Just in case I get spoilt by building a kit with instructions ( http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... ), I'm also starting a Merrymeet Models 1:43 resin model of the Alain De Cadenet T380 from Le Mans 1981.



Trying to research these cars has driven me mad, as nobody seems to know which one is genuinely which (and there were only 4 of them!), even people who have bought cars from ADC himself. The general assumption is that this is a chassis know as LM4, the last built, with the chassis number GLC 913 (or also known as ADC 78/1 ). The ADC 78/1 is quite simple to decode, Alain De Cadenet, 1978, chassis 1. The GLC 913 is a bit more complex, the theory being;

GLC is Gordon Murray who designed the suspension, Len Bailey who designed the tub and Cosworth, obviously engine. The 913 is the engine number, being the 13th DFV produced/updated in 1969. 913 is also the engine that took Bruce McLaren to victory at the 1968 Belgium Grand Prix (originally being number 613 then 913 when updated to 1969 spec). All this is from an excellent thread on 10Tenths;

http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5...

De Cadenet took the original Lola and redesigned it, racing it/them right upto 1981, the first De Cadenet built being in 1977 (road registered, reputedly tested on the M4)

Is it any wonder people get confused with chassis history at auctions!

The model itself is from the days when Peter Radcliffe still owned them. It is a very simple it, but the body is very nicely moulded in resin.

Here's what you get in the box;



As you can see, no instructions but two decal sheets which is handy.

The body is nice and crisp, the chassis is very simple with quite basic detailing to the rear.





Also included is a bag of bits, again very simple. The rear of the gearbox is represented, although it is a touch blob like, so may see some remedial work.



I'm undecided yet as to whether I will use the decals to represent the red areas of the livery, but as I have two sets I can practice on one and if I'm not keen I'm not really in any worse position.

Yeah, but I like to give myself the illusion of an alternative option to start with! Interestingly I've already noticed a variance from the picture above to one of DeCad in the pits in '81.

Still here and ready to enjoy...

I like the thinking about the lights first, not last

I do like the look of that

And I still bet you paint the red



b

tee hee

It's had a bit more work, but not much due to other models taking priority. I hope to have a bit of a dabble with it this week.

The picture in the first post is from the Duncan Hamilton advert. There are some interesting differences in livery and a couple of other things that have occurred since the car raced in period.

Shockingly, an update.

Having cleared the bench a little, a thought a bit of DeCad was in order. As Perdu predicted so long ago, yes, I have painted the red bits instead of using the decals. There's actually a very good reason for this apart from the fact that I attached the wing mirror, the decals are wrong and will not go on to give the correct shape. Saying that, I'm not totally sure the body shell is right either, so it's probably a bit of both, which means that this is not going to be hyper accurate.

Having scanned the decal sheets I printed them out onto normal paper so that I could use them as masks to guide me as to where to place the tape. This was great until I had completed the front and it just did not look right, it was no where near the livery carried by the car as it is today (which is admittedly slightly different to the period livery). So, off it all came and an amalgam of decal, current and period livery was created. This is where doubts about the body shell come to the fore as there are some bits that just don;t work, such as the NACA ducts on the back and the large ducts beside the cockpit. It'll still give a good impression though, so worth continuing.

The Jammy Dog masking tape is actually quite good. Not as good as Tamiya (some would say of course) but very good all the same. It is a right pain to lay down in straight consistent lines though, being so thin.

Here is the body shell with Mark 2.0 masking;


decadent11 by Red Firecracker, on Flickr


decadent12 by Red Firecracker, on Flickr

You can just about make out the Jammy Dog tape against the white body. The way I measured out the gaps was to butt tape against each other and then remove the middle bit, so TAPE - TAPE - TAPE, then remove the centre TAPE to give TAPE - - TAPE, which should give a consistent width gap all the way along and for the most part it does, but you need to be very careful when you smooth the tap down that you don;t slide it across the surface.

Next step was to spay the red, after a very light coat of clear to seal the tape;


decadent13 by Red Firecracker, on Flickr

and then, once that had dried, the grand unveil;


decadent14 by Red Firecracker, on Flickr


decadent15 by Red Firecracker, on Flickr

Overall pretty pleased with the outcome. Some of the line are a bit wavy towards the back, but it is 0.5mm tape, so quite tricky. Next step is to clear and decal the body, then work on the chassis/wheels/interior.

The red is a bit below par. Probably too cold and slightly to old. It'll possibly get a little bit of colour sanding before clearing, but I must admit my heart isn't in this one for some reason.

Depends on the paint, Perdu. The ones I use definitely do go 'off' and to be honest, I should have added some thinner to it before I started, but the rugby was about to start!

I'll give it a go over with the micromesh and see what occurs. It keeps things interesting, after all.

That's a bit better now;


decadent16 by Red Firecracker, on Flickr

Bit of Micromesh action, bit of clear, much better finish. Once that has hardened I'll assess it again and see whether I Micromesh it again before applying the decals.

Ta.

Oh yes, well aware of the numerous pitfalls, been there many times. This one will be ending up as a 'shiny model' so depending on how the clear hardens, it may be okay for decaling and clearing again without issue.