discussion 1/24 Audi R8

[adt70hk]

Pete

Sorry to hear of the domestic woes.

Car is coming on nicely despite all the issues.

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Mini Me]

Hi Pete..........Very late at looking in on this one ..........Wow, certainly a lot of work into this so far but seems to me that you will pull it off in the end. Love the black wheels as it will be a real "meat eater" when you put the final touches on it. Looking forward to the next update. Rick H. :thumb2:

 

[Tim Marlow]

Excellent progress Pete.

 

[Mark1]

Trying to remember the last time I built a model car. I think it was around 1969!
This is a Revell kit repackaged for Marks & Spencer, so it's not just any Audi R8, it's an M & S Audi.

Another charity shop bargain of course. One day I really must buy a kit from a model shop. You'll notice it says it includes paints, glue and a brush. Well, the paints and glue are there, but the brush looks a bit bald:

The box was sealed when I bought it, and there are no brush hairs in the box so it must have been packed like that.
Sprues were nicely packed in plastic bags, one for each colour so 3 or less in each bag.


8 sprues, plus the body, and separate vinyl tyres. I haven't noticed any flash yet. I'll have to get that 'chrome' sprue in a bath of bleach. What's the best finish for these polished alloy wheels?
There's also a nice decal sheet, and a small piece of plastic mesh.

The thing that's been putting me off building cars is painting the body. I've never had much success with rattle cans, and when I've tried to decant paint from them I've just made a mess.
At the moment I'm thinking I might paint the body in Tamiya X13 metallic blue, as a change for the 'silver' that R8s often are, and I have an unopened jar here. Whether I can get a decent gloss finish is another matter though!
All suggestions welcome.
Hope to make a start tomorrow.
Pete

If your gloss is still an issue, in halfords they do a spray can made by simoniz of acrylic gloss, you can build up light coats and settles into the smoothest finish I've ever seen from a can(like glass!)and a very high gloss finish,won't need polishing,takes a little while to dry properly. I used on my 64 impala, used 12000 grit polishing pads on it (no polish) just to get rid of the few bits of dirt I got in the paint.

 

[stillp]

If your gloss is still an issue, in halfords they do a spray can made by simoniz of acrylic gloss, you can build up light coats and settles into the smoothest finish I've ever seen from a can(like glass!)and a very high gloss finish,won't need polishing,takes a little while to dry properly. I used on my 64 impala, used 12000 grit polishing pads on it (no polish) just to get rid of the few bits of dirt I got in the paint.

Thanks, I'll remember that when I get closer to completion.
Pete

 

[stillp]

Well, it's hard to believe I've done no modelling since June! Still struggling with plumbers and painters but I need to get this moving again. Dashboard is now finished, and the interior tub is complete.


That is close to being installed on the floorpan, but that can wait until tomorrow.

The next stages involve the various windows, which all have a frosted band around the outside, which needs to be painted black. That'll have to wait until my hands are not so shaky.
That'll do for now, hopefully the next update will be a bit sooner!
Pete

 

[stillp]

Stalled again! I've had several tries at brush painting the black surround on the windows but none of them looked good enough. I could probably mask the front windscreen, but the rear and side windows are tricky shapes. The frosted areas don't show up very well on a scan, so I couldn't make my own masks, and the only ready-made masks I can find are in Hong Kong, and the seller states that delivery is usually 1 - 2 months but could be longer due to Covid!
I'll have another try at masking using Tamiya tape for curves. :disappointed2:
Pete

 

[stillp]

Well, I've been over-thinking this. Time to man up and get on with it!

Had to resize that one!
Then put some paint through the airbrush for the first time in months:

I'll let that cure overnight. Might actually be able to do some building tomorrow.
Pete

 

[stillp]

I mentioned in the "New Acquisitions" thread that I'd bought a can of the Simoniz clear acrylic that Mark1 suggested. It certainly is shiny, but my inept handling of the rattle can meant it has a bad case of orange peel.

I know I could rub that down with some fine sanding sponges then polish it, but I don't think I'll bother. I'll see how it looks when it's closer to completion.
I've starting fitting the windows, along with things like lights and grilles.
Windscreen and door mirrors tomorrow, with a bit of luck.
Pete

 

[stillp]

Revell kindly provide silver decals for the door mirrors - unfortunately they're far too small!
I've filled in the rest of the mirror with my trusty UniPaint silver marker pen.
They also provide decals for the brake calipers:

As well as some for the grilles, which are a PITA to fit as they go a long way down in between the 'ribs'.

It was a lot easier once I thought to cut off the excess carrier film.
Just one more for today:

Can't really see it in the photo - the tiny silvery 'quattro' badge in the grille.

Pete

 

[Guest]

Think with all the other problems you managed to do this well Peter. Like the blue regardless of the orange peel , if you hadn't have mentioned it I wouldn't have thought any less .

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looks good Peter. Love the blue colour.

 

[stillp]

Thanks chaps! Today's problem - wheels!
They go together as a four-part 'sandwich', held together by the tyre, with no cement needed.

Two of them went together with no problems, but on the third I tried, the outer part (90) just wouldn't go into the tyre. No idea why not. There are a couple of little lumps on the inside of the tyre but I don't think they're the problem as the rubber is quite soft.
I damaged the paint trying to get it to fit, and I was going to try to fit the remaining wheel together when I noticed the paint on that one was damaged too, so I've given them both a respray. I'll try the assembly again when the new paint has had a chance to harden properly.
Pete

 

[Guest]

Thanks chaps! Today's problem - wheels!
They go together as a four-part 'sandwich', held together by the tyre, with no cement needed.

Two of them went together with no problems, but on the third I tried, the outer part (90) just wouldn't go into the tyre. No idea why not. There are a couple of little lumps on the inside of the tyre but I don't think they're the problem as the rubber is quite soft.
I damaged the paint trying to get it to fit, and I was going to try to fit the remaining wheel together when I noticed the paint on that one was damaged too, so I've given them both a respray. I'll try the assembly again when the new paint has had a chance to harden properly.
Pete

Pete maybe a spot a washing up liquid to ease it together ?

 

[stillp]

Thanks John, but I don't think it's just friction, there's something solid stopping it.
Ah, spotted it - now you've made me think about it, there's a small protrusion in the inner wheel that fits into a notch in the outer - but there's a ridge in the inside of the tyre that's in the way, so I can't see it when the tyre is on. I'll try to cut a piece out of the tyre. I must have just got lucky with the orientation with the first two.
Memo to self - look at the bloody parts before you try to fit them together!

Pete

 

[Guest]

Hopefully this new find will enable you to complete the wheels Pete.

 

[stillp]

Well, I found the problem with the wheel that wouldn't go together - rubber flash on the inside of the tyre. Couldn't cut it with a scalpel, had to grind it away with a Dremel on high speed. But, one step forward, two steps back - the windscreen came unstuck, (it doesn't have enough curvature) which wouldn't be a problem if I hadn't fitted the wipers. Struggling now to get the front lights to fit - tricky to see where to sand them down, as they don't have any straight edges and they fit in a space that curves in two directions. Oh well, they'll get done, eventually!
Pete

 

[Tim Marlow]

Not the best fit and finish then Peter….keep grinding away at it (literally) and you’ll get there though.

 

[stillp]

Not the best fit and finish then Peter

It's very variable Tim. Most parts fit well, but some are way out.
Pete

 

[Jim R]

Hi Pete
Well this kit started off badly and just got worse. Certainly plenty of issues. Despite everything it's actually looking rather good. The blue paintwork looks nice regardless of the orange peel look.
Jim