Revell 1/8th Harley Davidson Police Bike build.

[beany]

Revell 1/8th Harley-Davidson Police Bike

Kit H-1227 (1981 boxing - Made in Germany) Copyright on instructions shown as 1969.

Parts: 138
Construction Stages: 16

I'm delighted to have found this little beauty on eBay as it is in such good condition and it cost less than 16 quid.











The kit also includes a small decal sheet for badges and instrument dials, and vinyl piping for the various cables
and leads. The large windscreen/visor is intact and not cracked and there are various other clear parts,
indicators etc. on a seperate sprue.

Can't wait to start this one - hope to get it done in time for the Revell Modelling SIG table at Cosford mext month.
First job will be to bleach off all of that ghastly chrome plating!

Cheers
Al.

[59North]

Looks to be an interesting build.

First job will be to bleach off all of that ghastly chrome plating!.

Never heard of bleaching before. Can you explain?

[beany]

Never heard of bleaching before. Can you explain?

Yes. The easiest way to remove the chrome plating on the sprues if you don't like it (which I don't for several reasons) is to put some standard domestic bleach in a container - I use the cheapest thin bleach I could find in the supermarket, in a plastic fast food takeaway container - drop the parts in and leave for ten to 15 minutes, and get results like this (after rinsing the bleach off with clean water).

BEFORE...


AFTER...




Parts can then be cleaned up, seam lines removed etc., and will then be sprayed Alclad Gloss Black Primer then Alclad chrome - where required. Many of these parts would not have had a chrome finish anyway so will be painted, steel or aluminium etc. as appropriate.

After you've finished with the bleach you can decant it back into the bottle for re-use or just flush it down the loo.
Note - Not all kit manufacturers chrome plating responds to the cheaper bleach. Some more recent kits I've had have needed thicker Toilet Duck type bleach. In both cases the plating dissolves completely so you can't see it in the bleach afterwards.

Hope that helps - usual safety warning as well - it's bleach so avoid getting it on your skin and any other things that you don't want the colour bleached out of - I've ruined several T-shirts doing this!

[59North]

Thanks for that very cool instruction. I'm going to try it.

[Clashcityrocker]

And don't run your fingers through your hair! Unless you wanna be like the cool kids

Nigel

[Dazzled]

Looks much more user friendly than the brake fluid method and easier to dispose of too.

[Dazzled]

What will you re-chrome with Al?

[beany]

Alclad II Chrome over Alclad Gloss Black primer for the chrome bits, other metallics from Alclad for the others as required, e.g. Dull Aluminium, Polished Aluminium, Steel, etc.

[Cherrytree270]

Looks like a good idea for re-chroming!
Do you have to do the suspension for this model?
I had to do a mini spring suspension once on a vespa model and it was the most tricky thing

Looking forward to seeing this built!

[syd-baines]

nice to see another motorcycle build looks like a nice kit looking forward to seeing it progress

[beany]

Do you have to do the suspension for this model?

No, no springs or anything with this kit - just plastic. I do have two of the Tamiya 1/6th bike kits and have started on the suspension for the Honda CB750 Four so I know what you mean, that was a bit fiddly, but looks and operates well when done.

Thank you (and Syd) for posting, it has prompted me to get on with this kit - I've suffered with total lack of modelling mojo recently.
One thing you have to do once you've bleached off the horrible chrome plating is scrape any surfaces that need gluing as there is still a nasty coating of thin, glossy, mica like plastic that has to be removed.

I've glued the engine block, some of the pipes and the forks and even started on the frame. Just about every part has seam lines that need removing and I'm afraid I'm very OCD about stuff like that. Progress pictures to follow soon.

Cheers
Al.

EDIT:
Engine block assembled - it is the same one used in just about every incarnation of Harley bike that Revell has produced I believe, as my much neglected Chopped Hog build here will attest to. I do have plans to restore this model once the Police Bike is complete.


Work on the frame - again, common with the bike behind it although there are additional parts for the Police Bike for supporting the rear fender.

The front forks and rear shocks have been stripped of the chrome plating and assembled, ready for some Alclad Gloss Black primer and then Chrome.

[ShaunW]

Good to see some action on this build Al and I have to say that Harley chop is wild, very Easy Rider with those huge sissy bars, mental exhaust pipes and stars and stripes tank - mind you with that steering geometry I wouldn't care to hustle it down a twisty English country lane or round a roundabout, expecially in the wet

[syd-baines]

coming along nicely i have built a couple revell choppers but not seen the one you have before is it a revell kit ?
keep up the good work

[beany]

coming along nicely i have built a couple revell choppers but not seen the one you have before is it a revell kit ?

Yes mate, I first bought it in the late 70's but it has been issued several times since then, more latterly with the Stars and Stripes decal scheme.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/143869- ... on-chopper;

[syd-baines]

thanks i will keep an eye out for that one