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Post by Howard Lynk on Aug 29, 2015 17:27:07 GMT -5
Greetings, I've recently found a bit of time to work on a project I've wanted to start for a while, and thought I'd share the progress. Still not a full scratch build, but a little more involved than just painting and detailing up a kit. I had been looking for several years for a body or kit for the small grille Mercedes W25 with no success. Getting a chance to buy a 2nd TRRC 1934 W25 Rekordwagen at a reasonable price, I decided to try reworking it into an open W25 GP car. The 1935 W25b #7 driven to victory in the Avus that year by Fagioli, had a similar front grill opening, and was chosen as the car to model. Here's a couple of images of the original car in action...    This is the unmodified TRRC car I used for the conversion...   Several images of the body cut down, filled in with body putty, and the reshaping in process. I formed the upper fairing as a separate piece, joining it to the main body with PVA adhesive. Present stage; the finished body with just a couple of paint coats, prior to beginning further detailing...   |
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Post by Chris Wright on Aug 29, 2015 18:40:24 GMT -5
A very nice conversion. Marlon would be impressed (Mr TRRC).
Looking forward to seeing it completed.
Chris
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Post by Howard Lynk on Aug 30, 2015 11:29:42 GMT -5
Thanks Chris. Even though I felt it was kind of a sacrilege to tear into one of Marlon's TRRC cars, I decided if I did a decent job of it, probably not too bad a thing. Marlon's TRRC classics were really what got me interested in the pre~war cars. I fell in love with the first one I saw, and have managed to find a good example of each to add to my collection, other than the first two body kit only cars; the Auto Union A longtail, and the Alfa Romeo P3 aerodynamic (btw, if anyone reading this has either one that they might part with, please contact me!). We actually recently had an email conversation, and he was kind enough to list out all of the cars that he offered during the TRRC production. I do intend to post several more pictures as I finish up the W25b conversion. regards, Howard
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Post by Peter Seager-Thomas on Sept 1, 2015 2:44:56 GMT -5
Hi Howard.
A nice neat conversion, 'kit-bashing' in its best time honoured form!
Pre Add also did this car and may perhaps be one of those bodies to be re-worked and re-released by Pendles. We will see.
Peter.
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Post by Aurora on Sept 1, 2015 13:06:54 GMT -5
A great start. What will you be using for wheels and tires?
Matt
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Post by Howard Lynk on Sept 1, 2015 14:59:30 GMT -5
I have now finished most of the outer body detailing with just final cleanup to go. Still working on the dash, wheel and driver figure. I'm just reusing the PP running gear and wheels/tires that originally came on the TRRC car. I had a spare pair of rears that matched the front, so that worked out well. Here's where things stand at this point...   |
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Post by Howard Lynk on Sept 2, 2015 17:15:08 GMT -5
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Post by David Lawson on Sept 3, 2015 2:17:25 GMT -5
You've made a very nice job of re-working the Mercedes Howard and I hope you enjoy racing it.
I disagree with you that you need to develop further skills before tackling a scratchbuilt bodyshell. You have demonstrated by reshaping the rear end of this car and forming the new upper part of the headrest/rear cowl that you are ready to have a go at carving the whole thing.
I look forward to seeing your first project.
David |
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Post by Taffy on Sept 3, 2015 10:05:04 GMT -5
Howard, I agree with the other comments: you have done a real god job in converting the TRRC-body. A real nice car! You might compare it to these Pre-Add-based cars. I did a conversion, too... |
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Post by stuck on Sept 5, 2015 8:03:49 GMT -5
The W25, along with other Mercs, is featured on a DVD boxed set entitled: Magical Moments, The Time of the Silver Arrows. There are five DVDs in all, each chapter featuring the cars as they are today, archive footage (some in colour), and actors re-creating the drama of each period. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the 1930s and the cars of the immediate post War years.
Abfab slot W25. Gorgeous and beautifully crafted. Thanks for posting the pictures. Immensely enjoyable.
Laurence
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Post by stuck on Sept 5, 2015 10:39:46 GMT -5
Howard
A propos of nothing in particular Betta & Classic do a glass-fibre body of the W25 for eight pounds. Although I haven't got around to building a W25, I've done a number of cars with these GRP shells, and find them to be accurate and easy to work. Some, admittedly, are better than others.
Yesterday, for example, I finished making the 1961 718 4-cylinder GP Porsche with a Betta & Classic body, and am delighted with it. With a set of resin wheel inserts from RS Slots, the car really looks the part. As a bonus it goes rather well, too.
The GRP C-Type Auto-Union looks rather well, but George Turner's kit of the same can't be bettered in my view, for what it's worth.
Laurence
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Post by Howard Lynk on Sept 14, 2015 12:14:10 GMT -5
Hi Laurence, thanks for the kind words and suggestion on the "Magic Moments" book. A perfect upcoming Christmas gift from my wife! :-) Also good to hear about the Betta & Classic bodies. I had been to their website not too long ago, but was unsure about how the bodies would work for me. I am more interested in accuracy (at least to my neophyte skill level!) rather than race worthy. I currently have only a preliminary track that gets set up and taken down, and no where else to race in my area... so my hand built cars are more shelf babies than road warriors. That said, I just placed an order for a couple of B&C's pre~war shells. I just started working on a Geodies body of the 1934 Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica. It needs a lot of changes to be anywhere near close to being a representation of the real car, so lots of chance for practicing with body putty, files, sand paper, etc! Regards, Howard
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Post by Howard Lynk on Sept 14, 2015 12:25:39 GMT -5
You've made a very nice job of re-working the Mercedes Howard and I hope you enjoy racing it.
I disagree with you that you need to develop further skills before tackling a scratchbuilt bodyshell. You have demonstrated by reshaping the rear end of this car and forming the new upper part of the headrest/rear cowl that you are ready to have a go at carving the whole thing.
I look forward to seeing your first project.
David Hi David, thanks for the vote of confidence! I have gone so far as to purchase a block of Bass wood which I stare at on occasion. I'm also looking back through all of the archived posts and images on the site here, trying to get a better idea of how I might proceed from step 1 (the block of wood). Perhaps this winter I will give it a try. I had thought my first car might be a Lagonda, but the one I would like to model has a lot of beautiful curves, and may be better to try after experience carving something a bit less challenging. I've also been considering trying a composite approach, using wood and body putty. One of these days though! Regards, Howard |
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Post by Chris Wright on Sept 14, 2015 12:38:27 GMT -5
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Taffy
