Ford MkII P1031 marking conundrum

[Coors54]

I've started building a 1/12 Magnifier/Trumpeter GT40 which I plan to finish as chassis number P1031 the #6 car at Le Mans 66 driven by Mario Andretti/Lucien Bianchi, lots of work ahead I know.

I've been gathering photo's and bought myself a set of Indycal decals and masks but have come across something which doesn't seem to have been picked up by either Indycals or any of the die cast manufacturers who have made a model of this car. This is the picture that has started my query -

 

 

The dayglo yellow circle I'm aware of but what is that below it? There is a light to illuminate the circle and the lower marking, so it seems a deliberate distinguisher marking, here's a closer look -

 

 

There are few clear pictures of the right side of the car taken during the race (that I can find online) but going through my other saved photo's I found some from the garage area taken pre race - 

 

 

Here's #6 and it shows a couple of "shapes" on the side pontoon -

 

 

It also shows the rear clip next to the car masked up for painting the dayglo markings -

 

 

So I don't think that I'm imagining things and maybe this is one of those marking anomalies that has been staring folks in the face but no one has picked up on it? Is it another circle and is there a triangle further forward on the sill?

 

I'm interested to see what others think and if anyone has any further information on the RH side of this car as it appeared during the race?

 

Dave

Edited August 19, 2022 by Coors54
Title correction

[Sabrejet]

It's either a GT40 or a Ford Mk.II. The "GT40 Mk.II" moniker is a modern error.

[Coors54]

2 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

It's either a GT40 or a Ford Mk.II. The "GT40 Mk.II" moniker is a modern error.

Thank you @Sabrejet title amended.

 

Dave

[Sabrejet]

4 minutes ago, Coors54 said:

Thank you @Sabrejet title amended.

 

Dave

 

Sorry I can't help any further than being a bit "on the spectrum". 

[Scott Garard]

11 hours ago, Coors54 said:

The dayglo yellow circle I'm aware of but what is that below it? There is a light to illuminate the circle and the lower marking, so it seems a deliberate distinguisher marking...

 

...I'm interested to see what others think and if anyone has any further information on the RH side of this car as it appeared during the race?

 

Dave

It's just a second yellow circle. In the close-up pic of the side you can see a break in the stripes in front of the rear wheel - this is the bottom part of that second circle applied over the stripes.

 

The Indycal images only show a partial circle, when it should be a full circle over the stripes. Your colour pic confirms this if you look closely.

 

The triangle marking was therefore redundant and removed before the race.

 

It's not uncommon for race car markings to be adjusted during the course of a race meeting due to visibility and legality issues.

Even last-minute adding, deleting or repositioning sponsor markings is commonplace today.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Scott Garard

[Bengalensis]

I have always seen those markings in the race as two full circles, the lower across the rear clip lock, causing the "black" square in the colour photos above, and the white stripe.

 

[Fastcat]

Hi Dave,

                  As Jorgen and Scott say, I think there are two  full circles as well but the shape of the lower one is broken up by the body locking handle and the white body stripe (which the yellow disc goes over.

 

Le Mans Decals include the upper disc but I don't think their sheet is correct for the lower disc : https://www.lemansdecals.com/tienda/en/inicio/400-ford-mkii-le-mans-1966-n-6.html

Incidentally Le Mans do a huge range of subjects in all the popular scales although I don't think they do 1/12. If I remember correctly, they also have individual markings on the sheet which avoids having to cut them out to use them. But I could be wrong on this!

 

Dave

Edited August 20, 2022 by Fastcat

[Bengalensis]

1 hour ago, Fastcat said:

Hi Dave,

                  As Jorgen and Scott say, I think there are two  full circles as well but the shape of the lower one is broken up by the body locking handle and the white body stripe (which the yellow disc goes over.

 

Le Mans Decals include the upper disc but I don't think their sheet is correct for the lower disc : https://www.lemansdecals.com/tienda/en/inicio/400-ford-mkii-le-mans-1966-n-6.html

Incidentally Le Mans do a huge range of subjects in all the popular scales although I don't think they do 1/12. If I remember correctly, they also have individual markings on the sheet which avoids having to cut them out to use them. But I could be wrong on this!

 

Dave

 

Exactly my opinion too.

 

In 1/24 neither Fujimi, Shunko or Rennaisance got it right I think. Fujimi and Shunko did a full top and a cut off lower circle and Rennaisance only did the top circle, slightly oval shaped. Le Mans Decals have the top circle indeed, and also the lower triangle, seen in the first post above, that seems to have been removed for the race.

 

Edit: I'm not sure that is a triangle on the Le Mans Decals sheet, not sure what it is.

[Coors54]

Thanks to you all for replying (even @Sabrejet! 😆), I agree with you that it's two complete circles, the lower one going over the side stripes and rear clip fastener. @Bengalensis, thank you Jorgen, I haven't seen that picture before, very helpful.

 

It's surprising that even the top end die cast manufacturers haven't caught this before (that I could find but my Google-foo isn't strong at the best of times).

 

Now to find some Ford Nightmist blue and a dayglo lemon yellow in a rattle can.......

 

Dave

[Scott Garard]

Dave,

 

I found a short movie of an interview with Mario Andretti about the 1966 race... https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/le-mans-66-mario-andretti-ford-left-nothing-to-chance-52947

 

... and managed to grab this very quick screenshot from it, clearly showing the yellow circular dots:

 

 

Note the bottom circle sits a little further forward of the top circle.

 

Cheers! 😁

Edited August 22, 2022 by Scott Garard

[Coors54]

Thank you Scott, excellent discovery.

 

A virtual pint is on its way to you from me. 🍻

 

Dave