first road car WIP: Mini Cooper - Roadster Concept

[Mango_p]

Hey Phil!

I really like your project. I'm sure it will be cool!
I think you should keep the windscreen as it is now.. don't chop it!

Looking forward to follow every step of this build!

// Magnus

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by Mango_p

Hey Phil!

I really like your project. I'm sure it will be cool!
I think you should keep the windscreen as it is now.. don't chop it!

Looking forward to follow every step of this build!

// Magnus

Thanks Magnus, I really appreciate this kind words !

I took another look to the model, thinking about chopping as Micha said...

But i will follow your idea and my first one, keep the windscreen like it is, because with the body extensions the car is much wider than before, and chopping the windscreen would give to the car a strange appearance, something almost like "collapsed"...

So I won't chop the windscreen (and take much care not to break it as I move the body in all sens all the time to sand the modelling clay and have already scared myself several times with breaking plastic sounds... )


thanks again to all who follow this project and sometimes let some words and ideas here.

Phil

[Mr. Me.]

I love minis, they are so cute. keep it up

[rallymaster]

Thank you, new update is here



I sanded all the modelling clay a first time, to see where second coat is needed.
Holes or cracks to fill, bad curve to correct etc etc













I also added modelling clay on the bottom of the body kit, in fact under plastic card kit, and sanded it:









With the chassis:



And on the tyres:








I still have to open hole(s) in rear spoiler for exhaust(s) and give a little more agressivity to the front, maybe by adding add some extra lights or airintakes for brakes...?


I also started to work on some stuff for the inside. First scratch was easy, I made a no-skid plate for codriver, made in plastic cercling painted in aluminium:



that part really pleases me, especially because it's really easy and quick to do !
contrary to the rest I've done til now


That's all for the moment.

Thanks for reading
comments welcome

Phil

[white97ex]

looking good!

[rallymaster]

Hello all,

time for a small update.

While sanding a fender I broke the modelling clay and had to restart the fender.

After that I let the modelling clay drying and hardening during several days and then sanded it, 400, 1000, 1500 and finally 2000 to get a smooth finish...
Not too bad, I'm satisfied - even if not 100% - about the result.

I painted the chassis with the color I'm aiming to build the model...
I'm not very enthousiast regarding the color, it looks too dark but I hope it will give better effect on the body once polished...

the pictures:








thanks for reading
any comments are welcome

Phil

[rallymaster]

Hello all,

I'm working very slowly these days but I can update this thread now.

If you look at the last pic of the last update you might see that the front wheel arch isn't perfectly round, so I re-put some modelling clay and spent once more a lot of time in drying-sanding-finishing-resanding etc process...
(not completely finish BTW)

The positive point about the body is that I finally found my definitive paint scheme, inspired by a photo of a Belgian rally car, which would mix the best way possible the orange and black colors I intended to paint since the start.
I won't say or show more before painting, I will keep the secret to get the maximum effect !

Well, I also spent some time to find some seats, racing look but not racing seats from any rally cars (hey, I need those seats !!) and finally found something interesting in a GT-Four kit:



I think I will cut the top of the seat and rebuild it with holes for harnesses...
not sure because seat pleases me like that, too.
Don't know which racing style level I want those seats to be !

first work on the seats was to fill back and under hollow with modelling clay:



See them back in 24 hours when dried.


So next step, starting working on the inside, the reason why I'm going on so slowly...
I spend more time wondering how to do that, trying some things and some other ones...
I now finally get an idea which gives result.
Here I am at the moment:








It starts looking what I expect it will !
As you can notice, I repainted the chassis in black; the orange color I got didn't convinced me and black inside is part of my new paint and inside dressing project.


Now, the wheels... again and always the wheels.
What a work to scratchbuild wheels !
It's the first time I make my own wheels, and probably the last one !
I think I will make my next projects depend on the wheels I have and not the ones I don't have !!

outside:



inside:



Of course it's only the first step, the designing step; now I have to clean the wheels and make their details and fixing system (certainly another funny coming).


quick mock up to get an idea of the final look of the car:



Not too bad, even if of course seats would stand higher in the car and if most of the work is still ahead...
but it really starts to look like something interesting, don't you think, too ?


that's all for tonight

thanks for reading
feel free to comment and criticise

Phil

[tajoe]

This is just way too weird I love it!!! With the mods you are doing it's going to look so natural. Keep up the good work, I can't wait to see it finished.

[quadzero]

I'm really looking forward to seeing all your efforts under a coat of paint. This will be a very special car.

[lechatnoir82]

Wow, what an undertaking! Can't wait to see more.

[DVST8R]

Wow awesome car. Looks really weird (in a good way) to see a mini thats so wide.

[rallymaster]

Hello,

thanks mates for your kind words, really appreciated.
Well, here is the new update

I primed the body with a coat of white, to see where finishing putty work was needed.

then I apply putty with a teeth stick and smooth it, and finally sanded it.
here is where I am now, everything is done except a few areas on the rear to be sanded:












I now consider the body is finished and only requires its paint.

Hope you enjoy the shape and the look


Thanks for reading
comments and critics very welcome

Phil

[Enzoenvy1]

Throw some color on that bad boy and show us!!!

[voyageur]

WOW, this is coming along great. Keep the updates coming...

[rallymaster]

Thanks guys for you comments

Originally Posted by Enzoenvy1

Throw some color on that bad boy and show us!!!

hehehe it's coming ! soon...

Originally Posted by voyageur

WOW, this is coming along great. Keep the updates coming...

Ok so let's go updating with this evening work


I worked on the wheels, scratching the wheels hubs; I turned them from a styren stick with my dremmel:





I glued them to the center of the wheel already handing the spokes, and drilled the hole...



... in which will come through the axle (like I figure it on this pic with a tooth stick):



Hub and spokes alone, out of the rim:



The four rims almost ready for painting (bolts still to be done):




Now I have to make the "carry-hub" (correct english word ??) but for that I need to build the rest of the chassis...


Then I came back to the inside, starting dressing up the door's inside, firstly by adding the handle:







Ok that's all for tonight, hoping you enjoy my work


Comments and critics welcome, feel free to add a few words to this thread


Phil