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Posted

MPC , 125.00

Hmmmm...The Granatelli  "pregnant snake" car commonly referred to as the Paxton is 1/20 scale from MPC. Image result for indy paxton turbine car 1/20 scaleImage result for indy paxton turbine car 1/20 scale

The MPC kit of the other Granatelli turbine commonly called the Lotus is in 1/25.

Image result for indy paxton turbine car 1/20 scale

 

Posted (edited)

Well, I did find a 1/24 slot car body of the car and I do have the 1/25 Lotus version.

I may kit bash as the Paxton looks a lot better to me then the Lotus.

However I've never worked with those clear slot car bodies before.

Would any one happen to have tips on ho they differ from styrene in terms of work flow?

Edited by aurfalien
Posted

The MPC Granatelli Turbine was the first 1/20 scale MPC car kit.  Great kit, wrong scale.

As for working with a clear plastic slot car body, it's a totally different thing compared to a styrene kit body, or a resin body which is something else yet again.  The clear bodies are vacuum formed from sheet material.  They are of fairly consistent thickness (they are sometimes thinner in various areas depending on how much the material had to stretch in that particular area).  Detail will usually be soft compared to a molded body, and it will be on the INSIDE of the body in the vast majority of cases because the material is drawn over the mold, not into it.  The slot car and R/C guys paint the bodies on the inside so that's not a big deal with them.  But shelf model builders are used to painting the body on the outside, so working with a slot car body will necessitate a complete re-think.  Nothing is impossible, but trying to build a vacuum formed body as though it were a shelf model will require rethinking how you cut the stuff, how you paint it, how/if you can rework it, and so on.  I'd think about scratching the chassis, detailing it, and just trim the clear body and hang it on the chassis without paint to show off the chassis.

Posted

The MPC Granatelli Turbine was the first 1/20 scale MPC car kit.  Great kit, wrong scale.

As for working with a clear plastic slot car body, it's a totally different thing compared to a styrene kit body, or a resin body which is something else yet again.  The clear bodies are vacuum formed from sheet material.  They are of fairly consistent thickness (they are sometimes thinner in various areas depending on how much the material had to stretch in that particular area).  Detail will usually be soft compared to a molded body, and it will be on the INSIDE of the body in the vast majority of cases because the material is drawn over the mold, not into it.  The slot car and R/C guys paint the bodies on the inside so that's not a big deal with them.  But shelf model builders are used to painting the body on the outside, so working with a slot car body will necessitate a complete re-think.  Nothing is impossible, but trying to build a vacuum formed body as though it were a shelf model will require rethinking how you cut the stuff, how you paint it, how/if you can rework it, and so on.  I'd think about scratching the chassis, detailing it, and just trim the clear body and hang it on the chassis without paint to show off the chassis.

Thanks Mark.

I second your thoughts and will try and scratch build.  i did find a 1/25 resin body but it sold a while back.

Posted

There are articles in the old model car magazines (Car Model, Rod & Custom Models, Model Car Science, Model Car & Racing) covering working with the clear bodies.  Some guys did reinforce them on the inside with fiberglass cloth and epoxy and then painted them on the outside with automotive touch-up paints.  Another guy grafted the fenders cut from a vacuum formed slot car body onto a molded styrene one.  The question is, are the modern bodies made from the same material as the old ones?  I'd bet not, but you never know.  For this project, I'd pound the ground and try to turn up a resin body.

Posted

There was a resin kit done by Bill Jorgenson some years ago.  He used to sell regularly on eBay, have not seen him there in years.  The kit is decent looking but as with all Joergenson kits take some doing to get a finished model. I have been playing around with mine on & off for years. 

Posted

There was a resin kit done by Bill Jorgenson some years ago.  He used to sell regularly on eBay, have not seen him there in years.  The kit is decent looking but as with all Joergenson kits take some doing to get a finished model. I have been playing around with mine on & off for years. 

I have that kit as well. been thinking of selling it for a while , as I now have the MPC kit.

Posted

I have two of the MPC 1/20 kits but my scale bigotry still wants a 1/25 one.  Every time I pull the Jorgenson kit out I get depressed.  It is such a big challenge.

Posted

I have two of the MPC 1/20 kits but my scale bigotry still wants a 1/25 one.  Every time I pull the Jorgenson kit out I get depressed.  It is such a big challenge.

Hi,

Would you happen to have some pics of the kit?

Posted

Bill Jorgenson is no longer producing kits. You will occasionally see a 1/25 turbine on ebay. His castings have been going for large dollars lately. I'd expect to pay upwards of $100 dollars. His kits were delivered in various states of completeness...with a note attached he'd send you the parts when he got them...usually metal parts or windscreens. Sometimes you got a 'transkit'.  He still owes me 3 kit that were bought and paid for off of ebay(and I'm not the only one in this situation). I doubt I'll ever see them. His ebay handle was toonces2jay. I'm pretty sure I have every casting he did...most I purchased at shows so I knew what I was getting. He sold off nearly all of his masters to other people, Lance Sellers has some as does Rick Faeth and myself. Turns out he sold Rick Faeth and myself the master for the Chaparral 2K. The kits do require some work but can be built into some fine Indy car replicas.

  • 6 years later...
Posted (edited)

I got a Jorgenson Turbine years ago, the most unfortunate part was the wheels and tires, very low relief, one piece slicks with flat sidewalls.  This aspect has always kept me from the build.  I think he eventually got better 2 part wheels according to the add I answered but got the others instead.  I would love to find a 3D printed set of wheels, and tires.  I did work up a CAD version though it looks a little light.

Wheel Layout 2.jpg

Edited by Big John
additional info, add pic

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