 

[Jim R]

No tracks, no wings and hardly any decals - you're onto a winner.

 

[Waspie]

No tracks, no wings and hardly any decals - you're onto a winner.

I think that was SWIMBO's thinking!! More time for me to continue with her never ending list of jobs!!!

 

[Andy T]

I think cars (and other non military vehicles) bring their own set of challenges. I've only attempted one car and failed miserably, despite having painted thousands of the real thing That was probably more of a hindrance than a help!

It may turn out to be just your niche though so I'll keep an eye out for the start.

 

[Ian M]

I have discovered the challenge called trucks/lorries/artics... call them what you will. Infuriating. Fun and not shake and bake..
Biggest issue I have is getting a nice smooth shiny paint job.

 

[Jakko]

No tracks, no wings and hardly any decals - you're onto a winner.

And no weathering if you don’t want any

I think cars (and other non military vehicles) bring their own set of challenges. I've only attempted one car and failed miserably, despite having painted thousands of the real thing That was probably more of a hindrance than a help!

Really? That kind of surprises me, if I’m honest. I had kind of expected your skill in painting the real thing to transfer to models with few problems. Or is the technique quite different?

 

[JR]

Good luck Doug, sound interesting, hope you will do a build blog.

 

[Andy T]

Really? That kind of surprises me, if I’m honest. I had kind of expected your skill in painting the real thing to transfer to models with few problems. Or is the technique quite different?

The bodywork side came out great, but I didn't have the precision needed for the final assembly or detail painting. Nowhere to hide when there's no weathering or mud to disguise my terrible super glue work

I'm hoping I've improved since then or the truck I'm building now might be a disaster waiting to happen!

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Not into cars personally Doug,...
However,I do like to see a good model being done,so I'll pull up a chair if I may?!

 

[Waspie]

Not into cars personally Doug,...
However,I do like to see a good model being done,so I'll pull up a chair if I may?!

I don't know if I'm into them either. SWIMBO can take the blame for this one if it goes South!!

I'll give you all a heads up when it starts so I'll reserve you a seat bud!!

 

[Waspie]

Good luck Doug, sound interesting, hope you will do a build blog.

I probably will John as I actually find it useful for me to share problems or whatever I encounter along the way.
Taking pics I have found is a very useful way of looking at my foibles. (I think that's posh for c*ck ups!!) Loads on the Ch2, but I know they're there and I'm now more aware to check, check and check again.

 

[Waspie]

The bodywork side came out great, but I didn't have the precision needed for the final assembly or detail painting. Nowhere to hide when there's no weathering or mud to disguise my terrible super glue work

I'm hoping I've improved since then or the truck I'm building now might be a disaster waiting to happen!

I think the nice thing about the Beetle is if the paint job is awful I can convert it into 'Herbie' and hide errors behind decals and dirt!!!!

 

[Jakko]

The bodywork side came out great, but I didn't have the precision needed for the final assembly or detail painting.

Ah, OK. I got the impression you were struggling with the painting, and figured that if you were, there’s no hope at all for someone like me when I get round to building that Formula 1 car I’ve got …

Nowhere to hide when there's no weathering or mud to disguise my terrible super glue work

“It’s been driven offroad”

I'm hoping I've improved since then or the truck I'm building now might be a disaster waiting to happen!

I have every faith in you, FWIW

 

[tigersteve]

A Beetle ? First car ? Sounds like My story too - I had a go at my first one ( NAB 445D ) too a while back, great fun, will be watching with interest. I'll pull up my non adjustable drivers seat for the ride if I may?

 

[Waspie]

A Beetle ? First car ? Sounds like My story too - I had a go at my first one ( NAB 445D ) too a while back, great fun, will be watching with interest. I'll pull up my non adjustable drivers seat for the ride if I may?

Hi Steve, and welcome aboard.
Another nice feature with the Beetle, non of them were 'standard'. I had a 12 volt 1100cc version with drums all round!!! (On the outside!!!). After a bit of fettling, a bit more negotiating and a bit more fettling it had discs all round, new master cylinder. A 1300, then eventually 1600 engine fitted. (Plus several clutch plates and conversion kits). The rear bar at the back of the engine was cut out a new removable section replaced. (That saved on lifting the car up and over the engine every time I wanted to tinker.) Heated tunnels were replaced with fibre glass tunnels and I stopped No.3 piston from overheating by beating out a small scoop under the piston to allow cooling air to flow over it!!! It was proper wolf(sberg whistler) in sheep's clothing!!!!!
So if anything goes wrong with the build I may just (cough), change a few things!!

 

[tigersteve]

Hi Steve, and welcome aboard.
Another nice feature with the Beetle, non of them were 'standard'. I had a 12 volt 1100cc version with drums all round!!! (On the outside!!!). After a bit of fettling, a bit more negotiating and a bit more fettling it had discs all round, new master cylinder. A 1300, then eventually 1600 engine fitted. (Plus several clutch plates and conversion kits). The rear bar at the back of the engine was cut out a new removable section replaced. (That saved on lifting the car up and over the engine every time I wanted to tinker.) Heated tunnels were replaced with fibre glass tunnels and I stopped No.3 piston from overheating by beating out a small scoop under the piston to allow cooling air to flow over it!!! It was proper wolf(sberg whistler) in sheep's clothing!!!!!
So if anything goes wrong with the build I may just (cough), change a few things!!

Just to say I'm not promoting my old build, but copied the first paragraph, which you may find funny!

My first ever car was a 1966 'D' Reg VW 1300cc Beetle .
There was quite a story with the car , first bought by my Dad new, in Bright Red .
However , My Mum hated red cars , maybe that was why he bought it, as they divorced a few years later!
Dad was in the Welsh Guards Band for most of his working life and whilst touring the USA and Canada in 1967, (which lasted 3 months) Mum had the car repainted Porsche Yellow ! Dad returned none the wiser and was not impressed.....
However, it remained our family car for another 8 years, nearly written off in a bad crash and took 4 of us on 2 major touring holidays, to Spain in the early 70s , towing a caravan and with a Mirror sailing dinghy on the roof!
When I passed my test it became mine for a couple of years .

 

[Waspie]

I wish I had a similar tale to tell but sadly no!!
Mine didn't cost a lot at all, it was a rust bucket with an engine with no compression. That led to the first engine change - it was cheaper than trying to rebuild it!!!! After that it was just money money money!!! Had some great times in it and under it!!!
In a week it was off wings, treating rust and such, then the brakes and brake pipes came out and replaced.
Here it is/was by the Bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomond!!!!

 

[tigersteve]

In '67 Red! Then around '72 Yellow !

 

[Waspie]

Thats quite a load considering how many horses they had in comparison to todays motors!
I remember talking to a motorway copper way back, we were talking about Beetles and speeds and he said he rarely pulled over a Beetle for speeding as it was common knowledge they didn't go fast. That was about an hour after I had hoofed it down the M6 well over the national speed limit. (That was only with a 1300 engine), Won't go into the 1600 I ended up with!!!!
Steve, did your Beetles rear window mist up for a pass time?

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Put a Porsche engine in there, that will give it some oompf!
My first was an original Mini Cooper, complete with roll cage, wide Dunlop tyres and twin carbs.... on the way back to barracks in Chelsea got to the the A1 roundabout at Catterick, engine finished up in the little guard hut, and I finished up in the ditch, upside down... Never bought a Dunlop tyre since.
Best oldy '72 was a Morris Minor van, seats came from a Humber Snipe, Jaguar rear suspension, Wolfrace 10 inch rears and 8 inch fronts on Morris Marina front suspension, Ford V6, and vynil sunroof cut down from an unknown car. All the interior was customized including remooving the centre speedo and replacing it with other instruments. Used to take me from Munster to the UK at least once a month. Eventually sold on to another squaddie when I went further abroad.