Ford GT 24h LeMans build

[JonMW]

Today is the test day for the 2015 24h LeMans race that will be held in two weeks time. And as usual I'll be building a LeMans car during the race. I had planed to build a Ferrari 330 P4 that I had in the stash, but as I was looking at it I saw that it never race at LeMans. So I had to find something else and dug out a Simil'R Ford GT that I had totally forgotten I had. As this is not the most simple kit with full chassis detail, opening doors, removable body panels, PE parts and a lot of decals, I'll probably be cheating a little bit by prepping the body parts for paint and doing a bit of test fitting. But only spending the time the teams has for test and qualifying sessions, so it's still in the spirit. Not sure how good the fit is of this kit is, I think its one of the first kits Simil'R made and there is a bit of flash, but at least the decals are made by Cartograf so that's good.





















If there is any more crazy people, you'r welcome join in, just find a kit of a car that raced at LeMans at some time and build it in 24 hours during the race.

[Danta2er]

This will be fun to watch!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Very cool, will follow you along on this one. I don't think your prep time is cheating at all
I would love to join you, but not this year...too much on my plate
BUT I am going to keep this in mind in my kit searches and find a suitable car for next year
Best of luck,
Scott

[JonMW]

Just a little over five hours left before the start of the race and I'm all set to get started. Only thing done so far is prepping the body parts and getting a coat of primer on.

[Tajfl]

Looks like you are well prepared for start

[Howard]

It's been a pretty good race so far and the announcement of Ford coming back next year is great news. Also ties in with your build nicely!

Howard

[JonMW]

The race so far has been really good. I have painted the body in Zero paint Matech blue and all the decals are on. Will let it dry for a wile before I put on the clear. Now I can start painting all the other parts.

[Tajfl]

Nice
Are Zero paints acrylic colors?

[Twokidsnosleep]

.....and he's off, leading the field by a wide margin

[JonMW]

Nice
Are Zero paints acrylic colors?

Thanks, no they are lacquer paints, it's the same stuff you paint real cars with. So it's pretty bad from a health point of view, but the color matches are spot on.

Got all the parts that need metal paints painted using Alclads and Xtreme metal colors.



Time for some clear and then some food.

[Twokidsnosleep]

How are you liking the extreme metal paint???
Superb assortment of painted parts and body paint

[JonMW]

I think they are pretty good, some of the colors looks great. Like the Brass, copper, burned metal and jet exhaust, but I think the Alclad aluminium is better. I'm not replacing my Alclads but it's a really good compliment.

Can't believe it's been over 8 hours since the start of the race, the time is just flying. And what a great race it's been so far.

Finally got most of the parts painted, so no I can start the actual building of the kit.




It's not my best clear coat, but for the time it looks OK. The metallic blue looks really nice.


Lots of black and dark grey parts.

[JonMW]

12 hours gone and only 12 hours left! Have started putting parts together, the fit is not on the same level as Tamiya, some things are fine then there are parts that is just plain bad.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Looking great, digging the carbon fibre accents
Keep at it. Are you staying up the next 12 hrs???

[JonMW]

Thanks! How can you not stay up for the rest of the race with so much going on. But I'm giving up on this, the fit is just too bad. Been trying to get the rear suspension together and it just won't go together. Nothing has any good locating, bad instructions, you could probably put it together in three or four different ways. But no matter what way the drive shaft and toe link is too short and the wheel is not in the center of the wheel opening. So this thing is going to the bottom of the pile of DOOM.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Darn
I was going to write some suggestion about late night surgery on the kit, but you know what you are doing
If Ya can't even rig the suspension and wheels assemblies together, you are kinda hooped
Too bad, you were doing great

[Tajfl]

So, Ford is out of the race

[kiwigav]

Wicked looking kit, nice job