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My very first car entry on the forum, my recently aquired Lola by Tamiya. This is an old kit; a 1995 re-release of a 1970 mold! This was one of Tamiya’s first plastic kits as far as I can tell- kit number 10004. This is going together fairly well, though out of the box it lacks a great many details to be truly authentic. I set about grabbing as much reference material as possible, and have thereby modified or scratch built a number of parts. I have added considerable body detail- NACA ducts, body pin holes, rear wheel arch fairings and the like. Underneath, though reasonably detailed, I have given the main chassis some metalizer finish (from C1), added some roughly accurate front suspension (other than the geometry which is off due to the models own geometry), plenty of braided hosing courtesy of some guitar strings which are not strictly scale braid, but they due look the part and adapt very well to model making. I have completely ignored Tamiya’s very basic paint references in favour of the compiled reference photos, airbrushing or brush painting where applicable. The sticky-shiny ‘Rubber-like’ tyres were 2000 grit sanded on their rolling face to texture them a little and remove the seam, and a simple rubbing of the walls with my rough index finger took away the ‘brillo’, -I prefer them to look like they have at least rolled into the paddock. The body parts are presently drying after two dust and two wet coats with Vallejo Premium red, which unfortunately will require some light colour sanding all over. I hope there is enough paint... So far I am enjoying this model, spending odd hours here and there, and my first serious effort of pure scale modelling after a few years of radio control, and perhaps 25 years since my last plastic model was built.

I found this to be an entertaining video. The language used was a combination of model building specific and layman's terms.

After building nothing but hot rod [mainly 32 Fords] models for the last year and half I was looking for a change of pace, so decided to get back to another aspect of my car obsession – vintage race cars of the 1960’s. As a nice segue from the Dan Gurney Tribute Deuce 5-W I recently completed I decided to get back to work on the previously started model of the car that inspired the design of the Deuce which is Dan Gurney’s 1966 LolaT70, which was the only Ford powered car to win a Can-Am race [Bridgehampton]. The Lola T70 is maybe my all time favorite racecar. Back when used racecars were relatively cheap I thought a T70 would make a very cool road car. I have wanted to build a model of a T70 for a long time. Many years ago I broke down and paid the asking price for an old IMC Mecom Lola T70 Mark I. This is a nice little kit but the emphasis is on little as it is off scale somewhere between 1/24 and 1/32. Then I noticed Tamiya had re-released their 1/24 Lola T70 slot car body so I had a starting point for my project and one thing lead to another. I have assembled what I think will be the necessary parts - Tamiya 1/24 Lola T70 slot-car body [the body has the basic shape but will require a lot of modifications] - Fred Cady decals which I have had for a number of years in anticipation of this project - Fujimi Ford GT40 chassis, interior, suspension, tires [Both the Lola T70 and Ford GT40 evolved from the earlier Lola Mk6 Coupe] - White metal Mini-Exotic Lola wheels - MPC Eagle engine, transaxle and rear suspension - Gurney Weslake heads mastered by Stephen Roullier and cast by Stephen Miller [The HRM heads and intake manifold are cast with the block so will need to be removed] - Headers from the MPC Olsonite Eagle I also have lots of research material - Dave Freidman’s book Lola – Can-Am and Endurance Race Cars borrowed from a friend - Photos I took of the car at the 2010 Monterey Reunion - Articles on the Gurney Weslake engine - I have two Tamiya 1/12 Coupes; one bought built up, the other still in the box.