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Bandai 1/16 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost 1908 - "Balloon Car"

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  • Jim R
    SMF Supporters
    • Apr 2018
    • 15650
    • Jim
    • Shropshire

    #1

    Bandai 1/16 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost 1908 - "Balloon Car"

    I didn't plan on buying this kit and even when I had the kit it wasn't on my "to build" list but I opened the box and before I knew it I was started!

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    I saw the kit on an Ebay auction and there was only a couple of hours to go and there was one bid of £19.99 (p&p £6.95). A quick look on 'tinterweb and I saw that the kit was rare and up for sale at anything from £125 to £225. I put in my bid with just 15 seconds to go and won. £26.05 + £6.95 - total spent was £33! The kit was advertised as started with parts missing but as the seller was a Hospice Charity in Stoke my thinking was if I bin it I've made a Christmas donation to a worthy cause :smiling:
    The kit dates from 1984 although the moulds are from 1976.

    The subject of the kit is a vehicle specially designed for Charles Rolls by the famous coach builder Mulliner. Rolls was a keen aviator in addition to his automotive interests. Sadly it was a flying accident which cost him his life in 1910 at the age of just 32. In 1903 he won the Gordon Bennett Gold Medal for the longest single flight time. He was a balloonist as well as a pioneer flyer and this car was designed to carry his balloon, a 17000 cubic foot Imp, on the rear deck.

    I checked the kit and there are 3 missing parts. All small, unimportant and easily scratched. B21, D9 and D16.
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    The chassis and the engine had been started. I don't know what glue was used but it certainly was not modelling cement and plenty was used!! Apart from an easily fixed broken end, the chassis just needs a good clean up.
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    The engine is a different matter. Parts have been glued horribly so will need taking apart and re-gluing.
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    I've made a start. Razor saw, filler and much bad language!
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    A few parts have been painted silver. A good thick coat of God knows what :rolling:
    So a soak in Fairy Power Spray, a scrub with an old tooth brush, a good rinse and into the warm box I used to dry oils.
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    Most of the parts however are still in their sealed bags :thumb2:

    There is a nightmare for later and that is the wheels. A feature of the car is the fine spoked wheels. They make the spokes with thread :thinking:
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    I've seen people make fine models from this kind of unpromising starting point so it will be interesting. All are welcome to join in the fun.
  • The Smythe Meister
    • Jan 2019
    • 6248

    #2
    I'm in Jim,
    That looks a challenge,but I just know you'll crack it :thumb2: ,
    A very interesting car, love it

    Comment

    • Andy the Sheep
      SMF Supporters
      • Apr 2019
      • 1864
      • Andrea
      • North Eastern Italy

      #3
      A different subject and a lot of challenges plus a good modeller: I have to!

      Comment

      • stillp
        SMF Supporters
        • Nov 2016
        • 8086
        • Pete
        • Rugby

        #4
        Is there a jig for those spoked wheels Jim? Back when I was a car modeller I used 5 amp fuse wire for spokes.
        Pete

        Comment

        • yak face
          Moderator
          • Jun 2009
          • 13824
          • Tony
          • Sheffield

          #5
          Wow , looks like a great project to get your teeth into Jim. It needs a bit of TLC but youre doing a great job of rescuing it. Do they supply the thread for the spokes ? A good alternative would be the fine silver wire used in beading and jewellery making , similar to the fuse wire pete mentioned but a lot stronger , cheers tony

          Comment

          • scottie3158
            SMF Supporters
            • Apr 2018
            • 14198
            • Paul
            • Holbeach

            #6
            Jim,
            I will join the rabble if I may. A very interesting looking build and awful lot of car for just two seats.

            Comment

            • papa 695
              Moderator
              • May 2011
              • 22769

              #7
              Just pulled up my chair Jim.

              Comment

              • Airborne01
                • Mar 2021
                • 3940
                • Steve
                • Essex

                #8
                Mmm, not my part of ship but I'm sure this will be very worthy of attention! I look forward to your progress mate!
                Steve

                Comment

                • Tim Marlow
                  SMF Supporters
                  • Apr 2018
                  • 18884
                  • Tim
                  • Somerset UK

                  #9
                  Go for it Jim. Once the disassembly has finished you can go with assembly. Very interesting subject and great notes to go along with the build :thumb2:

                  Comment

                  • Jim R
                    SMF Supporters
                    • Apr 2018
                    • 15650
                    • Jim
                    • Shropshire

                    #10
                    Well lovely to see so many of you willing to spend time here. So many in fact that I've had to go out for more choccie biccies :smiling:

                    The thread is supplied for the wheels but Pete's fuse wire idea and Tony's suggestion to use silver wire may well come in handy later if and when I get as far as the wheels. There is a fold down seat that drops into the load bed so, Scottie, it could be a 4 seater - bloody drafty though!

                    So work on the engine. Rebuilt the heads and replaced the little rods as most were broken or bent.
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                    6 little blocks were glued to the engine. Loads of glue and on crooked so out with the razor saw. The area was wrecked so I glued a very thin sheet of styrene to cover the damage. Sanding and a little filling to do. The little blocks are cleaned up and will go back correctly.
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                    Some sort of cylinder has been painted with "something". Rough and rock hard. Easier to scratch a new part so that's started.
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                    Now the real issue. I said in my first post that the chassis only needed a clean up and a small repair - WRONG!!!
                    It has been assembled not square. The narrow, front end is the problem.
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                    I did some measuring and you can see that while the rear looks OK the front is out. The first cross member is wrong.
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                    Coupled with the fact that there was glue everywhere. Example :sad:
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                    I decided that there was nothing to lose so out with the razor saw - again! Clean up started.
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                    The repair to the chassis rail was easy. Just glued and a tiny strengthening plate on the inside.
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                    So that's the state of play. If I can get the chassis back together nice and square I think I'm OK. The problem will be that in taking it apart all the location sockets are no longer there so it will be a case of trying to work out where each cross member fits. I'll need to make a simple jig :thumb2:

                    Anyway onwards and upwards.
                    Thanks for your support.

                    Comment

                    • Valeron
                      SMF Supporters
                      • Jan 2022
                      • 930
                      • Mike
                      • St Albans

                      #11
                      A good looking challenge for you Jim. Looks interesting. I'll be following.

                      Comment

                      • stillp
                        SMF Supporters
                        • Nov 2016
                        • 8086
                        • Pete
                        • Rugby

                        #12
                        Have they glued it with PVA Jim? If so it should come off with a good soak in water.
                        Pete

                        Comment

                        • Andy T
                          SMF Supporters
                          • Apr 2021
                          • 3239
                          • Sheffield

                          #13
                          Oh wow, that is definitely a challenge worthy of rolling ones sleeves up!

                          Great repairs and scratch work so far. I'll hang around for more.

                          Comment

                          • Jim R
                            SMF Supporters
                            • Apr 2018
                            • 15650
                            • Jim
                            • Shropshire

                            #14
                            I thought of PVA Pete. It is impervious to everything I could think of. I raided the back of the cupboard in the workroom and under the kitchen sink! It's hard and brittle.

                            Comment

                            • stillp
                              SMF Supporters
                              • Nov 2016
                              • 8086
                              • Pete
                              • Rugby

                              #15
                              Something like Cascamite perhaps Jim. Not that knowing what it is helps if it's that impervious.
                              Pete

                              Comment

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