Conversion of Protar MP4/2C into MP4/2B '85

[Joaquin]

Hi all,

Anybody has studied if it's reasonabily easy to make this conversion? Both cars seem very similar to me and I would prefer to do the WC car

[Tiffoc]

Hi Joaquin...
Yes... until you hit that unforseen hidden problem
But then that's what making models is all about isn't it?
Go for it Joaquin, how can you refuse that challenge

[SBEST]

Didn't Prost win the title in 1986?

[Joaquin]

Didn't Prost win the title in 1986?

Yes, but in 1985 MCL won also the Constructor Championship, so I prefer this version

[JamesB]

Long list of small things. Most of them are also to be done n the '86 C, in fact.
-Wheels (easy fix when I finish them)
-Brakes (better to improve them)
-Sidepods: not use the add on part, but also raise the front part a bit
-most dificult: windshield surrounding.
-Turbo intakes, both internally and some holes visible on the sidepod side panels.

I plan to make te '84 one (heheh prefer Niki!!!), it needs these same things plus some more...

More on it after Holidays

[SBEST]

Long list of small things. Most of them are also to be done n the '86 C, in fact.
-Wheels (easy fix when I finish them)
-Brakes (better to improve them)
-Sidepods: not use the add on part, but also raise the front part a bit
-most dificult: windshield surrounding.
-Turbo intakes, both internally and some holes visible on the sidepod side panels.

I plan to make te '84 one (heheh prefer Niki!!!), it needs these same things plus some more...

More on it after Holidays

The Holidays are already done?

Steve

[JamesB]

The Holidays are already done?

Steve

Nope buddy! Here tey last till january 6th, the Magic Kings day!!
And incidentally in my case, our anniversary!

[petrov27]

Cool conversion - I also badly would like Niki's car from 84 and have thought about how to go about it but always worried to screw up an expensive rare kit....

[PJE]

Ah, a topic close to my heart as I started it around 25 years ago.
At that time with the limited detail photos that I had of the car I concentrated on these items.
New windscreen and body work.
Front wheels and tires (as Protar was cheap and used their Ferrari 126C2 tires)
Chassis mods, which included the instrument panel, seat, electronics behind the roll bar and backdating the added air inlets between the outside of the chassis and the radiators.
One of the major updates to the 1986 car was that the turbos were mirrored. That was not the case in the 1984-1985 cars, so I purchased the separate metal engine kit that Protar offered. In those days, resin casting was not as easy as it is today.
I didn’t have a lathe when I started this project so a good friend of mine did the front wheels for me. To get the proper sized tires I used a set of Tamiya Renault RE20 fronts. My plan was to sand the tires down a bit to make them look more like Goodyears.
We also created new axles with threaded nuts.
Since then, I also acquired a set of wheels and tires from the Tamiya MP4/6 kit that I thought might look better.
Since I was a draftsman, I had access to the equipment to scan drawings so I created 1/12 scale drawings as I was able to use those to help me create the windscreen buck so I could vacuform the correct windscreen.
In those days, I was a big Wingrove fan and was into being able to mocking things up and taking apart repeatedly so I set up the chassis to be attached to the floor with screws.
The project has languished for years now and I’ve drifted away from 1/12th scale as I much more enjoy 1/20th, and I’m very happy with the Beemax kits and all the extras available.
I’d be happy to discuss in more detail all that needs to be done from my perspective to backdate this kit, and if anyone just wants to PM me that would be fine.
I’d like to see this project get a good home.

By the way, a back date to the 1984 car would be a LOT more work because of the rear suspension.

Paul Erlendson

[JamesB]

Excellent job Paul!!!

You are right in all you say.
Then there's doubts on wether the sidepods are good for '85 or not.
Varied sources talk about shortening. And while some talk about a shoveling of front end, others mention sidpods being shortened at the rear: they say "more accentuated bottleneck shape"... which would mean that there's more space between the 135 degrees corner (where sidepods stop being square) and rear wheels.
Surely there was a chopping of front end, but probably between '85 and '84.
Asuming wheelbase stayed the same, it's a matter of analysing pics carefully.
I'd say that for a 86---> 85 sidepods are OK in this aspect. Surely more work for the 84 (yep, included suspension!!)
But what I am quite sure is that sidepod front half needs to be taller.
I suggest we keep the discussion public so we may all contribute/enjoy!
BR
James