Model Factory Hiro 1/43 Jaguar XJR-9

[Sabrejet]

Next one for me (aside from a couple of renovations) is MFH's 1/43 Jaguar XJR-9. The kit can be made up into any of the five team cars from the 1988 Le Mans 24 Hours - a race which Jaguar won. I was torn between a number of cars but decided to do the winner since it was driven by personal hero Andy Wallace.

 

 

The kit comes in a typical MFH 1/43 box, which is crammed with stuff!

 

 

These are the metal parts: I'll do a part count at some point.

 

 

The above shot is from MFH's website after clean-up but below are the main metal parts as they come out of the box.

 

 

Plus tyres and photoetch...

 

 

 

And then three decal sheets. The main one...

 

 

Then race numbers, enabling all cars to be modelled by using permutations of numbers.

 

 

And finally (the images on MFH's website don't show these for obvious reasons) the main sponsor decals:

 

 

The 1988 winner was chassis J12-C-488 and is retained by Jaguar. Photo below is of it at the 1998 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Note the correct Dymag wheels:

 

 

Chassis plate:

 

 

Nowadays '488 runs on BBS/Speedline wheels and (IIRC) Avon tyres rather than the Dymag/Dunlop combination from 1988. 

 

 

So as a start I've prepped the main parts to get a good fit. It's better to get a best fit before paint goes on and parts are attached. It's no guarantee of a perfect fit but does give you a decent chance!

 

 

[johnlambert]

I look forward to seeing this one take shape.

[klubman01]

One of my favourite Le Mans cars.  I will be following this with interest.

Trevor

[Sabrejet]

 

Jaguar's 1988 Le Mans winner was in distinguished company that year: the No.1 and No.3 cars were the 1987 and 1988 championship-winning machines and the No.22 car was also a multiple race-winner. In fact chassis 488 (the No.2 car) was probably the least successful of the five, having not finished a race up to the 1988 Le Mans. Ultimately, the only race it finished - the 1988 Le Mans 24 Hours - was also the only race it won.

 

 

Anyway it's part clean-up time. Step 1 in the instructions is the cockpit area, which starts off with these bits:

 

 

Some of the PE parts are tiny!  Smallest at bottom are the gear lever and coolant header tank cap.

 

 

 

And then these are the parts from the second part of Step 1: top left and barely visible are banks of switches, which on the LM cars were given orange extensions for easier location in the dark.

 

 

Instrument bezels are equally tiny. Carpet monster has been briefed to be on good behaviour.

 

 

One point I did notice is the one area where MFH do drop the ball sometimes - that of colour call-outs. In this case the PE part for the engine bulkhead E21 should be silver/NMF (8), whereas MFH has it as '92' (semi-gloss black).

 

 

[PROPELLER]

Impressive kit, as usual for MFH, and definitively another world for me...

Good luck!

 

Dan.

[johnlambert]

I just had this shared with me on Facebook. the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust story of Le Mans 1988 which I hope is of interest.

[Kitkent]

I love those interior details! You'll have to leave the doors open you know. Chris.

[Vesa Jussila]

Very lovely kit and clearly there will be impressive result.

[Sabrejet]

A bit about XJR monocoques. The first TWR Group C car was the XJR-6, which had simple air intakes in the engine cover and so the top part of the engine bulkhead was a full arc:

 

 

Note also the silver heat- reflective foil on the bulkhead and the large recess to get the engine as far forward as possible. The large circular access panel was the main fuel tank access. Obviously the engine had to be removed to gain access and on later models access was through the cabin; racing improves the breed!

 

And this is the next TWR Group C chassis, the XJR-8 & 9. This had a recess in the top of the monocoque to allow engine intake air to flow through to a large scoop which extended into the engine cover. Changes from XJR-8 to XJR-9 involved mainly mechanical improvements (drive shafts etc) as well as a lower rear engine cover due to better tyre stability from improved technology, and a reshaped nose for more downforce. Thus it was relatively easy for XJR-8s to be upgraded to XJR-9 spec.

 

 

Then in 1988/89 (IIRC) there was a ruling which I think had been in force for some time, mandating that no 'mechanical' part of a sportscar should be visible when viewed from above. I think another team put in a challenge that Jaguar's airbox was visible from above and was a mechanical part and so the team modified the engine cover for 1989 to delete the large scoop and instead the engine was now fed by a NACA duct on each side of the engine cover. I recall seeing an XJR-9 with a filler plug in the top of the monococque and later XJR-12s definitely had an XJR-6-style top to the monocoque. I took this sneaky shot at Le Mans in 1990 and it shows an interim type on one of that year's XJR-12s.

 

 

Note also the plain grey air filter on these cars in-period: nowadays they run ITG (or similar) air filters with large logos on the top face. Another example of checking period shots to ensure accuracy.

[Sabrejet]

So on to a bit of modelling. Paint on!

 

Aft part of the cockpit area, including that PE engine bulkhead. Holes drilled also for hoses to be added. I have left off the header tank filler cap because I know it will ping off at some point.

 

 

Front view, complete with dust. We have cats and they also have a habit of contributing hairs to newly-sprayed items.

 

 

And the other cockpit parts painted. No dust or cat hairs yet.

 

 

Instrument panel assembled: those lovely PE bezels should really be black but I couldn't resist leaving them in NMF.

 

 

Seat and belts:

 

 

And then finally the floor pan, which has had Bare Metal Foil added to the heat-reflective parts. I will apply a coat of matt over this to tone down its 'sweet wrapper' appearance.

 

 

[klubman01]

Looking good. 

Plus a couple of useful bits of information for my PM XJR8, XJR9 and Starter XJR12 (still in the queue!).  Thanks for that.

Trevor

[Vesa Jussila]

I need to bookmark this topic for my reference to future Jaguar projects.

[keefr22]

Don't know if you've been watching the Goodwood Speedweek live stream but there was a nice TWR Jaguar demonstration run today, repeated tomorrow at about 13.45 - been some excellent racing on togay too.

 

Live stream is here, you have to sign up but it's free;

 

https://speedweek.goodwood.com/?_ga=2.58947819.733564137.1602859737-18318653.1602859737&e=7e726b8c-ec0f-4617-b6ca-72a8e74ad547#/

 

Lovely looking kit, the dash looks brilliant!

 

Keith

[Sabrejet]

17 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

Don't know if you've been watching the Goodwood Speedweek live stream but there was a nice TWR Jaguar demonstration run today, repeated tomorrow at about 13.45 - been some excellent racing on togay too.

 

Live stream is here, you have to sign up but it's free;

 

https://speedweek.goodwood.com/?_ga=2.58947819.733564137.1602859737-18318653.1602859737&e=7e726b8c-ec0f-4617-b6ca-72a8e74ad547#/

 

Lovely looking kit, the dash looks brilliant!

 

Keith

 

Indeed I have: usually I'd be there so it filled a need

[keefr22]

Been to the Festival of Speed a few times but never the Revival - but it's on the must do list !

 

Keith

[Sabrejet]

2 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Been to the Festival of Speed a few times but never the Revival - but it's on the must do list !

 

Keith

 

Current tally is 14 Festival of Speeds; four Revivals and four Members' Meetings.

 

Revival is lovely but it can tend to be a bit wet...

 

 

[keefr22]

Cracking pic!

 

K

[Stickframe]

Firewall and cabin both look great - hard to believe it's 1/43.  Nice idea with the bezels - makes them punch 

 

Cheers

Nick

Edited October 17, 2020 by Stickframe
text error

[Kitkent]

The Goodwood Speedweek is also on ITV1 at 2pm today,which is nice for us in the U.K. Chris.

[klubman01]

23 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

 

 in 1988/89 (IIRC) there was a ruling which I think had been in force for some time, mandating that no 'mechanical' part of a sportscar should be visible when viewed from above. I think another team put in a challenge that Jaguar's airbox was visible from above and was a mechanical part and so the team modified the engine cover for 1989 to delete the large scoop and instead the engine was now fed by a NACA duct on each side of the engine cover.

 

This ruling also affected Porsche.  In a similar manner to Jaguar's airbox, the Porsche 956 intercoolers were visible from above, and most teams installed a horizontal vane to obscure the view from above.

 

 

The Joest team solution is seen above.

 

Trevor

[Windy37]

On 10/17/2020 at 9:07 AM, Sabrejet said:

A bit about XJR monocoques. The first TWR Group C car was the XJR-6, which had simple air intakes in the engine cover and so the top part of the engine bulkhead was a full arc:

 

 

Note also the silver heat- reflective foil on the bulkhead and the large recess to get the engine as far forward as possible. The large circular access panel was the main fuel tank access. Obviously the engine had to be removed to gain access and on later models access was through the cabin; racing improves the breed!

 

And this is the next TWR Group C chassis, the XJR-8 & 9. This had a recess in the top of the monocoque to allow engine intake air to flow through to a large scoop which extended into the engine cover. Changes from XJR-8 to XJR-9 involved mainly mechanical improvements (drive shafts etc) as well as a lower rear engine cover due to better tyre stability from improved technology, and a reshaped nose for more downforce. Thus it was relatively easy for XJR-8s to be upgraded to XJR-9 spec.

 

 

Then in 1988/89 (IIRC) there was a ruling which I think had been in force for some time, mandating that no 'mechanical' part of a sportscar should be visible when viewed from above. I think another team put in a challenge that Jaguar's airbox was visible from above and was a mechanical part and so the team modified the engine cover for 1989 to delete the large scoop and instead the engine was now fed by a NACA duct on each side of the engine cover. I recall seeing an XJR-9 with a filler plug in the top of the monococque and later XJR-12s definitely had an XJR-6-style top to the monocoque. I took this sneaky shot at Le Mans in 1990 and it shows an interim type on one of that year's XJR-12s.

 

 

Note also the plain grey air filter on these cars in-period: nowadays they run ITG (or similar) air filters with large logos on the top face. Another example of checking period shots to ensure accuracy.

Hi.  I agree with your comments about using period photos for accuracy.  I'm currently starting a  Metro 6R4 kit and the difference in modern examples compared to original on event cars is huge . Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be too many period shots to go by . 

 You must have great eye sight to work with those tiny parts !  Good on you  ! 

  Gary.  

[Sabrejet]

Thanks for your comments folks: much appreciated. On the subject of 'mechanical' parts being visible from above, I find it strange that radiators were not OK but brake cooling scoops were.

 

Anyway a bit more done. I toned-down the Bare Metal Foil and started putting buts together.

 

 

 

 

I also repositioned some of the switch stalks so they don't look too uniform:

 

 

And I gained my first cat hair (two actually - another one on the front of the seat). They'll have to go.

 

 

[Sabrejet]

Just watching the SF Edge Trophy (probably not much modelling today) and was struck by how polite they are being. Duncan Pittaway is in the FIAT S.76 today but in previous years his performances in the tiny GN-JAP have been spectacular.

 

 

[Bengalensis]

This is looking fantastic, both the kit and the build!

[keefr22]

2 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

Just watching the SF Edge Trophy (probably not much modelling today)

 

Same here, I love 80's touring cars so have just really enjoyed the Gerry Marshall sprint race - although joint owning a '79 1275GT hillclimb car with my son, seeing that gorgeous little Mini end up on it's roof did bring a tear to my eye! (I was struck though by how much better the underneath of that car looked than ours...!!  )

 

Keith