WIP Tamiya Lotus Europa Special

And yet another one that I had started years ago that got pushed back into the box and under the table.
I recently found a near complete set of user/parts manuals so this got resurrected for some extra work.


Body.
Primed using automotive grey primer as base then finished with Tamiya white.
Paint is Tamiya Pearl Light Blue with TS-13 finish.
As I said, this was started years ago, way before I figured out some of the neccessary habits and details so there are some unfixable errors that I wish I had caught before Clear went on.

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Interior is nicely registered with very clear cast details.
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The texture you see is from Plasti-Kote Suede Touch paint.
The colour you see is the colour of the paint but I have also sprayed Tamiya Semi-Gloss Black on top and haven't lost the texture.
Here's a close up of a door panel.

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Chassis is a near complete and almost 100% accurate representation of the Y frame backbone.
The front brake calipers are nice and chunky with plenty of room to add related plumbing.
In fact, everything is so spot on, that you have enough space to pretty much wire and plumb the whole car.
The only disappointing part is the front where the radiator is a poorly detailed casting on the interior tub part and no spare wheel is included.
Then again, this is only really an issue if you were going to open the front bonnet.

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Engine is a particular joy in this kit.
Detail is very good and although they don't include all ancillaries, they do have the spaces as obvious blanks on the case so you know where would go.
Only fault here is that there is no detail to the top end of the distributor but then again, this is hidden under the carbs anyway.

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Various bits made from styrene rod and some parts bits.
Most of the bits in the boot are for the brake system.
The Special uses a twin brake system that is very prominant in the rear of the car when the boot tub is removed. Because the brake cylinders are losted in the rear, most of the plumbing is also in the rear so I had to give it a go really.

http://x35.xanga.com/7f7f570723433254901272/w202657789.jpg

Close up shot of the webers/del ortos.
Still needs a little tidying up.
Added new connections for the fuel connection (filed off the molded on detail) and still got to figure out how to attach throttle cable.

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Final shot of the day;
because most Lotus cars of this age usually come with most of its engine in the boot.

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Cool color choice, looks good to me!@

An actual progress post from me!

The thing that I've been spending most of my time on, is the plumbing for the braking system as it is all very visible in the engine bay.
I also thought that because the chassis can be prepared and seperated from the body of the car, I could have a complete brake system.
Alas, as I went around laying bundy pipes here and there, I realised that the visible part of the Y frame in the rear of the car that is part of the model interior, should actually be the top part of the actual y frame.
This meant that I couldn't run complete lines around the chassis so I had to make a compromise and have a "cut-off" point.
Not that you could actually see any of it when the chassis and body are mated...

Anyway.
Unless you know the car, none of what I typed above will make any sense so here's what it looks like now.

The twin brake servoes partially plumbed.
The other two lines run into the Pressure Difference Warning that is attached to the chassis Y-Frame.
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Brake lines to the front calipers have been added as well as two stubs representing the hoses to the radiators (that can be seen from underneath the car).
All I need to do here is give the brake line connecting hoses and securing brackets a little brush up with semi-gloss black and source/add a brake reservoir that sits next to the front left hub.
Not a very good pic...

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Side of chassis.
Brake line to rear drums are done and I've still to add the hand-brake line.
http://xb5.xanga.com/33a8513502228255310262/w203010794.jpg

Other side.
One brke line is done, one more to go.
The two lines sticking up are from the Pressure Difference Warning that run go into a 2 way before running to the front and connects to the reservior.

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Front of engine.
Water hoses are added as well as the hose from thermostat/radiator to the Swirl Pot.

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Another angle.
The little fuzzy silver thing is the Pressure Difference Warning.
Made from various bits of small diameter styrene circular and hex rods.

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Slightly clearer shot.
PDW isn't fixed in place permantantly yet because I can only manoeuver the lines into position when body and chassis are mated.

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Interior tub on chassis.
Getting a little busy in here.
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After the brakes, it'll be the fuel connections then maybe, if I can find some suitable size wire for simulating some electrical connections, the visible bits of wiring in the rear.

Cool car, great kits. This is one of my favorites, so I'll certainly watch. I need to get to work and finish some stuff, so I can start my own Europa! :rolleyes:

Nice work with the detailing, it looks terrific. I may have to look for those user and parts manuals. The kit looks like a fun one to detail, and that it will show detailing work well.

you will have a riot with this kit; so many little things to mill and turn...

I reckon it's probably actually worth scratching a more accurate chassis frame to get them few extra mm here and these to make placing wires and oil/brake lines more easily and the next time I start one of these, it is what I would do.
It really bugs me that I can't have a complete brake system in place...

and those parts manuals; I have most of them in pdf form, even some appendixes for US versions of cars so just let know and I'll email them you when you need them.

The brake lines look sweet, motor looks nicely detailed. Did you use solder for thw brake lines?

Great brake lines/detailing, looks top notch.

I am absolutely amazed and astonished by your precision work. The paint and the details are looking great. Can't wait for progress pics! How did you bend the wires so smoothly and straight?

It all looks tidy and well-thought out. Nice colour for the body too.

All that extra detail work looks superb! Very inspirational stuff :) Btw, were the brake servos part of the kit, or scratchbuilt?