1951 Citroen Light Fifteen

Nice Ron!

The final colour :
The first coat of top colour was in BL Applejack Green, which I had in my paint stocks, often used on Minis in the ‘70’s, but it was too bright,
but I found a more suitable colour in Ford’s Highland Green.
I had to make a new narrower windscreen and surround, rear window, and cut down the radiator too, without ruining the new proportions.
So much work went into making up for removal of 1/2” in the car’s width. Both front wings had to be carefully filed and sanded back and
reposition the headlights, just slightly.....and all the engine wiring and detail added, with a hint of wear and weathering.

I think I’m going to have to go missing for a few days, guys - all this staring at screens over the past week has given me very sore eyes,
so it’ll be a bit longer before the conclusion of this French icon......until then, take care.
....and one final photo .....showing the new woodgrain RHD dash, and a glimpse of the seats and interior door panels.

It's really coming along nice.

Lots of hard good work going on here. Not my style of vehicle but I still appreciate you displaying the progress here. I admire the smoothness of the paint.

Hi,

Geez! Awesome work!
I love the engine and your job on the body is really great.
Bravo!

Pascal

....and onto the next stage of the Citroen :
....and a new smaller radiator grille. I cut the outside chrome trim off the original, and remade it to the new size, adding new vertical grille bars - plus the inverted pair of ‘V’s to the inner side.
This was then fitted in situ on the model, which then allowed me to trim the bonnet to fit. I added the front and rear bumpers, horn and number plates.
All glass and interior was fitted. At this point, the doors were not hung - and I still wasn’t completely happy with the grille. 🥴

Love the color on this thing, and the detail is amazing.

Nearing the end !
With the bonnet painted, but still needed some attention to fit around the front grille. I then inished off the paintwork with a bit of weathering around the edges - and those seats don’t look too bad now. But, and it’s a big but, those doors don’t fit. They actually fit perfectly in the spaces provided, but not hanging from their hinges, which they should be on a model this size......and this is how this model has remained for the past three years. 🥴

The middle photo is the latest.
....but a concluding episode of this saga will be posted over the weekend.

Ron.

Final Conclusion :
Since seeing a built up model of Heller’s 1/8th iconic model of the Citroen Avante in a model shop window in Tours, Indre-et-Loire in 2011, I have wanted one, but I was put off by the reviews that it was a difficult model to build, and it was expensive. It was all true. The detail is fantastic, everything to scale - and that is the problem. There are so many small delicate parts that they are bound to break. The model is intended to be displayed on blocks, not on it’s wheels - and I doubt if many built have a complete set of opening doors/boot because the hinges are not durable. Metal parts should have been substituted at these crucial points. Carefully sitting the almost finished car on the bench, the rear suspension of my car collapsed because a scale size plastic shock absorber pin couldn’t take the weight.
It is indeed a difficult kit to build stock, but more so if attempting to modify one to this extent - so it was bound to have it’s problems. On reflection, I should have worked out the hinges of the doors before I laid on any paint, but I was hoping for a eureka moment for an answer. However this has resulted in a model left in limbo. One day I’ll get the urge to finish it, but In the mean time it sits in my garage diorama waiting for that day.

Ron, that looks terrific IMHO. If it were me, I'd leave it as is. It just looks like it's in someones workshop who is in the process of restoring it.

Hi Ron,

This is a stunning model Sir, I also agree with Al, leave it as it is now in the workshop being restored, I think we've all been at this point and thought, maybe just a little bit more work, and then instantly regret it...

Andy...

Thanks Al....and Andy,
..until that magic moment when I can find a solution to hanging the doors, it’ll have to stay that way.
The other option is always to glue the doors shut.....but if I do that, it’s accepting defeat. No, I’ll leave it for now.

That's a real nice build in a really nice display.

Thanks, it’s in good company with a couple of bikes - and a trike that also needs finishing too.

Ron234 wrote:The other option is always to glue the doors shut.....but if I do that, it’s accepting defeat. No, I’ll leave it for now.

You could also use some small magnets instead of gluing them shut, that way you can still remove them to see the interior...