Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

[dr_gn]

So after a cup of tea, I had another look at the paint, and since it seemed to be pretty dry, I rushed into wet sanding it back smooth with some #1500 paper (there seemed little to gain by waiting for the paint to cure any further). After it dried, and briefly considering trying the spray can, I had another go with the paint decanted into the airbrush. This time I worked more slowly, and held the airbrush closer to the surface. Turned out nicely considering the first attempt:









This now needs flatting and then the red applying.

[dr_gn]

Spent some time scraping the old paint off the windscreen surround, polishing it back and adding some p/e rivets to represent the securing screws & washers:

[dr_gn]

Alex@POD said:

The level of detail always amazes me, I'm watching this with interest!

The bodywork is easy compared with the chassis, but that's next on the list.

[dr_gn]

I've secretly been praying for this to happen...

Top Studio have at last produced a range of super detail sets for this kit. They consist of:

Cockpit and Antennae (which arrived today):





Brakes, engine and driveshafts, which I've got on back order:







Combined with the Thunder Valley parts for the suspension etc., it pretty much covers every aspect of the car in minute detail. All the work figuring out which sizes of switch, connector and bracket to buy, not to mention tiny turned parts that weren't even available is now done.

Just have to put it together.

I only hope they do similar for the FW14-B and Ferrari 641 - I've heard on the grapevine that sets are being developed for both.

[dr_gn]

tyrrell said:

Can't Waite for this, have been hoping you would get back to this project

Ha ha - might make it a priority if this is anything to go by:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-McLaren-Honda-Type-...

Comlete with anorexic coil springs, terrible braided hoses and missing monocoque brakets/ignition details. And that's just after a cursory glance...If mine doesn't turn out at least as good as that by the time its finished, I'll be gutted. In fact TBH it wouldn't get finished at all.

[dr_gn]

EagleMoto4-2 said:

I saw a few Andy Mathews models in the Tamiya model magazine. The amount of detail was mind blowing. His Ferrari 641 had a working throttle for instance!
I have a Top Studio detail up set for a Ducati Panigale, and like you say the instructions aren't the best.

I think the EBay auction is a model of it's time, some early work maybe from what I can gather.

[dr_gn]

EagleMoto4-2 said:

dr_gn said:

EagleMoto4-2 said:

I saw a few Andy Mathews models in the Tamiya model magazine. The amount of detail was mind blowing. His Ferrari 641 had a working throttle for instance!
I have a Top Studio detail up set for a Ducati Panigale, and like you say the instructions aren't the best.

I think the EBay auction is a model of it's time, some early work maybe from what I can gather.

On reflection maybe they looked exceptional to the untrained eye at the time, plus the materials available to the modern model maker have certainly improved.

Exactly, but for £10k I'd be expecting pretty much perfection at that scale, irrespective of when it was built or by whom...

[dr_gn]

EagleMoto4-2 said:

dr_gn said:

EagleMoto4-2 said:

dr_gn said:

EagleMoto4-2 said:

I saw a few Andy Mathews models in the Tamiya model magazine. The amount of detail was mind blowing. His Ferrari 641 had a working throttle for instance!
I have a Top Studio detail up set for a Ducati Panigale, and like you say the instructions aren't the best.

I think the EBay auction is a model of it's time, some early work maybe from what I can gather.

On reflection maybe they looked exceptional to the untrained eye at the time, plus the materials available to the modern model maker have certainly improved.

Exactly, but for £10k I'd be expecting pretty much perfection at that scale, irrespective of when it was built or by whom...

It is amazing the amount of money people will part with for certain things. I guess his reputation proceeded the actual quality of his work, once you put that work under the microscope.

Apparently it's been for sale for a couple of years, previously at an even higher asking price. It's a nice enough model for what it is, but I'd estimate it's worth about £500 on a good day.

On the whole, built models aren't worth much at all, depite the work that goes in to them. I've seen some surprising exceptions on EBay though.

[dr_gn]

tyrrell said:

We know yours with be 10x better

Well if it is, this isn't a good start!

I got a really good finish on the white, and masked for the red using references, and templates from the moulded-in lines on my spare body:





Then decanted the Tamiya Spray Flourescent Red, degassed and sprayed with the airbrush:



As with the white, it left a great high gloss finish, just needed the demarcation ridge removing and some fine polishing compound, and it would have been like glass after decalling and lacquering.



Trouble is...it's completely the wrong colour. I knew deep down as soon as I removed the masking, but left it until the next day to see it in daylight.

Basically, it's not flourescent, and way too deep a red. The high flourescence of the real cars' orange/red was very, very vivid back in the day when seen at close quarters in the pits, or even more so on an overcast day trackside at Silverstone. You can't tell from photographs, indeed it's a good match for most, but I assume the brightness of the cars underexposed the photographs slightly, so you just see solid red. There are a few images taken in rain or with a dark background where you can get some idea of reality.

The Tamiya decals match the Tamiya Red pretty well, and are also therefore wrong. The Tabu design aftermarket decals are better, but doubt they will be a perfect match for RAL3024, even if that's what I was using. I can fairly easily mask and paint the logos, but the nose number will be tricky.

I've been advised Mr.Colour 171 Lacquer is a good enough match, so will use that I think. Apparently the Zero paint is too orange, not that I'd use it again anyway. I wonder whether true flourescent paint will fade significantly over time.

One strange discovery (now irrelevant, but might be of use to someone): As with my Jaguar XJR9LM, the masking tape on the white body left a strange texture on the finish on removal. Definitely not residue, and you can only see it, not feel it. I resprayed the Jaguar, but on this one I tried something else - applying heat with a hairdryer. It worked. the surface "melted" or more likely stretched itself back to a high gloss finish. I couldn't really believe my eyes, but it worked.

Anyway, it's currently back in the Mr.Muscle to start all over again!

[dr_gn]

Mutley said:

Buggerit, sorry to read that Doc, it's closer to a Ferrari scarlet. Will you be able to remove without damaging the white?

No way! It'll all have to come off.

I put a request in on the Mr.Paint Facebook page for some RAL3024, and they replied straight away that they'd have some mixed and available in about 2 weeks. I'll give that a go since they are a new manufacturer, and from what I've heard they are really good, airbrush specific paints. I've already got some of their Super Gloss Clear. You get different replies from everyone on what's the best paint for the job, so I'm hoping that if they use the actual RAL designation it can't be far wrong...

http://www.mrpaint.sk/

[dr_gn]

Red Firecracker said:

I know you hate it, but I do have some MP4 Red Zero paint if you wish to compare colour. Comes out like this;



(obviously with vagaries of screen settings etc taken into account).

Ha ha I don't hate it, just vary wary of it after the last experience. How flourescent is it?

[dr_gn]

tyrrell said:

Any up dates ? Getting very excited with this latest project

I'm still stripping the old paint of the body, and am waiting for some new acrylic paint to become available. I'm looking forward to it too.

[dr_gn]

tyrrell said:

Thanks for the update

No probs!

Coincidentally I got an email from Hiroboy this lunchtime saying all the Top Studio detail sets I had on back order for these models (brakes, driveshafts and engine) had been dispatched. Still waiting for a few TVF1 damper parts then there's no excuse...

[dr_gn]

Skii said:

I recall using the Zero Mclaren red for my 1/20 Mp4/5b many years back, I remember it did need a few coats but I was very happy with the end colour.

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That said I'm sure this will be a show stopper whatever brand you go with.

Thanks, I remember seeing that before - fully detailed under the body too, looks awesome.

I may well have to go with Zero paints, but as a last resort. Hopefully Mr.Paint will have some of the correct RAL colour available soon.

[dr_gn]

So the engine cover is stripped again, ready for re-priming. At least it's a good excuse to show off my new modelling lamp. Very nice - it's got three light temperature settings, and five brightness settings within each temperature, plus of course you can angle and tilt it how you like. I find a decent lamp far more useful than a magnifying glass. Time will tell how long the LED's last:



I think it's last chance saloon time for the body, although no big deal because I've still got a spare (which I am hoping to sell if it's not required):

Edited by dr_gn on Sunday 14th February 10:22

[dr_gn]

ftypical said:

Is it too late to take the same approach to the body shell as you did with the Mosquito?

Unpainted carbon fibre and alloy...

Would be an interesting project if I knew the type of cloth and the layup. The fact is that trying to figure out the type and colour of carbon on these cars is a nightmare, and it's what's really stopping me from making a serious start on them. Both the MP4/6 and the MP4/4 I've got are male mould tubs, with a rough outer skin. I think the resins must yellow with age, because the ones I've seen recently in reference images are far more amber coloured than I remember them back in the day. Having said that, my memory isn't that good for this type of thing.

[dr_gn]

So I requested some RAL3024 (McLaren Marlboro Red) from MRP, and, somewhat unbelievably, they've mixed some for me and added it to their range.



So assuming it's correct, in theory there's at long last a definitive paint available for these cars. Result.

[dr_gn]

Bit of Deja-va, but I've primed the shell...again.

As usual it's Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer, decanted, degassed and airbrushed to give a thin coat. I find it by far the best primer for light colours; it dries fast, covers really well and dries to a hard eggshell finish which doesn't rub through too easily when flatting (unfortunately - if you, ahem, need to strip it!)

[dr_gn]

I got the Mr.Paint Basic White and RAL Flourescent Red yesterday:



To be honest I'm not very impressed: Despite shaking the bottles for several minutes, and agitating them with a dropper before airbrushing, they are so thin that the white is like spraying milk. Pretty much no depth of pigment even over white primer. I think the red would be spot-on in terms of colour,if I could get enough depth, but it might take litres of the stuff to finish a large car like this. I've used about half a bottle per colour on a test piece, and they are still nowhere near solid colours. Very difficult to get a consistent finish on the red too, since it's impossible to tell how much paint is going on the surface, it's so thin:



At least it shows how different the Tamiya Flourescent red is...

Also noticed this morning a slightly textured finish as if they have attacked the plastic in places. I've since learned that it is apparently quite an aggressive paint. I've sent a message to Mr.Paint asking for advice, but I doubt I will use them again. Certainly not on this model.

Red Firecracker has kindly offered to let me try some Zero McLaren red, so we will see how that compares.

[dr_gn]

Latest in the seemingly never ending painting saga are these ridges that appeared after a few coats of white:



They are in the same place as the parting line, but they didn't appear through the grey or white primer.

Edited by dr_gn on Sunday 13th March 22:03