6R4 model hints, tips and improvements...

A few general 6R4 model hints, tips and improvements for you chaps. Please feel free to add your own 6R4 RELATED advice if you feel it is of benefit to the rest of the membership - many thanks!

a) ROLLCAGE : The rollcage on a pukka 6R4 was literally a 'master of disguise'! Despite the fact that it is actually a full rollcage, the front (cockpit area) of the cage is actually completely hidden when looking in from the outside of the car, as it was actually encased within the A Posts! NOT ONE 6R4 model manufacturer over the years has EVER got this area accurately captured on their own model releases! It's simple, all you have to do is to cut the cage at the top of the B Post and remove the angled sections that go down each A Post to the dashboard. That's it - a 6R4 model with an accurate rollcage!

EDIT : Photo added to show the interior after the front section of the rollcage has been removed...



b) COMPUTERVISION BLUE : If ever you need to touch up any areas of the blue paint on a model, paint a front bib or mudflaps a matching colour, etc, then a PERFECT match for the colour is Revell Enamel Paint #52! Honest, I actually surprised myself how accurate a match it was!

c) INTERIORS & WHEELARCHES : This tip could actually apply to any model as it does make them look a lot nicer in their overall exterior appearance. All you have to do is paint the complete interior and inner wheelarches either Matt or Satin Black. You might not be convinced, so all I ask is that you try it the once and compare it to another model that still has the body colour interior, and also (more than likely) oversprayed inner wheelarches. This one has a money back guarantee on it meaning I promise to pay the modeller the sum of 0.0000001p if you are not convinced!

d) EXHAUST TRIMS : Likewise, applicable to non-6R4 models as well! On ebay you will be able to find some 2mm round alloy tubing. My idea was to use this for exhaust pipes. Any 6R4 model collector will admire the IXO models for their exhaust trims, and note that they are missing on the cheaper Altaya / DeAgostini versions. The only problem was that the 2mm alloy tubing would not fit over the black plastic 'stumps' sticking out underneath the rear bumper, and the walls of the 2mm alloy tubing were far too thick. With a 1.5mm twist drill, 'simply' drill out the hole, which not only make it looks a lot more realistic as an exhaust by thinning down the wall, but it also means that it fits perfectly over the black plastic 'stumps'.

I'll try and get some photos uploaded to support the above 6R4 model hints, tips and improvements in due course, and I'd also be interested to hear about your own techniques. Happy modelling!

David, Thanks for the info, all very helpful.

I'd already trimmed off the front part of the roll cages on most of my 6R4s and need to go through the rest in time.

Quite a few competitors took the front splitter off, especially the rallycross boys (I'm referring to the lowest part of the front bumper, where there are rivet marks on the model as standard. This can be removed without too much hassle using a Dremel-type drill and a diamond cutting disk, finished off by hand using a hand file.

Where models need coloured front splitters, I use a decal wrapped around the splitter, which leaves a sharp line at the top of the splitter where it meets the bumper assembly. Any spare decal can be gently filed of when the decal is dry.

Many 6R4s, particularly in rallycross, raced without the door pods. These can be a pain to remove, but running a knife rearwards along the door then pushing the two plastic nibs from inside should be enough to remove them without breaking the pods. Using a diamond cutting disk, the side pods can be cut to the rear of the door shut line. Cut far enough behind the door (i.e. under the filler blanks) so that the front of the pods can be cut off and planted on the front of the trimmed side pod... giving a realistic finish when the gaps are filled and the car painted. I use fine filler, (White Putty) to build up the door and sill and scribe a door shut line. There is a small, vertical rib on the soor where the pod fixes and this can be removed with the diamond disk. Patience is the name of the game!!

It's worthwhile removing the pods and painting them separately if your model needs them on as they were part of the door assembly on the real car. This means there should, ideally, be a gap between the rear of the door pod and front edge of the rest of the side pod.

Where the side pod meets the rear wings and the tops of the doors, I put a thin, black decal of no more than 0.9mm width aong the join to replicate the rubber trim on the full-size version. Printed on to clear decal paper and trimmed quite closely along the black lines, this works very well and helps set off my mdels, particularly light coloured ones!!!

Hope these suggestions help! Any hints and tips on removing the plastic windows without breaking them would be welcome!! Cheers, Steve

Good advice Steve - many thanks for sharing your experiences and techniques.

I've not taken a Dremel to a bodyshell just yet, but I am just summoning up the courage to take a long run at it and have a go!

I'll have a think about the techniques for removing the windows without cracking them, and will probably post something tomorrow night if I get the chance. Watch this space.....

When i was cutting the front splitter off I cut it just below the top of the splitter then used some sandpaper to smooth it off. Worked a treat on my current model, although just waiting for my ARM to get better and also for some decent weather to prime and paint my models up

Great tips BTW guys, appreciate it

What you done to your arm mate?

Unfortunately, I have partially torn my bicep muscle but the doc also thinks I have dislocated my shoulder so got an ultrasound scan shortly to get to the bottom of it. Can't do a fat lot, bought my newer car the day before but haven't been able to drive it since or clean it, just looking at it from inside the house is the best it gets for the moment lol

I have got a few models all ready for priming and painting etc but I can hardly do anything with my left arm as it hurts that much. Still got to do the finishing touches on the Per eklund rallycross car with the mirrors, paint the window rubber etc and get the decals ordered when available.

Hopefully be back to full health soon

Blimey mate - sorry to hear you're in the wars! Best wishes for a speedy recovery fella.

So what car did you end up buying in the end Nicky?

Looking forward to seeing your Camel Eklund 6R4 when it's finished mate - I too have that one to build.

Cheers for the best wishes mate, be glad when I'm back to normal with the arm.

In the end I went for a focus st170. Not the quickest car in my list but for the spec, mileage. Full service history and condition for the price I wouldn't have got any better. It's also less than I was going to save so can start getting models again soon to carry on the collection

I'm looking forward to seeing it when its done aswell David. I have got 4 base cars stripped ready for painting including 1 that I am going to be doing Murray Griersons 93 car. As for event I'm not sure at the moment but I want to get the laser printer to do the decals instead of using my inkjet so it won't be ready for a while.

best of luck with the new motor nicky when you get round to driving it.

Cheers Paul can't wait to clean and drive it. When i have cleaned and polished it ill put some pics up of it.

Nowt wrong with the ST170 Nicky - I bet it will look spot on when you've done what you want to do to it, and given it a general makeover / clean. And as you say, at least it means you can carry on buying models with the funds that you saved!

Looking forward to seeing more of your 6R4 model plans as they get finished as well Nicky - please keep us posted.

Cowley wrote:I'll have a think about the techniques for removing the windows without cracking them, and will probably post something tomorrow night if I get the chance. Watch this space.....

Hi David, I'm watching!! Would be happy to hear suggestions on removing the plastic windows from 6R4 models.

I know that some competitors planted an extra rear roof spoiler on their cars below the standard one, placed between the existing uprights just above roof height. Will Gollop used these later on with his 6R4s. I was wondering if anyone has replicated this extra fin on their models and how they did it.

I am considering using my favourite stand by, which is a length of margarine container cut to length and glued with ClearFix. I might even try heating the plstic and bending it slightly to get the arc of the fin. I think some modellers use fizzy drink can metal, if so, how do you cut the metal and adhere it to the model?..... Suggestions and comments guys?

Cheers, Steve

Hi Steve

I have used drink can aluminum sheet for the extra rear spoiler. I bent it over so it was double thickness to give more rigidity and also it doesn't leave a sharp edge. Also because it is quite soft it's easy to bend to whatever shape you want and stays that shape. To cut it I just used a small pair of scissors and as it is very thin it cuts very easily and cleanly. To glue it in place I used superglue, worked a treat

Hope this is of some use to you

Hi Simon,

Thanks for that. Sounds a neat solution. I'll give it a go when I next need the second spoiler - probably the next Gollop model.

Cheers, Steve

Do any of you experts out there have any tips for removing 6R4 mirrors, WITHOUT breaking off the mounting pin?  

Cowley wrote:Do any of you experts out there have any tips for removing 6R4 mirrors, WITHOUT breaking off the mounting pin?  

I have a small screwdriver that I took a grinder to and made a sharp point to
Push them out from the inside.

You may also need to cut them flush with a scalpel first..

I use a pointed shaft hobby knife type tool to push them out from inside like Noel said. They usually come out ok without damage to the holding pin

David, I use the same technique as Simon.   For those occasions it doesn't work right, I smooth off the remaining part of the mounting pin and give it some Clearfix when it's ready to go on the model. No problems, just take your time!

Good luck with it - what are you making?!   Cheers, Steve

Many thanks chaps - will give this a try shortly.  

Nothing special Steve.  I am merely trying to ascertain a better method for removing the mirrors whilst still preserving their mounting pegs.  

Dear All,

As I was in the process of rectifying my latest purchase, a PJ 'Price' Ferodo 6R4 model, I thought I'd share a technique I've used successfully which is too good to keep to myself!  

If you've taken the body off a 6R4 model to remove the incorrect roll cage on the inside of the A pillars (a personal hate of mine!), you will probably have had the rear numberplate decal destroy itself in the process.

What I do on a regular basis, whether using third party decals (such as David's Code343 or Vitors, for instance), I'll put the rear number plate decal onto a piece of clear, flat plastic, such as found on food packaging.

Once the decal has dried off, I carefully cut around the outside of the decal with a hobby knife and mount the plate to the black tab that pokes out of the rear body using a small dob or two of Clearfix. That way, if I ever need to remove the body again, the numberplate pings off (or can be teased off with a knife) without it being destroyed.  

My Price Ferodo 6R4 now has the rear plate mounted in place again (on clear plastic, which you can't see  ) does not have the A pillar roll cage and has the wipers mounted for the correct RHD configuration.  

Hope this little tip helps. Cheers, Steve

An excellent tip Steve, and one that I use all the time - although the clear plastic idea is a new innovation to me!  

I trust you also changed the dashboard to right hand drive mate, or had PJ already changed the interior to the correct format beforehand?  

Hi David,

Yes, the dash is right!!!  

I'm working on the Bengt Wiklund rallycross car now, so the LHD wipers are useful for that!!!!

Cheers, Steve

Hampton Caught wrote:Yes, the dash is right!!!  

 

Dear All,

Further to my previous tip regarding the removal of the front bib using a Dremel, I've found an even better (and cheaper!) method! It's a bit 'low-tech', but a metal file laid on a horizontal surface whilst the model is pushed backwards and forwards works very well and takes no longer than getting the Dremel out, putting a disc on and wearing goggles then deafening the family!

I've also used another method when removing the metal from behind the door pods when they are removed. Take the plastic door pods off as [er the earlier post. Use a drill in the two holes per side and open them up. gently adjust the angle of the drill so that the metal around the holes is nibbled away until, voila, you've removed most if not all of the extraneous metal. Gently fininsh off with a small file and you're done.

An advantage of this technique is it doesn't disturb the sills of the model and less metal is removed. Let's remember, the more you remove, the more needs to be replaced, so this is a quicker technique and you don't need cutting discs, just a small(ish) metal drill bit.   

Hope this helps. Cheers, Steve

Any more tips guys?