Mercedes G4, swish edition.
Should have bought a lotto ticket after this effort drilling out the exhaust!
I had a failure with another G4 kit that ended up with an unrepairable right chassis rail. Radiator on the left is from that kit. Chrome bars through the radiator are far too wide. Thought I’d drill out the radiator holes, all 640 of them but after drilling one the stupidity of the exercise didn’t escape me and I binned the idea.
Nearly everything scraped, sanded and primed. There are a lot of parts for an ICM kit.
The luggage box had hinges but no delineation of the lid. New to this and it isn’t perfect but it is a start with a new skill to learn.
The upholstery is painted in SMS Prue Blue.
Steering wheel dried a nice chestnut shade, inner ring done in SMS Chrome “Cold Tone” and the centre painted in the same Prue Blue as the upholstery.
The SMS chromes do not rub off easily and shine like the door handle of a Texas Whorehouse!
You just can’t criticise the SMS Chromes.
Many small parts done in chrome. I want the vehicle to drip “luxury”!
Hub centres will be done in Tamiya X1 gloss black.
I was going to paint the roof frame in gloss black but weakened and did them in cold chrome like everyone else seems to do.
Wheels done in UMP grey primer, SMS Blue Grey / Prue Blue 20/1 and SMS 2k clear coat. Wheel centres are fixed in with Zap “thick” CA.
Painted the collapsed roof twice. Again, UMP grey primer this time under SMS Black lacquer. I used a UMP polishing stick to get a shine on the “stretched tight” fabric and left a texture on the relaxed and looser parts.
Tried to get the raised lines to go away but I couldn’t do it without butchering the outside so I left it alone.
Dashboard was fun to do. SMS Prue Blue upholstery colour on the board instead of the black the instructions called for, cold chrome on the facia plate and the decals had the carrier film removed before getting them into a nice warm bath.
Not happy with the black surface but the chrome looks thin enough now.
Headlights will have big globes fitted inside them. Just have to work out how I will do that! Got a few ideas I will work through.
Mercedes bonnet emblem has clear yellow over the three pointed star to give a gold look. Bloody small though so you may never see it!
Luggage box with the panel line delineated. Tamiya panel line scriber in the foreground is not ideal for me as I have nowhere near enough control over it. The search is on. Any recommendations?
Tyres are so loose I had to wrap 2 layers of masking tape around the rim to keep them where they are supposed to be!
Chassis done with SMS Chassis black. None of the suspension is actually cemented into place. The fit is perfect! Think I might sand the rear guards and polish them up a bit.
Started on the BMF.
I took my time applying it as I didn’t want to do it twice!
BMF on the running boards done!
Giving the project some wheels!
Sharp end. I do like the blue.
Happy with this!
Engine OOB fitted.
Have a couple of repairs to make to the bmf.
It must have been an impressive looking vehicle in the flesh.
Those old huge headlamps from days of yore had enormous globes. Got to thinking, clear sprue, all those little diamonds that are whisked away into the rubbish bin. Hmmmmm,. I wonder???
Too small to sculpt and they will be behind glass …….
Well?
I think they look authentic!
Spanjaard was not impressed with my headlamp “globes”. I hate it when he is right. I did go halfway. So ….
Grabbed some clear sprue and whipped up a couple of globes. I left the opaque deliberately, so you can see them behind the headlamp glass.
Done.
SMS 2k applied and dry. The luggage box looks like I will start with 8000 grit. Fairly even application that I am happy with.
Got some work ahead of me here!
The other side!
Nope, not re-painted. Just sanded and the chrome added.
Just a test fit on the chassis and the unfinished engine cover positioned.
The bonnet has given me all sorts of grief. Not the kit’s fault, mine alone. Paint will be all stripped off for the third time and start again!
Luxury interior.
Interior colour is SMS Prue Blue lacquer
Left the floor grey. Glad I did.
Had a choice of SMS Cold Chrome and BMF for under the door sills. Ended up going with the BMF.
Think it mixes ok with the chrome paint.
All finished on the chassis and underbody.
Test fit of unfinished bonnet and spare radiator shows I have problem with the rearmost exhaust. It just doesn’t fit!
Left side looks ok, everything fits where it should.
Just the driver’s controls to be fitted and the interior is done.
Not many parts left to add. There is also a tool box lid but I have to put a clear coat on that and the bonnet yet.
The supplied flags are decals and I have had issues with that type before. They curl up and look terrible after a year or so. I have some micro thin styrene so I thought I try to mount that an then apply the decals over that. Worth trying.
Very happy with the interior. The colour is SMS Prue Blue with SMS “Cold Chrome” trim. The dash is supposed to be black but I thought it looked a bit ordinary so went with the upholstery colour on the dash and the steering wheel centre. The grab rails for the back two rows of seats also got the same treatment.
The tape is holding the bonnet down so the radiator is correctly positioned.
Don’t tailgate this thing, it won’t end well for your future!
There are 3 more lights to go on.
Kind of intimidating.
The bonnet needs a 2k clear coat and some chrome of course!
The blue grey is my own invention and changes colour depending on the light.
The place to be!
She’s completed!
I am probably most happy with the headlight globes of all things. Over the moon with the realism they brought to the project.
Underneath.
Underbody looks real enough without going overboard with the detail.
Geeze I love those globes!
Comments
43 20 April 2022, 01:45
Martin OostromGreat sneak build Peter.
These scribers work for me: Mahoo76
This should work well too, but requires a seperate holder Fine Engraving Blade 0,2mm (Tamiya 74136, No)
20 April 2022, 06:56
Peter HardyWelcome along Villiers!
Thanks Marty. Never seen them before. I will put them on the list to look at.
Spanjaard, a lot of the hard yards already done so just a couple of ideas to work out and assembly.
20 April 2022, 08:00
Alexander Grivonev"...after drilling one the stupidity of the exercise didn't escape me and I binned the idea."
I like this lightning fast decision making process, would take me 100 drilled holes probably 😄😄
22 April 2022, 10:12
Peter HardyThanks Tom. We will see if I can keep you entertained for a bit longer!
28 April 2022, 11:45
Martin OostromNow there's something you would(n't) want stopping on your doorstep!
28 April 2022, 21:17
Peter HardyThank you Kyle. I will admit to being far more fussy than usual. My mentor, the great Kerry Cox bought me this kit and I do not to let him down.
28 April 2022, 22:05
Kyle DeHartI just started talking to him on here when his 787 build popped back up! His work is incredible. As is your own
28 April 2022, 23:09
Peter HardyI owe nearly everything to Kez. He is not only a wonderful modeller, he is a wonderful person and house guest.
29 April 2022, 00:58
Kyle DeHartAh! You guys know each other in person!? That's excellent. I've never met any of my modeling friends but have been fortunate enough to become a part of great communities such as this one.
29 April 2022, 01:30
Peter HardyKyle, I Skype with some guys and have a friendship with several Scalemates. I have a box of stuff here for Rui I must send before he disowns me! Kerry lives only 140 kilometres away so I don't see him often but his friendship is more valuable to me than all his modelling skills. Wonderful bloke. I opened these relationships by PM and suggesting a Skype call. Try it. You have nothing to loose except your anonymity!
29 April 2022, 01:37
Kyle DeHartIndeed and I don't have a high price on my anonymity. I have had some success previously in making contact with some local sprint car racers here in Indiana. I wanted to help out in a way more than just paying my ticket and sitting in the stands. I work on a local sprint car team now and They're some of my closest friends. Reaching out to them was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
29 April 2022, 02:16
Peter HardyJust looked up "Indiana". How come the woke brigade haven't complained about that name?
29 April 2022, 03:25
Kyle DeHartYour guess is as good as mine Peter. Our capital is also Indianapolis so we'd have to change the whole thing. Lol. The sports teams at the school I attended went by the nickname "Mohawks" and continue to do so today. Indiana is behind the times in many areas, most importantly a terrible lack of good hobby shops! We do have the Indianapolis 500 so I guess that is one positive
29 April 2022, 04:57
Thomas BischoffBrilliant work 👍 love the paintjob
Hope my comments are woke compliant
30 April 2022, 20:55
Nathan DempseyWhenever is see one of these G4s I think of Top Gear reviewing the Mercedes G63 AMG. "This isn't the first time Mercedes has made a 6x6…"
30 April 2022, 22:06
Peter HardyThomas, thank you for the positive reinforcement! I have put a 2k clear coat over the coachwork yesterday so the sanding / polishing will start tomorrow. You won't have to worry about being "woke" with me!
30 April 2022, 23:12
Peter HardyNathan, the G4 isn't a 6x6. I thought it was when I bought it but no. I think it is a "stretched" version of the Mercedes limo of the time. It has a simple bogie drive to the rear axles. I will post a pic of the underpinnings today. It is such a beautiful vehicle I am determined to do my mentor Kerry Cox proud.
30 April 2022, 23:16
bughunterThat is a glossy paint 👍
You mentioned SMS paints (the metal one seems to be great) and some bottles are visible in the pictures. I never heard of them. Is that a local producer?
2 May 2022, 12:49
James CThats a lovely deep and smooth looking sheen that you've achieved on the black guards and grey body work. Fantastic 👍
2 May 2022, 18:37
Peter HardyBugs, SMS is based in Ballarat in Victoria Australia. (2000 kilometres away so not local). The have a distributor in Britain and two in the US. They have a huge range of lacquers and acrylics. They are growing fast and will be in Europe soon I hope. The paints are very good and the owner is accessible and will talk to you. They are listed in the Scalemates Database, last time I looked 400 + items, mostly paint. scalemodeller.com.au..d-ti4-BoCs6YQAvD_BwE
2 May 2022, 22:49
Peter HardyJimbo, I have some sanding and polishing to do over the next week. If you have a good arm, boy have I got a job for you!
2 May 2022, 22:55
Peter HardyThanks gents, the body is a bit of a mix of a grey blue and the interior colour. I am very happy with the interior!
6 May 2022, 10:02
Martin OostromI wonder where I'd rather sit. In the back and being the boss, or at the wheel of this beast and in control
6 May 2022, 11:58
James CI love it 👍 With the dual rear axles, it looks to have enough reinforcing to support the sheer bulk of the boss man as he rides in the back 😄
6 May 2022, 18:41
Peter HardyJames, "He who must not be named" would look imperious back there! And I have a mountain of chrome and a heck of a lot of polishing to go!
7 May 2022, 00:30
Peter HardyMartin, you can sit in the passenger seat, you have never driven anything this big in your life. ( Ships excluded)
7 May 2022, 00:31
Thomas BischoffLove the colour!
Seems the Boss was not a supporter of "Panzergrau" 🙂
7 May 2022, 08:31
Kyle DeHartYou didn't ask, but I'm enjoying it Peter! Lol. Appreciate the plethora of progress pics too
8 May 2022, 06:08
bughunterWhat a whopper!
Don't show this car to today's car manufacturers. They will develop a six-wheel SUV as a "housewife tank" so that the mothers can take the children to school around the corner.
8 May 2022, 09:54
Kyle DeHart"Run over your hated fellow housewives with ease..Now more fuel efficient…4 miles per gallon." Lol!
8 May 2022, 10:40
Peter HardyBugs, most of the weight will be in extra chrome. They loved it back in the day!
8 May 2022, 23:23
Peter HardyKyle, we all had to get the calculators out to work out miles per gallon! Although my Pommie friends seem to be hanging on desperately to the mph bit! (They're a weird mob).
8 May 2022, 23:27
Peter HardyAlec, you might find this funny, we have one state government here in Oz, a very Green government at that, taxing the hell out of EVs because of all the fuel tax they miss out on over the life of the vehicle!
8 May 2022, 23:31
Kyle DeHartNot as weird as us Americans. Clinging on to the imperial system as if it makes any sense at all…except for bullets and drugs, then all of a sudden its mm and grams. LOL.
As far as that green state government…that seems to make about as much sense as most government decisions.
9 May 2022, 01:15
Kyle DeHartThis is just a fantastic looking machine in this color. Continuing to look great as it comes along.
14 May 2022, 22:06
Peter HardyThank you gentlemen! Moving forward very slowly, terrified of stuffing it up at this late stage!
15 May 2022, 06:29
BozzerI've been keeping an eye on this build mate. She looks stunning! Just take your time bro. I've just painted a radiator expansion tank, and it looks shite, so it's going in the brake fluid. Sometimes, things don't work out as we planned? Just take a step back and have a breather.
15 May 2022, 06:37
Peter HardyThanks Roland, glad you like it!
Jimbo, never mind him, I can hardly wait!
16 May 2022, 07:57
Robin (WhiteGlint)Lol guys 😄
The interior looks great, Peter. 👍 Love that steering wheel.
16 May 2022, 08:01
Robert PodkońskiAnd perhaps some old master painting just stolen from some museum... 😉
16 May 2022, 09:45
BozzerPeter, I have a lovely Revell XKE in the stash. I'm just waiting for the right paint. However, if you check out my stash, you'll see a very precious Rolls Royce, that's a totally mind-blowing kit! It makes my man bits stiffen, when I read the instructions 😉
16 May 2022, 23:15
Peter HardyBozz, the Monogram Macks look wonderful! Like the look of the XKE as well. I am especially fond of the '40s saloon cars. Might have a look around. I have a suggestion for you on a truck kit too. I'll PM you with that.
17 May 2022, 00:53
Kyle DeHartAh, what a glorious place to sit. I'm ready to go for a ride! Fantastic work.
17 May 2022, 02:48
Peter HardyYou might have to drive Kyle, steering wheel is on the wrong side for me!
17 May 2022, 08:28
Peter HardyGuys, this has been a very special project for me, Kerry Cox bought me a kit direct from ICM in Kiev. Unfortunately the chassis was twisted so I bought another one as Kerry really wanted me to build it. Honestly, I think it as good as I can do at the moment, so I hope Kezz you are not disappointed with the end result. Thank you so much for the challenge!
5 June 2022, 04:18
Kyle DeHartBravo Peter! Truly astonishing. I'm blown away. It's a such a beautiful machine for such a dark past. I have to say I love the colors on your "tarted up" version. Just lovely.
5 June 2022, 05:29
Villiers de VosYour result is very good. I have the same model languishing on a shelf, and I am sure that I will not be able to better your effort.
5 June 2022, 06:35
BozzerExcellent work mate! Kezza will be very chuffed with the outcome! Hopefully, you are too? Now get it in a case, before you get dust on that paintwork! 😉
5 June 2022, 09:08
Peter HardyRobin, thanks old mate!
Lochsa, it was satisfying for sure!
Kyle, yes it is a terrible past but that is not the fault of the machine. Such a beautiful vehicle.
Villiers, drag that kit out but check the chassis before you start.
Bozz, yes I am happy with it. Over the moon on a couple of things I tried in fact. Take a look at Kerry's G4. Just sensational. Already in a case and on display in my lounge room.
5 June 2022, 09:46
John HughesExcellent job! There are two things bugging me about it, though. The front right tyre is slightly off the rim and the right hand spotlight is out of alignment.. Meanwhile, my kit of this has just moved to the back of the shelf.
5 June 2022, 10:02
Peter HardyJohn, the tyres are not a good fit. I put three full rotations of masking tape on them but should have used double sided tape. The car was used for possum shooting on weekends so the spotlight was aimed high to light up the trees.
5 June 2022, 10:24
Peter MuldoonI think this is your best one yet! Lots of hard work paid off. You have set the bar high. Awesome stuff!
5 June 2022, 14:07
Peter HardyPeter, agreed! Shows the areas I need to improve and what areas I have improved in. In years to come I will no doubt look at this and shudder at the f ups!
5 June 2022, 22:22
Martin OostromThe blue, the chrome, the dash. All of it is top-notch! I enjoyed the ride from a distance, from warped chassis to a second boxing to an absolute show stopper.
I would like to be at the level of your f*ups!
6 June 2022, 04:25
Peter HardyThank you Tom and Lex. It was a pleasure to build and glad you have enjoyed it too.
6 June 2022, 09:01
James CStunning finish Pete. I can't really say more than what's been commented already, other than it's definitely my favorite build of yours to date and something well deserved to be proud of. Congrats! 👍
6 June 2022, 17:16
Peter HardyThanks Alec, been a learning journey for sure.
Spanjaard, appreciate your words. Very kind.
Jimbo, I will agree with the comment that it is the best I have done. But, you wait until the next one! Thanks for the encouragement. You will have to come see her when you visit Oz next.
6 June 2022, 22:29
Album info
A "What if" project. It is such a beautiful vehicle, I thought I would tart it up just a touch.
