Le Mans Contest Entry: 1968 Ford GT40 Mk I

[RallyRaider]

Time to lay my cards on the table and tell you all about my planned comp entry. It is a Fujimi GT40, originally a curbside kit. However this one is going to receive a HRM engine transplant as well as added innards under the nose panel.

I was originally going to build a 1968 Le Mans winning Gulf car but as I researched it I found out more and more problem areas. Seems that chassis P/1075 (the '68 & '69 LM winner) started off it's life as a Mirage M1 and is therefore very different to most other GT40s. Biggest problem I found was the rear wheels in the Fujimi kit are way to skinny, probably not an issue on a curbside but not with the engine cover open. So since I have no way to replace the wheels at this stage I decided to do a different GT40. Maybe I'll do a curbside Gulf car later.

Here is the chosen car, chassis P/1079 from Le Mans 1968, driven by Willy Mairesse and Jean Blaton (the cars owner, who raced under the nom-de-plume of "Beurlys"). It's race was very tragic, crashing on the first lap when Willy was trying to close the door after the "Le Mans" start. The car was wrecked and Willy suffered career ending injuries. So not a happy car but interesting none the less.



Haven’t really done anything yet, just mocked up some pieces. Apart from the nose panel fit appears to be surprisingly good. The front has lots of room for detailing. Fujimi built their kit so a spare wheel won’t actually fit in the nose so all the framing and piping to the radiators will be visible. Here you can see the high scuttle that was one of the problems encounted building P/1075, it's was much lower, a legacy of its Mirage M1 beginnings.



At the rear the HRM engine fits nicely. Trouble is there is a lot of suspension missing so that will have to be scratchbuilt. Will need additional bulkheads and mounting points too.



Here is the shell, door handles will have to be changed to the regular type and the radiator exit will need to be straightened and deepened. Rear wheel arches will need to be modified and interior bulkheads built up in the windows. And lots of other little things besides!



Updates sometime before July 2005 (I hope)

[robrex]

Cool !!!
This is going to look great. Let me know if you need any turned parts. I need heaps of practice?

[freakray]

About time you showed us something
I look forward to seeing your progress on this one Phil.

[godfather23]

Wow, another nice competition entry. Like your choice of an odd GT 40. This competition turns out to have the "who is who!" of Le Mans! I´m looking forward to see all your attention to detail on this kit!!

[Cychalen]

Originally Posted by freakray

About time you showed us something
I look forward to seeing your progress on this one Phil.

Great choice!

[Spitfire7]

Great choice, good luck with this one!

[labandabonnot]

Orange mécanique! Sad story , nice car! But that's LeMans legend too...
Good courage! Another great thread to follow!

[bigfrit]

Oh great! not only one of the most mythical cars ever, but this one will even have full engine detail!

I hope you take lotsa pics, as I really love the way you tend to detail the crap out of otherwise pretty normal models!

Olivier

[RallyRaider]

Thanks guys, need to get a few things out of the way and then I'll be into it with a vengance!

Originally Posted by labandabonnot

Orange mécanique! Sad story , nice car!

Actually since this car is Belgian owned and driven I wonder just how orange the paintwork should be? The above pic is the only one I have, showing a slightly orangey yellow. Ronnie Spain's GT40 chassis history book lists the factory colour of P/1079 as yellow. I guess all I can do is print the above picture out and try to match it as close as possible. If anything I might err on the orange side

[BRM]

Holy! whats with the horrible puke color plastic..quick through some primer on it! ahah
Sounds like you have some work to do, looking forward to seeing some progress.

[PRIVATEER]

Great choice Rally....I see what you mean about the color. It could be orange or yellow in that pic. Good luck!!

[Murray Kish]

Oh, I'm looking forward to this!! I have a GT-40 kit in the stash and I'm hoping to put an engine in it too! Surely your build will be a nice 'reference'!

Murray

[Veyron]

Watching

[DoubleFourValve]

Yellow. There is a photo on the book "Fords at Le Mans".

[RallyRaider]

Thanks DFV - I guess with a screen name like that you should know Fords. Any possibility of a scan?
I've checked out all my paints and decided the colour that looks closest is Tamiya Camel Yellow. At least it does sprayed on a flat piece of white paper, might look different once it is on the bodyshell.