Eighties Contest Entry: TWR Jaguar "The Beast" XJ-S H.E.

[godfather23]

Right now, I started building the ETCC-cat from 1984 in the Number 1-configuration. I got my hands on this Hasegawa kit and couldn´t wait to start. The build will be basicallly OOB but I´ll try to add some detail to the engine and whereever I can.
If you have any suggestions for reference or other tips, just feel free to help me.
Now, I like to introduce the kit and my beginnings:

The kit:


The real deal (a rebuilt car for customers):


The underbody:


The body:


The front bonnet painted (with british racing green; still needs to be clear coated and smoothened):


front bonnet and interior with base flat black coat (detilling that one later)

[ales]

Good luck with it!

Does your kit come with PE parts too?

Also, take a close lok at the instructions and reference pics to see what you need to sand off the body.

Alex

[Layla's Keeper]

Walkinshaw was cool and all, and you're doing a great job with the buildup so far......

But let's be honest. Bob Tullius and the infamous Group 44 built the real XJS-12 Beast - and won the Trans Am championship with it.


Here it is winning at Mosport in 1981.


And here it is ready to terrorize Daytona in 1982.

[robrex]

I love this car! This is going to look awesome built up!

[RallyRaider]

I want one of those kits! Saw one years ago when I wasn't into modeling and regret not buying it to this day.

Great choice of subject for the comp, look forward to seeing it come together.

[klutz_100]

Great start - paint job already looks good!
I just recieved my street cabriolet version last week

[godfather23]

Originally Posted by ales

Good luck with it!

Does your kit come with PE parts too?

Also, take a close lok at the instructions and reference pics to see what you need to sand off the body.

Alex

Yup, got one PE set with the kit! It´s hard to get reference for the car, where you have detailled body shots to rely on for body work. Nevertheless, if there´s no reference, no one will be able to point out mistakes

[malscar]

If your looking for reference pics, lots of photos in "James Hardie 1000 1985/86" book about Bathurst race of that year when Walkinshaw brought 3 over and won race. Photos include front without bonnet, rear end out of car, wheels and heaps of action shots. Can email photos if you want.

[godfather23]

Originally Posted by malscar

If your looking for reference pics, lots of photos in "James Hardie 1000 1985/86" book about Bathurst race of that year when Walkinshaw brought 3 over and won race. Photos include front without bonnet, rear end out of car, wheels and heaps of action shots. Can email photos if you want.

I wrote you a private message!

[godfather23]

It´s been a long time since the first post on this project. I invested some time and have some results of progress, I would like to share with you. Please feel free to comment.

After I primed the body with Tamiya Grey Primer, I added 3 coats of Tamiya Racing Green. Then it took quite some time to do the two white stripes on the sides. I had to redo parts of the original green paint job. Nevertheless I went on and sprayed the silver chrome parts and the flat black window trim. After the paint job was done, the body was rubbed with Tamiya Compound fine and finish.
To finish the body, I need to apply the decals and work on the door openers. Then everything needs to be waxed to complete the body.
Now some pictures. You may notice I started on the decals.





I also finished the chassis with paint job and front and rear axes. In some areas I need to redo some parts but for the moment I can show you some pics of it.





Besides that, I started to work on the engine. It is almost finished and will received detailing such as wiring this weekend. I already started on it, so some pics give you an idea, which direction I will head towards









Please comment on the progress. Do you think I should take chances and clear coat the body. I´m especially worried about these old decals.

[Layla's Keeper]

Car is looking good, and I wouldn't chance the decals on clearcoating. Besides, clear coats over decals are inaccurate on modern race cars that primarily use vinyl graphics instead of paint.

[klutz_100]

Looks good! Keep it comin'

[sjelic]

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Car is looking good, and I wouldn't chance the decals on clearcoating. Besides, clear coats over decals are inaccurate on modern race cars that primarily use vinyl graphics instead of paint.

I agree on clear coat, if you haven't got tested clear coat then I wouldn't take the risk. I like to clear coat decals for protection on every model despite the fact that it is not "original", but it took me few ruined models and 10 different clear coats to find the right one (imagine how much different decals you have to test because not all decals react same on clear coat).
By the way the shine on that beast looks good even without clear on it.

[godfather23]

Just a little update on the Jag.

I finished the Wheels and the Chassis (engine still needs to be put into place). But by that can I give you a slight impression of how the Jag will look like... There´s still a lot of touch up work to do on the body...





Then I went on the do some work on the interior. I installed the dash board with all its gauges, etc.



Adding to this I went on to do the thing I hate most in modelling: the seat beltw. What a pain to work with those tiny parts. Nevertheless I´m quite pleased with the result. The seat was of course flocked to imitate real racing seats.





At the end of the day the interior was finished by installing the roll cage and by wiring the "drivers little helper" on the left! hand side of the cockpit









Overall I´m quite satisfied with the results of the work on the interior. Now the rest of the body work remains to be done... I´m quite excited about that.

Nevertheless I have seen all the beautiful entries in this contest with a level of detail, I´ll never achieve. So I´m glad to add some variety to the contest with the Jag, even though I´m sure there will be better builds in the end.

Please feel free to comment on the progress I´ve made.

[gionc]

the beast come out really fine
I can't understand why you paint Rgreen before white but it also come up good
and... I don't really love hasegawa seatbelt material: look so much plastic, anyway they was the only to put some p/e on kits

so don't worry for the contest and make the work at your best, I'm in the same condition. I think also that do something at some master's side should be crazy for results but push us to increase our skills

and finally I've this beast in my SP&TDL so I follow you with attention