1961-1964 Series 1 E-Type Jaguar (Revell)

I want to document the progress of this build here. It took quite a while to build and it was my first real attempt at opening up doors.




I used some super fine engraving blades to get the doors off. Very expensive but very sharp and durable.







Paperclip metal seemed strong enough yet bendy to make the hinges which were fastened to the back of the firewall.





I cut out the back hatch the same way then used some styrene to make the inner lip then filled and filed. I also made up the inner doors with styrene.





Once I was happy with fittings then the bodywork was cleaned up and went to prime then colour.
I used Pearl blue over Silver for this build then after a few weeks drying time I cleared it.








Tomorrow I'll document the next part of the build. Mechanicals.

That's quite a project you have going there. You did a great job on opening the doors. I've never done that to a model.

Good morning Ladies & Gentlemen. Here's how I handled the mechanical bits.





My usual approach to metals by using Aluminium, Silver & Steel colours shaded with black and brown washes.
Exhaust manifold mixed with Purple & Black washes. The valve covers were passed with Semi gloss clear to tone down the chrome a bit. Reference pictures showed some nice tidy wire management so of course I had to copy that way even though it wasn't easy and very fiddly. I started by making some plugs from scrap and drilling holes into them.





I wired each plug up carefully and fed some of them through a vinyl tube and topped off with my signature red coil wire.
The kit was missing an oil filter so I added my own from aluminium hoping it wouldn't get in the way.






The engine needs to wait until It's mounted before I can do all the really fun details, but before that I need to work on the suspension in the next post.

The engine is coming along great. I like the spark plug wiring. Does the kit include the decals on the coil & fan belts?

Mike C wrote:The engine is coming along great. I like the spark plug wiring. Does the kit include the decals on the coil & fan belts?

Yes, the kit has many decals including option for the dashboard and shocks though I elected to paint some of them instead.

Ok, back again. I got to work on the underside and suspension.
I spent a lot of time with the springs making them look as tidy as possible.




I detailed the exhaust and diff then did a little bit of weathering for the underside. Just enough to look driven.






Then the engine was put in and then plumbed up to the pipes and prop shaft. Then I did a little more dirtying to some metals.







Next time it will be super detailing the engine bay and digging deep into the mechanics.

You're doing a fantastic job, the opening doors and the weathering to the chassis/engine.

Very good Dave.

I remember the whingers on MCM giving out about the kit in general, even Geoff aka GeeBee who used to build models for Revell didn't like it.

Can't remember the so called problems really, something about the Coupe having the same windscreen height as the Roadster.

Nice work on the doors too that must have been a bit scary, usual excellent detail on the paintwork too.

Hi Dave,

I really have missed watching your builds come together, especially the amount of detail and finish you manage to get, I really love that blue too...

Andy...

nice work Dave, esp. on the doors. Well done.

dublin boy wrote:Very good Dave.

I remember the whingers on MCM giving out about the kit in general, even Geoff aka GeeBee who used to build models for Revell didn't like it.

Can't remember the so called problems really, something about the Coupe having the same windscreen height as the Roadster.

Nice work on the doors too that must have been a bit scary, usual excellent detail on the paintwork too.

I love the kit. It's nice and detailed. The only problem I've had so far is that the decals are very hard to put on curves, even when using liberal amounts of Microsol. All the diddly bits of chrome were a pain to handle, always slipping out of your grasp.

Johnag wrote:Hi Dave,

I really have missed watching your builds come together, especially the amount of detail and finish you manage to get, I really love that blue too...  

Andy...

Hi Andy. It is a nice strong blue. Tamiya Pearl Blue.

Good morning again. Time to show the more intricate parts of this build.

The front shocks added with a nice decal.


The master cylinder, seperate clutch cylinder and steering mechanism wired through.


The addition of some fuel lines.


I wired up the alternator/generator and added various liquid bottles and dealt with the battery amongst other things and added a little rust to the manifold.






On to the other side. I completed the fuel filter and fuel line then all the throttle links, air cleaner and put some details into the radiator.



Moving onto the interior next time.

Dave, catching up on your build. You have an incredibly steady and patient hand when you opened up the doors ... no wayward scratches and the cuts are very clean. Love the depth you create through shading and washes it really makes it pop.

It just keeps getting better!

Spanky 19 wrote:Dave, catching up on your build.  You have an incredibly steady and patient hand when you opened up the doors ... no wayward scratches and the cuts are very clean.  Love the depth you create through shading and washes it really makes it pop.  

It's the tools I used. The engravers are incredibly accurate and really sharp. Very expensive but worth it.

Back again. On to the interior. I used Corax white as a base then Fiery red as the main colour then slowly highlighted with a bit white. Carpeting is self adhesive felt. All hand painted and a striking contrast to the body colour.












Next will be the bodyworks.

It looking absolutely fantastic! Did you have to drill out the steering wheel spokes? Also, how did you do the chrome strips in the hatch area? Is it Molotow?

Love the red interior.

You referred to chrome strips, are they like the peel off jobs that just won't stick like the Tamiya Mk 2 Jag?

I did drill out the steering wheel as only the larger holes were open, the rest were filled. The hatch strips were simply water decals. I considered painting them on instead as there was a ridge but they were in black and silver and would look neater than I could ever paint so I put them on with Microsol cut very close. It was a pain and took a while.

Hi Dave,

I was going to ask you about the strips, I thought it was the metal foil stuff (can't remember the proper name of it sorry)...

I'm always amazed by the amount of small detail you manage, is it a decal or did you paint the trim around the gearstick gaiter, I love the wood effect of both the steering wheel and gear knob...

Andy...

Johnag wrote:Hi Dave,

I was going to ask you about the strips, I thought it was the metal foil stuff (can't remember the proper name of it sorry)...

I'm always amazed by the amount of small detail you manage, is it a decal or did you paint the trim around the gearstick gaiter, I love the wood effect of both the steering wheel and gear knob...

Andy...

Thanks Andy. Are you thinking of BMF? Bare metal foil? All the rest of the trim is just silver paint carefully applied by brush, and all the dash detailing except the dials themselves are hand painted.

Hi Dave,

Mr Hirakawa wrote:Are you thinking of BMF? Bare metal foil?

That's the one, thank you, it was bugging me that I couldn't remember it...

Andy...

Good morning. Onto the bodyworks. I wrestled the body onto the chassis and it actually fit properly.
Wheels put on. They are actually quite good for a Revell and shaded nicely. Another nice thing about this kit is that the glass goes on from the outside.








I assembled the front hood/bonnet, fitted it along with what seemed hundreds of little chrome parts which were difficult to hold and kept slipping out of my hands and just pushed to the finish.








The hinges were designed to be easily put on at the end and hold the position open rather than function as a opening/closing mechanism.








Anyway, that's my attempt at an E-Type and a little dip into the maddening effort needed to open doors. I have another one to do, a convertible but that's for the future. Thanks for looking and the finished build can be found in the finished section.

It looks great! It sure went together fast too!