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Moynet LM 75, Le Mans 24h 1975


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8 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

I've not heard of this type before, what a stunning looking car!

You are as always making this into a stunning replica, will follow along to the finish line.

 

     Stay safe           Roger

Thanks a lot Roger, good to have you along as always. The car is surpricingly unknown despite the success it had in the end.

 

3 hours ago, PROPELLER said:

What another tribute! French colors... Thanks!

 

Dan.

Vive La France! There are so many lesser known French Le Mans cars deserving some celebration.

 

1 hour ago, Fnick said:

Stunning progress in very little time.great work on the decals. 

 

Nick

Thanks a lot Nick. At the moment I find myself with less work or other commitments than usual so it's best to put the time to good use 😎

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For some unknown reason I don't think I've ever tried spraying clear red on top of clear orange. It would be easier sometimes. So the rear lights were sprayed orange, then masked.

 

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It worked perfectly OK.

 

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The simple painting of the chassis has also been finished. I think it will be enough.

 

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The inside of the body shell was painted semi gloss black all over. A little detailing of the doors will be done when this has dried.

 

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All black detailing of the exterior is also done.

 

LM75_50.jpg

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4 hours ago, CrazyCrank said:

Perfect painting job for a lovely model 👍

Thanks a lot. I'm happy with the paint, it could have been sligltly less glossy, but not enough to demand another coat.

 

16 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

That looks stunning already Jörgen! 👍

 

Those rear lights look very Mk1 Cortina-ish! (Just like a Mini-Marcos! :) )

 

Keith

Thanks a lot Keith. Indeed looking like MkI Cortina lights, but still not. I built a Lola GT -63 quite a few years ago with those stylish lights, and I beleive they are also on the Howmet TX -68, perhaps to appear on the bench soon, at least I'm studying the parts...

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12 hours ago, klubman01 said:

That all looks very nice indeed.  Great job.

 

A Howmet, you say?  That would be a great choice.

 

Trevor

Thanks a lot Trevor.

Yes, the Howmet is interesting. There are two bags in the kit filled with scary intricate and small resin parts to build up the engine bay and interior...

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4 hours ago, Vesa Jussila said:

Looks really good Jörgen. I am waiting to see completed model.

Thanks a lot Vesa, it's slowly getting closer.

 

3 hours ago, JeroenS said:

As usual, a display of your meticulous craftsmanship. 

Thanks a lot Jeroen, you are most kind.

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And here we are with all decals done. Their sizes are sometimes a little on the large side and sometimes a little on the small side in comparison to the body, so it's all the time a trial to find positions and compromises that are passable. But I didn't have to make any replacements on my own to be satisfied.

 

LM75_56.jpg

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Assembly has started with the rear end and engine.

 

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I cut pieces of 0,3 mm lead wire and glued them in the distributor posts. Although I had already drilled all posts I still had to clear a hole from paint or something.

 

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With the cables reasonably routed (always trying to observe ignition order) and fitted to the head they were painted. When fully dry they will be packaged much tighter and touched up. My choice of yellow ignition wiring is a chance, but not without support. Such wiring was around in 1975, and the car was never raced again, it just sat around stored in museum locations until 2010 when it was pulled out and later sold to be restored and returned to historic racing. In photos of the somewhat neglected museum car being pulled out, yellow ignition wiring is very notable, so that's what I did. And it looks so good... And yes, the Simca text on the valve cover will be attended to later on.

 

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Seats, extinguisher and rear brake air ducts are glued with epoxy.

 

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The car was fitted with an internal rear view mirror, but none is supplied in the kit. I sourced one from a spares box, painted it and will adapt it for installation.

 

LM75_61.jpg

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44 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

More superb work Jörgen, the decals look excellent, as does the engine detail - lovely stuff!

 

Keith

Thanks a lot Keith for your kind praise, much apreciated.

35 minutes ago, Malc2 said:

Looks great!

Matra V12 racing engines of the same period mostly had yellow HT leads.

 

M.

Thanks a lot Malc. Yes, of course the Matras as well, even more support. Yellow feels fine here.

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The oil cooler and exhaust with heat shield ready to be fitted to the body shell. I have added the locking wires to the heat shield from two twisted 0,1 mm wires. Better details high up in the simple engine compartment draws attention from the lack of other things lower down is my thought.

 

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Here the parts are fitted.

 

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The rear view mirror is also fitted.

 

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The few parts of the interior are also finished and installed.

 

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The ignition wiring has been routed a little better and a fuel line with connections is made from pieces of Detail Master braided hose, copper wire in the core and couplings made from Bare Metal foil strips, painted with clear blue and red.

 

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The engine and oil tank is then fitted to the chassis.

 

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And then this detail to finish it off. Simca was not officially involved in the Moynet/Esso effort for Le Mans, so the team was asked/allowed (depending on source) to cover up the Simca name on the engine for the race weekend, and an aluminium plate was screwed on top. P24 has faithfully reproduced this with a separate photo etched part.

 

LM75_69.jpg

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The completed dashboard goes up into the body shell.

 

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The diagonal bar of the cage visible through the rear screen is glued, after some trial fitting to determine its position.

 

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The inner window is glued to the body shell, also after some trial fitting.

 

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And at last the two sections are joined for the final time.

 

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Now there is another problem to solve, in the rear screen. When the car appeared at Le Mans before the race the rear screen was just plain, as can be seen in the B/W photo here. But photos during the race show an air scoop grafted into the rear screen, more visible in the top photo which appear to be from when restoration had just started.

 

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The rear screen in the kit is plain and nothing is provided for that air scoop. A photo etched piece to be folded would have been useful, but I'll just have to make something up somehow.

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