Eighties Contest Entry: Opel Ascona 400 Gr.4 - 1983 - Ari Vatanen

[rallymaster]

Hello all,
being very late to start my Peugeot 205 T16 full detailed and opened, due to a lack of parts and time, I'm leading a new project that would allow me to enter the curbside category whereas the 205 will enter the full detail one.
Let me introduce the project:
As a special fan of Gr. B and a great fan of Ari Vatanen (all say Yeaahhhhh !! ) too, I was wondering which car he drove during the eighties I would appreciate to get and build (in addition to the 205 of my other project) even if it still doesn't exist, when I found back an old die-cast Bburago representing the Opel Ascona 400....!! Eureka !! that would be the Opel Ascona he drove in 1983 with the great looking Rothmans colors !!
ambitious project because I have no decals and it doesn't exist some for such a car, and because there is many things to do or modify on the model...
the original Bburago model is fully opening, hoods and doors, that would be a great opportunity to enter the contest, but even I thought I had enough pics of the car, inside included, there would be too much work for an unknow result (cos' of no decals for example...) and would take too much time and energy, especially with other projects running (humm, my Fabia WRC is still on the desk, or under now...!! - I still miss some pics from the inside and don't give up trying to find them !)
then I finally decided to build it closed, or at least with no details represented and without gluing the hoods... I will see what will be possible for that point after having started the building, and even after the contest, I may finally decide after that to come back on detailing, but I don't think so at the moment.
the car I expect to build is a 1983 Rothmans Gr. 4 and will be a Vatanen car for sure, but I still haven't decided which rally; it will depend on which decals I will be able to reproduce leaving from 1/43 ones, then I suppose it would be the 83 safari version, with african special stuff !!
Ari drove the ascona to the 4th place at the acropolis and at the 5th at the MonteCarlo, but he won the Safari !! one reason more to choose the Safari livery.
So lets' start now !!

what looked like the original Bburago car:



after a "decapex" shower, the body shell looks pretty new, except some little pieces of the original blue paint (that I have to put off directly with a blade)

here with all parts off the car:



and here during the first fitting test for the hoods, to see if sintofer work needed or not... and yes it's needed !



that's all for this start !
to be continued...

thanks for reading
notes and appreciations welcome !

bye
Phil

[RallyRaider]

Welcome to the contest Phil. Good luck finding the decals and things you need. So you are building it as a curbside?

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by RallyRaider

Welcome to the contest Phil. Good luck finding the decals and things you need. So you are building it as a curbside?

thank you !
Yes, I do. at least I will try to, hoping it would find an end enough satisfying to enter the contest ! not I only contest to win ("you can dream, man !") but I prefer presenting a fine model than a failed one !!

Bye
Philippe

[puffyrs]

Hi Phil
Good subject
sorry to contact you through your post.
But have you seen the Peugeot 205 t16 EVO2 at MANOIR AUTOMOBILE
in LOHEAC France.
I was going there to take some photos.
Sorry again to nick your post.

Puffyrs

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by puffyrs

Hi Phil
Good subject
sorry to contact you through your post.
But have you seen the Peugeot 205 t16 EVO2 at MANOIR AUTOMOBILE
in LOHEAC France.
I was going there to take some photos.
Sorry again to nick your post.

Puffyrs

Hello,
no problem Puffyrs, you do right asking your question here cos' that's me that should have some apologizes to do... I have forgotten to answer to your private message...!
No, I've never been at the Manoir Automobile but I know they have some Gr B cars, the only one BX 4TC surviving, an maxi turbo (Sainz one) and a quattro and a 205 T16 E2... I think it's all they have in Gr. B



talking about Gr. B, it seems that the ascona ran into the Gr.B cos' it did at the Monte Carlo, I could see that on a photo.
I suppose it did all the season, even if I couldn't find it back on other photos, but the ascona 400 was replaced by the Manta 400 during the season to be able to score points in the championship (only Gr.B cars could score in the chamionship from 1983 to 1986), then I suppose they had already put the Ascona into this group not to be able to score only half a season...
problem is that there is so much mud on the cars in Safari... I cannot see the Gr.b circle on the doors !!
I will go on searching pic to confirm my point of view.
anyway that won't change anything at the moment in the building.
update to come, maybe tonight. I've started the sintofer work !

Phil

[puffyrs]

Originally Posted by rallymaster

Hello,
no problem Puffyrs, you do right asking your question here cos' that's me that should have some apologizes to do... I have forgotten to answer to your private message...!
No, I've never been at the Manoir Automobile but I know they have some Gr B cars, the only one BX 4TC surviving, an maxi turbo (Sainz one) and a quattro and a 205 T16 E2... I think it's all they have in Gr. B



talking about Gr. B, it seems that the ascona ran into the Gr.B cos' it did at the Monte Carlo, I could see that on a photo.
I suppose it did all the season, even if I couldn't find it back on other photos, but the ascona 400 was replaced by the Manta 400 during the season to be able to score points in the championship (only Gr.B cars could score in the chamionship from 1983 to 1986), then I suppose they had already put the Ascona into this group not to be able to score only half a season...
problem is that there is so much mud on the cars in Safari... I cannot see the Gr.b circle on the doors !!
I will go on searching pic to confirm my point of view.
anyway that won't change anything at the moment in the building.
update to come, maybe tonight. I've started the sintofer work !

Phil

Hi Phil
thanks for the answer.
Have you seen this website with lots of Ascona photos.

Car photos

Cheers
Puffyrs

[klutz_100]

Great project!
Will follow with interest

[rallymaster]

Hello,

Thanks puffyrs fo the link, I had already seen that in my web reasearch, but it's great to find it back !
great pics there !

going on is the way I have to work on plastic parts extrated from the spoilers, and a door that wasn't well sized enough to fit exactly like the other one...
let's wait 24 hours that the sintofer dries...!



rear plastic part has already been replaced in the spoiler, and I have to put some sintofer around, the part wasn't thin enough to fit well.
humm... sand paper will be my best friend for the 2 or 3 days coming...!!

Phil

[rallymaster]

hello All,
here is today's update !

All plastic parts in the spoilers are finally in place and sand paper work on it is done.

rear of the car, plastic part takes place all along the spoiler.



front of the car, you can see the plastic card piece which will be the side mirror support and the sintofer work done on the window frame corner at this place (humm not really easy to see on this pic... )



the front spoiler with its plastic parts.




After that, hard work and serious things start here !!

First, I have to open the triangle air intakes of the front hood... plastic card work needed !
after some first experiences trying to cut the hole off the plastic card sheet, I decided to glue the whole part and open the hole after.




next update will normally be hood with air intakes opened... If no plastic card accident !!

thanks for reading
Bye
Phil

[klutz_100]

just so you know I'm watching

[RallyFanatic]

so am i!
Very keen to see how this'll turn out!

[rallymaster]

Hello all,
a new update here.

I opened the hole where I will put the plastic card part in which I will open the triangle air intakes.



Then I put the plastic card part in its place after two hours making them fitting together !!! Arghhh... I love metal !!!



I think I will open air intakes next week, let's be a calm week end watching once again 1983 rallies video tape !!!

thanks for reading
Bye
Phil

[rallymaster]

Hello all,
here is my new update !

I opened the triangle air intakes of the engine hood:



... But still have to make them cleaner with sintofer and sandpaper work.

And after that I began to take a serious look at the inside and the under chassis... And what to do with... or not !!



several options are expectable:
- save the parts and change what isn't correct - easy to do but not really interesting and no real good chance to make it nice (and catch some votes ! )
- save the most important part of it and work around - not easy to achieve but an easy base to start.
- rebuild all of it - hard but great challenge !

Shall I have to let you know my choice ??
I will rebuild the inside and the under chassis full scratch !
Wow, hard work to come...!

thanks for reading
bye
Phil

[Technoman]

Originally Posted by rallymaster

I will rebuild the inside and the under chassis full scratch !

Excellent, already interested in this build but this definitely peaks my interest!! Great job so far on one of my favorite rally cars.

[sportracer02]

Originally Posted by rallymaster

Shall I have to let you know my choice ??
I will rebuild the inside and the under chassis full scratch !

... this is the only right way, much luck, I looking forward to see some progress pics.