Studio 27 McLaren F1-GTR

[Mark]

Now that the Brough is finished, at least as far as I can go until I get hold of some leather, I've decided to drag this on to the workbench. It was one of my scores from my trip to Shizuoka.
It's a curb side model of the McLaren F1-GTR as raced in the 1995 Suzuka 1000kms race. It's a very basic kit, mainly resin and white metal. No engine or suspension, just a body and cockpit. The detail on the cockpit looks a bit sparse, but I'll see what reference photos I can find on the web. I'm sure I can add a bit !

Studio27 McLaren F1-GTR by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

The instructions are sparse too. Just one page, with some glaring omissions. For example, there are etched parts for the windscreen wipers, but they aren't mentioned in the instructions. There is a paining and decal placement guide on the back.

Studio27 McLaren F1-GTR by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

The main parts are lovely castings. Beautifully finished.

Studio27 McLaren F1-GTR by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

There is a bag of white metal parts for wheels, seat, roll cage, etc. Resin dash, clear resin lights, and so on.....

Studio27 McLaren F1-GTR by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

Vac formed windows and rubber tyres

Studio27 McLaren F1-GTR by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

Finally, etched parts and a couple of sheets of decals.

Studio27 McLaren F1-GTR by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

Well, that should be a quick project. Not particularly difficult as far as putting together what you've got, but the instructions are really quite poor. Difficult to work out exactly where parts go, and they have some omissions too.
Unfortunately there aren't many reference photos of this actual car on the web. However, there are lot of photos of the Le Mans 24 hour winner from the same year. I'm going to use Gaia paints as I got good results with them on the Brough.

[royjess]

Going to be a nice build,

[casper]

Interesting looking kit Mark, even has a cast metal seat
I found this link, not sure if it helps but some nice photos
casp
https://www.topspeed.com/cars/mclaren/1 ... ar704.html

[Mark]

Thanks for the link Casper. Some good photos there, but unfortunately none of the car I'm building.
I've done some hunting on the web and it seems that the colour scheme in the instructions is wrong
The instructions show a 2 tone, gun metal and metallic silver livery. I can't find any photos of the real car, but there are several different diets models, and they are all solid black. Most annoying on two counts. First, I liked the 2 tone livery, even if it did look like a difficult making job, and secondly, I've already bought the paints Ah well, an all over black paint with gold wheels it will be.

I got a bit disheartened with the model as the instructions are terrible, no mention of lots of parts that should be fitted to the model. Particularly the photo-etched sheet. I've worked out where most of the parts go. There are some decals that aren't mentioned as well. So I decided to just build it straight out of the box, and not bother with any extra details. The interior is very simplified. Didn't take long to do.

Untitled by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

Here is the body with grills added, and primed ready for the top coat. I'm using Gaia paints, same as I did on the Brough Superior. They gave good results. Fingers crossed as the primer doesn't appear to have adhered too strongly to the resin, despited it being washed before painting. That was the Gaia black surface primer.

Untitled by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

Still, for all the kit's shortcomings, the car has beautiful lines, and the body is really nicely cast. It should make a nice model, but not a showcase piece.

[Mark]

Well, the black primer looks good, so I was expecting the gloss to go on OK.

Errrr.... Nope !! It looked as rough as old rats !! Very lumpy and bumpy. I think the surface wasn't that good, but the matt black primer was hiding the problem.

Untitled by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

Queue lots of sanding.......

[Mark]

...after lots of sanding....

Untitled by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

Time to get the primer out again, and I need to buy some more black gloss.....

[casper]

shame about the gloss coat Mark, was it a reaction to the primer
casp

[Mark]

I don’t think it was a reaction as they’re both Giai paints. Hope not anyway as I’m going to try again with the same ones

[wingnut]

Nice looking kit Mark I think this may be a "measure twice cut once" school of thought ? may be testing on a sprue first ?

[Mark]

Well, I gave this kit a few coats of black, which went on much better second time. Must have been operator error. Maybe I didn’t have him the paint enough first time. Anyway, it got put aside to harden pending sanding and polishing. When I picked it up again I noticed a largish chip, which I touched up. Then I started to flat it off with a sanding stick, and the paint started flaking off horribly! It nearly went in the bin.

Anyway, I’ve just read on Facebook that you can strip paint with Dettol. So, it went into a box full of Dettol for a week, and it worked It turned the paint into a gooey mess with can be scrubbed off with a tooth brush. Messy, horrible job, but it worked ok. Then some Tamiya airbrush cleaner to get into the nooks and corners, and it’s ready to try again. Don’t use airbrush cleaner on a plastic kit though. It will destroy it!

I have no idea why the paint peeled. It was like the body was covered in release agent, but it had been scrubbed with soap and a toothbrush. Fingers crossed that plan B is more successful!

[Mark]

One stripped body!!

IMG_3927 by Mark Wakelin, on Flickr

[casper]

so glad you stripped the paintwork Mark and by the looks of it you did a great job
will you need to prime again.

[Mark]

I'm going to get a rattle can of Tamiya black and hit it with that. Hopefully that will stick!

[Morris]

Best stuff going, Tamiya TS-14 gloss black in a rattle can - IMO - SD's the paint man, but I love the stuff - it's what I base coated my two P-38's with..... just my tuppence worth...

[Mark]

Yup! It’s going on straight out of the can too!