1/18 semi-fantasy/custom BMW M1-Small Block Chevy

[ibj40]

Inspired by this story, as well as a visit to the 1983 IMSA 3-Hour Season Finale at Daytona (where my partner and I bought the 23rd finishing #46 Corvette), I came up with a custom that coulda/mighta happened under other circumstances.

The Group 5 March M1 – History

Here's a close-up of one of the cars mentioned in the article.



With access to the entire garage area, we had the opportunity to look closely at a number of different vehicles, and were especially attracted to two BMW M1's that were competing that day.

The first was entered and driven by a Salvadorian with the nom de plume of "Fomfor". Fomfor BMW M1 . This car actually finished 9th overall and 1st in GTO.

The second was entered and driven by Canadian Uli Bieri. Bieri BMW M1 . This car was a DNF.

What was interesting is that both of these chassis had considerable race history, and upon closer inspection, were a little long in the tooth, if you know what I mean.

Having owned and driven my own '69 Camaro, I was well aware that good cosmetics and livery could conceal some pretty rough mechanicals, and both M1's showed their age.

There had clearly been some crash damage that got into the rear frame rails of one of them, and there was evidence of what we used to refer to as A-Sedan repairs, which usually amounted to the search for bigger hammer until the damage in question had been beaten into submission.

Fast forward to this build.

Minichamps makes a very nice BMW M1 racing version.









And GMP makes a really nice Small Block Chevy engine. The question was, can you fit the engine into the chassis.



Needless so say, I was willing to try. Pulled the body off and the BMW engine out, and did a test fit.



Then the hard part began. For simplicity of fabrication, I simply flipped the GMP headers over and swapped them side to side.



And for whatever reason, and Minichamps is the only one to know, the entire back of the body of the M1 is solid diecast metal. So the route through this bulkhead was going to be laborious.



Needless to say, I do not believe I have ever used a 5/16 inch drill bit on any other diecast build. By the way, at the rear of the engine you can see the styrene adapter I built as a transition between the Chevy engine and the BMW transmission.



All told, not a bad build.



But clearly, a different approach to creating a competitive race car.



Here's the Build Album.

[slusher]

Great looking pair!

[TarheelRick]

Cool idea and very believable execution.  Here is a picture of a Lambo I saw at a car show a few years back, that is a Chevy engine.

[ybsluos]

Jim this is awesome!  Also I love that 1:1 Vette you bought