IMC: Ford GTP J-car vintage classic PITA

[89AKurt]

Guess I became possessed, obsessed, or perhaps the deceased previous owner helped me in spirit to finish what he started long ago.  I was lucky all he did was spray the body and chassis parts with an off white paint that did not eat the plastic, and stored the kit in a dry place.

This is a Industro-Motive Corporation (IMC) kit done in 1966(?), I'm guessing it came out when the J-car was starting to be developed.  The instructions have: "... The Ford J-car is now the hottest car on the track, already recognized as another international champion."  As I have learned, it became the black sheep of GT40 history.

I took about a week, 30 hours, to build it box stock.  It would take major modifications to make it accurate, and at which time would one pick since they must have been constantly trying to make it competitive?  So that's why I used some of the decals that never appeared on the real car.

Now I *have to* build the Ferrari P4 with HRM engine detail kit.  Or the Porsche 917.

[Maindrian Pace]

Amazing job, and probably the only time I've ever seen this kit built. Maybe everyone else just gave up?

[89AKurt]

26 minutes ago, Maindrian Pace said:

Amazing job, and probably the only time I've ever seen this kit built. Maybe everyone else just gave up?

Thank you.  I never heard of the brand before myself.

[ChrisR]

Looks great!

[89AKurt]

Linking my other threads related to this build.
 

 

 

[magicmustang]

4 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Linking my other threads related to this build.
 

 

 

You did an outstanding job on a very "fiddley" model. I restored an IMC Gulf GT-40 model years ago and it almost went in the trash many times.

  

 

Edited August 22, 2018 by magicmustang

[Tom Louis]

You did a great job with this fiddley old kit, and have produced an outstanding model racecar!

[Scalper]

Very nice. interesting placement of the spare tire

[Phirewriter]

Nice job! IMC kits are fiddley, etc... but are some of my favourites. You did this one justice.

[89AKurt]

2 hours ago, magicmustang said:

You did an outstanding job on a very "fiddley" model. I restored an IMC Gulf GT-40 model years ago and it almost went in the trash many times.

Here's a pic of an MPC J Car I restored, to show the difference in the two kits.  

 

Thank you!  Wish I could see the picture you posted.

[TooOld]

I just happen to have this kit sitting on my bench waiting to get started and despite it's faults I've always liked the J-Car and the IMC kit .

You did a great job on yours , congrats ! 

[89AKurt]

2 hours ago, Scalper said:

Very nice. interesting placement of the spare tire

Thank you!  I know, was tempted to put in the proper place, but then it would not qualify for Box Stock at contests.

Thanks to Tom and Michael too!

[89AKurt]

Just now, TooOld said:

I just happen to have this kit sitting on my bench waiting to get started and despite it's faults I've always liked the J-Car and the IMC kit .

You did a great job on yours , congrats ! 

Too funny, my posts seem to be bringing others out of the woodwork.  Hope this inspires you to finish yours too.

[Justin Porter]

Fantastic finished model and definitely making me look at my IMC Lola T70 and feel a little guilty. 

[bbowser]

Very well done model that is seldom finished.  I know I butchered one as a kid, kinda got me looking for another now.

[Chris in Berwyn]

Very nice!!!  The box mentions that the tires are "low profile."  Quite a difference between what qualified as low profile in 1966 vs. today!!!

[magicmustang]

17 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Thank you!  Wish I could see the picture you posted.

Retried the pic. Had to use different decals as originals were destroyed in the purple pond.

 

Edited August 23, 2018 by magicmustang

[Ken Gilkeson]

great lookin' build

[89AKurt]

58 minutes ago, Justin Porter said:

Fantastic finished model and definitely making me look at my IMC Lola T70 and feel a little guilty. 

OMG please don't let me guilt trip you!  I have several WIP calling me, saying "why did you build that hunk of junk instead of me?"

[89AKurt]

41 minutes ago, Chris in Berwyn said:

Very nice!!!  The box mentions that the tires are "low profile."  Quite a difference between what qualified as low profile in 1966 vs. today!!!

Thanks.  Yea, I laughed at that too.  That's another thing that is incorrect, they used the same tires from previous versions, instead of making wider ones.

[dave branson]

Awesome

[MG Brown]

I loved the IMC GT Prototype-Sports and Indy kits "back in the day" and now.

True, the instructions were lacking and assembly took patience, but the result could be spectacular.

[vamach1]

Never give up.  Just curse a lot.  I wanted to finish this one since I have built all the others (MKI, MKII, Gulf, and MKIV). 

[OldTrucker]

I tried to build this kit back when it was first released and it was an utter failure that met it's fate to a black cat firecracker! (wish I still had it today)

You did a fantastic job on a difficult to build kit!

I have only seen 4 or 5 of these that were ever finished!

[vamach1]

It had been years since I built the other ones.  They were all a challenge.