Morgan 4/4 Is Done!

[mrmike]

This is my newest project and one that I just had to build!  This is the Tamiya Morgan 4/4 and what a kit this is!  As typical of Tamiya, this kit does not represent a specific model year, so it could be anywhere from 1955 to 2018.  The Morgan 4/4 is still built in pretty much the same way as it was when the first 4/4 was introduced in 1935 as Morgan's first 4 wheel automobile.  Even the 3-wheeler is still produced today using a modern S and S Harley motorcycle engine. 

The 4/4 is still produced today in very small numbers using mostly the same technology from the mid-'30s.  No computers, exotic suspension pieces, or carbon fiber whatever.  It is basically the same car today as it was back then.  The body is molded in green plastic, but there is a join line in the rear of the body by the spare tire.  I'll check the body over for mold lines and such, primer it and paint it with Tamiya TS-9 British Green with a black interior.  And, the wire wheels are just exquisite!  Beautifully molded and plated in shiny chrome.  You just don't see molding like this on many kits today.  So far, the engine has been assembled and the chassis is partially assembled.  The sprues are molded in semi-gloss black plastic which will save me a lot of paint work since the Tamiya TS-29 or X-18 paint matches the plastic. 

FWIW, this kit is very expensive online with Amazon wanting $430 plus shipping!  I was looking around for this kit online until it was offered to me by a fellow Club member, Scott who wanted me to build the kit and to have fun with it!  Thank you Scott!

Edited May 22, 2018 by mrmike

[Brizio]

Looking good!

[mike 51]

Yes this is a great kit....

I still wish Tamiya would do  more classic English sports cars....MGA   TR3   (first series) Austin Healy   would all be just fine!

[Anglia105E]

You will enjoy building this Morgan 4/4 Michael, it is very rewarding. I have three Tamiya Morgans now, one of which I built from a new kit and two are built kits that were cheaper because they have bits broken or missing. One of these was £4.99 which is US $ 6.99 only. Not many kits come up for sale and they are usually asking silly prices. The quality of this kit from Tamiya is excellent but it seems to me that you have to choose if you want the roof in the raised or lowered position, due to the way the windscreen is attached. The Morgan sits well alongside my MGTC, two Triumph TR3A's. and a Jaguar XK120 ( MG is Franklin Mint, TR3A's are Minicraft and Jaguar is Bburago ).

David

[mrmike]

Thank you guys!   I just love these British sports cars.  While America has hot rod shops galore, the UK has sports car manufacturers in abundance.  I have muscle cars galore on my shelves (Mustangs, Corvettes, Mopars, and pickup trucks), but I have always admired the British sports cars prior to the 1975.  I would like to see more early British sports cars from Tamiya.     

[GlueTube]

Watched Morgan's road raced during my younger years. 

Shouldn't you be using Humbrol's BRG?   

Regards

Brian Kroon

 

 

[mrmike]

Actually Brian, Tamiya recommends using their brand TS-9 British Green or X-5 Green.  

[PARTSMARTY]

Looks cool-i have the same kit and will be about the same color-can't wait to see more !!!

[mrmike]

Thanks Marty!  I may have to assemble the wheels and tires and then black wash the wheels sooner than later, just because!

[mrmike]

The chassis is complete minus the wheels and tires.  I did a mockup so I could set the proper angle on the gas tank filler neck.  I added a black wash to the wire wheels.

More to come...

[Anglia105E]

Morgan chassis and engine looking good MIchael, and good thinking on your part to line up the fuel filler neck because if you wait until the instructions tell you to fit the part...... it will not line up! ( I seem to remember I used a cocktail stick through the hole and made adjustments before the glue set ).

The Triumph TR3A sports car kit that Minicraft produced is very basic, so just imagine if Tamiya had produced the TR3A....

David

[mrmike]

Thank you David!  With the filler neck kinda flopping around before the glue sets, it just had to be aligned otherwise I would have to break the glue joint and reset to filler neck again.  This saves me a step later in the build.

[PARTSMARTY]

The black wash on the wheels really make them pop !!!

[mrmike]

Yes, the black wash does help bring out the details of those wheels.  

[mrmike]

With my Jaguar Mk. II Saloon nearly finished, I can continue working on the Morgan 4/4.  I got the body and body panels into a coat of primer and found some more moldlines to deal with.  I spent nearly an hour looking for and removing the mold lines.  Back in March, I watch a series on Velocity called For The Love Of Cars with Philip Glenister and Ant Anstead.  The episode finds them purchasing and restoring a '69 Aston Martin DBS similar to the car driven in the James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service with George Lazenby.  The restored DBS was repainted a dark olive green and the interior was reskinned in oxblood or dark red leather.  I'm going to paint the seats of the Morgan in a dark red or oxblood color and the rest of the interior will be black.

More to come...

[mrmike]

I got some more work done on the Morgan this morning.  I got the interior bucket in with the shifter, handbrake, and the seats.  I wanted this interior to be a little different.  Every Morgan 4/4 is made to a customer's order and so far,  all the seats I have seen are either black or tan in color.  I choose a dark red for mine.  I painted the seats with Model Master Fire Red Enamel and placed them into the dehydrator last night and this morning, I coated them with Testors Semi Gloss Clear.  This should look good!

More to come...

[Eric Macleod]

That looks absolutely fabulous.  I own a 1:1 Lincoln Convertible, white with a dark red interior.  Your model has me thinking...You have a very well built model here. Too bad they are so crazy expensive. 

[mrmike]

Thanks Eric!  Yes, they are very, very expensive!  Unfortunately expensive!

I painted the Morgan this afternoon.

More to come...

[mrmike]

Well, it had to happen.  My bad painting luck is still with me and I'll shake it at some point.  After spraying the hood, doors, and nose piece, I noticed some spots that didn't look fully covered to me.  So out came the spray can a day later and I sprayed them with another coat of paint and left them in the booth for the next several days and didn't look at them.  A few days ago, I brought them out of the booth and they all had bubbles and trash on them.  I tossed them into a small container with 91% alcohol to remove the paint.  I will start again with Tamiya Fine Surface Primer and Tamiya TS-9 British Green.  I have tossed these pieces back into a clean container of 91% alcohol with the hopes of removing more primer and paint from the nooks and crannies.

More to come...

Edited May 14, 2018 by mrmike

[PatW]

Coming along well Mike. I was over at the factory (2 hours away) in 2016............

Ash framed chassis.

And final assembly..............

 

[mrmike]

Thank you Patrick and thank you for the pictures from the factory.  A traditional British sports car being built in the traditional British style with a wood ash frame!

[Funkychiken]

I love the spoke base for the fan in the shots of the factory... And you're right those kit wheels are great... Feeling your pain on the body paint, it's also my nemesis...

[mrmike]

Well Atin, one thing I seem to be getting better at is repainting a body part, but I am far from being perfect!  I am working on getting better the first time around.

Some progress on my Morgan 4/4.  I've been detailing the body off and on the last several days.  I installed the dash, steering wheel and column, coil and brake booster, and painted the underside of the body with Tamiya X-18 Semi Gloss Black.  Then I installed the interior onto the chassis.  I couldn't seat the interior all the way down onto the chassis without a little persuasion and now it fits perfectly.  I still don't know why it didn't go on all the way.

More to come...

[mrmike]

Since my last post, I have been working away on the Morgan 4/4.  The body has been joined with the chassis and I have added the grille and center hood support.  The spare tire was added to the rear along with the rear valance panel and license plate frame.  With a little bit of masking, I used my Molotow Liquid Chrome pen and painted the raised strip on the running board.

More to come...

[mrmike]

I have finished my Tamiya Morgan 4/4 and it is posted in Under Glass.  I would like to thank all those who took the time to view and to comment on my WIP.