Kremer v Kremer

[Sabrejet]

This is the subject of this WIP, and before you think I've posted in the wrong section, a bit of history:

 

 

While I'm waiting for my white paint to arrive so I can finish the Mazda, I decided to get some of my old models out of the garage to give them a spruce up. I grabbed four random boxes to see what had broken and what needed cleaning. These four beauties greeted me on opening them:

 

 

So at the front we have the subject of this WIP (well, more like a renovation - more of which later), then Starter's Jaguar XJR-11, Starter Jaguar XJR-16 and finally Starter Mercedes C291. Below is the Jaguar XJR-11, the first Gp C turbo from Jaguar, and which raced in IMSA as the XJR-10:

 

 

 

Next to it, the XJR-16 is basically an XJR-10 with an XJR-14 wing. Both are built from lift-off body kits.

 

Then the 1991 Mercedes C291, which was Sauber's last Gp C car to race (though there was an unraced car for the 1992 season):

 

 

 

 

 

Some of these haven't fared too bad, and just need a good clean and a few paint touch-ups. Sadly I don't think much can be done for the yellowed acetate parts, though some of these parts are not too noticeable. However, car No.4 was a different proposition: various decal areas had flaked off, and while I did contemplate repainting these parts, I wondered if I'd just be better off starting from scratch. I originally built this car circa 1991 and opened up the driver's door while I was at it. It's one of two Kremer Porsche 962s which contested the race in 1990, both being Thompson-tubbed rather than Porsche-built. No 11 (chassis CK6-06-2) was an 'art car' and featured a special colour scheme designed by pop-artist Peter Klasen and was named "Wagen 90".

 

 

This is it at Le Mans, Saturday warm-up:

 

 

Though these cars are 'Porsche 962s', I recall them being referred to in-period as Kremer CK6s. This is the chassis plate of another Kremer 962 from the 1991 Le Mans, showing that the Kremer designation for them is actually "Kremer Porsche 962K".

 

 

Anyway I plan to strip the paint off, do a bit of conversion and turn my 1990 Kremer into another Kremer from the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours, chassis CK6-09:

 

 

As you can see, this car had side-exit radiator ducts rather than top-exit and also had modified exhaust surrounds. So a bit of filling and grinding will be required. Note too that in 1991 No.46 was scrutineered with a twin-headlight arrangement but raced with single units like the 1990 cars. Fortunately (amazingly) I managed to buy a decal sheet for this car on The Ebays too!

 

 

And this is where I am at the moment. 

 

 

So lots of paint to be stripped first!

[theplasticsurgeon]

Ah Kramer   -   some colouful cars.

One of my favourites was their CK-5, which I saw racing at Silverstone in 1982.

 

 

[Sabrejet]

The CK5 worried me: it had a lot in common with the Porsche 917 in terms of leg protection in the event of a frontal impact. All of those 'feet first' cars (including the Porsche 956) were unable to run in IMSA, and the WSPC from 1987.

 

Still a nice looking car though.

[Sabrejet]

Well a trip to the MEK managed to remove just about all the decals, paint and even some of the glue:

 

 

 

Ditto the photoetch, which looks good as new after a quick buff:

 

 

So now I have a 'new' kit on the workbench. Before I can prime anything I needed to cut some holes, which in resin requires some drilling, grinding and then filing. Contrary to popular belief, the dust from resin isn't any more harmful than most other inert dusts, but in this case a mask is a must due to the plumes which emanated from the butchery. It can be a bit of a 3D puzzle to work out how to do these things, but the Swiss cheese Kremer will rise again! That top duct opening will be filled, the new side opening refined and the enlarged exhaust aperture tidied up too:

 

 

Looks rough that close up. 

 

 

 

And then out with the plastic card and filler: top radiator exit blanked off and filled; side exit strakes added.

 

 

 

And if it ever stops raining I shall spray some primer on so I can see what further work it needs.

[klubman01]

Nice work so far.  I shall follow with interest.

 

You imply that you use MEK as a paint stripper.  Where do you get it, and what special precautions do you take?  As I recall, it can be unpleasant stuff to handle.

 

Trevor

[Sabrejet]

I get MEK from Amazon: I'm sure it was supposed to be banned under the Montreal Protocol, but it seems not. As to precautions, I have a glass jar with a metal lid and I decant the MEK into that (outside when it's not raining), put the parts in and put the lid back on. Resin is impervious to it, as is photoetch and white metal. Obviously plastic will dissolve, but since most of these are resin or metal, it's no big issue. I usually give the jar a shake, just to agitate it and then when I take the parts out, I do that outside and leave all parts to air dry on a piece of kitchen towel. Being MEK, any residue doesn't take long to dry off.

[johnlambert]

9 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

The CK5 worried me: it had a lot in common with the Porsche 917 in terms of leg protection in the event of a frontal impact. All of those 'feet first' cars (including the Porsche 956) were unable to run in IMSA, and the WSPC from 1987.

 

Still a nice looking car though.

I remember reading a quote from a driver who said that the Porsche 956 never broke; unless you hit something, then it broke too much!

[klubman01]

1 hour ago, Sabrejet said:

I get MEK from Amazon: I'm sure it was supposed to be banned under the Montreal Protocol, but it seems not. As to precautions, I have a glass jar with a metal lid and I decant the MEK into that (outside when it's not raining), put the parts in and put the lid back on. Resin is impervious to it, as is photoetch and white metal. Obviously plastic will dissolve, but since most of these are resin or metal, it's no big issue. I usually give the jar a shake, just to agitate it and then when I take the parts out, I do that outside and leave all parts to air dry on a piece of kitchen towel. Being MEK, any residue doesn't take long to dry off.

OK, thanks for that.

Trevor

[Sabrejet]

First coat of primer done in the garage, so we now have overspray on the tumble dryer 😬. I shall blame the cat. It's still raining and needs must.

 

 

There is a bit of old paint remaining, which has reacted with the primer, but that will get sorted. For a first pass I'm happy.

 

 

So I think it's a film day, which means no further progress today. Not a bad place to stop though: progress! Plus I do like going back through my rogues gallery and putting some rough-around-the-edges stuff back into the limelight. I know I have an old Horbra 962 Brun car in the garage, plus a load of yellowed stuff I made back when I didn't realise what a pain enamel varnish would be in later years. Now we can get spares decals for a lot of stuff, I think I'll gradually go through them and see what I can give a new life to.

[Kitkent]

Great progress,I love sportscar racing and all the models.. Your pictures look like the cover of the Grand Prix Models magazine- Four small Wheels!  The Horbra kit sounds good too. Chris.

[Sabrejet]

This weather is playing havoc with my photographs! So apologies. I have managed however to rub down the reacted paint, and re-primered:

 

 

Then also rubbed down the door, which I now remember was cut out of an old Heller kit and modified to depict the Kremer version:

 

 

And the rear wing has been reassembled too:

 

 

Then all primered:

 

 

And painted!

 

 

Cockpit spruce-up next.

[Sabrejet]

Well this has been sitting still for too long, so I had a max effort couple of days and it's finished!

 

 

Proper RFI to follow.

[Pete in Lincs]

Wow! Lovely result. Fabulous paint. (Despite the rain!)

 

Is the cat still in trouble?

[Sabrejet]

1 hour ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Is the cat still in trouble?

 

On and off: always forgiven though

[Pascal]

That looks superb !

 

Very nice work, great details on this very small scale.

 

Sincerely

 

Pascal