Completed: '96 Porsche GT1 CF Test Mule

Well guys, I've finally gotten this one completed and put on the shelf.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/billyvia/cf%20test%20mule/gt1_96_cf_testmules-02.jpg

This is Tamiya's version of the Porsche GT1 in 1:24th scale, converted utilizing the Scale Motor Sport declkit that turned it into the car that showed up at Le Sarthe for the pre-qualifying day in 1996. It stunned the racing world not only with it's outrageous design, but also that it showed up in bare carbon fiber, kevlar and duroplast with minimal livery.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/billyvia/cf%20test%20mule/gt1_96_cf_testmules-01.jpg

The SMS kit requires that the base color by changed from bare, white plastic, to semi-gloss black. This was accomplished using Tamiya TS-29 spray lacquer as the base. The only body panel that is not covered in sg-black is the driver side door which was coated in Tamiya Pure White. Every single body panel, save the above mentioned door and the engine access panels, were then covered in pre-templated CF/kevlar decals. Specific areas, such as the fender lips were left in their sg-black state and several panels have multiple decals on top of decals.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/billyvia/cf%20test%20mule/gt1_96_cf_testmules-06.jpg

Covering the body was a time consuming processes and the smell of Micro-Sol/Set made me the least popular person in the house, but the end result was worth being ostracized, I think. Exhausts where replaced with aluminum tubing and a new tow ring and overflow container were scratchbuilt, but that was the extent of the engine detailing. Wing endplates were covered in sanded Bare Metal Foil to give the appearance of aluminum plates and they, as well as the lower wing supports, were detailed with SMS PE boltheads.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/billyvia/cf%20test%20mule/gt1_96_cf_testmules-04.jpg

SMS CF decals also cover the visible parts of the chassis as well as the interior walls. While barely visible now, the seatbelt was made using 3M cloth tape, SMS PE hardware and Tamiya supplied decals. SMS Pirelli decals replace the kit supplied Michelins and the wheels were sprayed with Model Master non-buffing Brass for the spokes and the wheel nuts were coated in transparent Tamiya acrylics as appropriate.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/billyvia/cf%20test%20mule/gt1_96_cf_testmules-03.jpg

Once all the decals were applied and allowed to completely dry, Model Master Semi-Gloss Lacquer was sprayed over the decals to protect them and even out the sheen. The SMS supplied livery decals were then applied and a coat of carnuba wax was used to seal and protect everything.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/billyvia/cf%20test%20mule/gt1_96_cf_testmules-07.jpg

Final detailing involved making the fuel filler from scratch using sheet styrene, adding Modeler's PE fasteners to the hood and making the antenna using wire.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/billyvia/cf%20test%20mule/gt1_96_cf_testmules-05.jpg

I'll soon begin creating a base for the model using actual carbon fiber veneer...I think she deserves it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/billyvia/cf%20test%20mule/gt1_96_cf_testmules-08.jpg

While not for the faint of heart, SMS and Tamiya combine to create a kit with few pitfalls. Follow the instructions, take your time and you will end up with an impressive model that will leave non-modelers scratching their heads!

Next up (and currently on the bench)will be the '97 Porsche GT1 Evo CF Test Mule...;-)>

As always, thanks for looking,

Bill

Simply superb!

Hi,

an absolutely great and impressing model.

Nothing more to say.

I´m looking forward for your current project. ;-)))))

Micha

Wow.

Excellent photography too.

as I said on other forum, this one rocks !

Beautiful! Very impressive work. It's an interesting well done replica. :smile:

Oh man, I love this car. If I ever get around to building one I hope it looks this good.

Sexy. The only good way a Porsche can be shown is in carbon fiber.

Mmmmm, yummy. Nicely done.

Lovelly work. I agree with your comments on the decals, I built this version several years ago, and given some patience, MicroSol and a hairdrier found the decals a joy to work with. It's not a trivial job, but it wasn't as scarey as I figured it might be.

Saw this car race a couple of time in '96 (Le Mans and as an invitational entry to the BPR race at Brands Hatch). It's still probably my favourite Porsche, I just wish it hadn't been the herald for the demise of that period of sportscar racing. Oh well.

Fantastic work, the test livery looks even better than the race livery!

Beautiful. Nice work as usual....

Murray

nice! I have been waiting to see someone model this car- great job!

Absolutely impressive!

Gorgeous work! I've been thinking of doing this kit for ages! You have done an excellent job!

damn that thing is beautifull!

Hey,

That is suerb. I can imagine teh work put into the decals. That makes this even better. Keep up the great work and hope to see more soon.

Frank X.

Thanks guys!

...and coming from such a great group of modelers makes it even better!

Bill

Fantastic job Bill. Carbon fibre is beautiful. :thumbsup:
Will be looking forward to seeing pictures of its stablemate.

superb work, just amazing!

SWEET! The CF is crazy! What a way to test your patience!

Very very impressing decalwork! And not a wrinkle to be seen. Amazing..

carbon,carbon and more carbon!luv this stuff, thats a masterpiece, would love to have that sitting on my shelf, im sure that this is a real attention graber.

Very nice!

Dam thats hot - great job

Fantastic model - really nice job :thumbsup:

This is one awesome build. :bigthumb:
Fantastic decal work. It all looks perfect.

My god I can´t belive I have´nt posted any reply to this thread, it`s beautiful! Man I have to try and do a full CF body sometime, great job man!

Incredible work man. Amazing, all the car is very nice. I hope my future models looks like + or - this way...
GREETINGS

Fantastic work! Great job on those decals. That's amazing. The other subtle modifications just bring it out to the front. I have huge respect for anyone who can do so much decal work and not go insane.

ha, ha.

i'm jealous, i built this kit years ago, and had a hard time getting the kit decals onto the doors, because i didn't cut out the area for the door handle, so it has a bubble instead (mine was OOB).

but i am very impressed with your's, so clean, it looks like it is actually CF and not a decal. very good job.

BTW: how did your rear suspention fit, mine was a crap fit, and the engine cover doesn't fit straight.

great job on this one,keep it up.

No pics of the engine compartment?

Thanks again for the kind comments everyone!

Lumpulus - Nope. The engine decklid was glued shut and the engine was painted semi-gloss black. I don't really bother doing a lot of detail in the engine compartments of my 1/24th LM/GT models. For me it's much better to glue the hood/engine cover shut and get the panel lines and body shapes correct, rather than have a highly detailed engine that won't allow the hood/engine cover to shut. The cars usually have them shut when they're racing and that's how I try and model them...kudos to those who DO full-bore detail jobs though! and I did fully detail the cockpit and the rear of the transaxle/overflow bottle/air jack port.

Bill

ha, ha.

i'm jealous, i built this kit years ago, and had a hard time getting the kit decals onto the doors, because i didn't cut out the area for the door handle, so it has a bubble instead (mine was OOB).

but i am very impressed with your's, so clean, it looks like it is actually CF and not a decal. very good job.

BTW: how did your rear suspention fit, mine was a crap fit, and the engine cover doesn't fit straight.

HK,
Thanks! I think you may be talking about the Dragon/Revell 97 Evo GT, but...Tamiya did alot better than Dragon/Revell when it comes to the engine cover, but I did spend quite a few hours glueing it shut and working the panel line. I used the same procedure on the Revell 97 Evo I'm currently working on also...and it certainly needed it more than the Tamiya '96 version in the pics!

Bill

nope, mine is the Tamiya as well, i think it just got squashed in the box or something, and i didn't notice until i had glued all of it together.


i check my models now, but that one was built years ago, when i just glued it together as quick as i could.

Sheesh, I had problems with just a few silly stripe decals!!

Great work as always!!
IZ

Now and then I stumble over builds that touch my heart, models that transform this hobby to art. This is one of them. Bill, I promise you, there has to be a mean mother entering the AF stage during 2005 to stear my 3 AFMOTY points away from your direction. Best of luck with future projects (be back soon!)
best regards
Joel