IMC: Ford GTP J-car rescue

[89AKurt]

IMC is a defunct manufacturer, I never heard of them before I saw this in an estate collection.  Knew it had to be rare, because I was also not familiar with the GTP J-car, and after reading what little history is online, see that it's the black sheep of GT-40 history.  The original owner had broken off the body and chassis parts, and spray painted a pink tinted white, then thankfully put it away.  For some weird reason, I had to resurrect and finish this.

After stripping with brake fluid, painted the body with flat white paint, then gloss white.

The instructions are odd, there are no part numbers, or color references.  I had to re-evaluate how to assemble and paint sub assemblies, tack glued together the chassis, so I could take apart to assemble the suspension.

 

I used Alclad, polished aluminum on the chassis, steel for the exhausts, chrome for the inner wheels.  Testors magnesium metalizer for the wheel centers, but not rubbed.

Best that I could tell, Ford painted the intake plenum gold, but I had to assume the block was blue.

Since there is a texture, I assumed the pan had a coating.

I need to improve my masking skills, and almost messed up the blue.  grrrr

I masked the number circle, instead of hoping the decal would work.

Lucked out with the decals, they did not fall apart, and stuck with the use of the mild Microsol, but I used Solvaset at the end of the stripes.  Since this is a box Stock build, and there is hardly any online reference to dispute inaccuracies, I applied the Shell and IMC decals to.  The stripe was also much longer than the rocker panel, so I added to the engine bonnet.

I whipped this out in about a week.  Next is painting the body clear gloss, , glue on clear parts (lucky the tires did not melt on those parts).

[935k3]

Very nice job on an old, fiddly kit. Growing up I thought the J car was a very cool car. It was use to develop the  Mk4 that won the 1967 Lemans.

[Justin Porter]

Amazing. This is one of those "never built" collector kits so it's great to see what a modern builder can get out of it.

[Gramps46]

Congratulations on your build.  These IMC kits are quite a challenge and you have done a super job with it.  Wishing you the best with the remaining assembly.

[sflam123]

Exceptional job with a difficult kit.  As noted, the Ford J-car was a development car that was used to bridge the Ford GT Mark II and the Ford Mark IV.  Ford endurance/sports car driver Ken Miles lost his life in the car during testing at Riverside Raceway in August of 1966.

There are pictures, though of pretty poor quality, to be found on the internet.  Do a search for Ford J car pictures. 

[250 Testa Rossa]

Great job on this one!

[fredo84]

Neat Job 

Love it !

[vamach1]

Great job.  I can attest that this kit is a challenge but I think we both did IMC proud.

[89AKurt]

Thanks for all the comments!

So you can attest it's a pain to build, good to know.  Must be why they went out of business.  But for the time, it compares to Revell and AMT; Tamiya or Fujimi were not around yet (I'm guessing without looking first).  I am also into different cars than street rods, so knew nobody else would have this on a contest table.

I did find this article, no color pictures, and what photos there are must be later versions.  The closest variant did not have headlights in the buckets, but driving lights down low.  The wheels were fragile, said they were magnesium, so that helped for the color.  Some other fascinating information about the materials used, such as austenitic iron rotors, had to look that term up!
http://www.sportscars.tv/Newfiles/fordJ.html

[Gramps46]

I am a little late to the party but you might like to have this art work.

And these articles for background.

 

 

[vamach1]

Thanks for posting the pictures.  It's one of the few color ones I have seen.

[89AKurt]

12 hours ago, Gramps46 said:

I am a little late to the party but you might like to have this art work.

And these articles for background.

.....

Better late than never!  I saw the art drawing before, that has to be a conceptual rendering.  Note the side strip continues both ways, I did to the rear.  The engine bay, Weber carbs, oil cooler position, more complicated header routing, so many other cool details that would have guaranteed I never finish it.  Thanks for posting all this!

[89AKurt]

I have had a wild hair to finish this for some reason.....

Final assembly was a trick, considering you can't dry fit the body until everything else is glued together.  I found most parts needed adjustments.  The closest to detailing anything, was creating headlight lenses with clear epoxy.

The glass fit was either huge gaps, or file/sand the edges.  I painted all edges flat black, glued on with Elmers clear glue.  Headlights interfered with the covers, oh well.  The engine bonnet hinge is a problem, would need to cut and reposition, not going there.

With everything open, can't tell the fit is bad.  I know if the previous owner had tried to built this, the hammer would have been used.

Now, I'm going to start a new thread in .... drum roll .....

[afx]

Very nice Kurt.  I want to tackle this build at some point, hope mine turns out this well.

[Gramps46]

By far the best build of this kit that I have seen!

[Justin Porter]

I'm absolutely in awe to see this finished and looking so good. I doubt many of these ever get past the "Nothing fits right!" and throw it back in the box stage. 

[Scalper]

Looking really nice .

[absmiami]

thanks for rescuing this 50 yr old kit

reminds everyone of the potential in all of IMC's old kits ...

[Dirkpitt289]

Dooooode..... This is an awesome build, BRAVO!!!!

[89AKurt]

5 hours ago, afx said:

Very nice Kurt.  I want to tackle this build at some point, hope mine turns out this well.

Thank you; I had to tell the Perfectionist in me to shut up.  Hope I inspired you, we should build models, not store them (I'm guilty of that too).

Thanks to everyone else.  Working on old kits gives a appreciation for the new ones.

[vamach1]

A few of these I built over thirty years ago.  Build the Aurora one for extra credit.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Nice work on saving the Jcar. I've got the Ford GT, Lola, and Chaparral to do one of these days.

[Snake45]

Fantastic save, fantastic work! Well done and model on! 

[Funkychiken]

This is a great save, and the build is going well...

[89AKurt]

2 hours ago, Funkychiken said:

This is a great save, and the build is going well...

So well, that I actually finished it!