1949 Talbot Lago T26C Belgium GP winner

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Inspired by Pascal's exquisite Bugatti build over at Motorsports forum, I pulled this from the stash.  Let's be honest: I just want to do something blue
This is the Atlantis reissue of the very old Smer/Merit kit.  This kit was originally released in the 1950's.  It is a very basic and crude kit by today's standards and it does not lend itself to super-detailing unless you scratchbuild and replace everything.  I'm not in the mood for that on this car. Besides, I'm far from been knowledgeable on these cars. So it will be an exercise in the basics.  I'm promising myself to refrain from going wild.  From the research I've done I want to make it as the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix winner driven by Louis Rosier.   Louis Chiron won the 1949 French Grand Prix in one of these cars as well.
This will be a long term project.  
 

This is all there is to it.  Very basic. Even the tires are molded in plastic.



As previously stated, I'm not an expert on these cars. But the proportions look good. This will take some work to make fit properly.

Let's see where this goes!

Thanks,

[Bainford]

Very cool. I’ll be watching this build. I just bought the Merit version last month, myself. I didn’t realize Atlantis had reissued these. 

[ismaelg]

Hello,

     Cleaned the body halves, hood and nose of considerable flash.  Prepared the body halves and gluing.  (Feels so good to glue styrene!)  Hood fit needs help.  Added material to improve fit. That will take some fiddling around but no big deal. Started working seam lines.












Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

 A bit more progress:
A lot more tweaking needed but moving.









 

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Hood fits much better now.  Progressing.

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

 Remember when I said it was going to be a quick build with no modifications?

I don't like the kit's windshield and will eventually make my own.

Thanks,

[CabDriver]

Looking good so far!

Am I right in thinking this kit has these little clear disks that are meant to represent the spokes on the wheels?

[Jasper018]

Looking forward to your progress as I have these in the stash as well . Just for your information if I remember right indycals has a resin engine and maybe a few other parts available for both of these kits . If you come up with a better looking tire wheel set for these please let me know thanks .rob 

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Saw the engine set on indycals.  It looks great but I'll pass this time.   Most likely I'll glue the hood shut to simplify this project.  I did order the decals for Rosier's Belgian GP winning car.  The wheels are a big no-no.  I will most likely use a set of Deeks PE wire wheels.   Fernando Pinto wire wheels seem to be the best option but they are pricey.  Trying to keep this one "simple", whatever that means

Thanks,

[CabDriver]

Ohh, those Herb Deeks wheels will make a WORLD of difference to how this ends up looking.  Good call!

[Jasper018]

On 3/23/2021 at 12:23 PM, ismaelg said:

Hello,

  Saw the engine set on indycals.  It looks great but I'll pass this time.   Most likely I'll glue the hood shut to simplify this project.  I did order the decals for Rosier's Belgian GP winning car.  The wheels are a big no-no.  I will most likely use a set of Deeks PE wire wheels.   Fernando Pinto wire wheels seem to be the best option but they are pricey.  Trying to keep this one "simple", whatever that means

Thanks,

Hi thanks for the info can you give me any contact info for the Herb deeks wheels ? Are they very expensive ? And where are they available at ? Thanks .rob looking forward to your build 

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Jasper018

[oldrevellfan]

Nice start !!

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  A friend put me in contact with Herb Deeks.   I'll let you know how it goes as he is not as active as he was.

So, what do you call a stylized piece of styrene with a little hole in it?

 

a dashboard 

It fits properly. It is just the the weight of the steering wheel crooked it a bit as it is not glued in place yet.

 

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Test: Do you see a 1949 Talbot Lago transmission hump in this picture?

No?   Wait, how about now?













 

Thanks,

Edited March 26, 2021 by ismaelg

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Working some sink marks after re-shaping and cleaning the grille opening as per references. 



The exhaust is molded solid as expected.  No real place where I could split and use aluminum tubing.  So I'm just carefully drilling the tips. One almost done, the other still untouched.  This makes a big difference.

 

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  Second tip drilled.  Also scribed between them for separation.

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Still a long way to go but the grille is starting to take shape.

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

Hello,

   There is very little reference on the car I'm doing.  For some reason, the 1949 French Grand Prix is very well documented and so are the English race and others.  But not the Belgium GP.  So after extensive research online, this is my estimation on how the pedals may have looked on Rosier's T26C.  This is based on hours of research of period pictures, restored cars  and road going T26 Talbots.  By the way, you can barely see this anyways. 
The stick is not the gear selector.  These cars used Wilson pre-select transmissions.  That lever is to select forward, neutral  or reverse.

 

Also worked on the seat to give it some texture and life.

Thanks,

[absmiami]

https://www.fiskens.com/cars-for-sale/Lago-Talbot-T26C/13669.htm

not exactly your car - but a nice T26 with limited restoration

your throttle pedal and clutch pedal may be drilled ...  maybe ...

 

 

[Mikeditka]

I'm going with this. 🤙

[Ace-Garageguy]

Very nice. Simple as it is, this is one of my all-time favorite kits.

I've got something going similar to what you've got here, and another one smallblock-Chevy powered, a what-if SoCal SCCA mashup from the late 1950s.

Your work is most inspiring.

[ismaelg]

Hello,

  After a 10 months hiatus, it is time to relight this candle. 

I'll start with what was done last year but was not posted. Then will catch up to current state.

 According to my research, Talbot road cars had white gauges with black numbers.  But the race cars used black gauges with white numbers and needles. By the way, after extensive research I've found these cars used different gauge layouts in the dash. I haven't found a picture of the dash of Louis Rosier's 1949 Belgium Gran Prix (June 19, 1949) winning car so I'll go with the closest one: Louis Chiron's French Grand Prix (July 17, 1949) sister car from one month later.  Both the kit's decal sheet and the aftermarket set have white gauges with black numbers. That's not right.  So I designed and made my own.  After measuring ad-nauseum, I printed a few in slightly different sizes to pick the best ones.
Now, cutting these will be an adventure...

 

The nose needs to be painted separately and fitted last after suspension is in place.  Making sure the nose fits perfectly before painting.  Overall getting closer to that important milestone of first color coat.

Added texture to the otherwise crude seat.  Added the pedals.

 

The stick is not the gear selector.  These cars used Wilson pre-select transmissions. More on that later.  That lever is to select forward, neutral  or reverse.

 

I am NOT going for a show car. This will be a well preserved but used RACE car.  The seat looks good for been over 70 years old. 

 

Thanks,
Ismael

[ismaelg]

Hello,

It was time to get serious:

 

Yep, these are the kit's plastic tires.

Forget the car. I'll just display these

 

and... first color coat. 

Kit's toe link:

 

My toe link:

Thanks,
Ismael

[absmiami]

The comeback kid ?