1/12th Trumpeter GT40

[Jim Gibbons]

Man, I am going to miss this thread when it's done. As an aside, here's an article from Autoweek that I got this morning. The spiritual successors are still racing in ALMS.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100727/ALMS/100729862

[Cato]

Syd,

Please post an update-over 2700 views so obviously a lot of interest in the final (or partial) outcome. Hope you didn't park this to go onto another project...

[Pete J.]

Syd,

I found two views that I hope will be of use to you if you haven't completed these areas already.

The first is a clear shot of the windshield surround and the under-side of the rear clip. I know you had trouble with the foil there and the real car is rather sloppy under here. Like the gold part I showed you above. It's just raw glass with a tin panel riveted around the engine area. Also note the taped-on foil-like insulation on the bulkhead. Oh and some guy named Henry is leaning on it-he could because he paid for ALL OF THEM.

This view clearly shows the oil and fuel plumbing and the distributor cover 'shelf' under the rear window. Sorry I didn't find this sooner when you were doing the fuel pumps:

Please show us your latest progress-or are you away on vacation?

I just spent some time going over my video last week so I could get it off to Matthew. In doing so, Lee had one section that he was explaining the differences between the fuel systems of the Mark I and II. This photo looks very much like it may be a Mark II. The clues are the fuel filter fuel valve which were eliminated on the Mark II. Also the lip on the door to hold it closed was supposedly changed to a flap about 4" wide and straight across. Lee said they changed that because the higher speed of the Mark II blew the top out. I also notice that the horse collar is not their like most Mark IIs. Now this may be an early version but the clues to me point to a Mark I. Cato, does your source say different? The top photo has to be a IIa because of the single carb, but it still has the small door shields and Mark 1 style seats. Perhaps it is an early version? I am curious. These cars seem very hard to pin down. Pete

Edited August 9, 2010 by Pete J.

[Len Woodruff]

Ok you got me. What is the "horse collar"? The window between the driver & engine?

[Cato]

Pete,

All the photo reference I tried to supply Syd is for MKII cars and are focused around LeMans '66. MANY cars I have found were raced and modified or repaired within weeks of June '66 for things like LeMans trials (testing) or other races in Europe and US. So the same chassis car almost never looks the same in period pictures from event to event. Sure makes it tough to ID them.

I don't have a 'source' as such, just a lot of digging and reading. Both pics are in fact a MKII's, the top one at the race. The visible details compare well with 1046 and 1015. Our problem today is that both Shelby and Holman made different mods to the cars they got. You are lucky, your 'source' is the originator of some of the cars.

Like Len, I never read or heard the term 'horse collar'-please explain.

And does the fact that you're sending material to Matthew mean he has 'renewed' interest in doing a kit or transkit??

[Pete J.]

Lee refereed to the rear engine mount and suspension piece as a "horse collar" because that is what is looks like when the engine is out. It is s "U" shaped piece that the upper shocks attach to and has a cross piece that bolts in. You can just see the upper parts in the bottom of the photo. The cross member on the Mark 1 that goes between is a solid piece. In the Mark IIs they made a hollow piece with a square cross section that was the catch tank for all the returning oil lines and then the oil went to the main tank up front. You were right about the oil tank mounting point in the spare compartment for all the Mark IIa's the IIbs moved it to the left rear firewall over the fuel cell access panel.

The difference in the seats are that the MkIs had a sling arrangement with webbing holding the seat. The MkIIs had a molded fiberglass piece that could be popped out.

I got to spend some time with Matthew this weekend and no he is not interested in a upgrade kit but he is considering doing a CD with all the photos and film we shot so new reference may be available. It would be nice because there is a lot of detail that we got our hands on. It would help modeler a lot.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Pete J.

[Cato]

Thanks-I knew about the rear carrier differences but never saw that term.

I thought this was a MKII interior shot (note water pipes) but you're probably correct about f'glass seat buckets. This is an older pic, not a restoration shot:

A documentation CD would be great to have.

[Pete J.]

Thanks-I knew about the rear carrier differences but never saw that term.

I thought this was a MKII interior shot (note water pipes) but you're probably correct about f'glass seat buckets. This is an older pic, not a restoration shot:

A documentation CD would be great to have.

Yes, that is definely a Mk I photo. You can see the coolant lined on the side of the center hump. They went this way on the early Mk II's but were much larger. They were moved to the left side to reduce the heat on the driver.

Here is a diagram of the Mk I fuel system. Lee was using it as a referance for the Mk II. The piece he is pointing to is not on the Mk II and neither is the fule changeover valve just to the left.

[Cato]

Yes, that is definely a Mk I photo. You can see the coolant lined on the side of the center hump. They went this way on the early Mk II's but were much larger. They were moved to the left side to reduce the heat on the driver.

Here is a diagram of the Mk I fuel system. Lee was using it as a referance for the Mk II. The piece he is pointing to is not on the Mk II and neither is the fule changeover valve just to the left.

Pete,

Thanks for a great reference shot. I'd kill to have that book it's in, looks like a Ford engineering reference. That plumbing goes to a Weber, not used on MKII's.

I actually made time the last two days to work on my model and think at some point soon I will take more snaps and start my own wip thread. I came across more problem areas from earlier in the assembly sequence that you don't know about until you get to later assemblies which have to fit with them. Mock-ups only go so far. Even airbrushed the rocker panel stripes which I spent a lot of time trying to figure out. I've now got major subassemblies of chassis, cockpit and bodywork-but still a ton of minute details to sweat.

My hope is that more guys will chime in with tips, criticism or advice. I'd like to see guys start building this project instead of just looking at it.

[Pete J.]

Pete,

Thanks for a great reference shot. I'd kill to have that book it's in, looks like a Ford engineering reference. That plumbing goes to a Weber, not used on MKII's.

I actually made time the last two days to work on my model and think at some point soon I will take more snaps and start my own wip thread. I came across more problem areas from earlier in the assembly sequence that you don't know about until you get to later assemblies which have to fit with them. Mock-ups only go so far. Even airbrushed the rocker panel stripes which I spent a lot of time trying to figure out. I've now got major subassemblies of chassis, cockpit and bodywork-but still a ton of minute details to sweat.

My hope is that more guys will chime in with tips, criticism or advice. I'd like to see guys start building this project instead of just looking at it.

I am hoping that Matthew will be able to produce the CD. The book is actually a parts list for the MkI. The shot is a still I took off of the video that is Lee Holman explaining the differences between the MkI and the Mk IIs. It is very instructional and he goes through the entire book front to back, about 10 minutes worth of video.

[Cato]

I am hoping that Matthew will be able to produce the CD. The book is actually a parts list for the MkI. The shot is a still I took off of the video that is Lee Holman explaining the differences between the MkI and the Mk IIs. It is very instructional and he goes through the entire book front to back, about 10 minutes worth of video.

I hope he does too, I'd love to have that 10 minute vid. I have his 935 upgrade kit and CD-it's excellent.

[baddgass]

Very nice work.