1:43 McLaren How-to/Progress

Hi all,

in response to interest in them, and in the hope I can inspire some of you to try building one, I'm starting this thread to cover the building of a white-metal 1:43 scale formula one car. If you have any questions or comment, please let me know.

The car in question is made in Italy by Tameo, and is quite a simple model, so I think is a good place to start. It will build to replicate the car of eithe Ayrton Senna or Michael Andretti as raced in the European GP at Donnington in '93. I'm going to build it as Senna's car (chassis MP4/6-3) which one the race.

The first stage with a white-metal kit is to clean up the body. The picture below show it as it comes out of the box.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1481-med.JPG

The surface is slightly pitted and oxidised. All this has to be smoothed out before we go any where, or the primer won't stick, and the paint surface won't gloss up. Refering to the instructions we also have to use a .6mm drill and pin-vise to open all the suspension pickups on the body. These are molded as slight indentations in the shell. I will also use a scalpel and file set to clean up any mold lines.

The photo below shows the body after all of the holes have been opened up, and the body wet sanded with 600, the 800 and finally 12 grit wet'n'dry. The surface is now shinnier and much smoother.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1489-med.JPG

At this point you need to wash the body in hot water and detergent, and when it's dry degrease it with laquer thinners. From this point on I won't touch the metal with bare hands to avoid getting grease on it. Next up is primer. Cellulose will work, but doesn't stick to white-metal that well... I use an etching primer designed for model railways (they use white-metal a lot in their work). I have also cleaned up and pepared the chasis at this point so I can prime both in one hit. Two coats go on, and then have 48 hours drying time.

One coat of primer:
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1491-med.JPG

Two hours later, after the second coat
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1492-med.JPG

Keep watching, next up are the wheels and tyres.

An interesting build to follow, for both the subject and the process.

Thanks for sharing.

I'll be watching this like a hawk. Thanks!

Great progress thread. I've wondered about what was required to build those metal kits.

Cool car and even cooler rundown. Looking forward to future episodes!

If I was starting this hobby afresh I'd go the 1/43 route, there are so many cars available. As it is I have too many larger scale kits to build.

The reason I got into 1:43 was the range of subjects available, especially Le Mans and F1 cars. I found them by accident at Le Mans in '96, there was a guy under the tribunes selling the little blue boxes (PM kits), and I had to try one. After twenty years of building plastics they came as a shock, but after a couple of failed attempts I got into the swing of it and discover GPM who stock the kits in the UK. From then on I've built mostly 1:43, but I hear you about having to much of a back log!!!

Not a very exciting update today, but I didn't have much time to work today. Just enough time to get some work in on the wheels.

The picture below shows the component parts of one of the wheels, and consists of the rim, machined from metal, a set of photo-etched anodized spokes and a tyre. This kit offers the choice of a treeded rain tyre or a slick... I'm going to use the rain tyres on mine. The bigger tyre is a Tamiya rear slick of the same period, to give you an idea of relative sizes. I'm always amazed how much bigger they are!

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1493-med.JPG

Assembly is very straight forward, simply trim the spokes from the fret, then clean them up with a file. It is vital that they are clean and round as they have to be glues into a small recess on the rear of the rim. If they aren't cleaned up they wont fit!

Next I prime them with a fast flashing (<30 minutes) cellulose primer. They won't be handled as much as the body work, so I don't bother with etching-primer. Once that has dried a satin black cellulose top coat is applied, and an hour later the tyre is press fitted to give a complete unit, all four of which are photographed below.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1495-med.JPG

The only tricky part to this is to ensure that if you are using treaded tyres you get the treads the correct way round on each wheel, as they are very assymetrical. The instructions will call it out, but I still forget on occassions!

Well, that's all for today. Next time I'll decal and finish the wheels, and hopefully start building the photo-etched suspension, brakes, hubs and ducting, time allowing :disappoin

I'm excited. Take it the big tyre is 1/20th? Imagine the difference to a 1/12th!

this is cool! im glad you are showing how to do this! thankyou it makes me want to build one! keep up the good work!

Watching this one.

I'm excited. Take it the big tyre is 1/20th? Imagine the difference to a 1/12th!

You could put them next to each other and say the driver went and got an R/C to play with in the pit! How cool would that be?

And yes, keep it comin'. I'm curious to see how you fold and attach all the fine photoetch when it comes time.

OK, with the clear on the tyres drying ready for decals later today, I'll turn my attention to the fron suspension assembly. The photo below shows the etched frets I'll be using for this. All of the suspension arms are etched and anodized black, while the brass frets contain the brake disks (two parts per disk) and brak cooling ducts.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1498-med.JPG

Assembly starts with the ducts - two flat etched parts sqndwiched together with a turned brass collar. In the photo of the completed unit below they are to the inside of the unit. The disks build easily, simply sandwich the two rotor halves together, ensuring the grooves line up to reresent the venting of the real units, and use the hub to line them up. No problems (as long as you have good eye sight!). Don't add the calipers yet, we'll do that after painting.

Now cut the suspension arms from the etched fret... each unit is one piece. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO REMOVE THE ENDS OF THE ARMS. Everyone messes this up first time, you get into a habit of cleaning up every part you are going to use! In this case the extra material will locate in the pickup points we drilled earlier, so it's pretty impartant. Two bends and the arms are done. The bends themselves are made by folding the metal around a pair of smooth jawed jewlers pliers. Ribbed ones would damage the metal. It bends very easily, but don't over do it or you'll snap the metal. Slow and easy does it. Glue the disk to the outside and the duct to the inside, they will align with each other very easily. Now walk off an have a coffee while the glue sets up. You should have two units not unlike those below.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1503.JPG

Next I like to fit them to the body (with no glue at this stage) just to ensure they are OK, everything lines up and the pickup points are drilled out OK. They look pretty good I think, so I'll shoot them with some grey primer, and then some satin black laquer to finish. This car ran carbon disks, so I'll mix up some very dark gunmetal grey and then flat coat it to give the effect. You'll get to see this when I come back to the wheel to finish up the hubs and caliper later on this week.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1507-med.JPG

Right, I'm off to decal the tyres, and polish out the paint on my Lotus 79. More tomorow all being well.

Love the how to on this one, I have about 4 of these things on the go at the moment! A Sauber, the Brabham Fan Car, Villeneuves Mclaren M23 and my latest one is the Ferrari 312T3 superkit of Villeneuves 1st win, the range of kits from Tameo is fantastic, something to suit everyone.

Keep up the good work Lotus Man, looking great so far, Makes me want to get on with mine again!!

Yeep, you may have just scared me away from doing one of these!

Great work! I wish I have the skills to build one of these 1/43 kit..... Please keep us posted!

That is trick man. Great "How To" keep posting PLEASE.

Well, I've been ignoring the McLaren tonight, the F2003GA got sprayed, the 99T got polished and the 126C4 got a bit closer to done!

Still, time for a quick update. The photo below shows todays work

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1517-med.JPG

First up were the rear suspension arms, disks and ducts. Build up the same as the fronts, no worries! I've left the four control arms that are etched seperatell off the rears, I'll fit the at the last minute to ensure they all line up OK and to avoid the chance of them getting damaged/lost during the build up. Some people seem scared by the lack of size of the etched parts, be you don't need to be. Apply CA glue with a sharp tooth pick, and use a good set of pointed tweezers to handle the parts. It's not as hard as it might seem, you just need to get into it.

The other job I've got done are the tyres, and it's probably worth some words on these as I find them the hardest part of these kits (really). In the past I've had real trouble with getting the decals to stick, so I used clear coat. But that cracked off the soft surface of the tyre. I was totally stumpped untill I found Johnsones Kleer (I think it's called Future in the US). It's a cleer acrylic liquid that brushes on real smooth and dries in twenty minutes. After assembling the wheels and tyres, I brush a coat allover the tyre, and allow it to dry. Decals then go on with Microset/sol and are dryed with a medium heat hairdryer before a final coat of Kleer goes on. It won't stand to much handling, and if you squish the tyre it'll crack so handle the final articles with care, and don't admire your handy work to much!

As for decal placement on the tyre, think about where you want to logos to sit on the finished model. I tend to go with Goodyear at the top, Eagle at the botom and so I place them such that the mold 'pip' on tyre is down most, to the rear of the model. This helps to hide it, as I find they can still be visible even after cleaning them up. It seems festidious, but it helps them look better in a large display if all the tyre logos line up! For this kit I won't need the logos in any specific orientation, but you'll find out why later. It's my little surprise to keep you all reading this thread.

Next up, more body work before the top coats, as I'm still not happy with it. Later days :smile:

Watching closely. Very impressed so far.

Murray

Quite a large update today, managed to get quite a bit done.

The four sets of suspension/brakes are now in grey cell. primer. This will take a day to harden, so I should be able to spray them satin black tommorow.

Since you last saw it the body has been wet sanded with 1500 grit, it was not as smooth as I wanted. Some imperfections in the surface of the metal were filled by using a brush to put on some un-thinned primer, then the whole thing was given one last coat of etch primer and left to harden for 24 hours, untill it looked a bit like this

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1518.JPG

Then it got two dust and one wet coat of Ford Diamond White out of a rattle can. I was going to airbrush it, but the laquer I had was poor quality. Plus I want to prove that you can get good results from a can even on small models! The picture below shows the last wet coat, which I will leave to cure for a week and then rub out if I think it needs it.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1521.JPG

And then I moved on to the bit most people seem interested in... the rear wing! The photo below shows the main parts used to assemble the wing, and he one specialist tool I use, the sliding calipers. You can do with out them, I did for years, but the do make life easier and aren't that expensive either.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1525.JPG

At this point an apology is needed. I was going to photograph every stage, but the wing is very fragile until finished and so I was unable to. Still, here we go!

First take one end-plate and one of the main elements. These ar thicker, and locate in the holes in the end-plates. Put a thin bead of thick CA along the edge of the element and glue it in place. Make sure its all square and let it dry. Repeat for the other main element, then add the other end plate. Give the CA 20 minutes to harden up.

Now mix up some expoxy glue. 5 minute DevCon will do, I use 2 hour stuff as it sets stonger. If I'm doing a really complex wing I'll use 24 hour stuff as it's really stong. Now with a sharp tooth pick, smear a really thin bead of epoxy along the underside of the elemnts where the joing the end-plate. If you do this right it will be all but invisible when the wing is finished. The trick is to get it right in the joint, and don't use to much! Now go away untill the epoxy dries. Right away. Don't be tempted to move anything. Habe a beer or something.

Right, we'll assume the epoxy is now dry. So now cut all of the thinner elemnts from the fret but don't clean them up yet! Measure the gap betwean the end plates with the calipers, and lock them in place. Now clean up each elemt so the fit in the calipers. Each of the smaller elements will slide into slots double cut into end plates (you can see them in the photo above. Put a small bead of CA on the ends of the elements, and carefully slide them home. Again, walk away until the CA is dry.

The wing will be pretty strong at this point, but to finish it off add some epoxy to the elements you just added. Once thats dry the sing is done and ready for final clean up and paint. It'll be pretty strong (stronger than it looks), but don't try and prove just how stong!

The image below shows front and rear views of the back wing from the McLaren. I'm leaveing the fron for now, as I'll assemble it after painting all of the part. You'll see why when I put it together!

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1528.JPG

Right, with the wing drying I've sprayed the undertray satin black enamel, and it to is drying.

Time for some Fajitas, and a break! See you soon when well take a look at the interior, and some of the ancilliaries. Were getting there...

Great detail workmanship, lotus_man! I have a question: Did you use any tool to fix the wing elements in place? They look so in-line!!! Very enjoyable work; please keep us posted!

This is very cool. I am really enjoying this build up/tutorial on 1:43 F1 cars. They seem like a welcome change from plastic. You make it seem easy (mostly) enough for even I to try.

The only tools I use are the calipers to ensure all the elements are the correct length, and sometime a right angle chunk of steel to line everything up, but in this case I eyeball it. If it looks right, it is right! Plus Tameo do such a great job it almost falls together just right...

The only tools I use are the calipers to ensure all the elements are the correct length, sometime as right andle chunck of steel to line everything up, but in this case I eyeball it. If it looks right, it is right! Plus Tameo do such a great job it almost falls to gether just right...

My eyeballs don't work that well :grinno: I guess I better get myself a good caliper and try again with my BBR Ferrari F1, thanks for the advise!

A little moe work today... first the suspension/brakes were sprayed astin black. Then I applied Humbrol Metalcoat Gunmetal to the brake rotors. I think this does a good job of representing corbon disks. Once the paint was dry and buffed out I applied the etched calipers. These are quite small, but with a apir of tweezers quite easy to use. They need to be gold, so I leave them unpainted. The whole rotor/caliper then gets a coat of Klear (Future). Once thats dry the Brembro decals go onto the caliper... you can read them if your as short sighted as me. Then the whole brake area gets another coat of clear to seel it all down

The Speedline decals have been added to the rims, then they were given a thin coat of flat varnish to seel everything down. I'm not too happy with the tyres at this stage. They aren't as gloss as they look in the photo, but they are glossier than I wanted. I might have to revist them later. Here's a pretty poor picture of a fron suspension unit and tyres now they are done. It's all getting a bit small for the macro on my camera!

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1533.JPG

Body work is noving on. The white cured quicker than expected and didn't need any rubbing out, so I've started applying the red decals. I could have used Tamiya spray, but Tameo use Cartograph decals which are superb so I went with them. Plus they sell all of their sheets individually so if you mess up you can buy another. Small gaps will be filled by hand with Tamiya paint when I'm done.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1529.JPG

I'll cover decalling in more detail next time, as these are such a joy to work with. That's all for now, I need some sleep!

Your work is beautiful to say the least. I always dreaded the wings on 1/43rd stuff. The strongest wy to make them if you have the equipment and the skill is to solder at least 1 or 2 of the elements in the wing to the end plates(only if both are brass). I have done this on the wing for BBR Ferarri 333 and the wing was so strong you could throw it across the room and hit the wall without breaking it. Keep up the great work.

The Marlboro red looks nice and bright, gotta love Cartograf. Is Humbrol Metalcote spray only or can it be brushed on? I've got a few tins of the stuff, but never used it up till now.
Can you spray a satin or matt coat on the tyres to dull down the gloss? I think future can be turned into a flat coat by adding a flattening agent like Tamiya's Flat Base.

Thanks for the update, It's going to look awesome.

Give us more I have become an adict :evillol:
Nice one to brake the 1/24 domination
By the way I have just ordered one model from Tameo (my first 1/43) I got it 30% of the regular price at scaleracecars.com, not many left so if you want hurry up.
Rgds,

Thanks all for the positive comments. Probably won't get much done in the next couple of days as I'm on site with a client which will keep me away from my modelling desk :mad:

The strongest wy to make them if you have the equipment and the skill is to solder at least 1 or 2 of the elements in the wing to the end plates(only if both are brass). I have done this on the wing for BBR Ferarri 333 and the wing was so strong you could throw it across the room and hit the wall without breaking it
I've thought about soldering brass before, my bro builds brass Locomotives in 2mm gauge and swears by it. Next time maybe. Any pics of the 333, I love that car. Saw the Racing for Belgium car at Le Mans in 96, it sounded awesome!

Is Humbrol Metalcote spray only or can it be brushed on?
Metalcote sprays well, I thin it with Cellulose thinners and it works fine. From the tin it brushed just like other Humbrol enamels. It's no Alclad, but the gunmetal and steel colors ae good. I'm not so impressed with the aluminiums.

I think future can be turned into a flat coat by adding a flattening agent like Tamiya's Flat Base.
That was what I was ponering. Will try it on a spare wheel tonight. i avoid normal varnish as I've found it tends to crack. Future/Kleer seems to have more flex in it.

By the way I have just ordered one model from Tameo (my first 1/43)
Excellent! Which one did you get? Best of luck with it, and keep us posted.

Excellent! Which one did you get? Best of luck with it, and keep us posted.
It is also Mclaren but from 1989 Senna-Prost car

Just a little progress this time, as I've been otherwise engaged the last couple of days. I've been continuing with the decals on the body. There actually aren't that many on this car compared to the average modern F1 car. Once all of the orange 'panel' decals were on and dry I added most of the secondry decals, then let the whole lot dry. These are Cartograph decals, so they are wonderful to work with, and respond very well to careful use of MicroSet and Sol to get them to lay down. They are so thin they look almost painted on when done. The photo below shows a general view of where I got to.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1536.JPG

The only real problem was the left hand side, where there were a few gaps betwean the orange decals. You can see them in to photo below, it's a common issue when laying down a scheme like this

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1537.JPG

No problem, I sprayed a little Tamiya Bright Orange into a can lid, mixed in a little of their Floursecent red and waited about 15 minutes for it to gass out. Then I took a No. 1 brush and carefully touched in the gaps. The color isn't spot on, but as it's a small area, and mostly in shadow it will look fine when it's dry. Te touched up version is hown below for comparison. Don't wory about the gap around the front of the cockpit and the very back, they'll be touched in with black paint after I've layed down the carbon-fibre decalling in that area.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1538.JPG

I've also started on the barge barge-boards which are just curved photoetch (Tameo give you a jig so you can get the curve just right). They are now gloss-white and awaiting decalling. Following my own and Rally Raiders thoughts I've also flattened down the tyres a bit with some Klear mixed with flat base. They aren't prefect, but now they just look wet, which on this car is fine (see the photo in my sig!).

That's all for this time. Next time up the decal should be done and I'll have decided whether to clear coat the body or not, and I'll be starting work on the interior.

Done some work on the seat/dash unit. Very simple, just cleen up, prime and spray the whole lot flat black. Then add the belts. As you'll see from one of the photos above they are an etched piece... some times I replace them with material as it looks more realistic but in this case the belts are black so it doesn't really matter. The trick to getting etched belts to sit right is to anneal thyem before use. Cut them from the fret, clean them up and then heat them right up, I use a candle or small gas torch for this. You want to get them nice and glowing hot and then let them cool right off slowly (don't stick them in cold water!). You'll find they are now much more pliable and less 'springy'. I was able to work these so well they didn't even need glueing in! Once in place I brush primed them, painted them flat black and let them dry. A little Kleer where the Boss decals sit, apply the decals and then a coat of very flat varnish and that it, job done.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1543.JPG

I'll hold my hand up at this point and admit that I forgot to add the gear change paddles at this point, but I'll live with it as they would be alomost invisible on this model anyway. It's just a tad annoying!

The picture below is the body (now completly decalled), chasis and interior mocked up to make sure it all fits.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/38397IMG_1545.JPG

The body has been clear coated to get a more even shine over the decalled areas. The barge boards are now decalled and will be cleared at the same time, then I'll be adding carbon detailing to them and the body. Till next time guys.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1547.JPG

Stunning!!

You're making me want to build 1/43!!

Tanx to u for such great how to and especially to bring 1:43 to that level and give us the opportunity to choose this scale.

Nice work. Digging the detail that people put into a 1:43 model.

1:43 never looked so appealing. Somehow you make it looks simple, I guess I'll just have to score a kit off of eBay and realize how mistaken I really am. I really like this kit, I've been hunting it specifically, too. Great how-to build-up inspiration. Thing.

Getting down to the wire now... body has been polished, as have the barge boards. Interior of the cockpit was covered with carbon decal and satin varnished. The interior was glues in with some five minute epoxy, and then the chasis was screwed to the body. A couple of drops of epxoy hold it all square.

Rear wing support was added, then the barge board supports where glues into the holes drilled in the body work. Once set up, they were bent round slightly based on the plan view in the instructions and the boards were glued on. I'm not 100% happy with them as I think they are to long, but they are that size in the kit so they may b bigger than I remeber them being...

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1550.JPG

Thats all drying as we speak, and I'm decalling the rear wing which has been sprayed gloss white. It will be added last thing. Next up is the suspension and tyres, at which point it should start to look close to finished.

Looks great!

Man, I totally want one now. They look fun! Yours looks incredible. You'd never think it was 1:43... sometimes I wonder if you're pulling our collective leg. Did you paint the edges of the barge board black, or is it a trick of the photography?

The barge-board rears are covered with BBR 1:43 carbon fibre decal (thick, but pretty good. not upto Scale Motorsport standards though). I let the Microsol pull it over the edges of the boards and the used a very sharp scalple blade to trim of the excess. Then I use Humbrol Satin Coat to seel it all down.

I used the same stuff for the interior, in the right light you can just see the weave... but I don't think it would photograph as it's a bit too small!

And to prove it's 1:43...

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/38397IMG_1551.JPG

(I have normal sized hands by the way :iceslolan )

i really want to build a 1:43 resin or white metal kit now! where do you order yours from?

I'm in no way connected with them, and this isn' advertising, but point yer browser at

www.grandprixmodels.co.uk

It's a very good sight and their searchable database of models is ace. Check out the older issues of FSW they have on line for reviews and some great tech. articles. All round good guys and highly professional too.

That pic in your hand really drives home just how small the thing is :eek: Makes the clean and crisp build all the more remarkable.

Very nice and clean I wish I could make mine as good as yours. I have checked inbox parts of my Mclaren but it is not so detailed as this one (it doesn't have ventilated discs on front and none at back), rear wing is not fuly from PE (only sides) etc. but I hope it will be eve half good as yours. Can't wait to see it done.
Rgds,

OK, front wheels are now on. It's quite a simple process, but the suspension can be a fiddle. Here's a rough idea of how I do it...

First I figure the ride height from photos/drawings/eye. Then I put the chasis on blocks to raise it to the correct height. It's important to do this on a flat surface. A peice of glass or mirror is ideal. Mix up some 1 hour epoxy and put a small drop in each hole. Now mount up the suspension arms, I usually put the lowers in first, then gently 'massage' everything untill it fits! Get both sides done, then put the model back on it stand. Offer up the wheels, and the massage each suspension arm until the wheel mounts to the hub, touches the ground and is correctly alighned. The epoxy ensures you have good 'wiggle time'! Now glue the wheel to the hub (remember to align the decals if you're that way inclined).

Now do a final check, and walk away until the epoxy is setup. The repeat for the rear, remembering to put the drive shafts in!

Here's the McLaren. I'm still not convinced by the barge-boards, but I'm pretty pleased with it...

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/38397IMG_1553.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/38397IMG_1552.JPG

Next up is to do the rear wheels, add the wheel pins and nuts and then I can finish the front and rear wings. We're nearly there now!

Is it finished yet, please some more pictures, I would appritiate it.
Rgds,

Big updates this weekend, when I should be able to get it finished (long weekend in the UK). Been busy on other projects for the last week, but I promise it will get done!

Great build and how to. Very inspiring. Hope you will do a similar build up of a Lemans car to cover the clear bits. Now off to the model pile...

Cool! I really like it. :iceslolan

looks like a really nice little model- its hard to beleive how small it is! I used to make 1/72 scale aircraft but have been gradually moving up to larger scales, this together with the thread with the 4 belgian le mans cars has made me want to try ickle models again hehe :)
BTW the barge boards dont look too much over scale, but its difficult to tell from the angles of you photos compared to the pic in your sig. Any chance of a pic from about the same angle as your sig pic so we could get a good look?

looking forward to the finished article :iceslolan

I'm considering 1:43 now as I didn't realise that they were this detailed and storage space soon runs out with 1:24. Is that your main reason for 1:43? I've syed away so far because theyre so small that they almost just look like Matchbox toys!

First off, sorry for the lack of updates. Been ill, and then had to do a couple of paying builds (Zonda C12S and Roadster, pics soon).

I love 1:43 for the size, they look real cute when you get a whole bunch together. Also the range of subjects is enourmous. You can build pretty much anything you like, unlike 24th where you're pretty much limited to what the big players put out.

Don't be put off by the small size, start off with something nice and simple, and build up from there. When you go back to 24th kits they'll seem huge.

Yeah i was thinking about 1:43 when i saw this thread but when I saw that this kit is £30 on Grand Prix Models I realised that i could get the Tamiya kit for half the price and have extra detail, such as an engine. I'll definitely try one if there is a subject that i can't get in a larger scale though, Provence Moulage is even more than Tameo, are they better quality?

[QUOTE=lotus_man]And to prove it's 1:43...

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/38397IMG_1551.JPG



Well, you've just answered a question ive always wanted to know !?!
Iv'e never known what the actual size of a 1/43 scale model looks like, Now i do !!!
Amazing work, not my kind of subject but your doing a terrific job there.

Mike :sunglasse

thats crazy small!! you have awsome skills :smokin:

I realize this is a super old thread.. but... Was this ever finished?

Just checked my 'in progress' display case, and since the last photo was taken I've gotten the suspention on and fitted the wheels. I ran in to problems with the design of the kit (the barge boards are way to big, and like a fool I didn't test fit them before painting).

So it's still not quite finished, I'll try and post some recent photos and tips, and if there's enough interest I'll get it finished for you sooner rather than latter!

cool.. i'm definitely interested.

Add me to the interest list!!
I ignorantly skipped this thread in the past because I read 1/43 scale, now I'm considering buying one. I can't believe the detail level! Thanks for the inspiration John!

I didn't start few of my Tameo Mclarens just because I didn't see yours done :D