1959 TR3 Club Racer
+5
Johnag
Geezerman
webby
Shelby
nuno22467
9 posters
Skid's :: Finished Works :: Road cars
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1959 TR3 Club Racer
Here's my first build posting here. Didn't take any pics while I was constructing, just after the fact. The kit is by Entex, which is now sold by Minicraft. It's a pretty mediocre kit, but I'm pleased with the result. About the only thing I couldn't pull off was to paint the rolled edge on the body the interior color. I just couldn't get the gap between the interior and the body to close up even with super glue so I decided to leave it as it is.
The kit is curbside and, based on the chassis, was originally motorized. Here's a mockup of the kit out of the box. The paint is only polished in a few places where I had an issue and was not clear coated. I want the more period look so I went with the paint as it came out of the can.
There was a huge seam down the fender line of the kit and the windshield frame on the left hand side was bent so lots of sanding and removal of the windshield frame was the approach I took. The body didn't set down properly onto the chassis so it required some tweaking. You can see the difference from the mockup (as shown by the white arrows) versus the finished build.
The body is Krylon Bonnet Blue (the more blue grey photos are closer to the actually color) with the interior Testor's Dull Coat over Krylon True Taupe. I thought that British Racing Green was a bit too litteral and I remember the baby blue hues back in the day. The carpet is a Martha Stewart flocking product used for scrap booking.
I drilled out the holes in the wheels and then painted rims body color leaving the hub caps chrome.
The interior stopped just in front of the gear shift (see arrows) and everything was molded in a single piece. It was really awful so I cut the seats out and fabricated tunnels for the persons legs to go. I also added in the handbrake only to discover after the fact I put it in the wrong place. I added pedals (see arrows) and a wood dash with street rod gauges.
As mentioned above, because of the stress bend in the windshield frame I cut the frame off and then cut the windshield down to give it a club racer sort of look. The bumpers were removed and the holes filled again for a club racer look. There was a dimple for a gas filler on the rear deck so I drilled it out only to find out that the kit didn't come with the gas cap. I crafted a cap to fill the hole. The headlights were all chrome so I used some white stain glass paint and covered the headlight portion with several coats and really like the result. Unfortunately when I went to install the headlights I discovered that they didn't fit. I had to sand the outside edge down a couple of millimeters and then BMF'd the headlight bezel.
The kit is curbside and, based on the chassis, was originally motorized. Here's a mockup of the kit out of the box. The paint is only polished in a few places where I had an issue and was not clear coated. I want the more period look so I went with the paint as it came out of the can.
There was a huge seam down the fender line of the kit and the windshield frame on the left hand side was bent so lots of sanding and removal of the windshield frame was the approach I took. The body didn't set down properly onto the chassis so it required some tweaking. You can see the difference from the mockup (as shown by the white arrows) versus the finished build.
The body is Krylon Bonnet Blue (the more blue grey photos are closer to the actually color) with the interior Testor's Dull Coat over Krylon True Taupe. I thought that British Racing Green was a bit too litteral and I remember the baby blue hues back in the day. The carpet is a Martha Stewart flocking product used for scrap booking.
I drilled out the holes in the wheels and then painted rims body color leaving the hub caps chrome.
The interior stopped just in front of the gear shift (see arrows) and everything was molded in a single piece. It was really awful so I cut the seats out and fabricated tunnels for the persons legs to go. I also added in the handbrake only to discover after the fact I put it in the wrong place. I added pedals (see arrows) and a wood dash with street rod gauges.
As mentioned above, because of the stress bend in the windshield frame I cut the frame off and then cut the windshield down to give it a club racer sort of look. The bumpers were removed and the holes filled again for a club racer look. There was a dimple for a gas filler on the rear deck so I drilled it out only to find out that the kit didn't come with the gas cap. I crafted a cap to fill the hole. The headlights were all chrome so I used some white stain glass paint and covered the headlight portion with several coats and really like the result. Unfortunately when I went to install the headlights I discovered that they didn't fit. I had to sand the outside edge down a couple of millimeters and then BMF'd the headlight bezel.
Dave from Pleasanton- New Member
- Posts : 237
Join date : 2014-07-20
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Hi,
That's what I call modelling at its best, congratulations!!!
Blue is the colour indeed!
Cheers & onto the next one :)
Nuno.
That's what I call modelling at its best, congratulations!!!
Blue is the colour indeed!
Cheers & onto the next one :)
Nuno.
nuno22467- New Member
- Posts : 142
Join date : 2013-07-25
Age : 52
Location : Porto, Portugal
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
It really is making something great out of a poor kit. Excellent work on the interior, vital with ragtops. All the other steps, body fit, hubcaps, etc. make this something to be proud of. I have an unbuilt TR-2 from (I think) Gunze Sangyo that's way better, but cost me a bunch back when I bought it. Congrats on a genuine success.
harron68- Advanced Member
- Posts : 3615
Join date : 2013-02-28
Age : 73
Location : MIDWEST
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
That's a great looking build Dave. Great colour choice for the TR3 a little subtle and very classy. Nice to see you get one on the shelf Dave.
Shelby- Intermediate Member
- Posts : 947
Join date : 2013-03-02
Location : Alberta, Canada
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Nice one Dave! I built the Gunze version a while ago. Couldn't help my self, I fitted a V6
webby- Moderator
- Posts : 2194
Join date : 2013-02-27
Age : 64
Location : Strathpine Australia. Built over WW2 airstrip
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Agree also that this looks nice in blue. Never was a fan of the legendary British green.
Geezerman- Advanced Member
- Posts : 3651
Join date : 2013-02-24
Age : 88
Location : Gulf coast of central Florids
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Thank you all for the kind comments. I've seen the Gunze kit but have been unwilling to pay the price. The boxes I've seen say it is a TR3, but it looks like a TR2 to me.
Dave from Pleasanton- New Member
- Posts : 237
Join date : 2014-07-20
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Yes, the Gunze Triumph is a TR-2. At least mine is, as it has a small opening in a large concave, not the prettier wide TR-3 grille. Thanx again for a nice improvement to a so-so kit. The old Entex 1/25 kits weren't the greatest. The larger scale MG TC, however, is a real beauty with hinged hood (bonnet) and well detailed all round.
harron68- Advanced Member
- Posts : 3615
Join date : 2013-02-28
Age : 73
Location : MIDWEST
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Snake wrote:Nice ....... I like to see old classic two seaters in a baby blue.
Hi Dave,
She is a stunner Sir, I agree with Colin on the Baby Blue colour, it has always looked so nice on the classic two seaters...
Andy...
_________________
Andy...
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain...
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Beautiful build sir ........... your talents are amazing
Old Coyote- Intermediate Member
- Posts : 565
Join date : 2013-10-14
Age : 77
Location : High Point, North Carolina
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Thank you for the additional kind comments. While I'm quite chuffed about the outcome, I think it pales compared to some the builds here. That said I think of model building like golf. You are competing with yourself striving to improve with each build.
Dave from Pleasanton- New Member
- Posts : 237
Join date : 2014-07-20
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
Dave, very nicely done and I agree with you about getting better with each build so keep building
john2308- Full Member
- Posts : 1142
Join date : 2013-04-10
Age : 79
Location : Phoenix, AZ
Re: 1959 TR3 Club Racer
It's good to challenge yourself, but also to have fun. Some of the best builders use a mix of hard builds with easy out-of-the-box fun ones.
harron68- Advanced Member
- Posts : 3615
Join date : 2013-02-28
Age : 73
Location : MIDWEST
Skid's :: Finished Works :: Road cars
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