Lola T-70 Mk III

Test fitting the modified windshield.
https://i.imgur.com/VBPeALy.jpg

Stunning

Thanks!

The cloisonné Lola badge for the hood was made from scratch; a combination of custom decals and a chrome base.
https://i.imgur.com/j6wJMaX.jpg
Of course it needs mounting posts…
https://i.imgur.com/tujXLkV.jpg
The mounting bar, nuts and washers were also fabricated.
https://i.imgur.com/ZoUbJb5.jpg

More fantastic work.

Any idea what you'll do next, or will you take a break for a while?

Thanks!
Take a break? Never.
I have a 1/6th scale Honda I'd like to do next.

Now that the lower lights and the "grille" are installed, the rest of the underhood wiring could be done.
https://i.imgur.com/RBKJSxl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/v9p6hgA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/nPbAmpW.jpg
This goes in the "done pile" for now…
The plug for the lights that connects to the receptacle on the firewall is hanging down at the rear of the wheel well.

The door windows are finished and installed. The front sections are fixed so there is a black seal around them. There are no seals for the rear flip out sections. There's also a little handle inside for each of those.
https://i.imgur.com/prZUm8Z.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/DI6q61u.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/eE7zxu0.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NMrNecX.jpg

This is a work of art.

Thank you!


Time to install the main electrical wiring and a bunch of scratch-built subassemblies. I had already made the wires with ends and the brass guide clips. I installed the fuel pump, regulator & filters and ran the oil lines to the engine. The battery & hold down and the dipstick were installed too. I also added a half dozen more suspension parts/fasteners and the exhaust. This is still dry assembled and not everything is connected, just making sure all the lines are the correct length and that there are no interference issues. It's getting packed pretty tightly…
https://i.imgur.com/H4u5mGI.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/8FHwFhE.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3TUGjz5.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/aopHMmC.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/BEhTjfE.jpg

Today's project was to make and install the rear brake lines. These are brackets for the hard lines out to the soft lines. Fabricated from sheet brass.
https://i.imgur.com/keeMX27.jpg
I made the Tee and the clamp and bent the lines today, but I had machined the fittings when I was making the front brake lines.
https://i.imgur.com/x3A6pX5.jpg
I had to tear down the right rear suspension and pull the right side header off to install the lines. Sure made installing the lines a lot easier… The soft lines are vinyl tubing.
https://i.imgur.com/BLTIRp2.jpg

Really amazing work, I'm running out of superlatives.

Best regards
Keith

Thank you Keith!


Grounding strap for the engine to chassis. Will it be seen when it's in installed? Maybe. Doesn't matter.
https://i.imgur.com/TErHwbX.jpg

Another dozen and a half nuts, bolts and washers were machined and installed for the rear suspension. The rear section of the clutch line was added and the battery has been grounded. It's barely visible…
https://i.imgur.com/2Kj1wGk.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JItKtfZ.jpg

Back to the doors… I installed the gas struts and made the mounting hardware. I think they are done.
https://i.imgur.com/EfgkuUu.jpg

The exhaust system and rear tray are installed. The dashboard assembly is installed. Getting closer to begin mounting some of the body panels to the tub…
https://i.imgur.com/StCEcuW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/FaJId5Z.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/pNEEBQ7.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/jY9C6z3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7Bc0qM9.jpg

Again, stunning attention to detail.

Thank you Mp!


Another significant step forward, the last section of the body has had the paint cut and polished. The insides are painted as well. Once that is dry it will get some wax. (It's quite the dust magnet right now.)
https://i.imgur.com/hdN0szE.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/sPoo46D.jpg

That is an unbelievable shine. I have yet to achieve a similar result. Truly stunning.

Thanks! Just keep practicing.


Several people have pointed out the risks of using the kit supplied air duct hose as it has a propensity for melting plastic over time. While I was already aware of this issue, (the ones in this kit melted some of the parts well before I started building it), and have been lucky in the past, I decided I have too much invested to take that risk even with the precautions taken on this car. I also was not keen on the color of them. So I pulled them off and fabricated new ones from wire and white glue.
https://i.imgur.com/h1gf0Kr.jpg
I wound the wire around the proper sized bolt for the diameter I wanted.
https://i.imgur.com/V80pcsN.jpg
After the glue dried I made connectors with shrink tubing.
https://i.imgur.com/Gptqa1i.jpg
I painted them with orange R/C car (Lexan) paint and gave them a wash of Tamiya Smoke with Flat Base mixed in to it.
https://i.imgur.com/cKesTVI.jpg
Plenty of flex to route them where they need to go and a direct retrofit to boot.
https://i.imgur.com/DEQb2l7.jpg

That is a great tip!
Do you just flow the white glue into the gaps on the wound wire?

Regards,
Keith

great details !!!

That is a great tip!
Do you just flow the white glue into the gaps on the wound wire?

Regards,
Keith

Yes, just use your fingers. Depending on how thick the glue is you might want to add a little water.

Yes, just use your fingers. Depending on how thick the glue is you might want to add a little water.

Thank you.

Keith.

The rear spoiler is done. Brass, clear styrene and aluminum. Some of the bolts will anchor it to the body.
https://i.imgur.com/o3QjgI8.jpg

The radiator is installed and the cooling system has been plumbed. I'll install the stone guard and petcock later due to them being somewhat fragile.
https://i.imgur.com/ZeQNfKV.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MMLMqc8.jpg

The shifter linkage was the next "little" project to make and install. I was a little surprised the kit did not have the exterior part of the linkage. Turns out it's quite a tight fit, maybe that’s why it was not included. The extra parts I added and the correctly scaled engine did not help.
I'm still relying on the magnets to hold the body section to the tub, but since I've run the shifter linkage all the way from the shifter to the transmission I'm pretty committed at this stage.
https://i.imgur.com/nsxZ0RD.jpg

I also connected the electrical items that were built onto the rear bulkhead to the receptacles on the tub and the fuel lines.
https://i.imgur.com/i2GM78K.jpg
The transmission cooler has been installed and plumbed.
https://i.imgur.com/G18ruFE.jpg
If it was a real car, it could be test fired now.

I ran out of superlatives a long time ago. Now I’m just wiping drool off my key board and wondering how in the hell you’ve pulled off a build this impressive. Can’t wait to see more progress!!

I am constantly stunned by the level of detail - not only how much, but how accurate. There is hardly a part that doesn't look authentic.

Thank You!

While not a big visual thing, the cockpit section of the body has finally been permanently mated to the tub. Now I get to build the rest of the interior into the car. Nowhere near the ship in a bottle game; but the limited access proving to be the challenge had I expected in a couple of areas despite my optimistic planning.
The seats are installed hopefully for the final time. The steering wheel can be popped to install the harnesses.
https://i.imgur.com/sGNvOMI.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dWjU3kk.jpg

The harnesses went in as planned.
https://i.imgur.com/hKa4tj6.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kYnI2As.jpg

I feel I'm repeating the same message over and over, but it is looking stunning. The harnesses really look realistic in there.

Thank you Arno!


I had already finished the taillights and repaired a couple of them due to the flexible hose material melting into them in the box, but upon closer examination even the "good" ones weren't as true as I'd like. So I machined new ones out of clear Lexan and tinted styrene. Each lens is two pieces. I was able to refinish and reuse the bezels and the bulbs I already made. Two red and two amber.
https://i.imgur.com/9gHKVOa.jpg

The plate is now registered, the tags are reflective too.
https://i.imgur.com/MBW3ti8.jpg

When I test installed the new taillights I didn't like them; they were too bold for the car. Amazing what a couple thousandths of an inch can do… good or bad. I made a new smaller set like the previous ones, but that same design was still distracting to me so I machined one more even smaller "simpler" set.
I had to make new bezels and bulbs too.
https://i.imgur.com/G5cndna.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VFeL0gX.jpg

I had to machine the mounting hardware for the plate/bracket before I could install it. After it was installed I added the interior mounting brackets for the taillights and the loom (with pigtail) for all of the lights. Still some weathering to do in here.
https://i.imgur.com/WAvCJ1b.jpg

The rear spoiler has been installed too…
https://i.imgur.com/p6eiBz8.jpg

Yeah. nice wiring. Looks very realistic. The only thing missing are tie-wraps or cable clamps :)

Thanks!
There are clips in there holding the loom in place. (Just like under the front hood.)
In scale they are not imposing.
(There is also a plug/connector attached to the part of the loom that is on the chassis.)

More final fitting, fine tuning and triple checking before the side pods were attached permanently.
That meant one more round of test fitting the other removable panels before moving along…
https://i.imgur.com/woKuxMT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/fkP2RmS.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/bHQOtsl.jpg

Now that is stunning, I really like the yellow spoiler with the blue body work.
This is going to be a master piece for sure.
Do you post your work in any other forums?
Merry Christmas
Keith.

Thank you Keith!
Yes, I do post in other forums and on Facebook.
Merry Christmas to you as well!

Thank you Keith!
Yes, I do post in other forums and on Facebook.
Merry Christmas to you as well!

I have seen your facebook posts, can you message me the other forums please?

I have seen your facebook posts, can you message me the other forums please?

Actually this is the only forum that has the complete build from the very beginning.
Some of the forums I started sharing it in have gone offline and I went to others well after it was started.
There is more here than I share on Facebook too.

This is the only online venue I share to friends who want the "big picture".

this is starting to come together beautifully. Would love to see this as a real car on the road.

Thank You Mal!

I wound springs from 0.003 armature wire that had the insulation removed and made welded on hooks from brass for the exhaust. I did a little weather and wear discoloring too. I installed the last two carburetor parts; the two outboard synchronizing screws for each bank. The inboard hinges for the engine cover have been installed as well. The loose black line is the wire loom for the taillights.
https://i.imgur.com/ale2HTI.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/pAnXupF.jpg

Again, I was happy to see all the planning to get the engine cover to fit and operate on its hinges and to latch closed worked after everything was painted and all the tight fitting things that could interfere didn't.
I also re-test fitted the wheels to see where I am. Too bad it was an overcast day.
https://i.imgur.com/PL03NQl.jpg

Looks amazing! How close are you to wrapping up this build?

Thanks Stuart!
As close as I've ever been... Every time I think I'm about two weeks from finishing, something comes to my attention that adds three more weeks to it.
I might be about 50 parts away. But last night I thought I was only about 20 or 25 parts away.

The engine cover has a good amount of mass and to keep it from over-opening I made a "leash". Machined and then hand shaped brass ends for the elastic cord. The Remove Before Flight Ribbon is a custom decal and a reminder to not leave the cord under the cover when closing it.
https://i.imgur.com/uY7fnQo.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MAvOW89.jpg
Machined aluminum knobs were added to the engine cover and the rear bulkhead. The bracket for the one on the bulkhead is formed sheet brass with aluminum hardware.
https://i.imgur.com/7cWDAIB.jpg

I finally balanced the wheels/tires. Instead of using my little balancer (for real) I copied the weight sizes and placement on my real C6's wheels. The tape that holds them on collects grime and dirt so I copied that too.
https://i.imgur.com/gJkJ7CY.jpg

So cool. It looks so real. The only think giving it away it is a model it the wheel center (or how is that called in English)

Thanks Arno!

I made the engine cover latch handles. Machined each as a single piece.
https://i.imgur.com/felJ1GT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/KpzsuPs.jpg

These are the latch handles for the front hood section. Different design for a different application.
https://i.imgur.com/nHGHxcR.jpg
There are some people who assume that when parts are machined they just come out looking like they can be used as is. In some cases they can be, but in many cases some or a lot of hand finishing is needed, as in these latch handles. This is what these parts looked like after machining but before the hand finishing. The difference is the hand work.
https://i.imgur.com/V8V8jx2.jpg

While there is a heavy screen built into the grille opening in the body, I added this fine stone guard screen too. The machined petcock has been installed, and I made a mask and stenciled LOLA onto the screen. A couple more fittings were machined and installed in this area as well.
https://i.imgur.com/0KUeU5v.jpg

Tow hook; machined aluminum. The lock nut is a separate piece. (Sorry for the poor photos, gotta work on it when I have time…)
https://i.imgur.com/em6ERZc.jpg
Anodized red.
https://i.imgur.com/TfwHotA.jpg
Installed.
https://i.imgur.com/4FgjBnk.jpg

After I lettered the spare I was really wishing these were Avon or Toyo or some other shorter name brand tire… Those outlines make for a tedious time too.
I tried the sort of new Tamiya LP-4 Flat White lacquer and found it to be quite workable.
https://i.imgur.com/urTesrw.jpg

I dirtied up the bottom a little bit more.
https://i.imgur.com/90y3cZR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Swg2glW.jpg

Wowww Mark, can't wait almost three months to see it in person...

I can't wait that long for it to be finished!

Lots of incremental progress spread out over a couple weeks; can't rush at this point. The engine cover is installed, hopefully for the final time and the electrical loom has been run to the rear lights. The latches for the front clip are on as are the mirrors and fuel & coolant filler caps. The windshield has been set in and sealed (only took 15 hours…) and several more detail decals were made and applied. Too bad the weather is so nasty and I can't shoot it outside, or in the sun…
https://i.imgur.com/VljGuNr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/l0OrQyT.jpg

what do you use for your clear coat? is it 2k? If so, what type?