1/12 Tamiya McLaren M23 - Denny Hulme 1973

[AaronM]

I acquired the kit (it’s a circa 1975/76 produced version) last year with a tatty box and decals but otherwise complete.  
 

So I jumped onto IndyCals and was a little amazed that I could get a decal set for Denny Hulme who raced the M23 in 1973 and 1974.  Hulme was a WDC from New Zealand and was still racing in the 1990’s ultimately passing during the Bathurst 1000 touring car race in Australia 1992.  This also earned the morbid title of being the first WDC to die of natural causes.

The chassis is in a private collection and maintained for competition in historic racing.  The Tamiya kit is a bit of a hybrid of the various body/wing/cowls from the 1973/74 seasons and races.

Body parts came together very quickly

I picked up an E.Jan detail kit for the engine.

A few assemblies coming together

So many pieces to paint.

valve covers and plug wire boots (to be shortened)

Cockpit tub assembled

Cosworth decals applied

front structure, battery and tray assembled and painted.

small bits!

Back of the instrument cluster

Front suspension structure test fit to the cockpit tub.

Engine water pump detail.

Starting the rear suspension assembly

Laying out the significant structures 

Laying down the IndyCals.

Nose structure.

The Papaya elements, painted in TS56 

some trimming to come and then clear coat time!

Nose completed with the jaunty angled race number as per the M23/1 raced by Denny.

Doing the anodised pipe fittings which always make the details pop a bit.

Edited July 2, 2022 by AaronM
Adding notes

[Pierre Rivard]

Superb work so far. Thank you for sharing, this is fun to watch.

[bytownshaker]

Excellent work on your McLaren. One day I'm going to have get one of Tamiya's 1/12 F1 cars.

May I ask what WDC stands for?

Edgar

[AaronM]

WDC - World Drivers Champion, aka F1 World Champion.

The 1/12 F1’s are great to build, and you don’t need to go crazy with detailing for a great result.

[AaronM]

building up the gearbox.

with the oil coolers mounted and anti-roll bar in place it’s nearly complete.

the E.Jan alloy trumpets and matching injectors assembled and test fitting on the motor.

build up the headers.  Once cured they will get linked to the rest of the exhaust and then painted before being glued to the DFV

radiators and rear bulkhead in place (and cockpit)

loose test fit of the upper and lower monocoque, the cockpit cowl and airbox.  Very happy that it all lines up.

[Dave Van]

Very nice work. I recall race announcers calling it 'Yardley MAC'. This kit is the only 1/12 Tamiya I missed 

[drodg]

Beautiful work