The adjustable legs for the layout are finished and fitted and seem to work so am just about justified in playing with the Simplex kit but wish I hadn't! It all looked lovely - nice clean castings that interlocked perfectly and soldered up nicely only to find that the outer panels didn't stand a chance of fitting. I have made the protected version previously (basically the same but with doors), I don't remember any real problems but this one was just not going to work. It all boiled down to the chassis cross members being just too long. In the end I had to go off piste with the instructions and essentially build the body first and then get the chassis to fit inside by cutting large chunks off the cross beams. in a way this was not a bad way to do it as some rather major surgery is needed to get the Black Beetle to fit which would have seriously weekend the floor panel if it was not supported.

Here are the side panels in ignorant bliss of the forthcoming problems.

Finally fitted together.

The Black Beetle looking even more insect like with its wires disconnected so as to fit under the floor.

And at last, trial fitted onto body.