Return to the BUILD

“Start building the model by assembling the radiator grille and preparing the hood for assembly.”

This is where it all begins! We get to start off with nice big pieces and recognizable bits, but not a lot to do. I will be breaking the magazine issues up by each parts ‘phase’ for this build, so let’s start with our first one here.

If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend reading through my Getting Started page first.

Contents

Parts

• 01A – Engine Hood
• 01B – Radiator Grille
• 01C – Grille Mesh
• 01D – Support Rod
• 10 x AP Screws (+3 extra)

Materials: Here I will describe the materials the supplied parts in each phase are made out of. All of the screws are metal, so I will not mention them. For instance, in this phase, the Engine Hood and Support Rod are metal and the other two parts are plastic.

Magazine – Issue 1

• Your Model: About the 300 SL
• Assembly Guide: Model Instructions
• Track Legends: The 300 SL on the Track
• The Story of Motorsports: Daring Drivers of the 1950s
• Ace Racers: Sir Stirling Craufurd
• Challenging Circuits: Le Mans 24 Hours

Life-Size Photographs

A 4-page foldout with full size color images of the model and the final dimensions:

• 22.2″ (56.5cm) Length
• 8.8″ (22.4cm) Width
• 16.0 Lbs (7.25kg) Weight

Build

The Grille and the Hood

Step 01

Slide the Support Rod into one of the holes on the edge of the Engine Hood, through both rings, and out the other hole:

At first, I didn’t notice the tiny holes on either side of the Engine Hood, but they are there, so be sure to use them:

Step 02

Lay the Grille Mesh inside the Radiator Grille, lining up the holes. Secure with seven (7) AP screws.

On my model, the center hole was not deep enough to take the screw, so I had to use my Dremel and a tiny drill bit to deepen the hole:

Thoughts

This completes our first phase. I love the detail of the grille and I can already tell this is going to be a heavy model. The Engine Hood is solid metal and the Grille Mesh is etched metal. The rest is plastic. Keep all of these parts safe for a while as they will not be used again until much later in the build.

Next Up

Phase 02 – Wheels: Front Tire/Wheel, Brake Drum/Line, Hubcap (Single)