Lola T70 Tamiya 1/12

[triumphfan]

While some other projects I have on the go are stalled, waiting for supplies, I have made a start on the Tamiya Lola T70.

The kit is quite a stunner considering it was first produced in 1970. Detail out of the box is sharply moulded, probably due to the fact that Tamiya rest their moulds quite effectively. Anyway, I am going to build this as the Gunston sponsored car using decals from Indycals and Zero Paints colour matched base coat.

To get the best out of the kit a fair amount of filling and sanding is in order, there are quite a few ejector pin marks to get rid of.

I will make a few improvements along the way. The rear bulkhead is moulded open and should be double skinned. I have filled the hollow in with sheet and the smaller gaps with filler. Some Archer resin rivets will be added to the bulkheads and cockpit tub as per ref photos.

The engine is more or less done, just need to do a bit of detail painting on the Webers.

The tub and bulkheads are going to be painted in a Ford Grey as the built examples I have seen with bare metal chassis seem to lack something, but I'm not sure what. lol

The front brakes do have a slight problem. Tamiya only provide half a calliper here so I have had to cast another in Araldite.

Using the calliper half from the rear, a mould was made in plastecine and mixed araldite was poured in. When set, the araldite copy does stick to the plastecine but it is easy to rub off with the fingers. I usually finish the cleaning with a suede brush to get in the nooks and crannies.

The cast copy is a little rough but will easily suffice in this case hidden behind the wheel.

There is a lot to do on this one but I plan to get it finished by Christmas hopefully.

Thanks for looking,

Steve.

[AndyC]

Love the lines of the T70 Steve - will watch this

[roymattblack]

I have this kit in my stash. I might do it in the Martini colours.

Looking forward to what you are doing. It looks great so far.

Roy.

[Spookytooth]

You lucky man. I saw that kit many years ago and thought Yes Please but my parents said No !!

I will follow closely.

[triumphfan]

I'll post the progress as it happens. Still collecting ref material and making build notes at the moment. I feel it is important to make decisions on amount of detail to be added and build sequence ahead of too much assembly to prevent mistakes and fit problems later on.

The colour scheme I'm using is not correct for a MkIII as the Gunston car was a MkIIIB. Although there is a conversion set available, it is way, way out of my price league so it looks like I'll have to take the shame of building an inaccurate model.

Currently prepping the body parts and thinking about how to temporarily join them together for masking and painting the stripes.

It is a big project and I hope to do it justice.

Steve.

[JamesP]

It's a shame that this kit seems to be the only one available of the Lola T70 as it's a bit of challenge for most of us at this scale. I've got a resin slot body that I'll eventually build a chassis for once I've got enough refs and some suitable wheels.

[triumphfan]

It's a shame that this kit seems to be the only one available of the Lola T70 as it's a bit of challenge for most of us at this scale. I've got a resin slot body that I'll eventually build a chassis for once I've got enough refs and some suitable wheels.

Well James, I believe a 1/24 scale T70 MkIIIB is due out soon. I will be posting details on here when it is available. It's a semi-curbside resin kit and looks like it will be a perfect starting place for a really nice 'normal' scale Lola.

Steve.

[Mark]

Hi Steve,

Really looking forward to seeing this one done and also saw the paints on Steve's website Hiroboy.com

[Rishi]

Thanks for sharing the expoy casting. The engine looks great. Waiting to see this build progress.

Rishi

[ptcruiser]

Still collecting ref material and making build notes at the moment.

Steve.

Hi Steve

Took plenty of photos at Silverstone Classic of a MkIII if you're interested. Covers off.

Rich

[triumphfan]

Hi Rich, thanks for that. Always welcome more pics if you have some. Particularly interested in the cockpit and around the rear bulkhead (both sides) if you have any.

There is a wealth of pics on the net and lots of different configurations of plumbing! I am waiting for some Archer rivets to turn up so I can add a bit of detail to the main tub and bulkhead.

I intend to add what Tamiya provide and just a little bit more. Currently working on the brake lines and scratching up some fittings, etc.

Found some small issues with the kit, nothing too alarming, more annoying, lol.

Keep getting this feeling of dread when I think of the painting and final assembly, sure something is going to go horribly wrong.

I used my phone camera at the Silverstone classic as, embarrassingly, it is better than my digicam. Unfortunately, the memory got filled really quickly and I had no clue how to delete my older pics. I am hopeless with tech, more so when I haven't got my reading glasses!

Steve.

[triumphfan]

A little more progress.

In fact, a lot of work has been done involving stripping chrome plate and spraying a huge amount of Alclad.

Another issue I have found, to go along with the missing caliper half, is the instrument binnacle in front of the driver. For some reason Tamiya have designed this so that most of it will be hidden behind the lower dash rail. Mmmm, not so good Mr Tamiya san!

Easy to overcome though. Cut a piece of plastic card to match the recess, make new gauge rims from polished florist wire, add a few P/E screw heads and job's a carrot!

The dash parts are more or less done now. I ground off the moulded on switches and screw heads as they are difficult to paint effectively. All parts apart from the fresh air vents are scratched from rod and wire with coloured lenses to represent warning lights.

I would love to be able to make some 1/12 decals for switch descriptions, mine are just scraps of white decal with black paint scribbled on with a needle.

Screw heads are Crazy Modeller P/E items.

A lot of sub-assemblies are coming to completion now and I started looking at the seats. Kit items are more than acceptable but I wanted to make the driver seat slightly different for a bit of interest. The padding was made from Tamiya quick type putty and mesh from an old tea strainer was pushed into it to create texture.

Got a couple of days holiday ahead so maybe I can start getting to grips with the body parts. Halfords White plastic primer at the ready !!

Cheers, Steve.

[Bengalensis]

Wonderful subject the Lola T70, and in your hands the model will surely take good shape, as can be seen so far. The dash parts look great.

I have always been tempted by this kit, it would look great beside the 1/12 GT40 MkII, but I haven't even started that one yet...

[ptcruiser]

Try these Steve: The red car is a T70 MkIII (as per the Tamiya kit), the intrior of the yellow one Bonnier's T70MkIIIB. Sorrry, no rear facing pics in this lot Rich

[triumphfan]

Terrific pics Rich, thanks for adding them.

I can see some rivet detail and, perhaps more importantly, where not to put them. I will have 163 resin rivets, dia .63 mm in 22 rows on the sheet, easy to get carried away!

Cheers, Steve.

[triumphfan]

The front suspension is almost complete. Body parts are now cleaned up and primed. I've just wet sanded the primer coat and will start to paint the body next week, the sills are first to go on so they need paint and clear coat before fixing to the tub sides.

Brake lines have been added with connectors made from hexagon section evergreen rod. Quite pleased with the copied calliper halves now they are on and painted. Also added bleed nipples made from two pieces of plastic rod. Kit parts for the brake fluid reservoirs have been replaced with clear tube, sanded on the outside slightly and filled with clear yellow paint.

I have started to add a bit of general grubbiness and will extend this to include a light wash on the callipers and some light wear and tear in the cockpit tub.

Cheers, Steve.

[macgregor]

Really coming along nicely, great work on the brake lines & unions. Don't see enough of these built despite its popularity as a cult kit (self, hanging head in shame over having mine warm the loft for 2 years) , can see this one pushing it up the build Que though! Keep the installments coming.

Mac

[triumphfan]

I have some paint on the Lola now but the decalling stage is being held up as I wait for more gold pinstriping. The decal set was over 30cms short.

Whilst waiting for that to be delivered, I've clear coated the fuel tanks/sills as these are the first body parts to go on. I have to paint the inside of the sills and add some rivets. The radiator panel needs some work and the coolant pipes are ready to go on (dry fitted in this pic)

Managed to get the front body clear coated as this was one of the parts that got fully decalled before the striping ran out. Thinking I ought to add the wiring to the lights and make connectors for the ends, will try to make these actually fit into each other.

Spent some time sanding the 'square shoulders' from the tyres to improve the look. Also added valve detail and some tape covered weights are going on.

This is really enjoyable at the moment but I am not looking forward to the doors, the latch mechanism looks quite fiddly.

Steve.

[Mark]

Hi Steve, you've been a busy chap!

The colours on the Lola look fantastic and she's certainly going to turn heads when finished.

[stevehnz]

Nice this, the T.70 is probabaly my favourite GT & I'd like to see a kit of it in about 1/24, 1/12 just a bit big for this lad so I'll just watch your build with envy.

Steve.

[triumphfan]

Thanks Steve.

If you don't mind resin kits, a Lola T70 is due for release later this year.

[stevehnz]

I'll sure look out for it, to me resin has connotations of lots of fiddliness, so it'll depend on the the nature of the kit. I'd love it to be a straight forward build. There is something about that swoopy rounded T.70 shape that really appeals.

Steve.

[triumphfan]

The kit is a curbside with partial engine detail but it is a MkIIIB so there are many more sponsor options available. I believe, Britmodeller, PT Cruiser has had more than a small part to play in the artwork for the decals.

Richie Griffiths who is producing the kit also does a very nice Lister Jaguar in 1/24. I have one of these built and another in the stash. They are remarkably good kits for the price but do require a tad more clean up than more well known resin kits.

The instructions are top notch and a ref CD is included with dozens of pics to peruse.

I'll have a chat with Richie and see if he will allow any pics to be posted on here.

Cheers, Steve.

[marc]

I seen the Lola last Sunday as Rich had 2 tables at our show. The kit looks lovely, very weighty with nice details. I could nearly be tempted by one myself.

[stevehnz]

Sounds promising, quite like the sound of the Lister Jag too.

Steve.