A pair of vintage racers: Porsche RS60 and Cobra 289 Competition

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

I got the urge to upgrade a few things on these two previously-built models.

I built this Cobra 289 nearly 20 years ago. It's painted w/Testors enamels, including the painted (and yellowed) stripes. The paint needed cleaning and polishing. I narrowed the track, getting the wheels/tires better planted inside the fenders, replaced my cheesy homemade sticker roundels w/homemade decals, repainted the roll bar, and had great luck freshening the chrome pieces-the worn areas were white plastic, I dabbed Spazstix mirror chrome on the worn areas w/a brush and amazingly it leveled out and the repaired areas are nearly invisible and look like the chrome around them. I'll have to remember that! This old AMT kit is still a good 'un, and probably will continue to be the only 289 kit out there since Accurate Miniatures seems to be unable to bring theirs out. When I build another I'll make sure to reduce the thickness of the headlight bezels by about 70%.




The RS60 was built during the past 10 years and was on display at our NNL last year, but I had originally used the sticker roundels that came w/the vintage Revell slot car body which this model is derived from. I wanted to upgrade the model in anticipation of the Rennsport Reunion III model contest/show in November. I replaced the now-peeling stickers w/proper decals. I also upgraded the headlights and revised my finishing of the headlight cover edges. I'm still going to find more accurate wheels someday that don't have hubcaps, the chassis/interior on this model was donated from a Maisto 356 w/a lengthened wheelbase. Though simple it remains one of my favorite models.

[blubaja]

Both awsome Bob!!

What about the Fujimi Enthusiast wheels?

[935k3]

Beutiful job on both. Seeing the Porsche reminded me of something I wanted to ask you. I believe you built the Monogram 904 and I wanted know what wheels you used to replace the kit wheels with molded in hubcaps? Thanks.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by 935k3

Beutiful job on both. Seeing the Porsche reminded me of something I wanted to ask you. I believe you built the Monogram 904 and I wanted know what wheels you used to replace the kit wheels with molded in hubcaps? Thanks.

Thanks!

Those 904's were mine; I used 8 spare wheels from various Fujimi 911 EM kits; we had a bunch of the kits and parts for our club's 15 IROC Porsches and I had almost enough in my own stash of 911 EM kits that I've built or bought over the years.

Originally Posted by blubaja

What about the Fujimi Enthusiast wheels?

They would be perfect but I only have one 356 Speedster and it's being built w/the kit wheels/tires so I don't have extras. I might need to break out the casting kit

[bigfrit]

Pretty amazing work!

They both look fabulous, although the porsche takes the lead in my eyes! it's quite stunning!

Oli

[willimo]

That Porsche is amazing! The Cobra looks great too, but there's just something about that Porsche that catches the eye. The paint is immaculate and the model, despite being on the simple side, is just... great! There's no reason to over complicate a kit and I love that you don't. Fantastic work, as always!

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Thanks for the comments! I've done a trade to get a Fujimi 356A Cabriolet so I can source wheels/tires/brakes for the RS60, and some other parts for some VW ideas

As you can tell from the photos, the Porsche is a bit cleaner build, and the detail level is up there w/some of the better curbside resin pieces (and someone did do the RS60 as a resin curbside; I believe it was Herb Deeks). The paint is my old favorite enamel concoction of about 70% Model Master silver chrome trim w/about 30% clear, and then clearcoated. It yellows a bit over time, but it was the best in-scale silver one could get with plain old hobby enamels. Nowadays I use Tamiya gloss aluminum, silver leaf, or mica silver instead of enamels, but one could mix Testors silver chrome trim lacquer w/their lacquer clear for a similar look.

[Mr. Me.]

Great Porsche! love it very much

[gionc]

Both great but the little Porsche is simply superb!

[dmacb]

That Porsche looks fantastic. The Fujimi EM Porsche 356 B/C kits come with TWO sets of wheels that look fairly close to what you need. I used the extra set on the 904 I built.

[godfather23]

That Porsche is fantastic and sure a rare project you don´t see very often (I need to start mine, desperately). Thank you for giving me such great reference to achieve a great model with this kit!

Robert

[675datsun]

Porsche is a beauty...my buddy would love it!

[quadzero]

Originally Posted by gionc

Both great but the little Porsche is simply superb!

I agree, the little Porsche is such a beautiful car. Nice work refurbishing both of these classics.

[klutz_100]

I love that RS60. It reminds me a little of the "push-me-pull-you" Llama from Dr. Doolittle - you're not too sure which is thew front and which is the back

Nice restoring tips

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

They say the third time's the charm. I've made another pass at finishing the RS60. Thanks to a trade I made w/another modeler, my RS60 is now rolling on proper wheels, tires, and brakes. It's no longer a glorified kit car Just a few more visual tweaks (a light wash on the wheels, some sort of lap belt arrangement) and it'll be ready for competition in the model contest at Rennsport Reunion III at Daytona in November

The wheels/tires/brakes are from a Fujimi Porsche 356A cabriolet. The wheels/tires/hubcaps that were on the RS60 will look just fine on the 356A, so that kit can still be built and not just for parts.