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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on May 10, 2018 11:33:27 GMT -5
At long last, the build! This first build will be a kind of 'test' build, just to see that everything is ok. I'm reckoning on finishing it as George Eyston's 1935 International Trophy entry (I think!), finished in cream with brown wheels. George was very loyal to MG, as they were to him. I believe he bought the three cars in his team, and had unofficial factory support. I met George in the late 70s, a nice chap and very much a gentleman. There are very few really clear original images of these cars. A little progress has already been made with the parts which arrived from the P/E company, the body, mirror housing and exhausts have all had a little primer, whilst the steering wheel, facia panel and gearchange have received attention. The aim is to have the car running in a fortnight (ready for testing on club night) with other details added as time permits. Peter.
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on May 17, 2018 13:15:55 GMT -5
A little progress with the R type, with the hope of further advances in the immediate future. The body is now in colour, though by no means the finish coats. A few tests of various other parts then with a bit of luck, top coats next week sometime. A lot of guesswork was involved in the original styrene build, one being the tolerance for the grill in the body after paint. Phew! It fits. I few bits to tidy up here and there, but generally I'm pleased with it. The body sits on a partially mounted PP chassis, whilst the wheels are basically 'slaves'. Peter.
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on May 20, 2018 11:45:28 GMT -5
The R type chassis is now pretty well complete. The only real modification to the PP chassis was the addition of a rear mounting. All parts are soldered, partly because the guide leaves no room for a screw head.... The motor is a standard Scalextric 18.5K slimline, gears are also Scalextric, the axle bushes MRRC and the guide I cannot remember! MRRC? The front suspension cowling will probably have up to a millimetre taken off to give a better guide clearance. The guid pivot is mounted immediately in front of the axle. The chassis sits quite low, in line with the side of the 'on-its side' motor Initial track testing at the club on Wednesday. Peter.
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on May 24, 2018 15:21:06 GMT -5
Slow progress. The chassis has been run and is ok but not fine, the penalty perhaps for using a non-scartatchbuilt part? More slow, fiddley bits. I'm guessing that the seat was mounted to the chassis and rested on the front of the fuel tank. Whatever, a 'bulkhead' has been fitted on to which a seat back will be fitted. More in due course. A lot of effort went into the dash parts, and perhaps except for a gear-change lever about 1mm too long, all seems to be ok. The gearchange quadrant should be at about 10 o'clock and the steering wheel needs detail paint, but nevertheless, it's getting there. Peter.
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on Jun 5, 2018 14:43:08 GMT -5
Progress at last. A fresh set of wheels has been made up, fitted with Paul gage "Airfix' pattern tyres (early type). The rear bulkhead/fuel tank front is ready to be finished so work will soon progress in this area. Preparation for the front end fittings is now complete with holes drilled for grille header, badge plinth and grille closing plate. Next up, exhaust, braking linkage and suspension. Peter.
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on Jul 14, 2018 15:39:43 GMT -5
With time at a premium progress has been terribly slow. Just a little work on the exhaust but it does mean that the rest of the system should be done very quickly. The original system made for the car was partially discarded due to paint issues, but more important, it was mostly incorrect for the car I eventually decided to model. It was originally intended to model the car driven by George Eyston at the 1935 Brooklands international trophy meeting.It only clicked recently that this car had no radiator pressure cap, with the filler cap taking its place. The car represented is thus that of Wal Handley at the 1935 Mannin Beg. For this race the restrictive 'Brooklands' silencer and fishtail were not required and a straight through system used instead. The lower system was thus cut off at the front of the silencer, with the upper system truncated to suit. Both headers had the exit pipes drilled to accept spigotted pipes. The pipes are effectively joined by a flange which will be modified to clear part of the bonnet strap assembly. I'm aiming to have the body paint done by the end of the month, which means a large number of small fitting jobs can go ahead. Peter.
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Post by Brian on Jul 17, 2018 16:25:20 GMT -5
Hi Peter, Loving it. Thank you for showing us your process. It will assist me greatly when I build mine. Where did you get the tyres from?
Best regards.
Brian
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on Jul 22, 2018 10:25:30 GMT -5
Progress! Well, a bit. The exhaust is now all but complete. The original headers were attached to a drilled manifold with the exit pipes (as mentioned before) drilled about 0.75mm to accept some spigots on the 1/16” brass main pipes. Spigots at the other end of the pipes were capped by some similar brass tubing, drilled out at the exit end to give a thinner wall thickness. The rear exhaust mounting was made of 0.5mm brass, with the same material used for a (probably non-original) pipe brace just aft of the manifold/pipe join. The tail pipes were cut off at an angle as seen in some pictures, probably a bit long though. The completed assembly will be fitted as one of the final jobs of the build. The top coats of body paint have now been applied, so the body will now take advantage of the remaining warm weather to harden it up a little. Peter.
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Post by David Mitcham on Jul 23, 2018 3:06:08 GMT -5
Superb work Peter. It must be very satisfying to know the MG is all your own work with a minimum of bought items.
Best Regards
David
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on Jul 23, 2018 15:59:08 GMT -5
David, my definition of true scratchbuilding has always been that based on my model railway beginnings, where scratchbuilders tended to buy in wheels and axles, gears, motors and decals and make pretty much everything else. There were of course those who made these too! The railway community had a term for those like the true me, a kit-basher. The Delage should have been my first true scratchbuild, but this is in mothballs at the moment, so the R type is indeed my first true scratchbuild, or at least it will be when the next example has a scratch-built chassis!
When finished, this example will indeed give a great deal of satisfaction.
Peter.
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on Aug 3, 2018 15:38:09 GMT -5
Bits are slowly going on..... The final top coats of colour went on a couple of weeks back and have of course been slowly baked in the present weather. This done, the grille aperture was opened out and blacked up. Closing panel with wing nut, grille header, badge nosepiece and grill were fitted in that order. the fit of the grille was of some concern, but in fact at the end of the day i could not be more pleased with it. I celebrated by fitting the MG badge, sealed on with a little clear varnish. A couple of filler caps and a couple of fuel tank hold-down cables rounded off the session nicely. Hopefully a bit more next week. Peter.
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Post by 73emgee on Aug 15, 2018 8:38:24 GMT -5
First post on this site. Is this body or kit available for purchase? Love old MG's.
Bob
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Post by Chris Wright on Aug 15, 2018 8:55:12 GMT -5
First post on this site. Is this body or kit available for purchase? Love old MG's. Bob Get in touch with Peter Seager Thomas, via messaging on this sight. Oh! and WELCOME TO THE SITE
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Post by 73emgee on Aug 16, 2018 13:58:56 GMT -5
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on Aug 27, 2018 15:48:50 GMT -5
Wow, talk about one step at a time! Still a little progress. Sorry for the pictures, consistent if nothing else! One of the items of great concern was the error over rhs bonnet louvres, hence the lack of those in the rhs centre of the bonnet. As hoped, the bonnet strap fell in just the right place! The bonnet strap/staple was a piece of ni-chrome wire. The lhs of the strap had to cause the link to fall in just the right place in order that the front part of the exhaust could then fit in place. This seems to have worked out. That's it for the moment. Peter.
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