Coors54 Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Afternoon all, As a recent convert to making car models I haven't dared put up any finished models but I thought that if I don't I won't improve, so here's my interpretation of Hunt's McLaren M23 from the 1976 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch, my first F1 meeting and bloody cold and wet it was too! It's Tamiyas kit, starting with the Yardley version, modified with new front suspension and various other mods to bring it to the 1976 standard, it's not quite correct for the race as I found some better pictures well after the model was finished and a socially distanced pint to the first one to spot it. I finished this about a year ago and my bete noir is getting the final finish, I'm struggling with the gloss coats and I know that practice makes perfect so be gentle with me! Cars of this era were not super glossy but certainly more than this. Anyway onto the pictures - The bodywork parts don't all quite fit perfectly so I don't want to give you a complete assembled shot and anyway why cover up the details? Dave 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 2 hours ago, Coors54 said: and anyway why cover up the details? Why indeed? especially when they look this good. Nice job on a proper Formula 1 car. It has numbers! I gave up watching back when they stopped that. BTW, is it the fire extinguisher? It's the wrong colour isn't it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCH Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 I love McLaren and the Ford Cosworth. Both of which are beautifully represented! Nice front suspension. The model is "designed" for turning front wheels but I never seem to get enough play to actually allow that feature. Forget using the streering wheel. Well done. Very well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 There was a mid season change to an oil cooler which later fell foul of Ferrari International Assistance. Might it be that? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Engine induction trumpets should be angled? Nice build of a tricky kit,did you use the MFH transkit? Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 3 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said: BTW, is it the fire extinguisher? It's the wrong colour isn't it? No, not that, that's the medical oxygen bottle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 3 hours ago, wombat said: There was a mid season change to an oil cooler which later fell foul of Ferrari International Assistance. Might it be that No, that came along fron Spain I think. 49 minutes ago, Stu_davros said: Engine induction trumpets should be angled? Again, no, that mod was used in earlier seasons but not 1976. And it's not the MFH transkit either, I used some resin conversion parts from an Austrian eBay seller. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 (edited) Different mirrors? Marlboros on the rear wing endplates? I like these little games, we should have them more often. Was the ebay seller producing the parts himself? i'd like to get hold of some myself. Edited May 23, 2020 by Stu_davros Another guess 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 Ah, got it. If it's Marlboro they're probably still using cork filters. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 10 hours ago, Stu_davros said: Was the ebay seller producing the parts himself? i'd like to get hold of some myself. Yes he was, the quality was "variable" shall we say but the cost was not huge and they did at least provide a base to work from. I bought the front suspension arms, new nose ( it's shorter than the kit), brake scoops, and wet tyres. All had really bad air bubbles in them and the parts for the nose were unusable so I had to modify the kit parts, which annoyingly, wasn't too difficult. Search st.Irish on eBay if you're interested but do be aware of the possible shortcomings. I'm loving all these guesses on the omission (clue there), no ones got close yet. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 Thanks Dave, the rain tyres are interesting. No battery? Cheers, Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 (edited) Good try Stuart, the battery was removed in the 76 car as Alistair Caldwell had come up with the air start mod for the DFV, this saved weight and was copied by other teams as the season progressed. I modded the model, deleting the battery and starter motor and adding the small air bottle, external air connector and line and air starter. I'll try and put the panels on the car and photograph and reveal all on Monday night! Dave PS Critique on the model is welcomed, I need to improve! Edited May 24, 2020 by Coors54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 Damn, thought i had it there. Critique? You need bigger pictures to show off this awesome model. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 (edited) Did Hunt have the small additional windshield in the rain? Front roll bar! Stuart Edited May 24, 2020 by Stu_davros Another guess 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 26 minutes ago, Stu_davros said: Did Hunt have the small additional windshield in the rain? Front roll bar! I knew you would get there in the end! A virtual pint of Padstow Pride to studavros. The new regulations were coming into force at the Spanish GP so teams were modifying chassis on the fly, Hunts car had the front roll bar fitted for the Race of Champions which entailed moving the cockpit coming forward to give it room. If you look closely at pictures you can see a six inch splice at the rear of the cockpit, it's riveted in a a slightly different shade of red, I'll dig out the one that gave it away tomorrow, somehow I missed this so the model is closer to the spec raced at Long Beach a week before in the US GP West. Well done Stuart. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 🍺🍺🍺🍺 Cheers! Seriously though the M23 is one of my favourite cars and one with lots of scope for modifying the Tamiya kit to other versions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 (edited) As Stuart has revealed my gaff, I have had a trawl through my picture file and come up with these to illustrate what's missing - This clearly shows the extension to the cockpit surround and the roll hoop over James's legs mandated from the Spanish GP along with the low level airbox which isn't fitted in this picture so is probably from the Race of Champions or the International Trophy at Silverstone. Ah, imagine having 3 F1 races in the UK in a season. Wish I had included this in my model, it's the sort of detail I like. This is how I remember the Race of Champions that year, I can't have been far from the photographer, note the add on rain deflector. And this is the Long Beach race and nearer to the models configuration (if not markings), James looks a bit too big for that cockpit, as indeed he was, he had to cut the toes out of his racing boots in order to operate the pedals, see below. That's a racer! Dave Edited May 25, 2020 by Coors54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coors54 Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 (edited) I took advantage of the sunshine and lack of wind to take some fresh pictures outside and I tried to assemble the car, the nose won't fit at all because of the modifications inside it to shorten it and relocate the wings but hey ho. Sunshine shows up the flouro paint colour much better, it also shows up all the mistakes and imperfections! The yellow areas are erosion tape put on by the team to cut down on stone damage. The rear tyres don't look that mismatched in the flesh! Pleased with this picture, it's quite convincing. Mmmm, very dodgy paintwork here, Mr Caldwell would not be happy. Dave Edited May 25, 2020 by Coors54 Additional text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 A great looking car Dave, some of those pictures look real. did you make the additional decals yourself? The labels on the dash and engine look spot on. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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