1:12 Scale Model - E85 RHD

[Conrod]

Hi All.

I've been looking for a 1:12 scale diecast model for some time, but the prices are just plain crazy. Then last month I spotted this eBay ad for a 1:12 scale remote control E85 model:

eBay.jpg (129.9 KiB) Viewed 670 times

It's plastic rather than metal, and has no opening doors, bonnet etc, but as it was only £25 I thought I'd buy it and play around with it.

Being plastic, everything came apart really easily. So I removed the dashboard component, and was pleased to see that the steering wheel assembly was separate. So I set about recreating the dashboard in Fusion 360 and converting it to RHD - which turned out to be a big project! It's not immediately obvious, but the brushed aluminium dash panel follows Anders Warming's flame surfacing concept. It looks flat, but it curves out into the cabin, and the front surface is also concave. Modelling a twin-curved surface like this quickly stretched my Fusion 360 skills. But these new skills also came in handy for my next project which was to design a holder to clip a 35mm diameter wifi remote control for my MP3 player over the lower central spoke cover on the steering wheel. The spoke covers actually curve in three directions, so this was an even greater challenge!

I removed the ugly red infrared receiver, and also replaced the auto lever with a manual one, and added carpets!

The end result was this:

Close-Up.jpg (141.53 KiB) Viewed 670 times

In all I spent about two weeks on the design of various prototype dashboards, and as I was 3D printing them at 50 micron (0.05mm) resolution/layer height, each print took 6 - 7 hours! My previous lockdown project was dismantling an e3D BigBox printer and rebuilding it to my own CoreXY deisgn. I'd had success wuth fast printing, and this was a great test of the printer's hi-res printing performance - so overall I was well-chuiffed!

Here's my car:

Real.jpg (182.37 KiB) Viewed 670 times

and here's the "Mini Me" model:

Model.jpg (122.76 KiB) Viewed 670 times

I should have cleaned the dust off the model before taking the photos, but I'm pretty pleased with the result! My car has a grey rather than a black hood, so I think I'll need to take it apart again and spray the rear of the cockpit! Also, the rear lamp clusters are missing the all important French fries!

As an added bonus, I'm guessing this may be the only 1:12 scale model of a RHD E85.

I've always loved the design of the E85, and seeing just how far he extended the flame surfacing concept into all aspects of the car's design has further increased my admiration for Mr Warming!

[buzyg]

Nice.

I have been looking for 10 years for a model of the Z4MR, at any Scale and any price. Seems they simply never made one.

I have 3 Z4 die casts models. Just not and MR.

[Zedebee]

That is awesome, you even changed the seat cover. I’d be tempted to cut the silver backing out of the wheels with a dremel, or paint it black.

[Conrod]

Thanks guys. The gaps between the wheel spokes are hollow as they should be - the "filled-in" silver effect must be due to reflection from the flash. Here's another photo of the model before I modified it:

Wheels.jpg (139.94 KiB) Viewed 613 times

I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how accurate the model was considering that it was just a cheap toy. The side repeaters aren't quiet right as they're too flush with the body and the orange lenses aren't visible - but overall it's not a bad representation.

[Swampy1982]

Love this, what a great lockdown project!

[Mr Tidy]

You've done a brilliant job getting that model to be an accurate copy of your car.

[buzyg]

Wind Deflector Next.

[HU51A_FU]

I'm a collector of Diecast 1:18 Models, subsequently everyone i have is within the VW range. It upsets me i cannot find a 1:18 scale z4 bmw black with red interior cabriolet

Looks cool though mate. Best not get into the whole diecast stuff, I've spent a bomb LOL.

Don't mean to steal you're thread...hope you don't mind. Just my small collection.

WhatsApp Image 2021-02-22 at 11.05.23.jpeg (98.55 KiB) Viewed 513 times

[buzyg]

I'm a collector of Diecast 1:18 Models, subsequently everyone i have is within the VW range. It upsets me i cannot find a 1:18 scale z4 bmw black with red interior cabriolet

Looks cool though mate. Best not get into the whole diecast stuff, I've spent a bomb LOL.

Don't mean to steal you're thread...hope you don't mind. Just my small collection.

WhatsApp Image 2021-02-22 at 11.05.23.jpeg

Love those.

My favourites, sat in the lounge. Must give them a dust.

20200424_203135.jpg (129.58 KiB) Viewed 473 times

I wasted another hour yesterday searching hopelessly on the interweb for a Z4MR, after reading this thread. I noted they now make a cheaper Chinese copy of the E85 Z4, that I had never found before. Seems plenty are available in 1:18 scale. I know when I bought mine some years back, they were rare as rocking horse pooh. If those are decent quality then worth a look for any one who still want's one.

[Huzee4]

Superb project Alan, very impressive

[HU51A_FU]

I'm a collector of Diecast 1:18 Models, subsequently everyone i have is within the VW range. It upsets me i cannot find a 1:18 scale z4 bmw black with red interior cabriolet

Looks cool though mate. Best not get into the whole diecast stuff, I've spent a bomb LOL.

Don't mean to steal you're thread...hope you don't mind. Just my small collection.

WhatsApp Image 2021-02-22 at 11.05.23.jpeg

Love those.

My favourites, sat in the lounge. Must give them a dust.

20200424_203135.jpg

I wasted another hour yesterday searching hopelessly on the interweb for a Z4MR, after reading this thread. I noted they now make a cheaper Chinese copy of the E85 Z4, that I had never found before. Seems plenty are available in 1:18 scale. I know when I bought mine some years back, they were rare as rocking horse pooh. If those are decent quality then worth a look for any one who still want's one.

They do nice show cases online to stop dust and that getting onto them

[lucasxdiniz]

I'm currently trying to do something very similar! Expect my model is a 1:24 scale diecast model (matches the rest of my collection) and that I have to model my wheels on CAD to get them 3D printed.

For now I put some temporary BBS LMs in the model as I hate the wheels it had on. Can't wait to get the 108s 3D printed and I even figured out how to lower the suspension in the model.

Can you recommend me some model paint?

[Conrod]

Is this a Thames Valley area obsession I wonder?!!!

Your wheels should be a bit simpler to model, as once you have the spoke profile correct it's just a circular pattern repeat, plus the circular hub and rim. The challenge will be the physical printing of them at such a small scale. That sounds like an ideal job for a resin printer - something I don't currently have but am now starting to think about!

Regarding paint, I'd suggest Humbrol enamel. But again, the problem is the scale. I originally printed my dashboard as a single item and tried to paint the brushed aluminum panel using a really fine brush - but even at 1:12 scale, I wasn't happy with the results. So I split it into components (main dashboard, front panel and the radio and light switch module), printing the front panel in grey PETG filament and the rest in black, then assembled it all with superglue.

On really small single colour items, a small air brush like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-380 ... hen&sr=1-1 is probably the way to go. That's something else I'm now thinking of inversting in!

Which CAD software are you using? If it's Fusion 360 and I can help, let me know!