Progress: Austin Healey 3000

[willimo]

My Dad's birthday was January 9th, and this was supposed to be done for then but I had neither the kit nor the wheels to do it. Since then, I've received both the fantastic Revell Austin Healey 100-6 kit, and the crummy Model Factory Hiro wire wheels. I think I got something backward there...

Anyway, this morning I woke up nursing a bit of a headache after spending too much time with an off-limits girl the night previous. And as we all know, nothing cures a hangover like modeling chemicals, and nothing puts girls out of mind like building.

First off, this kit was originally released in the 50s, as best as I can tell. This is actually really cool, because Dad probably had this kit when he was a kid, or at the very least, kits like it and it's a lot like what he would have built. I am going to give it to him with the vintage looking box (reissued 1993) and instructions so he can see that. Unfortunately, it shows. The body was six separate parts - each side, the top around the hood and the trunk, and the front and rear roll pans. The "authentic wire wheel detail" was... well, not all that authentic if you ask me. Anyway, I began construction with the wheels that are from Model Factory Hiro.



These are gorgeous peices, each one is 11 parts. They are too wide, and the tires were just too big for the Healey which had narrow tires, but I fitted some modern tires (shhh!) that came with the Tamiya Fit and they fit ok under the car. To be exactly right, they would have to be painted silver, too, but I just don't have the heart. They will stay like that.

Then I started body work. For being a fifty year old kit and a bunch of parts, the body went together surprisingly well.





I made the cockpit smaller - the 100-6 was a 2+2 but Dad's 3000 was a true two seater. Really, this 100-6 kit is very close to Dad's 3000 in appearance, no matter what Layla'skeeper cussed me out for earlier. That was the biggest modification that I needed to make. I also had to putty and patch most of the seams, and add the little seam strips on the wings which is nice because they help hide the seams in the plastic. A cool detail of this model is that the hood and trunk both open, I think I will put some textbooks in the back and some Europe tour books, since he had it in college and sold it to go abroad (I think). It's going to be white, just white, because that's how his looked. I am using Cobra Colors paint for it, even the engine, which is a perfect match for Willennium Jade.

Any tips and pointers and mistakes in accuracy I would love pointed out, especially on this build as it's pretty important to me.

Thanks ya'll.

[mikemechanic]

Thats an excellent start willimo!! Love those wire wheels. It already makes me want to pick up this kit, I love Healey's. Keep up the good work, I'll be watching.
Any pics of the off-limits girl??

[Ferrari TR]

Nice start!
Cool car too, a neighbor had a red and white one, wish I'd taken some pix.
KUTGW...

[bigfrit]

Always does suck waking up with nothing more then a hangover sharing your bed eh?

Swell looking model, pally!
Nice find, can you state the scale of that, I d like to pick one up off ebay too if it's 24 th scale.

Oh and whatcha pay for it?

Also, the wire wheels are a very welcome touch, this is going to be standin out just right!

Keep us above all updated, and can i see some pics of the rest of the parts?

PS nice jearb on the seams and stuff, it looks already much the part!

oli

[klutz_100]

Love this subject and glad to see you are posting it

Have you given any thought to opening the doors?

[Merkava]

Nice start, Will! Gotta love these old British Sporty Cars, my dad had a Triumph Spitfire when he was my age.

Love those wheels, and your plan for the rest of the car sounds great!

[LA-CUSTOMS]

yeah good start good luck with the project !

[tonioseven]

This is going to be great!! I look forward to seeing this one finished!!

[blubaja]

Nice to finnaly see the thread on this. Lookin awsome man! And the MFH wheels!!! WOW!!!! Keep up the great work honda boy.

[ImolaEK]

Nice wheeeeeels!

[sanzvictor]

I love that model !!
I also have it, and I planned to start it... but that multi-piece body stopped me, I'm a bit lazy modeller...

Anyway, take a look at this, maybe it will help
http://www.scaleautosport.com/models/100-6/index.html


Víctor


.

[rasta_dubbed]

nice project.... the rims are awesome!



good luck!

[willimo]

Yeah, Oli, it's 1:24. I think I paid something like $30 for it to be shipped to my door.

I don't want to open the doors, I am reluctant to do a lot of body work because the plastic doesn't seem as stout as newer plastics, sanding the rear deck smooth almost ran me right through the body!

Thanks for the link, sanzvictor! I wish I had known about those other wheels, they look just right. I may still get them, though. And great thoughts on the grill, I'd been wondering what I would do about that! The kit piece is awful. Don't let the multi-part body put you off, like the guy in that link said, it wasn't so bad, it's the flash and the ejector marks that will kill you.

And no, Mike, no pics of the girl. Now you're just being silly.