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Pepperette - Mini Cooper S

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Pepperette - Mini Cooper S Countryman All4 (Ray Package) (limited edition)

The kit
The kit was reviewed in detail by me here. After completion, I can add just a few things which I couldn’t know just by opening the box. It has to be mentioned that the kit is beautifully engineered: upon construction there are no pin marks whatsoever or any other details to affect the aspect of the final assembly. The joints are masterfully disguised and virtually all assemblies / subassemblies can be glued from inside. There is far less of a chance to smear your model with glue marks other than by accident. There is only one notable exception: the upper corners of front lights have a supporting pin that has to be removed and then sanded for perfect fit with the body. Unfortunately, the sanding will remove the chrome and the modeler is compelled to use paint which will never substitute the shine of the original plating.

Another negative aspect is the windshield, molded together with the lateral windows: the back lateral windows are supported from only one side and they cannot be definitively secured in place. By careless manipulation, the paint can be easily chipped from the windows frames. Other than that, I have to repeat myself, the kit is just about perfect regarding the quality of the mold and the fitting precision.

The name and the color
There is a habit of mine to denominate my models – don’t ask me why. After I decided to build this model, I start scouting the internet for the real thing – official color, official “ray package” and so on. Everything is available on the Mini’s site. Without too much thinking I found pepper red as the most attractive color, with white and black trimming provided by “ray” package.

To find the color itself it was more difficult than to plan it. I couldn’t find it anywhere at my regular online suppliers and I didn’t want a substitute. I didn’t wanted Coca-Cola red, nor Ferrari red, fire engine red nor Volkswagen Polo red but I wanted pepper and only pepper red. I was about to give up and I was contemplating a white and black / green color scheme when it happened that I run into an unknown (to me) brand of hobby enamels, available at the local store: Krylon. I found a superb light blue and also – I couldn’t believe my eyes – pepper red. In that moment I understood better Gollum and his “precious.” Right in the small jar looked OK but nonetheless I had to try it first. I used four plastic spoons and I primed them with Testors: flat white, light grey, medium grey and flat black (see photos). After the primers cured, I sprayed Krylon over. The one over light grey and white disqualified right away, being too bright. The one over flat black looked initially as the right choice but I had some previous experience with the changes implied by clear coating and I made my bet only after I brushed Future polish. With added transparence, the flat grey primed spoon turned out to be the right choice; the one with black primer shaded too much. Basically that was the most difficult part of this build: finding the right hue with the right shade.

Because my self-inflicted obsession with pepper red, I was looking for an appropriate name for this model until the obvious struck me: Pepperette!
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About the Author

About Gabriel (Szmann)
FROM: NETHERLANDS ANTILLES

Born in Romania, from a German father. Classical studies, Latin teacher. Currently holding French residency, business owner in a Dutch island where currently spoken language is English. At home I speak Spanish, though. Interest in history and modelling: since babyhood, I grown with my father's stor...