Airfix 1/8 4.5 Litre SC Bentley

[cardigankid]

I've wanted to try one of these since I was a lad, and it's being re-released.

I've preordered one. I am only going to be able to display one model in the house, this has to be it, and it has to be good. It will be in a glass case. The subject is the Tim Birkin car, currently owned by Bentley Motors, which was on display at the Bentley 100 bash at Blenheim last summer. Therefore I have been up close and actually touched the car. It is also extremely well photographed and documented.

On the other side this is quite an old Airfix model, unless they have upgraded it, so it may need a bit of work to get it to the necessary standard.

The theory is to do this during the anticipated lockdown/home working phase of the current emergency, but that depends on how long it takes to come and of course how long the emergency lasts.

I need to read up on technique, and get myself kitted out.

Any comments or suggestions welcome.

[robemcdonald]

There is an amazing build thread here.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/top...

Looks like a great model when finished. I’d never have the patience to do it justice though..

It would be great to see your progress.

Good luck.

[CanAm]

It looks like a reissue of the original 1/12 (not 1/8) kit from the 70s and has a reputation as a "challenging" build. Do not expect the quality to be on a par with (considerably more expensive!) modern Tamiya kits.

[cardigankid]

That's alarmingly good.

You're right it is the 1/12 kit.

[Drawweight]

cardigankid said:

I've wanted to try one of these since I was a lad, and it's being re-released.

I've preordered one. I am only going to be able to display one model in the house, this has to be it, and it has to be good. It will be in a glass case. The subject is the Tim Birkin car, currently owned by Bentley Motors, which was on display at the Bentley 100 bash at Blenheim last summer. Therefore I have been up close and actually touched the car. It is also extremely well photographed and documented.

On the other side this is quite an old Airfix model, unless they have upgraded it, so it may need a bit of work to get it to the necessary standard.

The theory is to do this during the anticipated lockdown/home working phase of the current emergency, but that depends on how long it takes to come and of course how long the emergency lasts.

I need to read up on technique, and get myself kitted out.

Any comments or suggestions welcome.

I suspect you could build a full sized Bentley.

[gruffgriff]

It's a classic kit for sure and mindful of it's age as you are, I expect you'll enjoy it immensely. I too have one in build as a nostalgia trip and very strictly just as Airfix intended with no embellishments.....once started just where does one stop?!!
It's the same suite of mouldings unaltered all these decades but mine from the last reissue showed no real mould damage or insurmountable wear. Only disappointment on my release is the rubbish copper coat under the chrome plated parts.....a retrograde step in finishing imho....
Mine's 85% done and a joy to heft about, the scale seems to suit WO's "lorry" perfectly!

[cardigankid]

What are the essential pieces of kit in your experience?

[Elderly]

cardigankid said:

What are the essential pieces of kit in your experience?

Here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[gruffgriff]

I'll echo the thread above. My kit has been acquired over decades but essentials, for me, in order of use and specific to my Bentley build are:
Side cutters to remove parts from runners
Swann Morton scalpel (use back edge to scrape away mould split lines etc. The wheel spokes take days!)
Needle files
Sanding pads
Ca (super) glue and spray activator
MEK to use as liquid glue
Self locking scissor clamps to hold parts and sub assemblies while spraying
Rattle cans! Tamiya (esp gloss clear), Airfix (metalcote finishes if you can find them), Halfords (esp primer, satin and matt clear), odd ones from diy shops....
Airfix enamels for details, weathering, washes
Sharpie pens for spot details (black, silver, gold & bronze)
2 or 3 brushes for above
Tamiya thin masking tape for the split between body fabric and interior upholstery colours....

I'll take some pics of those "basics" and anything I've forgotten....and set to that last 15% of my build!
Very happy to walk through my experience though mine is the most basic build of the kit possible.

[cardigankid]

That’s very much appreciated.

I am concerned about how I am going to get the right surface effect on the fabric coachwork, and on the leather. So far as the paintwork is concerned, I’m wondering if its going to need an airbrush.

[lufbramatt]

You can get good results with rattle cans, the tamiya ones spray very nicely (ts-9 should work well) but Halfords ones are fine too, just might need a bit more flitting and polishing after. No need for an airbrush, I used to make 1:24 cars without an airbrush with no issues.

[dr_gn]

cardigankid said:

I am concerned about how I am going to get the right surface effect on the fabric coachwork, and on the leather.

I’d try an overall gloss finish, then mask and overcoat the fabric parts with satin varnish. Wouldn’t worry about the texture.

[gruffgriff]

Not the absolute barest of necessities but my core tools and preferred materials

[gruffgriff]

Work in progress.
As doc suggested the simple contrast between gloss and matt works for me to differentiate between metal and fabric.
Upholstery is red oxide primer (I think) with brown shoe polish really rubbed in then wiped off. Chuffed with the result.
At least 5 different rattle can silvers/metal/"chrome" sprays used to give contrast between engine parts.
Chassis entirely assembled the sprayed glass black, then hand detailed before fitting sub assemblies.
Looking over it again reminded me of the only real conspicuous mould damage, to be found on the mesh grille. Might respray it satin and VERY lightly dry brush the raised mesh to take the eye away from it...
As the saying goes, it's all in the preparation. Lots and lots of work shaping, scraping and sanding before paint!

[Eric Mc]

Beautiful.

[dr_gn]

Looks great - the seat squabs look just like real leather.

[lufbramatt]

Looks awesome! There were two of these on display at Telford that looked superb but I had a feeling there wasn’t much of the original kit left in them....

The original release of this kit had a battery powered motor and gears to the rear axle, we looked at putting it out like that but you can’t get the right size motor any more and all the drawings for the metal bits were lost in a factory fire years ago. There was going to be a 1:12 rolls Royce silver ghost to follow it up, they got as far as making the patterns but the moulds were never cut.

[robemcdonald]

Quality job on that Bentley Gary.

[Zad]

I really like that leather effect in particular! If it were me (and it isn't!) I would paint on some starship filth or similar onto the metal components like the nuts and bolt heads, supercharger etc and then clean 99.9% of it off, to bring out the detail. Otherwise it can look just a wee bit flat and samey. But then it would be my model not yours. I bought mine when I was about 11 years old with my saved up pocket money (it took the best part of a year) and it didn't go well.

[4321go]

lufbramatt said:

The original release of this kit had a battery powered motor and gears to the rear axle

As a VERY lucky child in the early eighties, I built this as the motorised version. The electric motor was built into the engine crankcase and actually drove the prop shaft. The battery box was hidden under the rear bench seat. And the external hand-brake lever was the on/off switch.