What do you think........

As I thumb through Ronnie Spain's great book (plus others) I find minimal differences in dimensions (+/- an inch) Anybody recall what an inch is.....in 1/12th scale?

Converting the cabin/forward cowel is more putty work...the rear section simple sheet plastic.

Tires & wheels appear to be the very similar......

need to do more homework.......anybody have any ideas - see any problems?

Likewise.......how tough will it be to back date the kit from Mk-II to Mk I....White w/Blue nose???

Thanks everyone for any insight.
LAC

That would be 1/12 of an inch, or 0.0833333", or somewhere between 3/32" and 1/16".
As for a J-car, you could try sculpting the nose and tail parts from modelling clay, RenFoam, or even floral foam; cover the form with light-weight fibreglas, then lose the form. An earlier Mk.I would take considerably more work to replicate the smaller 289cid chassis, but you might be able to use an old IMC kit to get the dimensions for a scratch-build attempt.

Just a thought

Phil
[edited to compensate for my fat-finger typing]

You are confusing the two. The J-Car was the failed 1966 attempt at replacing the Mk II Ford GTs. It shared the engine and drivetrain with the Mark II and nothing else. You are not conveeting the Trumpeter kit to a J-Car, you'd be scratchbuilding the J-Car, stealing the drivetrain, itres, and miscelaneous bits from the Mk II.

The Mk I shares the basoc chassis and cabin with the Mk II. The 427 intrudes into the firewall which is entended into the cockpit. You would need entirely new front and rear clips and the rsdiator ducting on the Mk I would have to be scratchbuilt. Depending on the exact variant of the Mk i, the Mk II wheels would work, but would be a bit too wide. The engine and transaxle are totally different.

a 1/24th scale Spitfire by using the Merlin engine from a Hurricane and then building the rest around it. If you're thinking of the Mk 1 GT-40 you would also have to re-build the entire engine cover as the scoops are completely and noticeably different. Really, the Mk II kit is only good for a Mk II; and not even all of them.

Are you thinking of this as the J car?
[IMG][/IMG]

If you are, I think you'll see the problems.

You smell that? Do you smell that? ... Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

My thoughts...........sheet plastic, 3M putty, re-do the front clip.
Same front/rear suspension, same drive train.
Same cockpit/cabin area...modifying the L door roof line...... and both door sides to flare into the all new rear clip. Sheet plastic rectangular box

I've done lots of scrap building, 1/25th fire apparatus, 1/16th armor..so this project is do-able.......if the general dimensions (front/rear track, wheel base, etc etc were close......

I've always been captivated by the blue/white graphics.........be it the Mk-I, the "J" car or my '09 Shelby...must be something about the Lemans era.

Thanks,
LAC

A quote from the Wikipedia entry for GT40:
"The Mk IV was built around a reinforced J chassis powered by the same 7.0 L engine as the Mk II. Excluding the engine, the Mk IV was totally different from other GT40s, using a specific chassis and specific bodywork."
Let me help a bit.
http://www.supercars.net/cars/694.html
A smaller version:
http://www.rndunique.com/rnd_displayitem.cfm?pk=248
Good luck

You smell that? Do you smell that? ... Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

Scratch/scrap building is always rewarding......the pleasure of having a "one of a kind." plus the challenge of getting it done.....
I've built a 1/25th 1991 ALF Century series 100' rear mount, 1000 gpm twin screw quint, a 1/25th USAF Oshkosh P-15 8 wheel/2 engine CRFF..........likewise 1/16th Oshkosh HET (with M-88A1ARV, HEMTT, Patriot launcher etc...........

Sheet plastic, resin casting, model railroad photoetched brass stock etc, so I'm looking forward to crafting the rectangular rear clip and the modified front end of the Mk-II front clip (the prototypical elongated extensions in front of the front tires/wheels - makes it look almost like a manta-ray..gliding along the ocean floor)

My references suggest the wheels/tires from the MK-II should be a match.......

I don't don't recall who the expert car modeler (since departed) that made the brilliant observation.........(paraphrased): anything can be made out of a box.....given 90 squares...arranged/overlapped in 1 degree increments...you've got a circle.....given 90 cubes....equally arranged in 1 degree increements..you've got a ball.......visualize every curve for it's straight lines..........sheet plastic can be anything we want it to be.......

I'm starting to collect the "stuff" I need for the "J"...gonna go for it.


Thanks for your input.
Be well.
LAC

Then the thing to do is build your Mk II as it was raced at Daytona in 1966. There were three of them, each in blue and white, with a dayglo color flash combination for identification.

You will still need to do some modification, but nowhere near the amount of work it would take you to get to the 289 powered car, or, heaven forbid, the J-car.

The Daytona Mk IIs, as far as I remember, were missing the scoops on the rear deck, and had a differently shaped splitter behind the radiator outlet up forward. Your research may identify some other differences.

Good luck,
Rick