Well, I succumbed to my apparent need for self harm! - and decided I really couldn't live with the grill - truth be told I couldn't ignore how bad it was right from the get-go as they say. But I was hoping that I could "go blind" regards the problems.
However, having posted this about - I cross pollinate a couple or so of boards [apologies to those that are present on those boards also]. The general consensus was that I should give it a go or live with the regret - and I think that's what swung me......... knowing that I didn't do it when I could of.
Anyway, here's how it started........................
This is what I'd arrived at - and in hindsight it was even worse than I'd remembered - it's no wonder I was a bit downcast by it!!
And this gives us a little insight into the less obvious problem!!
Once the grille is marked up on the vehicle you can see how the kit grill is pyramidal in its nature - the actual grille is if fact parallel with just two nostrils above............ you'll see at the end - and what a difference it makes subconsciously.
Open wide!!! .............. this was harder than it looks than just cutting the hole into the model. I spent quite some time working out the spacing and just what I had to work with in order to make it look right - there's a bit of fudging going on over the assembly but it came out better than it was - I think/hope?
And speaking of assembly this is how it happened - basically cutting over wide strips these were "notched" into the grille opening and then a spacer placed below and than above to give support and provide the basis for the central wide bar that appears in the original.
Bottom left you can see the little tool that I made up in order to make sure the next "notch" above was both accurate and level for the next bar.
This was frustrating - I was so wrapped up in getting the spacing right I'd completely overlooked the depth element of the grille. and there is a marked "proudness" to the centre of the grille leaving a decidedly unflattering "flat" look to it. Thus I ended up "skinning" the grille bars in order to give me the necessary depth to sand back into; and I was quite annoyed with myself too as I know from experience the more you introduce and fuss at something the more opportunities you find for buggering it up.
BUT - after much fiddling, filing, filling and sanding - we arrive at something akin to the original grille, the radiused ends were just filled with a bit of Milliput and then "swizzled" with a wet drill shank - once cleaned up I think it worked remarkably well?
It's much neater now, both the height and depth of the bars - and see what I mean about the parallel nature of the grilles - much better - huh?
I'm close to the point where I have to put it into primer [eek] which will no doubt make some of it look better for pulling it together - and worse because it'll highlight those many flaws I know I'll find.
You could of course probably pick this to pieces as it is - but I'm calling it done - and so you don't have to scroll back up and back down here's the starting point again....................
Sorry it's been a bit slow - this has been a bit more involved that I'd hoped. Gus is being a complete horror and the Optician was startled to find I could do anything at all!!! - New [bliddy expensive] spec's are apparently going to help a bit??
Cheers chep's.................
