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Old 03-13-2018, 04:55 PM   #1
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Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

Hello everyone,
You probably all know the almost 4 decades old Esci Mercedes 450 SLC. Being one of the very few V8 powered rally car, it was unique to have an automatic gearbox which prooved to be quite reliable to win some races in Africa and Waldegaard managed to have some good results in some tough european rallyes as well.
The box has been facing me for almost 20 years from my stash and I have to admit, it did not look very attractive to me in it's Bandama outfit. My opinion all changed after I found some photos from the 1980 Portugal Rally, with wide wheelarches, slick tyres and without the fornt protection bars. In the night stages, even the headlight protection grills were removed, so the car looked really pretty and pure.
After a closer look I found that the kit is really well proportioned and detailed compare to its age. The parts has some minor flaws but otherwise they look pretty good, especially the V8 engine. With some changes would make a very different 450 SLC.
I started with the chassis, replaced the cast on driveshaftsand torsion bars and also started to build the visible rear part of the interior. I changed the seat to look a bit more realistic.








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Old 03-14-2018, 10:48 AM   #2
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

This merc is too nice. Good luck
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Old 03-14-2018, 12:18 PM   #3
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

Very nice racing interiors jobs!!!
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Old 03-21-2018, 06:17 PM   #4
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

Thank you guys. I managed to make some progress on the interior, I nearly finished the rear part, only needs some sanding. Meanwhile, I did some work on the dashboard and central consol to make it look closer to the original. I changed the dials and hollowed the air outlets to make them more convincing. That rosewood trim on the dash, done with acrylic colors, required some tries to get it reasonable.






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Old 03-23-2018, 06:31 PM   #5
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

I managed to make some small progress on the Mercedes. I modified the steering wheel and started the engine. After spraying with TS 30, I soaked it with some black-brown enamel. I started to add the injection lines, when halfway through I realized that nothing would be visible on the top of the engine because the large air filter covers it entirely I will do it anyway...





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Old 03-25-2018, 05:08 PM   #6
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

Small progress on the interior, after painting it, I started to put it together. I tried to moderate myself with the weathering and keep it to the minimum... The air-vent needs to be casted 5 times... I also started the exterior, sanded off the side trims and started to cut the fenders in order to make the wheelarches. Quite big chunks need to be cut off from the fenders.






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Old 03-26-2018, 04:54 PM   #7
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

Some progress with the wheelarches, (long awaited and most exciting part of the buid for me ),.I put some ordinary car bodyfiller on. I like this method because you can easily carve the filler right after it starts to set and you'll have a quick result. It needs lots of refinement obviously, both in shape and width.







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Old 03-26-2018, 05:15 PM   #8
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

By the way, anyone could help me to identify this decal on the car? Unfortunately, I don't have any clear image of it. Looking at thephotos from other rallyes, Mercedes seems to put the local importeurs names on. I think it is the Portugese importeur name on the car. I would be really thankful if anyone could help me with a photo.

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Old 03-27-2018, 05:19 PM   #9
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

Small progress on the wheelarches, I took them off, sanded them in shape and glued them back. Still needs some adjustments with the shape and thickness.
I put some reference wheel to look at the proportion. The BBS will be changed but the tyre diameter (Tamiya BMW 635 CSI) looks right, although it is 16" in theory.



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Old 03-29-2018, 03:47 AM   #10
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

I love it, very unique and inspiring as always. Looking forward to seeing the modifications on the BBS central wheel nut
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Old 04-02-2018, 12:42 PM   #11
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

Thank you Chris, the whole BBS inside will be changed to the BMW 635, since that looks closer to the original. I made a little progress meanwhile, finished the front wheelarches and corrected the lower line of the headlight which was strangely angled, whereas the original is almost horizontal with a slight angle.
I also started to build the non existing rear springs and absorbers.








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Old 04-02-2018, 05:47 PM   #12
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

Really big work so far, but this car deserves it.
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Old 04-03-2018, 05:13 PM   #13
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

You are right Paolo abot this car and kit, it seems to be forgotten somehow. Mercedes had some serious plans with this car, even Walter Rohrl was hired and tested it but unfortunately, the top management scrapped the program in early 1981. I advanced a bit with the build, I roughed in the rear arches and cut the grill in pieces, to replace all the horizontal bars to get closer to the original.








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Old 04-05-2018, 05:25 PM   #14
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

I managed to do some progress, finished the rear arches and did some work with the engine, scratched the alternator from my scapbox and made some pulleys.



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Old 04-07-2018, 05:27 PM   #15
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Re: Esci Mercedes 450 SLC - differently

I rebuilt the alternator, the distributor and the steering servo pump. Still long way to go as the engine room looks really like a maze, I don't even know the fraction of its use...






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