Ford Sierra RS Cosworth Grp A 1987

[malscar]

Seeing as the photo upload is working again I can post my new project.

I am building a Sierra touring car run by the Dick Johnson race team in 1987. The car is from the 1st half of the year and was driven by the late Gregg Hansford. Luckily this car was run as a LHD car to compare with the other team car which was RHD. This car was later changed to RHD for the following season as there was no performance advantage and therefore they wanted both cars to be identical for parts purposes.

Base kit is the Tamiya Sierra RS500 Texaco car. In black GRRR.

In the photo below you can see some of the modifications required to turn the car into the Rs Cosworth version. The front air dam needed the 2 lower slots reduced in size, the slot at the top of the spoiler filled in and the lip on the spoiler filed off. 1st primer coat to showup pits etc. The body also needed the 2 fuel filler holes on the rear to be filled and sanded smooth as the car did not have these til the end of the season.


The next 2 photos show the removal and replacement of the fuel drop tank that the Johnson cars ran with on the 1st 2 cars they built. This needed surgery to cut the original spare wheel well off, building a new chassis rail on one side, replacement of the floor and building the new tank. All this was done with plastic card and filler. The photo with the completed tank has still to receive it's final red coat.



The last photo shows the firewall that the Johnson team used to separate the fuel tank from the driver. This again was built from plastic card.


Thanks guys and enjoy
Mal

[winstona]

Wow. Great attention to detail! Looking good.

[RallyRaider]

Great attention to detail Mal. Even better execution. Going to enter this in the 80s comp? It'll blow my Sierra away!

[Gavkiwi]

now correct me if im wrong, but didnt Greg Hansford use to race Bikes in aussie before the ATCC?

I remember this car very well, ive watched Bathurst '87 atleast 100 times since I was knee high to a grass hopper, and this car crapped out on the first lap did it not?

around mcphillamy park (sp)

anywho, great car, I love the aussie RS500 Sierras, they really were a European invasion that made the Aussie V8s look obsolete for a while in ATCC.

I look forward to watching this build

cheers

Gav.

[Technoman]

Great start, outstanding job on reconstructing the chassis like that!!
One of my all time favorite cars, I will watch with great interest. I have a total of 10 Tamiya Sierras to build now, 5 touring and 5 rally versions....

[malscar]

Thanks guys.

Gav you are right. Gregg started riding in about 1971 and won I think 3 Aussie championships before going to Europe for Kawasaki. Retired from bikes due to doctors advice after a few falls. The car ran at Bathurst in RS500 guise and got to just before the cutting on the 2nd lap when Crichton and Perkins got together. Same spot and situation as Murphy and Ambrose.

Technoman, you have the same problem I do. I have another 12 tourers I want to build and 1 rally . Just hope Tamiya re-release it again like they are others.

[malscar]

A quick update to show more progress.

This shot shows the new rollcage built from 3/32" plastic tube. The original Tamya item is on the right for comparison purposes. Quite a difference.

The underside has been completed with the exhaust being modified with some brass tube replacing the end.

[RallyRaider]

Great work Mal, I'll just need to follow in your footsteps.

[NissanSkylineGTR98]

Nice attention to detail!

[quadzero]

really nice so far. chassis gets an A+.

[malscar]

Just a quick update on the Sierra as I have found some time to make some progress.

Car is only put together to give a idea of the finished car. I have yet to get into the interior and I am awaiting a seatbelt PE set to arrive in the next few days. Wiring will also be done.

Decals are nearly finished with only the large roof number, name on windsreen and one interior rollcage decal to go. For anyone using the Roodecal decals, they are very thin and prone to splitting. With the door and bonnet numbers, I should have used another plain white decal cut to size to stop the bleed through. Unusually the other white decals do not seem to suffer from this. The red is Tamiya TS49 which appears to be a good match for the real car. Main rear spoiler has had the lip and raised area sanded off to replicate the pre RS500 one. Wheel pins needed to be shortened so the wheels fit snuggly.

[Gavkiwi]

Mate, very nice...coming along nicely .

That Tamiya red is a nice match, the wheels that you are using, are they the ones that came with the kit?

[quadzero]

i like these jobs where there is a lot of research and modifications made, helps with my models and i get to learn about the sport these cars run in also. i really like this and that colour will sure stand out on the shelf when its done.

[malscar]

As can be seen I have now completed the Sierra. It has been sitting on the bench awaiting a seatbelt PE and decals to arrive.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a interior shot before attaching the body. The seatbelts I used are a PE set made by Eduard. Although they depict the belts quite nicely, I found that the paint they use will flake off when you bend the belt as required. Luckily this occurred in just the solid colour areas and could be touched up.

Anyone using the original Roodecal Shell sheet will need to source the Shell logos for the headlights and the Palmer Tube Mills signwriting for the rollcage. Also I had to print the driver's name out as no one produces Gregg's name for the Shell cars.

Anyone building the Sierra will need to be aware that the rear wing arms(?) are not wide enough apart. You will not get a perfect fit however you can get a good approximation.

Tow eyes made from fuse wire. Again be aware that the Shell cars moved the front one the following year. Front grill needed a large mesh and the lower front airdam opening needed a smaller size mesh to replicate the Shell cars. Throughout the Shell cars life/versions the mesh types did not change. The mesh was from offcuts from various rally car builds.









Just noticed I haven't put a Ford badge on the front. Oh well, I will do that now.

In answer to Gavkiwi's question, the wheels are the original Tamiya ones.

Mal

[RallyRaider]

Super (and speedy!) work Mal. Looks brilliant.