Bengalensis

Enjoy the beer, and the second one too, they're well deserved. I really like the twists in details. Great work!

After surviving one of those weeks from hell I managed to get a little more done today. I masked and sprayed black on the chassis section, and then did a little detail painting. I have also done the basic chrome foil work on the bodyshell. It will look better after I have also done the detail black painting associated with it.

The decals are very well printed, but they are a bit fragile and need to be handled with care. They are responding to Microsol, but slowly and some heat is needed. Apparently the decal work will be a little challenge. The dashboard decals didn't fit that well, but it will be OK as is. The tyre decals was nervous work with the thin rings, but it worked fine in the end. Here with a flat coat sprayed.

I see only one car...

I afreid I don't know the width of those wheels either, but they don't quite capture the needed look IMHO. Of course it depends on what compromize is acceptable. Johan Brusefält have made a good cad model of the 15" Lotus 40 wheels a few years ago, although I don't think he has them shown on his Shapeways shop currently. That design is very similar to the 13" wheels I see on period Lotus 30 photos. I suppose it won't be impossible to get him to alter the 15" design to make the 13" wheels for the 30.

More painting of parts in the afternoon. I'm not sure about the steering wheel, the instruction call for black, but a photo of the -67 car shows something brighter, so I painted wood. Reviewing everything again I think it's just light shining, so I will repaint it black. Although the dashboard is full of imitated wood... The tyres are clear coated to receive decals.

The primer was sanded in the morning, correcting the last small imperfections. In case you have noticed the bulging body over the rear wheels it's not a mould problem. The rear wings were massaged this way on the race cars. Now the white has been sprayed as well. It's 2K automotive paint, Porsche Alpineweiß. It must be a good match for the Hino white as I had it in my stock after some 1/1 scale work years ago.

Ah, this will be excellent! The Uhlenhaut Coupé! It will be interesting to follow your build. Lovely car. I have the same kit in my stash to be built some day. I so much hope the story is true that Rudolf Uhlenhaut was late for that meeting in Stuttgart, but with his portfolio in the passenger seat made the two hour autobahn drive from Munich in just one hour, and the meeting went ahead on time. It must be true.

You're most welcome Trevor, always nice to have you around!

2K primer and base colours on all the parts have been sprayed in the afternoon.

You are most kind Dan, thanks! It's a pretty good kit, it was released in -96 or -98. Not much to dwell on, it's fast, it's a race car!

The chrome strips on the sills were a bit short and also different from side to side, so I added bits of Evergreen strips to correct this. It's time for a first coat of primer. And so the stage has been reached when the build looks like almost any other build, with everything pinned up for painting.

Good to have you around Steve! Ah yes, New Zealand did see some Hino imports

The -67 test car had the fuel filler cap through the bonnet. It's not included in the kit, so I scratched it from some sprue and Evergreen strip, then drilled and cut the recess in the resin. The frames for the door and side windows are another tricky issue that is meant to be polished and fitted after painting. The fit is less than perfect and it will be difficult to get a sharp finish this way. I decided to do the same as the rear end trim, fit them now and use BMF. After some adjustment of both the resin and white metal I glued the pieces little by little, checking the positions as I went on. With some sanding and small dots of filler to make everything come together I have some descent frames in place.

Indeed he was, he's got a rather impressive career behind him.