Tamiya 1/12 McLaren MP4/6 w/ upgrades

[Jose01jr]

Maybe I should buy some decals from decalpool. Thanks for your insights

[dr_gn]

Maybe I should buy some decals from decalpool. Thanks for your insights

No problem.

Have a read through the thread I linked to about M@r!b*r* Red, and have a look at what I went through with the various paint manufactureres and colours.

By all means take others' advice too, all I can say is that the colour I ended up with was exactly how I remember it, and it happens to match the decals, so that can't be coincidence.

You only want to do this paint job once - believe me!

[Jose01jr]

Here are some pics of the engine cover after painting it with Tamiya Fluorescent red. I removed all the mold lines. Used Tamiya white primer not grey and checked for finish. I sanded it with #5000 grit sand paper. I followed with Tamiya white paint as per the instructions. Let it dry for a couple of days then masked the appropriate area and followed with fluorescent red. I let it dry for another two days. Sanded it all with different fine grades of sand paper from #1000-10000 grit. Here are the results.

[dr_gn]

Difficult to tell, but it looks completely different to my Tamiya Flourescent red - mine was pretty much Ferrari red. Then again when I first built the model back in ‘99, I used the same stuff and it looked ok. I did say it was inconsistent!

Anyway, good job!

[Jose01jr]

Thanks. Next step is I will add CF decals 1/24 scale to the underside of the engine cover followed by a coat of black smoke and after that I will add the aluminum tape to the back end. I already added CF decal where the windshield resides.

[dr_gn]

Thanks. Next step is I will add CF decals 1/24 scale to the underside of the engine cover followed by a coat of black smoke and after that I will add the aluminum tape to the back end. I already added CF decal where the windshield resides.

I think there are some prominent ejector pin marks under the body, where the foil goes. Not too bothered about mine because the body will be permanently fitted, but if it’s removable and you happen to look underneath it does grate a bit...

[Jose01jr]

Yes I filled those in and sanded to get all those out as with the floor

[crashfasano]

I have this one in my to build pile. I'm waiting for the Top Studio Complete upgrade kit to come back into stock. I also have to finish the Williams first. Mine won't compare to yours, because I don't have the skills. I ordered Zero Paints Mclaren M@r!b*r* Red and White. They sell it as a set. Problem is you have to find a supplier who will ship it to where you are. Keep up the good work, I enjoy watching you work your magic.

[Jose01jr]

There is a complete set on sale on EBay at the moment. I also have a Ferrari 1/12 scale 641 waiting for me to start but after Im done with the McLaren. I‘m pretty sure that will be my last build. I’m already thinking of the tub for this kit and looking to see how I attack it. What I’m thinking about achieving is trying to make the tub as a whole piece as the real race car monocoque. I’m thinking the best way to do is to cut the bottom floor that glues to the tub behind the dash bulkhead. Build complete the bulkhead with CF decals and all the TS details and glue it to the top bit of the tub. For the front of the top bit is to cut off the nose cone crash box as per TS instructions. Then build up the pedal box and extinguisher and glue it to the bottom bit. I then would have to screw the front bottom wishbones to the mounts. Then glue the top and bottom bits together. Add putty to the seams and sand to remove the joint lines. The back end of the headrest where the shoulder belts mount will be cut off from the cockpit bit. I will fill in those two holes and then glue the back headrest to the tub. I will then file it to make a one piece tub except for the rear where I will slip the cockpit all build up with TS upgrades to the dash bulkhead. Now another reason why I will cut the rear piece of the bottom bit is so that after I build up the wiring loom I can secure it to the rear of the tub. I will do this by drilling .3mm holes (5) at the rear and wrapping the loom with very very thin wire that TS supplies and slipping it through the holes and twisting the wires from the back till the loom is secure tight up against the rear of the tub. All this of course after adding CF to the back of the tub. I’m not going to paint the tub or add texture to it but what I will do is add paneling to the rear like the real race car tub. I’ll do this by cutting decals to the correct dimensions and layering them in different areas and then covering it all with CF of 1/24 scale then spraying dull coat over the whole tub. That’s the game plan anyways. Hope it turns out fine lol

[Jose01jr]

Working on the tub for a bit. I cut off the front crash box as per instructions from TS for the upgrades. Filed it till I got it where I want it. I also cut off that stem on top of the tub where the shocks sit. I decided to keep the shock mounts instead of using the TS ones so I didn’t cut those off. I filed away the area where the rear computers mount to make room for the mounts from TS and I also filed away the protruding bolts of the fuel cell to make room for the TS fuel cell mounting plate. I also drilled holes for the rear engine mounts and lower front suspension mounts. Once I had all that filed and to my liking I then painted flat black followed by a wrap of CF decal #1024 from Scale Motorsport all over the tub. I believe this is the correct color for the tub. I then sprayed the whole tub with dullcoat. I didn’t bother with the texture that comes from the molding process at Hercules as it looks messy and out of scale. However I may add masking tape to simulate the helicopter tape used by McLaren to protect the tub from shafting from the bodywork. Maybe I will maybe I won’t.