As previously noted, it is odd that Lesley should have modified the production process for the 3b so that it involved an extra step (separate painting of the baseplate) and therefore extra expense. One possible reason I can see for this would be a change in the assembly sequence, requiring the axle and wheels to be attached to the baseplate first. However, although that provides an explanation for the baseplate changing colour from grey to black, it raises the new question of why the axles and wheels had to be added before assembly.nearlymint wrote:The early version with the grey base had been assembled before painting, thats why its all one colour.
The black base version was painted seperately then assembled.
As an alternative theory, how about the grey covering more thickly that the black, making it difficult to thread the axle through the eyes in the baseplate?