Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Models in progress... including non-F1 models.
Post Reply

Topic author
dr_gn
Best of the Rest
Best of the Rest
Posts: 507
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2014 3:46 pm
Status: Offline

Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by dr_gn »

Hello folks, you may have seen several of my topics here on the 1:12 Tamiya 90's F1 cars, and requests for info and advice.

I finally made a start on the MP4/6 project: I initially put the model on EBay with the intention of using the cash to buy a new kit to super-detail. After looking at the photos I'd taken I decided I couldn't part with it and ended the auction early. A few people on here said why not partially rebuild it "kerbside" and then get another to build up as a super detailled chassis? That is exactly what I'm intending to do with my MP4/4's, so that's what I'm going to do with this one. They will go on a base with my Senna and Berger autographs and my old ticket to the 1991 BGP. Likewise the MP4/4's will have my other Senna autograph along with Prost's and my '88 ticket.

Anyway, here are the "before" pics:

Image

Image

Image

Image

Doesn't look bad does it? That's until you look a bit closer:

Image

Image

Makes me wonder how I could ever have thought it was a good model, even 15 years ago...

I've now stripped it to the extent I need to correct the paint and add a few bells and whistles. A lot of it is bolt together, and luckily I'd not been too careful about removing paint from the bonded surfaces when I built it, so most of them cracked apart with little or no damage:

Image

The decals on the radiators silvered, and always looked a bit naff. They will be partially stripped and re-painted with Alclad and a proper wash (now I know how to do a wash!), since they are clearly visible with the body fitted:

Image

Wing end plates are hand painted on the insides. They might get a carbon decal, or just new paint:

Image

Same with the front wing endplates. Even though I sprayed the parts, it was with a TS can, and the paint was too thick, plus I got dust on them:

Image

All body and wing incidence fasteners will be replaced with p/e parts. I'll apply carbon decals on all visible surfaces where necessary, e.g. brake ducts, vortex generators etc.

First job will be to strip the body paint with Modelstrip, and repaint and re-decal. Then make a start on detailling the wheels.

I do have a few questions on the real car if anyone could help it would be great:

http://www.f1m.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21976

Thanks folks.
Last edited by dr_gn on Sun Jul 24, 2016 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar

harveyb258
FOTA Vice Chairman
FOTA Vice Chairman
Posts: 1950
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2012 4:36 am
Location: UK
Status: Offline

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by harveyb258 »

Really looking forward to watching this project come together :P

Cheers, H
User avatar

dancraft
Backmarker
Backmarker
Posts: 304
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 6:18 am
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: McLaren
Location: PERTH AUSTRALIA
Status: Offline
Australia

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by dancraft »

Why mess with it?

Personally I wouldn't touch it.
I'd build a new one and show just how much your skills have improved over the last 15 years

Plus I'm lazy and would always rather start with a fresh kit than repair/repaint an old one :lol:

Regards, Dan

saleem
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 197
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 10:16 am
Location: bradford/uk
Status: Offline

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by saleem »

Strip the body and start again with replacement aftermarket decals.the body needs to be polished for a nice finish.
:)

Topic author
dr_gn
Best of the Rest
Best of the Rest
Posts: 507
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2014 3:46 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by dr_gn »

Thanks guys.

As I said, this one will be kerbside, so the majority of the chassis detail will remain unchanged. I've got about 18 of the 1:20 Tamiya F1 cars (built in the '90's) to make a comparison with my current work!

I will be building a new one with a fully detailled chassis. If anyone has one for sale at a decent price feel free to pm me!

Cheers.

gavrob
World Champion
World Champion
Posts: 624
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 3:17 am
Your Name: Gavin Roberts
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Lewis Hamilton
Location: Norfolk, UK
Status: Offline
Great Britain

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by gavrob »

I saw the first few photos and wondered why you were tearing apart such a good looking model. The later shots answered that!
Good luck with the rebuild. I did something similar years back with the 1/12 F190. Looking at it today, I'm glad I did.
User avatar

vekkuli
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 4432
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:20 pm
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Stake Sauber
Location: Oulu-Uleåborg Finland
Status: Offline
Finland

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by vekkuli »

That Paintjob doesn't look so bad, I'm about the same Level with the Skill of painting :mrgreen: .
User avatar

lezdep
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 3619
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:42 am
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Senna
Location: Toronto
Status: Offline
Canada

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by lezdep »

Model looked great from a distance. But after seeing close ups I think you've made a right call. With proper paint job and CF decals
it will look better. I've done similar with my 1/20 MP4/5B some time ago and I also glad I've done it. Good luck !

Topic author
dr_gn
Best of the Rest
Best of the Rest
Posts: 507
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2014 3:46 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by dr_gn »

Thanks for the comments guys.

I made a proper start tonight by machining the wheels to fit the Formula Perfect spindles and nuts. FP do two kits; one is a complete replacement brake rotor/bell/spindle/nut set (for display with wheels off) and the spindle and nut set only for a kerbside model:

Image

Luckily the Tamiya kit is so nicely engineered that retro-fitting these fairly fundamental parts is made a lot easier by the bolted joints on much of the suspension and structural parts. All this was stripped without having to break any glue bonds:

Image

Image

Each wheel hub requires drilling through to enlarge the original hole, counterboring and finally the most important part, chamfering to form a seat for the nut. This chamfer is what will ultimately help to centre the wheel, much like the real thing. All the tooling is provided in the FP kit:

Image

Here are wheels showing before and after machining; there is not much left of the outer hub boss after chamfering:

Image

Here are the finished wheels with the axles and nuts dropped in:

Image

The axles fit into machined aluminium bosses that replace the plastic equivalents in the kit. The machining and fit is great:

Image

I still need to figure out what colour the nuts were. I'm not sure whether they were blue and red anodised, or something else.
User avatar

Shunter
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 2883
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2003 12:38 am
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Alfa Romeo, McLaren, Williams
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:
Status: Offline
Australia

Re: Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

Post by Shunter »

Always a shame to rip up an old build, i like to see where i have come from. Like others the build looked great with it's flaws. I look forward to seeing how you go with this, love those wheels...
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post