Question for Rally Builders re Service area.

[Nobbys Nuts]

Ok. These are my questions. I wish to build a diorama of a Subaru service area but I have a few empty areas in my knowledge of what to use and before I get flamed I have read everything in the FAQ.
I am after specific answers as to particular materials to combine with what I have read.
Question 1; Where are service areas set up? Is it on a grass area, tarmac, or gravel or any of the above. I assume from what I have found in various searches that it depends on the location but I just want to make sure.
Question 2; I live in Australia so I assume I may be safe if I went with Grass as a base. What type of material is recommended for the grass? Railway grass matting? If so is there a particular brand that works well.
Or should I sprinkle railway grass over glue or green paint like doing flocking?
Question 3; What is the mat that they lay on the ground under the car when it is on the axle stands. Is it just a blue tarp? and any suggestions on what I can use to recreate it. Blue cellophane or plastic I guess but any other less obvious options would be appreciated.
I will be using (once I get hold of them) the Rennaissance Service tent and sign boards and already have 2 sets of the Tamiya servive crews.
Any other suggestions re setting up a service area will be appreciated especially any other sets that are made that may compliment it.
Cheers
Tony

[blubaja]

Hey Tony,

My freind has some pics of a Subaru service area. It's not WRC, SCCA, and the pics are a few years old. If you get the Italeri Subaru rally transporter truck, in the back of the instructions, they have a digram of a service area setup.






Frank X.

[freakray]

The SCCA rally uses a totally different format to the WRC rallies, nearly every WRC event I can think of has the service area on a tarmac area.

Tony, look on swrt.com for photos of their service areas, there are tons of photos of the service areas.
I will also look to see what I can find

EDIT:

Tony, everything you should need is right here

http://www.swrt.com/94719.html

There are more service area photos on swrt.com, but that gallery shows a lot of great different perspectives

[Nobbys Nuts]

Thanks guys.

[SteveK2003]

If you would like the Subaru hauler manual scanned, let me know.

[generationx]

The type of surface at the service area really depends on the event. At RallyGB this year it was a hard gravel (with lots of puddles - always rains in Wales), but I've been to WRC services on airfields (so tarmac) and dusty fields (popular in Greece/Acropolis), so really depends on the event you're depicting.
And the sheets laid down are generally tough plastic as it folds up quite small for storage and is easy to clean after a dirty rally car has been parked on it.
Look forward to seeing this diorama...

[Nobbys Nuts]

Thanks again guys.
SteveK2003; Many thanks for the kind offer but its OK, I bought one today so I could use the truck and the info in the book.
Diorama will be a way off yet and will not be just a service area but a tribute to Possum Bourne with his cars etc in semi circle in front of the truck. One car being serviced etc. Lot of work to do though to transform the transporter into his one.
Cheers
Tony