Making progress with the Blacklist models

Four examples of my Blacklist collection. I had some silver-blue which I'd bought for the Emma Peel Lotus version 2 sets. It has worked very well on the Bentley, Aston and a few others too.

I think I've done enough Bentley Continentals now - or I will have done once the last two are complete, making five in all - they do look lovely, especially in black but they're a pain. The boot needs a small piece of metal to be attached to the replacement boot and bumper unit but the parts I have had so far leave the spring bit too low and it is very difficult to attach strongly enough. In a way, that's not that important but the boot may not stay in position and if it were to fall inwards then the whole thing has to be taken apart again. The other annoying bit is fiddling around with the rear lights. The replacement units need the tiny red jewels to be added. I'd thought they would arrive ready made but that wasn't the case. Instead you have to try and place those really small jewels into the holders the right way round and not get covered in glue. Not easy and then you have to wait until they're set before adding the units to the car. Far too risky to try adding the jewels to the placed units on the car.

The Mercedes looks great, almost exactly as new, in black and the paint I've been using is perfect and easy to get a good finish as well with just a single coat or two at the most. That's an easier car to do so I may try a few more of those. 

I was using some resin-type glue to fix the bases back on but it is impossible to manage and you get thin wispy bits hanging from the applicator which often descend where they're not wanted and can ruin everything. It could have worked, resembling the metal rivets quite well had it been possible to apply just a small round blob but I couldn't find a way to do that safely. The stuff went hard so quickly too and I wasted ten times more thn I actually used each time! So I abandoned that product and now have been using Gorilla glue in a thickish form which is really easy to apply and doesn't go anywhere that it shouldn't. When it sets it seems to be quite clear or, at any rate, quite unnoticeable. There is a sort of gap where the rivet(s) ought to be but I much prefer that to the messy results I had with the other stuff.

I am much happier now selling the Blacklist range and they're almost too cheap at the £29 I am advertising them at. They'll be £39 including the best reproduction box and UK postage.

A very messed up #230 which had been carmine red originally, then black and then blue with Dinky tyres

The same model after a bit of attention.