Porsche 917K w/Engine

Looking the options for a full detail 1/24 917 kit, I find two options:

- Porsche 917 Fujimi+HRM Engine
- Union/Heller 917 http://cgi.ebay.com/UNION-1-24-PORSCHE-917K-LM-2-VER-FULL-DETAIL-KIT_W0QQitemZ310126503799QQihZ021QQcategoryZ145974 QQ

Anyone knows this ancient Union/heller kit?
What's the best choice for a decent full detail 917?

The heller kit is very complete but like a lot of kits of that age, the details are a bit on the soft side and possibly questionable. Porsche fans will be able to tell you more about the engine and details and their accuracy.

I'll get some photos of the kit when I have a bit more time on my hands this week (unless someone else beats me to it...)

There have been some excellent build reports on building an upgraded Fujimi 917 (with HRM motor, photo etch, much extra detailing, etc.). There's one of the Steve McQueen car on ModelerSite.com, but it's not free.

I've been building the Daytona #2 version for some time; it's a beautiful kit, but my attempt to remove a door was a failure. Without the door, the structure was too weak. I know it can be done, but I got in beyond my skills and had to replace the cab. So... even though I've done some chassis and engine detailing, the doors will stay intact.

In addition to the motor, I strongly recommend the Renaissance decal set. And the photoetch set from Studio27.

Ddms

I'll get some photos of the kit when I have a bit more time on my hands this week (unless someone else beats me to it...)

Thanks in advance.

Well, Renaissance have in stock not only decals and a photoetched set...a resin rear body too. Are the proportions of the body of the Fujimi kit incorrect?

The best 917 motor I have seen in 1/24th scale is in the Profil 24 917K kits. The Profil 24 kit is also more narrow in the front than the Fujimi, wich is the way the real car was(Fujimi made the front track to wide on their 917K kits!!)

Tom Tanner/Scale Designs/Ferrari Expo 2009 model contest-Chicago April 25th 2009

Are the proportions of the body of the Fujimi kit incorrect?

If memory serves: The Fujimi kit proportions are correct for the Daytona cars. The Le Mans cars, including McQueen's, had a wider rear structure.

By the way, if you do decide to remove a door, a resin door is available, but the original styrene is thinner and more "correct." Regardless of that, the structure behind the door is very delicate because of the fuel filler opening and the engine cover hinges. The entire door frame area has to be strengthened with styrene.

If you want to go that route, I'd strongly suggest using the Modelersite.com build report as a guide, and even then, IMO, the job calls for plenty of advanced modeling experience. And time.

But either way, it builds up into a great looking model.

Ddms

Happy Birthday!

When the Fujimi 917K 1/24th kit came out Mike Quarterman(UMI) and I
along with several others checked the measurements against a real 917K and found that Fujimi made the front track and the entire front end including the cockpit and windshield to wide. If you compare it to the Heller/Union kit you can see how bad it is. The Heller is correct.
The Heller/Union is also hard to build.

Best,

Tom Tanner/Scale Designs/Ferrari Expo 2009 model contest-Chicago April 25th 2009

Kit contents.

http://x6a.xanga.com/51cf2a6152035236087619/w186506642.jpg

http://x58.xanga.com/c09f226a06732236087660/w186506678.jpg

http://x50.xanga.com/97ff426153634236087698/w186506713.jpg

http://x4d.xanga.com/c01f066106c30236087720/w186506731.jpg

http://xc3.xanga.com/e3ff526a07735236087755/w186506763.jpg

http://xd6.xanga.com/06bf0b6407d33236087802/w186506804.jpg

http://x00.xanga.com/c25f216608332236087870/w186506864.jpg

As you might be able to see (apologies for not taking the parts out of the bags, while there is a lot of parts, the parts lack a certain depth of detail.
There are 3 shots of various engine parts and you'll see that the cam covers are a bit soft, as is the gearbox casing and the main engine block has nothing on at all (although I haven't checked if this is just the bare form/body).

The body of the car is very good though.

Wow, nice pics DM. This thread is getting good. I took some snap shots of the HRM engine kit.
In addition to engine you get surge tank, fuel tank, rear bulkhead, side chassis rails and some engine ancilliaries.
Resin parts look real nice. No wiring for ignition or fuel plumbing is included though.

If you love detailing drivetrains of these cars like I do you simply can't be without this resin addition.

http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp280/cratecruncher/Miscellaneous/swbfrt001.jpg
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp280/cratecruncher/Miscellaneous/swbfrt005.jpg
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp280/cratecruncher/Miscellaneous/swbfrt006.jpg
So, anyone want to speculate why Fujimi would spend millions tooling a 200 piece car kit and leave the last 16 pieces of
the drivetrain out?

If you want to go that route, I'd strongly suggest using the Modelersite.com build report as a guide, and even then, IMO, the job calls for plenty of advanced modeling experience. And time.

Not to steal anything to Mario or Modelersite but the same Phil's WIP is shared here in the AF

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=691711

I'll suggest several books about the 917 and the 917K, but if I must to choose one I'll probably advice to buy the one written by Gordon Wingrove: "Porsche 917, the undercover story", you'll probably start to know this awesome car bolt by bolt, and infos/sketches are first hand from the factory archive; I felt good, also to understand better the "background" of this car the Peter Morgan book "Porsche 917, the winning formula"

Happy Birthday!

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-porsche-917-turns-40/ ;)

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-porsche-917-turns-40/ ;)

Is the new museum open? I wanted to do a trip from ages... should be the right chance..

Wow, Drunken Monkey...Nice pics! Thanks a lot!

I think The Heller/Union option isn't bad. The proportions and fidelity of body is very important in my opinion and the Engine and transmision details is soft but with hard work will be a good reproduction.The kit is hard of find and perhaps expensive but is possible to find about 30-40 $.
The sum of Fujimi kit+ HRM engine+ Renaissance decals, resin rear body and photo etched is prohibitive.
Perhaps I go to a Union Porsche 917k.
Thank you for all the info.

Here is a close-up of the Studio-27 photo-etch for the Fujimi kit:
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp280/cratecruncher/Miscellaneous/10035350a.jpg

Lots of nice parts here. The windshield wiper, cockpit details, trim tab links make this a very nice sheet. I understand Studio 27 also has several sets of decals for the 917k including the colorful "hippie cars".

Gio, thanks for the tip on that Wingrove book. Looks like it is full of technical details about the car and not just blurry racing shots and lists of results like so many race car books. I just ordered it from Amazon for $47.22 with free shippin' !

by the way, mine is a Wave kit and comes with decals for the different variations of the car; hence the two versions of the rear cowl.
I do have a Heller kit somewhere but can't find it in my stash at the moment.

It's true. Wave has on his catalog this kit too.

On the other side, is surprising the Ferrari 330 p4 case: Heller "w/engine" kit, Union (and Wave?) reedition and curbside kit from Fujimi.

Now is time for the Ferrari 512 S answer from Fujimi (Heller/Union/Wave early kit looks beautiful)

Is the new museum open? I wanted to do a trip from ages... should be the right chance..

Yes, it's open. I haven't uploaded all the pictures (yet)

http://www.miniruedas.com/foro/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1835&start=0
http://www.miniruedas.com/foro/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1847