I've made progress on the LR 88. It's been a slog; partly my fault and partly the kit's. The best thing I can say for this kit is that it's better the Italeri version of the Land Rover. The kit has many extra parts, intended for other versions. This version had the spare tire in the cargo area. Instead, I used the hood with the spare tire mount
Decals applied, ready for a clear coat and weathering:
I'm leaving the windshield wipers off until the last minute. The license plate is the style used in California from the late 50s to the mid-late 60s, which should overlap the production years of the LR II/IIa. The plate has the month and year I'll finish this model:
I don't know if Roy's Cafe garage had a Land Rover, or if it even had a dedicated tow vehicle. It may have. In any case, I duplicated the sign and added some self explanatory text.
If/when i build another version of this kit, these are the areas I'll skip or be careful with. In addition to the PE issues in the previous posts:
Chassis: paint it black and skip most of the engine construction. Note and mask the wheel and chassis attachment point (luckily, I did). If a random kit's oil pan (or even a small one from a 1/24 or 1/25 scale kit) is available, it can be used in place of the kit's oil pan. The engine can then be built and displayed separately.
Forward lights: the two small lights can be left off until the body has been painted (but before the chassis is attached). The fit is pretty tight, so slightly enlarge the holes If they're painted. The clear headlights will not fit without a considerable amount of trimming - they have to be between 0.25-0.5mm smaller in diameter.
Interior: Pretty straightforward. The seat locations aren't well defined. Install the pedals first and the steering wheel last.
Cabin transparencies: They're not very clear, especially the side windows. I replaced the driver's side window with some thin clear plastic and posed it open. I had to sand and polish the passenger's side window because it wasn't clear at all. Some of the rear windows may need work as well.
Doors: The fit OK, but the doors, cabin roof, cabin rear and windshield have to be carefully assembled to minimize gaps.
Windshield: The main problem here is the tiny PE wiper shields/guides. The installation location isn't clear and I ended up replacing one with a small loop of 30 gauge wire. The PE raises the windshield slightly, which causes other problems. I may just skip them (or just use the loops) next time.
Tires: They're vinyl and they're not great. They're not solid and the material is very soft, so getting rid of the mold lines will be tough. I'll consider after market resin tires if they become available, or use the DEF models LR III resin wheels.
Crane: Again, iffy construction instructions. Good luck finding wire or string thin enough. I used 30 gauge solid wire again. I noticed that it has a bend that I'll have to fix.
Next up is the weathering.
