WIP: Colin McRae Subaru Impreza Gr.A 95 RAC (Tribute build)

[rallymaster]

Hello all rally fans (and others )

It's high time for me to open this thread signing my entry in our group tribute build to these 3 UK drivers & codrivers who left us too early.

Here is my build to pay homage to Scot legend Colin McRae, probably the only non-finn to fly so high (or even higher) than finns themselves

So here is the model I chose, the one of Colin's world champion title year, the one of his national rally... Well, the Sub' Impreza group A he drove in the 95 RAC rally.

I will use hasegawa kit with some 95 RAC decals (I think from the same model by Revell... but not sure)

Here starts the progress:


the well known Hasegawa box

*

and the RAC decals I will add to the Sub' livery




I started to work on the chassis, after having painted it with Automotive paint form Carlux (ref. 115005)
Painted the engine bottom, the transmissions, the gearbox etc and brushed them to give "used" effect as I always do and glued everything in place:







After that I painted the exhaust, and then wanted to give it some "burnt effect", but after almost 2 hours and many repainting I had to admitt this is definitely not part of my skills and keep it like that !
(will have to read how-to and tutorials a bit more ! )






That's all for tonight

Comments and critics very welcome

[Dan66460]

Great start! Great tribute!!

Dan

[rallymaster]

Thanks Dan for your compliment !

Update !

For the first time ever I decided to modify the spring of the suspension.
I have already shorten or lengthen some suspension but till today always used the kit parts.
Encouraged by the beautifull work I've seen here on AF (especially on Sean's Stratos), I decided to take my chance on this one because this model has a gravel body height that allow to see suspensions behind the wheels and moreover the Hasegawa springs parts are poorly molded...

So don't hesitate to post comments and critics, I know this first attempt is not a fantastic success but nevertheless I'm satisfied with the result for a first time.

First, I cut the kit parts, keeping bottom and top of the suspension, and made a new spring with electric wire, rolled arround a brush or a barbecue pick.






I also made the new shock absorber inside the spring with plastic tube




I'm so maniac that I spent around 1 hour per spring !!
I wanted to get a perfect result but I finally had to admit I would probably never get it...
So after so much time I thought I could be satisfied of what I had, wanting to go on with assembly... which took as much time, too !!
once more the same story: wanted the best, finally accepted what I got...
but it's finally not too bad, don't you think ?






After that, as I usually do for all my models now, I added to the chassis some nuts which will receive bolts to be able to display the finish model in its box.

I drilled two small holes (smaller than the bolts) through the chassis under the seats, the inside part and the box base; after having verified every part was in the same axis, I enlarge all the holes to the bolts size (with my calpel), then placed the nuts and glued them, keeping them pressed by small grips while glue is drying.






Here the different parts which bolts will cross








I wanted to finish the assembly of the chassis parts, suspensions, brakes...








The finished chassis






On the base of the display case fixed by the bolts




That's all for tonight

Comments and critics very welcome !
Thanks for reading

[stevenoble]

Nice work on the springs.Has shortening them reduced the ride height to the correct level? If I build the Subaru Legacy I'm thinking of doing for the Tribute Build I may have to do the same with the springs.

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by stevenoble

Nice work on the springs.Has shortening them reduced the ride height to the correct level? If I build the Subaru Legacy I'm thinking of doing for the Tribute Build I may have to do the same with the springs.

Hi Steve,

thanks for your compliment.
In fact, no I kept the normal height, making new spring to the same size of kit part.
I think I may have lost 1 or 2 mm in the operation because I had to adjust a bit the parts to glue them.
I will only know if I did right when putting body onto the chassis with the wheels.
With only the wheels, I already have one satisfaction, the car is laying on its four wheels !!

I think it's not simple to chose the right height for this car because the Sub Gr. A wasn't so low than WRC are now when runing on tarmac.
the height of the car as it is in the box (95 MC + 94 RAC) could match most tarmac and gravel rallies...
So I didn't want to lengthen or shorten the spring and think I won't do it even when building the tarmac SanRemo or MC car with my other Hasegawa kit.

EDIT: to give you my advice about reducing height, when I do the same I never shorten the spring itself but the suspension arm under the spring. It's probably not accurate and reality-like but that's the way how not to have to make new springs.
of course now I will probably see that with another point of view... But I found I spent much time for only 4 springs !

[SeanyG]

Good start Phil, and you say I build fast!!!

Have your tried Tamiya's Weathering sets, I use them on my exhausts and they can achieve a finish which is almost a smooth as an airbrush effect. I recommended the set which includes Soot, Mud & Snow colours (snow can be used for drybrushing darker colours). Your weathering on the exhaust is good but could do with being a little more softer.

As for the springs they look excellent and that is just the way Im going to modify mine too - except I have 8 to do - great!

[RallyRaider]

Nice start there Phil, great idea to secure the model to a base with bolts. I'll be following this build closely as I have a couple of Hasegawa Group A Impreza kits in my stash.

[fandauriol]

Hi Phil
For my first tribute on this forum, I want to tell you that you're the more builder I've ever seen
What a beautifull work

[aliburke]

wonderful spring & good paint! it is a work of great originality!

but those tow bolts were set for what?

[rallymaster]

Hi Sean, hi Phil, and all

Thanks for your words !

Well, the speed of build... Uuh... Humm... is already falling down, because I want to finish another project for next week model show...
I know the Tamiya sets but never used them yet.
As I said ahead I rarely do some wheathering or heat effects on my models...
never really dare to... except for failled models !!
But I may try that when building some GR. B with their visible engine.

Phil - thanks again for your kind words; I don't believe I could bring inspiration to such best modelers as you are part of, but I'm please you are following my thread and hope you'll enjoy my work.

Originally Posted by fandauriol

Hi Phil
For my first tribute on this forum, I want to tell you that you're the more builder I've ever seen
What a beautifull work

Hi Bruno,

thanks for your words and welcome here !
Feel free to explore the modelling sections and you will quickly see I feel more a joker than a modeler compared to other masterbuilders (well, artist is almost the word needed...)

Also please take a look at my brother's work, he is marcus-rally here on AF (but he only posted about his 307 WRC for the moment)

I try to do my best and to be honest, two years and half ago before entering AF modeling forums, I probably would't have been able to do half of what I can do now.
I have to say thank you to all modelers here to be part of what and who bring me more inspiration, skills, wiling and of course success (when it happens ! ) every new day I open a thread.


Anyway, thanks for being here and don't hesitate to share your builds, please don't only look at but participate !

Originally Posted by aliburke

wonderful spring & good paint! it is a work of great originality!

but those tow bolts were set for what?

Thank you, nice comment, I appreciate, originality is usually not the first word noticed but it's fine to hear it when trying to give some personal touch ot each new build

Well, the bolts are there only to be able to dispaly the model on its box once finished, so to fix the model in the box, so simply.

I am preparing a how-to thread for that, but need to do some pic of models displayed (next week end at the models show)

[shaggymorris]

is the carlux blue the best match for this car? i am going to do same model but planned on using tamiya mica blue is this suitable??

[freakray]

Originally Posted by shaggymorris

is the carlux blue the best match for this car? i am going to do same model but planned on using tamiya mica blue is this suitable??

Tamiya Mica Blue is incorrect for any pre-1996 Subaru rally model.

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by shaggymorris

is the carlux blue the best match for this car? i am going to do same model but planned on using tamiya mica blue is this suitable??

Hello,

No, as Ray said Mica blue (tamiya TS 50 for example) only match WRC Subs.
Gr. A Subs used a blue close to "royal blue"... something like that which is in fact a lightly purplished blue.
Personaly I use this Carlux ref for both Rothmans and Sub Gr.A cars. It does match both cars really well (tested with decals) !

I don't how it is in your country but I found this reference in a famous french cars center brand.

I think it may be possible to get a RAL code (well, RAL is the french letters meaning general color references, those used by color makers... I don't know if "RAL" is what is typed in English to mean that) somewhere but I have no contact with Prodrive...

I can't say more, sorry, in fact I only know which Carlux reference I have to buy to match these Sub's color from my personal experience and tests...

[Eejii]

[quote=rallymaster]I think it may be possible to get a RAL code (well, RAL is the french letters meaning general color references, those used by color makers... I don't know if "RAL" is what is typed in English to mean that) somewhere but I have no contact with Prodrive...
[quote]

Hi

I remember I have heard that Rothmans blue would be RAL5002, so maybe that's good for grA Subies too?

Eejii

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by Eejii

Hi

I remember I have heard that Rothmans blue would be RAL5002, so maybe that's good for grA Subies too?

Eejii

Hi Eejii,

Thank you for posting your info
but I don't believe so According to me RAL 5002 that's not true for Gr.A Subs...
RAL 5032 perhaps (??) but RAL 5002 is the 2006 Gauloises Citroen color, aso used by Renault on their DIAC megane in 96/97 or by Bozian on the 206 WRC in 2002 and the OMV 307 WRC.

Gr.A Sub's color seems darker (and also Rothmans color BTW)... but it also have a purplished tone in the blue... So I won't swear it's not possible but I really doubt it's the right reference.

That appart, it's only me that choose to use this unique color for both liveries so maybe I'm wrong
Especially if you say that RAL 5002 should be Rothmans color...
Maybe that's right for Rothmans (it's not, according to my comparison with decals because Carlux ref matches decals...) and not for Sub Gr.A...?
there are so much tones in even a same color, so....


An answer may come when seeing my Sub body painted I guess...
Have to do that this week but I am working on some other projects I'd like to finish for this week-end modeling meeting.