Sabrejet Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 This is an ancient Alezan 1/43 kit of the GTP Lola T.810, as raced by Don Devendorf's Electramotive team in the IMSA series during 1985/86. It wasn't a fantastic success, but it was the basis for the all-conquering Electramotive-built Nissan ZX-T, which was IMHO the most impressive-looking car of the Group C/IMSA era. The kit was pretty rough, and the decals were like tinfoil. In the end, since they wouldn't react to Micro Sol, Micro Set, hair dryer (set to 'nuke') or anything else, they were attached with diluted PVA. Never had that before. Anyway it eventually got beaten into shape. I love resin race car kits, but this one was a bit more of a challenge than most! 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesP Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 You've achieved an amazing finish that belies its scale. Lordy knows how good it would have looked given better decals. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klubman01 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 Wow, that looks good. Great work with the decals. Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 That's a real stunner - looks fantastic especially given how you had to deal with the decals, tremendous modelling! 👍 Keith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 Very impressive. Congratulations! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitkent Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 That’s a very smart result,especially from an older kit with those decals. Chris. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearsightedjohn Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 (edited) Beautiful execution of a very rare auto modeling subject. This one brings back memories for me, specifically an IMSA GTP race at Riverside, CA in 1986 which I got to attend and which included a spectacular crash (still viewable on YouTube). My college buddy Mark designed the intercoolers for Devendorf’s team in those days and through him I got to meet Don, Geoff Brabham and Elliot Forbes Robinson before the race that day. Unfortunately EFR crashed the car that you modeled here pretty badly in that race but the team went on to great success in later years. Don Devendorf was a genius engineer who significantly advanced racing back then by applying electronic technology to fuel management. IMSA prototype racing was absolutely fabulous back then, so much variety and innovation. Thanks for bringing back some nice memories for me! Edited January 22, 2022 by nearsightedjohn Changed “computer” to “electronic” 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Your result from that diminutive lump is extraordinary! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 3 hours ago, nearsightedjohn said: Beautiful execution of a very rare auto modeling subject. This one brings back memories for me, specifically an IMSA GTP race at Riverside, CA in 1986 which I got to attend and which included a spectacular crash (still viewable on YouTube). My college buddy Mark designed the intercoolers for Devendorf’s team in those days and through him I got to meet Don, Geoff Brabham and Elliot Forbes Robinson before the race that day. Unfortunately EFR crashed the car that you modeled here pretty badly in that race but the team went on to great success in later years. Don Devendorf was a genius engineer who significantly advanced racing back then by applying electronic technology to fuel management. IMSA prototype racing was absolutely fabulous back then, so much variety and innovation. Thanks for bringing back some nice memories for me! Lucky man! I was the other side of the pond, but fortunate to attend many Group C races in period. We had some awesome machines too, but for me that non-Lola ZX GTP was just something else. I think Don is now getting the recognition he deserves but even back in the day his name was synonymous with Electramotive and the ZX GTP (or GTP ZX-T, whichever it was). I remember cutting out an ad from Road & Track that showed the car head-on, with very little advertising 'blurb'. I'm sure I still have it somewhere. Do you have "Developing a Champion: The Electramotive Nissan GTP Story"? I'm just reading it for the second time - it has to be one of my favourite motorport books. Incidentally if I can find a kit of Jim Busby's Porsche 962 (they do exist, but usually rather expensive!), I will have filled another gap in the 'awesome race car' collection! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc2 Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Wow, super job! Good to see more resin modelling. M. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klubman01 Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 5 hours ago, Sabrejet said: Incidentally if I can find a kit of Jim Busby's Porsche 962 (they do exist, but usually rather expensive!), I will have filled another gap in the 'awesome race car' collection! Are you aware that Indycals do a sheet of Jim Busby's 1985 Porsche 962? It would be a start to your quest (very Monty Python & the Holy Grail!) Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 23 minutes ago, klubman01 said: Are you aware that Indycals do a sheet of Jim Busby's 1985 Porsche 962? It would be a start to your quest (very Monty Python & the Holy Grail!) Trevor It's the later one with the unique bodywork I'm looking for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klubman01 Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 1 hour ago, Sabrejet said: It's the later one with the unique bodywork I'm looking for Oh, OK. Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vesa Jussila Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Looks really good. Worth of all effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearsightedjohn Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 13 hours ago, Sabrejet said: Do you have "Developing a Champion: The Electramotive Nissan GTP Story"? I'm just reading it for the second time - it has to be one of my favourite motorport books. Yes, I saw that book listed on the web when I googled Don D. to determine if he is still around (think so/ hope so, retired down in Carlsbad, CA?). It’s a $100 USD on Amazon so I might hold off in case I can find a cheaper used copy somewhere. I would love to find a 1/24 kit, even resin, of this ZX-T along with an Al Holbert Jr. Lowenbrau Porsche 962, the silver & black Doc Bundy/ Van de Merewe GTP Corvette (also a Lola?) and that beautiful green & white Group 44 Tom Wilkinson Jag XJR-5. Indycals offers the Hobert decals for the Hasegawa 962 so maybe I’ll have to add that one to my growing stash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 12 minutes ago, nearsightedjohn said: Yes, I saw that book listed on the web when I googled Don D. to determine if he is still around (think so/ hope so, retired down in Carlsbad, CA?). It’s a $100 USD on Amazon so I might hold off in case I can find a cheaper used copy somewhere. I would love to find a 1/24 kit, even resin, of this ZX-T along with an Al Holbert Jr. Lowenbrau Porsche 962, the silver & black Doc Bundy/ Van de Merewe GTP Corvette (also a Lola?) and that beautiful green & white Group 44 Tom Wilkinson Jag XJR-5. Indycals offers the Hobert decals for the Hasegawa 962 so maybe I’ll have to add that one to my growing stash? The GTP Corvette is also a T.810: the screen/roof is the same as the ZX-T. I recall seeing a 1/24 XJR-5 a while back: Le Mans Miniatures or Profil24 maybe? Equally I may have dreamed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearsightedjohn Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 Profil24 did offer a resin curbside version of the Jag in 1/24, no longer in stock: No risk of me taking this one on, multimedia kits like these exceed my skills set as well as my fixed income retirement hobby budget! Much thanks again for posting your beautiful 1/43 ZX-T, if you have anymore 1/43 IMSA GTP classics like this one from the 80’s, would love to see them! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitkent Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 And you can currently get the Lowenbrau 962 in 1/24 with a resin conversion set from Classic racing resins,to convert the Revell or Hasegawa plastic kits. I’m sure that MA Scale models also make the Jim Busby car in 1/43,they make every other IMSA Porsche. Both are American companies. Good luck,Chris. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 On 23/01/2022 at 19:30, Kitkent said: And you can currently get the Lowenbrau 962 in 1/24 with a resin conversion set from Classic racing resins,to convert the Revell or Hasegawa plastic kits. I’m sure that MA Scale models also make the Jim Busby car in 1/43,they make every other IMSA Porsche. Both are American companies. Good luck,Chris. It's the Busby "Miller High Life" car I'd really go for though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 I meant to come back to this after seeing on my phone first, now I've had a look on the PC its definitely a WOW, really nice, the Nissan colours set the car off wonderfully. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jered Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Always a pleasure to see your work. Looks great. Jered 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 Another very STUNNINGLY GORGEOUS model from you Sir. Looks AWESOME ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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