Hello...and here’s the final WIP update for the 956!
While it would have been nice to have completed the build before Le Mans, the various delays and niggles described in my previous update made that idea a non-starter. However, I’ve made good progress since returning from France (getting plenty modelling done whilst following the 24h races at the Nurburgring and Spa, and with Le Mans Classic this last weekend).
It’s really just been about working through the to-do list and pushing forwards, even though this means a bit of jumping around from one area to another. First up, I completed the interior door latches and the two retainer clips which will be attached to the rear cockpit bulkhead:
Next up, the focus was on getting the cockpit bodywork ready to attach permanently to the chassis. I added some retainer brackets around the edge of the windscreen, then fitted the washer jet pipe to the windscreen wiper arm:
I decided it would be easier to fix the water header tank to the fan duct first, before fitting the bodywork. The socket for the engine cover electrics was sandwiched in between, and I added some wiring to the back to add to the mess of cabling on the rear of the tub:
The bodywork was glued in place using two tabs just below the two main ‘NewMan’ decals on the sides. I also added some more CA glue on the inside around the radiator side support frames. At the front, I’m relying on the magnets to hold the windscreen surround in place (and this allows me to access the lower door hinges, too). Back in the engine bay, I connected the four braided hoses to the header tank, then added the clear overflow pipe and the sensor wiring:
At this stage I was nearly out of things to actually make – it was just about final assembly. One thing outstanding was the two large flexible hoses for the front brake cooling ducts – I had tried to make these some time ago, but they just wouldn’t work. However, I had a new plan: wrap masking tape around the plastic tube with the sticky side outwards, then wrap the wire around, then add the plumbers tape. The masking tape gives the plumbers tape something to grip, and stops it trying to pull through the gaps between the wire coils:
It was a bit of a struggle to remove the hose from the tube afterwards, but they couldn’t resist for long! The rear end of the hose simply fits over the hard duct on each upright, and the front end goes onto a socket which fits into the main fibreglass structure on the front of the tub. None of this is glued in place, so I have the option to change the parts out if necessary:
Before I fitted the top bodywork I took a batch of photos to record some of the details that would be lost:
At this point I was very much down to the last couple of jobs. The aero discs were fixed into the front wheels with double-sided tape (just in case I decide to re-do the decals at some point), I connected the front brake lines to the side of the tub (hidden by the brake ducts), and the doors received their latches and hinges. At the back, I spent some time getting the gearbox shroud fitted into place, added some wiring for the rain light, then did a final fit for the main tail support. Pin the two door mirrors in place, make some spacers to fit behind the rear wheelnuts….and that’s about it! After six and a half years of work I’m calling it ‘done’:
I’m going to take a bunch of proper photos shortly and I’ll be posting these in a new ‘completed’ thread. There’s bound to be a few things that haven’t been covered in the WIP.
After all this, I do feel slightly odd now that the model is completed – not sad or disappointed, but having lived with all-things 956 since the end of 2018, it’s almost hard to believe that it’s gone from ‘nearly there’ to ‘complete’ in the space of a couple of days! I also have to think about some of the things that have happened since this project began – Covid lockdown, friends and colleagues lost – and those memories are locked into the build.
I’ve tidied up all my 956 notes, had a sort-out of all the leftover parts and bits of scrap material, and generally had a bit of a ‘clearing the decks’ session. There’s a part of me that’s itching to get on with the next project, of course, but I’m forcing myself to take things easy for a little while. What is the next project? Well, something a little different (for me) – I’ve got an old 1:43 white-metal kit of a Chevron Formula Atlantic single-seater to put together for a friend, so I’m going to get that sorted out before starting the next
next project…and the 962/88 book is
not a clue!
As always, thank you for following this build, and I hope it’s been interesting. I’ve tried to add to what I achieved with the 935-78, and the requirements of the 956 have forced me to add some new techniques to the toolbox. Hopefully I can expand the vacuum-forming on the next build. I’m particularly surprised by how much of this build was airbrushed, even compared to the 935.
Look out for the new thread in the ‘completed projects’ section in the next week or so, and a WIP for the Chevron soon!
All the best,
Scratchbuilt.