1/8 Kyosho (DeA) Mclaren mp4/4-02 1988

[Frah2o]

Last years (like every years) was the biggest model expo in Italy (Verona)

Modelspace Italy asked me to show my MP4....was a pleasure but was also a moment to think about my build.
Watching my Mclaren i'm not satisfy with the result, so i decide to improve it

After thinking about it  i decide to restore  my Mp4/4.

After 4 years of modelling and after 4 years which i lightly improved my skills, i decide to make this:

- Add all carbon to car

- Try to add all missing extra detail

 

 

I think that put the decal on front wing will be quite easy.
The external pillars are screwed on front wing

My trouble will be with rear wing pillars. If I remeber well, i think was glued....so i hope to don't damage it.

 

 

For few euros, i collected the first 2 issue with complet fornt nose and rear wing. At home i have also the full bodyshell.

In the future months I'll purchase new tobaccos decal and some carbon for undertray.
 

[Frah2o]

With my other project (the Golf GTI Mk2 1/8) i'm stopped because i'm wating some parts.

I so started with little upgrade to my mp4.

I dismantled my Mp4 in some macro group,  I must understand if i i wanto to carbon decal, i must demount the front axle (to carbon cover the mnocoque).

 

 

 

 

I'm just oredered the Museum COllection decal set for monocoque e e nose cone

I've dismantled without any damage the monocoque from the engine/gearbox.

I also took apart front suspension and rear side pods of gearbox.

I started to fill the monocoque in the headrest zone and rear zone and i filled the nose cone

I sanded the iniecjton point on nose wing, front wing flap and rear gearbox pods.

My intention is to carbon cover all the monocoque and the inside of bodyshell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Andy J]

Very interesting I look forward to seeing this completed. It's a brave move to dismantle a finished build but I understand your reasons for this.

[Frah2o]

15 minutes ago, Andy J said:

Very interesting I look forward to seeing this completed. It's a brave move to dismantle a finished build but I understand your reasons for this.

You're right Andy, it's a brave move but i dont'like to leave as aout of box this model. It was my first one and is a toy and not a model....so after little skill improvement, I decided to try an upgrade.

 

[Frah2o]

I've tried for the first time the ciano degluing with freezer. I separated intercooler and radiator from ducts without damage. So i can carbon the duct free of any other parts

Once i have disassmbled the caliper, i stated to work on discs.
I holed the central hub and started to filling the disc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

I've finished the work on brake disc (all filled)

Then i stated to work on radiator side pods. They're in 2 parts, but i wanted it "monolithic"

Before to "weld" them i made the self template for future inner carbon decal, the i glued with ciano and fixxed.

The problem to of this job is the plastic blanked mesh.

As I seen on references and R1M (Malc) Diary i tried to selfmade the metel mesh as 1:1 MP4/4

I made template and i cut the shape on metal mesh. I added bare metal on mopunting side, i made hole and added a washer for the fitting of tie rod.

I think that is a better view tan original plastic mesh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

I've started the carbon work on front nose.

When I tryed the fitting I saw a mistake. I forgot some carbon in the central pillar of dront wing.
I've just added the missing decal (I'll made a pics in the next post)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

While i'm waiting the decal from Autograph, i've started to work on bodyshell.

First work is to piant the under outside black stripe.

I'also paint the inside of bodyshell in balck matt to have a future color base for carbon coating.

At the aend of the work i was not satisfied for to much visible injection point and the junction point of the bodyshell.

So i started to sand and fill to remade a little bit smooth surface for carbon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

Re sanded and re filled the inside of bodyshell to reach a smoothier surface.
Fortunately the external of body is mint

I started the carbon work on cooling body duct, i followed the refernces images on mfh book

I also took the Haynes mauals for Mp4 to have more refrences pics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

 started the carbon work on first body duct.

I took an 1/32 carbon decal to reach the extra fine effect on radiator duct on monocoque.....before to fit i'll made some expreiment with color base and final clear coat.

Finally are arrived the first part of Museum Collection decal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

I started the carbon work on iside of bodyshell.....a big load of carbon decal...[blink]

I hope to finish the bodyshell in this weekend.

I think the hardest part is completed: the hump (I don't know is it the right name)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

I'm started with a hard/boring carbon work on brake duct

Befor to carbon them, i opended the blanked vent on middle duct.

I finished with a quite result the first rear duct....but it's wrong. [cursing]

I take as example the front vent taht is full carbon, the rear is not like the front. The rear vent have the other duct (yellow marked) in other material (finest carbon or ABS or metal).

So, i just peel off the decal, I'll resprayed them and then i'll apply the correct decals
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2019 by Frah2o

[Frah2o]

I paint the last part of this duct in matt black and then i carbon the rest of vent. In the future I'll coat with clear and I'll add some PE rivets and the rubber cowling for driveshaft

I also finished the carbon work on front duct.

A very hard parts to carbon, but i'm quite satisfied with end result.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

I've started th work with MC decal, it's first time with these...and i' didn't know how are made.

Before to apply them on wings, i painted the inside of wings with base color graphite.
I saw that the most used base color is alu+smoke....but this color never give me the right response as real mp4:4
En each photo that i saw, the diagonal fibre are almost invisible and imperceptible.
So i made some experiment with color and for me the best match is graphite (not metallic).

After painting and before to apply decal, with copy of same decal, i made the template for open the hole for the bracket for central wing.

Finally i fitted the decal and i waited 30 minuts before to re-profile the exceed of decal

Once they'll be dried, i'll spray some final matt coat because these MC are too glossy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rjfk2002]

Really nice work. I will be following along 

[Frah2o]

18 hours ago, rjfk2002 said:

Really nice work. I will be following along 

Thank for appreciation, il ty do my best with this "carbon beast" 😅

 

I started the work on radiator boxes that have a really extra fine and really hard carbon to replicate.

Many people paint this parts. In my mind there was only idea to carbon coat with decal

I tested many decals and i found a good match with 1/32 carbon for aircraft.

I use as base color the graphite, the i coated them

I think that is quite similar to real carbon. Looking them closely is possible to see the fiber, loooking them far they should be black....as on real mp4/4

I'll coat with matt gloss and some final details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

I started work on monococque that is a relly rebus.

 

I've painted the front and rear zone of monocoque.

As base color I used a pale gold + 2 coat of TS71 Smoke.

 

After painting I coated the bathtube with one towel layer + vinyl glue (50 glue + 50 water) to try replicate the carbon rough surface

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

Before to continuing with resto of my mp4, i bought another reference book

 

I bought on amazon this book....it's a real bible an guide to this mp4/4 and his 6 chassis

 

 

I understand tha chassis from 01 to 04 have bathube with carbon rough surface

 

 

Chassis from 05 to 06 have smooth surface

 

 

Kyosho replicate the chassis 02 used by Ayrton in Suzuka race. Ayrton used chassi 05 in practic and qualify, but in race used the Spare car 02...so with carbon rough bathtube

 

 

 

The sticker kit on headrest is clearly the 02 chassis as Suzuka race car

 

 

With this great help i'll try to reproduce the 02 chassis on my model.

If you're buliding this fantastic model, it's a great help this book with MFH book of Joe Honda

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

The tricks of my friend is very good. to reproduce the carbon rough (blue and yellow area)

I painted in matt black and finally i rolled with finger the excess of wrinkles
Finally i give a light clear coat (matt).

I made a dry assembly to see the carbon differences, than i'll start with decal of bronze areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JCH]

On 10/8/2019 at 3:29 AM, Frah2o said:

I'also paint the inside of bodyshell in balck matt to have a future color base for carbon coating.

I was looking at the underside of my Tamiya MP4/6 cowling, saw all the molding marks and shuddered.  Between you and Roy my McLaren may go from a 1-2 year project to much much longer.

 

Your work is awesome!  I may have missed this in your post but what brand and scale carbon fiber decal did you use on the cowling?  I feel what I've procured is too large a weave as to be realistic.    

 

I'll be watching the VW post with interest but I'll be watching this work progress with great anticipation.  

 

JCH

[Frah2o]

16 hours ago, JCH said:

I was looking at the underside of my Tamiya MP4/6 cowling, saw all the molding marks and shuddered.  Between you and Roy my McLaren may go from a 1-2 year project to much much longer.

 

Your work is awesome!  I may have missed this in your post but what brand and scale carbon fiber decal did you use on the cowling?  I feel what I've procured is too large a weave as to be realistic.    

 

I'll be watching the VW post with interest but I'll be watching this work progress with great anticipation.  

 

JCH

Hi JHC, thanks for follow and appreciation

This Mclaren is a very carbon nightmare. The carbon that I used is 1/32 and i bought it o ebay and is this

 

Is a semi trasparent decal so need a base color. I use graphite fo base I use the same decal also for nose cone that have an extra fine carbon.

[Frah2o]

I started the work with decal on monocoque, but before to place them i made some extra paint area.
So while i'm waiting the dry of paint, i started the decal on nose cone.

I bought the kit from MC...these decal are totally wrong. The carbon on nose cone is really extra fine and grey matt color

The MC decal are too big and with a wrong fiber drawing

So i take a new set of decal 1/32 like the radiator box and i'll do a new decal work on nose cone using as template the wrong mc decal

Before to decal monocoque i watched the real car.

Mp4/4 have 3 different carbon zone

- On both side of front wishbones suspension. In this area there's a darker carbon (is similar a dark wood color)

- on top of front monocoque above the cockpit -dashboard zone: there's a little lighter area ( i think a different carbon composition)

- A little darker area on both sides of engine mount plates. There's a little piece o darker carbon, i think a reinforced area for high engine-monocoque stress


For wishbones arm sides and engine plate i give a first coat of metallic brown and a final smoke coat

For top area of monocoque i used a tintanum gold coat and a little smoke coat

I also paint with semi gloss balck the bracket for bodyshell

I placed the MC decal for monocoque and i think to quite reach the result of real car

I'll wait the drying of decal and the I'll give a final matt clear coat. Then i started with details work of rivets and Hercules and Malboro Decals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frah2o]

I started the job on Ayrton seat.

Before apply the carbon decal, I reinforced the seat because is a semi soft rubber. After a light sanding i painted it in matt black and I placed some carbon decals.
There'are some wrinkles. After a matt coat I'll cover the wrinkles with tapes and lombar pad like on original seat (i thnik and hope the wrinkle will be hidden)

I reworked the gearknob frame, i added some missing frame with styrene.
After checking the right fitting, I use as color base a metallic gray tamiya. Then i placed the MC decal.

I used a different carbon for gearknob bezel, I think is so quite similar to 1:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2019 by Frah2o

[JCH]

On 10/11/2019 at 2:18 AM, Frah2o said:

I used is 1/32

Frah2o- I've purchased 1/12 scale, what with the scale of my model, and it just seems much too large a weave.  I think a smaller scale is in order.  Again, REALLY nice work and thanks for the info!

 

JCH

[Frah2o]

On 15/10/2019 at 15:27, JCH said:

Frah2o- I've purchased 1/12 scale, what with the scale of my model, and it just seems much too large a weave.  I think a smaller scale is in order.  Again, REALLY nice work and thanks for the info!

 

JCH

Reakky thanks JHC. Did you purchase the MFH? I saved the instruction to have a more reference for missing detail on this Kyosho. MFH is beatiful but very hard level for me. I'll follow your topic surely....and big luck with carbon, is a nightmare with this mp4/4

 

1/2

 

I started the work on nose cone, I erased the MC wrong decal, light gray primer and 1/32 carbon decal.

The real carbon on nose cone is a color like plaster

 

I used the MC template to coat the nose with my carbon.

 

For side of nose cone i used my 1/12 decal

 

I continued anf finished the work on radiator boxes. In the ECU zon there's a bigger carbon, so i used my 1/12

 

I also reworked the radiator in the inside to give a more realism and I also add the vaccum tube from radiator to water canister