7mm Airfix Land Rover Series 1 107" pickup

[Stoke5D]

they look good from the side but they are still way too wide for the vehicle in period. It seems there's a gap in the market for suitable Land Rover tyres, especially as anyone with a layout set in the last 70 years is likely to have a Landrover in it - town or country.

 

[Osgood]

As revealed earlier in the thread, LR fitted 6.00 x 16 to Series 1s, but offered 7.00 x 16 for the 107”.

7.00 x 16 are typically 772mm dia x 198 width (Avon tyre data from Longstone Tyres website), so in 7mm they should be a smidge under 18mm dia, and 4.6mm wide.

 

[spikey faz]

they look good from the side but they are still way too wide for the vehicle in period. It seems there's a gap in the market for suitable Land Rover tyres, especially as anyone with a layout set in the last 70 years is likely to have a Landrover in it - town or country.

I know what you're saying, but bear in mind some of these vehicles were adapted by their owners over the years to run on whatever was to hand! I'm still undecided what period my model will be from, but most likely late 1960s.

198mm width equates to a tad under 8 inches and holding a replacement tyre against my 7mm/1ft ruler pretty much equates to this.

Mike

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

they look good from the side but they are still way too wide for the vehicle in period. It seems there's a gap in the market for suitable Land Rover tyres, especially as anyone with a layout set in the last 70 years is likely to have a Landrover in it - town or country.

I have a feeling there will always be a gap in the market for detail parts for 1/43 vehicles. In the wider picture it's a niche scale with a smaller audience than the popular military modelling scales of 1/72, 1/48 and 1/35 where detail parts for certain vehicles are widely available.

 

[spikey faz]

I have a feeling there will always be a gap in the market for detail parts for 1/43 vehicles. In the wider picture it's a niche scale with a smaller audience than the popular military modelling scales of 1/72, 1/48 and 1/35 where detail parts for certain vehicles are widely available.

Which is why I sometimes go "off piste" and get my G-Scale trainset out! Much easier on the eyes, but it does take up a lot more space. Ah well, the art of compromise is never far away for me.

Mike

 

[spikey faz]

I've since removed the freewheel hubs. I think they were introduced in the mid 60s, so would probably be OK for my model. However, it's not something I had on any of my real Land Rovers as I thought they were more trouble than they were worth. So, off they come.



Mike

 

[Osgood]

No, the Fairy units were very reliable and really quietened things down at the front.

Put them back on at once

 

[PhilMortimer]

FWH's are useful to stand on when you're leaning over into the engine bay! I actually use mine quite a bit on my LWB SW, as it does seem to make the steering slightly lighter on small roads.

 

[simond]

No, the Fairy units were very reliable and really quietened things down at the front.

Put them back on at once

And on Harriet the Chariot, my series 1 V8, (there are pictures elsewhere on WT) the freewheels enabled me to get over 25mpg when towing at motorway speeds. It’s horrendous looking back, but it was an achievement to get north of 20!

(and I think they were Fairey…. No Tinkerbelle on site!)

 

[simond]

FWH's are useful to stand on when you're leaning over into the engine bay! I actually use mine quite a bit on my LWB SW, as it does seem to make the steering slightly lighter on small roads.

I broke a rear half shaft, and had to drive a couple of hundred miles in 3WD…. Believe me, if there’s no drive at the back, the steering is more than heavy. You rapidly learn not to press the go pedal when trying to go round a corner, it just straightens up. I wasn’t strong enough to prevent it!

 

[stuartp]

I lost a rear half shaft on a single lane roundabout once (stupid design - should have been a mini roundabout), of course the vehicle directly behind me was a bus which couldn't squeeze past. The hardest bit about diagnosing the problem was the yelling from the bus driver.

"You can't leave it there !"
"Do you want to push or steer ? No, didn't think so".

In gear, hubs disengaged, 4wd engaged, both prop shafts turning - that'll be a rear half shaft then.

And yes, it was like trying to steer a council house.

I don't *need* a 1/43 Series 1 ...

 

[simond]

it was like trying to steer a council house

Precisely, well put, that man!

 

[Stoke5D]

I broke a rear half shaft, and had to drive a couple of hundred miles in 3WD…. Believe me, if there’s no drive at the back, the steering is more than heavy. You rapidly learn not to press the go pedal when trying to go round a corner, it just straightens up. I wasn’t strong enough to prevent it!

Done that also. Great fun... FWH are another later 70's/80's accessory though, not something you would see on SI's in period, so Spikey's mod above is spot on.

 

[spikey faz]

Done that also. Great fun... FWH are another later 70's/80's accessory though, not something you would see on SI's in period, so Spikey's mod above is spot on.

I've also carved away the representation of the Fairey overdrive. I know, I know, it can't be seen unless you're an ant, but it messed with my mind!

No pics yet as on holibobs at the mo.

Mike

 

[Stoke5D]

I've also carved away the representation of the Fairey overdrive. I know, I know, it can't be seen unless you're an ant, but it messed with my mind!

No pics yet as on holibobs at the mo.

Mike

I suppose they just scanned the nearest SI for this model, which inevitably had all the usual modern extras like FWH, Overdrive and also wider modern offroad tyres rather than period Dunlops, or even the ubiquitous Avon Traction Mileage knock-offs everyone seemed to have in the 70's/80's.

 

[spikey faz]

I've been adding some paint to the individual parts. Still some way to go before I start assembly.



I would like to add a registration number of my own choice, rather than using what's provided in the kit. Does anyone know where I can get these made up?

Thanks
Mike

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi mike,

try John Peck at Precision Decals http://www.precisiondecals.com/ he is very helpful.

regards

Mike

 

[simond]

Plates of that era were embossed aluminium, so appeared silver on black, I’d think printing very pale grey text on a black background and cutting out would work? Word or powerpoint would do that.

you could get custom etches…£££

 

[spikey faz]

I got a bit carried away with adding some extra details! Most of it probably won't be visible. But I enjoyed doing it anyway and having owned the real thing many years ago this felt like a trip down memory lane, albeit on a slightly smaller scale!!



I drilled out the front crossmember as this was missing the PTO hole.
I also removed the moulded on wipers and added a 3d printed one (from ebay). The second wiper was an optional extra.

The various gear levers and pedals are just pins bent and filed to shape.

Mike

 

[adrian]

Plates of that era were embossed aluminium, so appeared silver on black, I’d think printing very pale grey text on a black background and cutting out would work? Word or powerpoint would do that.

I would invert it - print a black outline on silver or grey paper.