McLaren MP4-12C GT3 1/24 (Fujimi)

Started this kit about a month ago. Completed with the interior and working on the exterior. Here are some work in progress photos.

Interior. Too lazy to do seat belts, because I don't have black seatbelt fabric, but I added red door pulls.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5810/22266098875_af9bb1a682_b.jpg

Interior and the engine in one piece.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5739/22240035776_b574293707_b.jpg

Wheels, brakes, and radiators.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5630/22276588311_7cb9446fe0_b.jpg

Exterior primed (Tamiya gray fine primer).
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5642/22078059640_c9d8fb1c24_b.jpg

Rear primed.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5825/21645062603_2b16ffd8b8_b.jpg

Body painted, 3 coats (Tamiya spray can TS-56).
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5811/22337533272_5a67b0b376_b.jpg

Body painted - front.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/702/22361237731_c224cf4278_b.jpg

First set of decals on.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/725/22654105385_0c92011c75_b.jpg

Fujimi has good quality decals, not too thin but flexible.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/601/22654107625_ff62ed6cd8_b.jpg

Dry fitting with interior and engine bay.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5631/22654111885_f0ff5588cb_b.jpg

Dry fitting with wheels too.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/620/22640572882_971d93c734_b.jpg

First time scribing deeper panel lines using a trick learned from a scalemodeling youtube video, a needle in a mechanical pencil, worked great, thanks!

Next step, carbon fiber decals, then clear before doing semi-gloss and flat black areas on the body.

One more on the hood decals.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/567/22466171090_126e78110b_b.jpg

Looking good!

Looking good!

:iagree:

Good work with this kit.

Only one detail to remark about arrows over front hood. They must be located along the flush hood, not inside. These arrows show the direction to open them. I think that best if I include a picture...

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo339/BorJachoClio/McLaren-MP4-12C-GT3-Spa-21_zpsffujqyrm.jpg

Good work with this kit.

Only one detail to remark about arrows over front hood. They must be located along the flush hood, not inside. These arrows show the direction to open them. I think that best if I include a picture...

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo339/BorJachoClio/McLaren-MP4-12C-GT3-Spa-21_zpsffujqyrm.jpg

Good catch, thanks! The Fujimi instruction manual lied to me. :) Actually, I couldn't find the exact same car as the kit online for reference, all photos I have found on the #60 car are always slightly different from the kit. I guess it's not too late to move the decals since I haven't cleared it yet.

Good catch, thanks! The Fujimi instruction manual lied to me. :) Actually, I couldn't find the exact same car as the kit online for reference, all photos I have found on the #60 car are always slightly different from the kit. I guess it's not too late to move the decals since I haven't cleared it yet.

I just found the photos of the exact car, the arrows are indeed inside each little flaps. Also, the kit is different from the car you referenced because the side slits of the front bumper are black and not in body color.

http://racecarbuzz.com/wp-content/gallery/blancpain-silverstone-2011/img_5248.jpg

I just found the photos of the exact car, the arrows are indeed inside each little flaps. Also, the kit is different from the car you referenced because the side slits of the front bumper are black and not in body color.

http://racecarbuzz.com/wp-content/gallery/blancpain-silverstone-2011/img_5248.jpgIn that case, sorry. When I saw your pictures of the model arrow ubication surprise to me a lot, and for that reason I took a look in my hard disk, but as you remark is not exactly the same race :runaround:

But looking it in the good way, now anyone can say something about them :iceslolan

In that case, sorry. When I saw your pictures of the model arrow ubication surprise to me a lot, and for that reason I took a look in my hard disk, but as you remark is not exactly the same race :runaround:

But looking it in the good way, now anyone can say something about them :iceslolan

Oh, it's no problem. Since you had done research on these McLaren GT3 cars before, you must have done a kit like this. If so, did you carbon fiber the front lip and defuser? From careful look of some pictures they look carbon fiber in really dark shade. I am using scale motorsport carbon decals, and it looks kind of light in color.

Great job!

Oh, it's no problem. Since you had done research on these McLaren GT3 cars before, you must have done a kit like this. If so, did you carbon fiber the front lip and defuser? From careful look of some pictures they look carbon fiber in really dark shade. I am using scale motorsport carbon decals, and it looks kind of light in color.Difficult question, as if you want to recreate exactly carbon fiber at scale solid colour would be enough. But under my opinion modelling is also about visual impact, and here a little of carbon with a small drawn and with a fine layer of smoke would be perfect.

For sure you will have a similar picture to this as reference:

http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo339/BorJachoClio/McLaren-MP4-12C-GT3-07_zpswowjiacr.jpg

Small update. Applied carbon fiber decals, which is always not my favorite part. I always have difficult time making it perfect. I think I messed up in the rear, but hopefully after clear coats and polish, it will hide some of the imperfection.

Front side slit.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/727/22445550627_f1a233538b_b.jpg

Rear.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/585/22242765183_817a244226_b.jpg

Rear diffuser.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5743/22875071691_6586f7a92d_b.jpg

Front lip.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/739/22863930915_903ed1057e_b.jpg

Saving carbon fiber decals, only doing the front and the rear of the chassis.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/771/22837930686_b108edf8d1_b.jpg

Other parts.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5686/22471769559_5b8994a8a9_b.jpg

Next steps, clear coats, polish, and wax. Then follows by black semi-gloss and flat black parts of the body.

Looking very nice, great colour!!

Looking Good!! Love this car!!!

Excellent carbon

Body and carbon fiber parts cleared. I did 4 coats (2 mist and 2 heavy). Some carbon fiber decal shows small air bubbles after clear, I hated when that happened, it actually was worst in the rear wing.

Body cleared and resulted in orange peel.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/756/22381971673_7a245df30c_b.jpg

Front lip and rear diffuser cleared.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5660/22381970343_f88bb26bf7_b.jpg

Front lip cleared.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5743/22381969183_375590e37b_b.jpg

Rear diffuser cleared.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5629/23014264721_2cd0ab84f9_b.jpg

Assembled chassis with cockpit and engine bay.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/612/22584826537_c581e37340_b.jpg

I already started sanding the body. After that, I will polish and wax. And I will need to see how to fix the rear wing decal bubbling after clear. I will show a photo next time.

Thanks.

Small update.

Sanded, polished, waxed, and assembled side air vents
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/582/23057154965_382a107386_b.jpg

Also, painted windows, and put on decals.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5694/23068346761_119760c416_b.jpg

Looks great, colour is stunning, look forward to seeing more and I hope your can fix the bubbles.

Finally, some updated photos. The body took me a long time. Lots of masking for the various black trims and parts using semi-gloss and matte paint.

Attached wheels to chassis.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5660/22812061364_e892ffe48f_b.jpg

Body completed with various black trims and parts. Windshield, windows, rear glass, and headlights installed.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5678/23357887661_797b90267e_b.jpg

Rear.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5761/22812064614_e757772b18_b.jpg

Side.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5805/23072453529_61b2971b29_b.jpg

Attached body with chassis, broke the front right wheel off, need to fix it. This part is actually very difficult, the sides of the body were very tight against the chassis, had to do it very slowly, I didn't want to break the side panel off because they were glued on separate parts.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/688/23144629160_c635bce2e0_b.jpg

While attaching the body to the chassis, I managed to scrap off part of the front tire decal, should have rotated it to a safe place before attaching the body. Luckily, I have just one more spare tire decal, will fix it next.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5767/22813281793_1cc8d90ee1_b.jpg

Other parts that need work and it will be done. Not sure if you can see it, but the rear wing has 3 large bubbles after cleared, need to be fixed somehow.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/719/23440422565_0975053384_b.jpg

That's all for now. Thanks for checking this out.

Looks great. So clean. What glue did you use to attache windows ?
How did you paint black on windows ? Any clear coat on windows ?

Thanks. I used super glue for the windshield window piece, just couple drops to attach to the body, had to use a dryer to keep good ventilation, so there won't be any haze. For the headlight lenses and back window, I usually use school glue, it dries clear, can be cleaned up with water, and it doesn't damage the paint. No, I didn't clear the clear parts. As for the trims around the windows, the kit came with pre-cut masking tape.

Thanks for answers. One more question - did you mask and paint windows
from outside or from inside ?

Thanks for answers. One more question - did you mask and paint windows
from outside or from inside ?

On the inside.

Finally, calling it done. I was able to fix the carbon decal bubbles on the rear wing, but made few more mistakes at the end. I messed up the tail light decals and a front tire decal, had to use the rear tire decal which is slightly bigger. Anyway, here is a photo of the complete build.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5798/23491694309_e0ca54c07a_b.jpg

For more photos, head to the following thread in the completed forum. Thanks for the feedback and comments, they really help me with the result. Thanks!

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1145032

Darn fine job. I am thinking of getting on of these gt3 kits for an odd project. Is Fujumi the only kit brand that carries this type of model type?