1985 UK car park (1/43 scale)

[Mark1]

Well all you can say about the princess is that the guy who bought one was doing a bit better than the guy that bought the allegro lol

[Tim Marlow]

Got to admit they were pug ugly…….

[stillp]

Company I worked for had one. Only allowed to be used for short journeys, as the CV joints needed replacing otherwise!
Pete

[mg ork]

Back in the mid eighties where we used to live there was a park opposite our garden and to walk to the park it took about 5 mins. Always en route there used to be an Austin Princess, in copper/brown colour. I genuinely loved the frowning look at the front with the twin round headlights and wedge hammer shaped body. No doubt about it, it was an ugly looking motor but I loved it for the way it looked all the same, was really appealing.

[mg ork]

So here is the Talbot Sunbeam then, a 1980 model resprayed in blue.

The initial model from vanguards was pretty good, shape, size and proportions very accurate - the main change needed was to integrate the base unit with the main model; initially the side wings at the bottom were a separate unit. So, using a dremel I cut the bottom of side wings off base unit and integrated it to the main model using a combination of filler and sanding, bottom of wings pushed in accordingly for correct shape.

Other minor changes:
- custom wipers to sync in with rest of collection

- rear lights were initially slightly big so had to be sanded to fit flush. Also, to add more detail original inner chrome taken off and replaced with matt white paint.

- front headlights and grille had to be sanded at the top very slightly to fit flush.

vanguards talbot sunbeam 1980 resprayed blue 1/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

vanguards talbot sunbeam 1980 resprayed blue 2/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

vanguards talbot sunbeam 1980 resprayed blue 3/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

vanguards talbot sunbeam 1980 resprayed blue 4/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

vanguards talbot sunbeam 1980 resprayed blue 5/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

[Tim Marlow]

You know, that’s a car I hardly remember. You’ve done a bang up job of it though.

[Mark1]

Very nice, they also done a 2.2ltr lotus sunbeam,a very sort after car today.

[mg ork]

Thanks, yeah I understand this model is probably the least remembered from that era. When I started school back in 85 one of my friends was picked up in these by her mum, again it was a low spec model like this but in white. I reckon had it not been for that I probably wouldn’t remember this model lol. For whatever reason it never stood out like your 70s/80s era Fords, Vauxhalls and BL models.

[Mark1]

They never was as popular as other manufacturers by 1980 they were struggling i think as they produced there last vehicles in 1981.

[Tim Marlow]

Was this the car that replaced the Hillman Imp?

[Mark1]

Yes but if it wasnt a lotus i would still take the imp anyday.

[Tim Marlow]

Vaguely remember a guy at work having one of those Talbots in about 85. The paint finish was so poor, bubbling and flaking all over, it looked like the car had leprosy.

[mg ork]

So here is the mk3 cortina then from vanguards, a 2000E model.

Vanguards have captured the coke bottle style shape superbly and the wheels are spot on to, much better than the vanguards mk4 ghia equivalent.

Nevertheless, the original model wasn’t perfect and the work done to it being very similar to the work done on the Marina. Namely the bottoms of side wings had to be pushed in via a combination of dremel work, filling and sanding accordingly before respraying corrected parts.

The number plates were correct size but too thick, so the insides hade to be filed/sanded to make plates thinner, and the windscreen wipers are custom made.

The modena green is a really nice colour as well, from a personal point of view my favourite shade of green.

vanguards ford cortina mk3 modena green 1/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

vanguards ford cortina mk3 modena green 2/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

vanguards ford cortina mk3 modena green 3/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

vanguards ford cortina mk3 modena green 4/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

vanguards ford cortina mk3 modena green 5/5 by mg-ork, on Flickr

[Mark1]

Very nice,always loved the look of the mk2 mk3 cortinas

[Tim Marlow]

Great job. A friends dad had a 2000E in exactly that colour.