Phildaupho Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 (edited) I have started a build of the Canadian Comstock Team Ford GT40. A few years after getting back into the car modelling hobby I started thinking about the models I really wanted to build. The Ford GT40 MKI has always been on my top ten list of favourite cars of all time. I was drawn to the ads in model car magazines for an after market full detail GT40 kit offered by Thunder Valley Miniatures. I was a little taken aback when I learned the price but I had to have it. When I put in my order, I added the Fujimi GT40 MKII donor kit which was not available locally at the time and for good measure the Shelby Mustang GT350R trans-kit and base kit were also ordered. This order was placed September 12, 1997 at a total cost of $191.34 US. The exchange rate at the time was similar to the current rate so the bottom line was about $265 CAN. I am surprised I wanted those kits so badly. I also amassed a library of GT40 books. My original intention was to build the GT40 as the Thunder Valley kit was designed as the 1968 and 69 Le Mans winning car but I was reluctant to get started because I did not think my skills had progressed to the point of doing it justice. This was reenforced in the early 2000’s when one of my local car modelling buddies built what may be the definitive 1/24 scale model of the Le Mans winning car. Around the same time, I saw again for the first time in almost thirty years the only GT40 I actually witnessed race back in the day. I could hardly believe my eyes when I spotted in the Monterey Hictorics paddock the restored Comstock Team GT40 which I had been aware of since 1966 when it raced at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Tragically it was withdrawn when the crash of the sister car took the life of Vancouver racing star Bob McLean. Afterwards I saw it race a number of times driven by Eppie Weitzes at the Westwood circuit near Vancouver. Now that was the GT40 I really wanted to build. Things started to fall into place to make this build feasible. Somehow the proprietor of Vintage Racing Miniatures found out I had the no longer available Thunder Valley GT350R kit. He was considering creating a new GT350R trans-kit based on the one I had. I had already built a GT350R replica for a guy that actually raced one and had no immediate plans to build another. A deal was worked out that involved cash and decals. The deal was really sweetened when I found out VRM had a decal sheet in the works that included the Comstock livery which I would be sent a sheet for completing the GT350R deal. Sold-Sold-Sold. Fujimi started re-releasing the MkII in multiple versions and then finally MKI’s with both wide back fenders like the Thunder Valley Le Mans version and the narrower rear body of the earlier GT40’s like the Comstock car. I bought them all and eventually a resin Historic Racing Miniatures engine and transaxle kit. I had just about everything I needed including some photo-etch detail sets but still I was not inspired to start construction. The only Ford GT’s I had built to date are the 1967 Le Mans winning MKIV and a phantom MKII style racing version of the second generation 2005 Ford GT. I did however give a Comstock livery to a 1/32 Scalectrix slot car which I had fun racing even in the dark as it has headlights. So now in 2024 I am going to build my model of the Comstock GT40. As it turns out I may end up not using anything from the Thunder Valley kit. I am using the Fujimi Tour De France version. To get started I have cleaned up the body of molding lines, removed the flare from the wider body at the rear end of the side rocker panels, separated the ducts from the hood to paint separately and started the enlargement of the radiator opening like the real car ran occasionally. Edited February 9 by Phildaupho 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo64 Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Looks like it will be an interesting build, good luck. I've wanted to get one of the Fujimi MkI kits to do a build of the Essex Wire car, but the prices on those kit are just too high. I keep hoping that Fujimi will reissue the MkI like they did the MkII kits. Can't wait to see more progress on this. Steve A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave B Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 This will be a great build Phil, and in something other than Gulf colours, like mine!! Dave B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Yup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Great project! I have the Thunder Valley kit too, bought it in the early 90s. I have also stocked up on Fujimi GT-40s since then, but have yet to build one. I am going to have to correct that some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Rivard Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Definitely one to follow. So this is based on the Thunder Valley kit with some mods right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Chernosky Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Great background story Phil. This looks like an interesting build. You are off to a great start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 4 Author Share Posted February 4 16 hours ago, Leo64 said: Looks like it will be an interesting build, good luck. I've wanted to get one of the Fujimi MkI kits to do a build of the Essex Wire car, but the prices on those kit are just too high. I keep hoping that Fujimi will reissue the MkI like they did the MkII kits. Can't wait to see more progress on this. Steve A. Yes. I am glad I got the MKI kits when I did. 16 hours ago, Dave B said: This will be a great build Phil, and in something other than Gulf colours, like mine!! Dave B Thanks David 9 hours ago, Bainford said: Great project! I have the Thunder Valley kit too, bought it in the early 90s. I have also stocked up on Fujimi GT-40s since then, but have yet to build one. I am going to have to correct that some day. Thanks Trevor. I have a MkII planned for later this year but it will be a curbside 2 hours ago, Pierre Rivard said: Definitely one to follow. So this is based on the Thunder Valley kit with some mods right? Pierre - Although I have the Thunder Valley kit I am not using it for this build. Maybe some day I will build the Thunder Valley as the Le Mans winner which it was designed to be, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 4 Author Share Posted February 4 9 hours ago, absmiami said: Yup 57 minutes ago, Rich Chernosky said: Great background story Phil. This looks like an interesting build. You are off to a great start. Thanks you Andrew and Rich. Now that I have started I do have a plan. I am going to complete the interior, underpan and front suspension before moving onto the engine, then finally the body Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps46 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Glad to see the Comstock version being modelled. Looking forward to seeing more of your build. You captured the unique grille opening spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Many thumbs-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 (edited) On 2/4/2024 at 10:14 AM, Gramps46 said: Glad to see the Comstock version being modelled. Looking forward to seeing more of your build. You captured the unique grille opening spot on. On 2/4/2024 at 1:13 PM, Ace-Garageguy said: Many thumbs-up. Thanks Gary and Bill. I failed to mention that this is Ford GT40 P1037 if anyone wants to research it. Edited February 6 by Phildaupho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 (edited) This build has evolved to be how it look if I actually owned the real car rather than a replica of how it looked at a moment in time back in the 1960’s. Although the actual car was eventually restored to being white with green stripes it does not have any other aspects of the Comstock livery. Photos of GT40 MKI interiors are few and far between. The only photos I could find of the car under the skin are of the restored car. I like how the light blue colour of the tub is a nice contrast that allows other components to stand out rather than everything being painted black. Like the restored car and road versions, the battery is located in the engine compartment area. For extra detail, I am using photo-etch from Acu-stion and Studio 27 and the excellent decal sheet from Vintage Racing Miniatures [VRM]. A friend built what I consider the ultimate GT40 1075 a number of years ago. I remembered that he even drilled out all the holes in the seat. I decided to do the same. To paraphrase The Beatles in A Day in the Life – Three hundred holes in GT40 seats And though the holes were rather small I had to drill them all Now I know who many holes I’ll never drill again I did not turn me on Edited February 9 by Phildaupho 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
250 Testa Rossa Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Following Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillyb1 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 The Beatles parody lyrics made me laugh out loud. Thanks for that. Also loving the model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 15 hours ago, 250 Testa Rossa said: Following 12 hours ago, Chillyb1 said: The Beatles parody lyrics made me laugh out loud. Thanks for that. Also loving the model. I heard the song the other day on the radio and could not resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 (edited) I am moving onto the engine compartment and using the Historic Racing Miniatures GT40 engine and transaxle kit which also includes a rear bulkhead that better fits the inner contours of the body. The HRM engine has Gurney Weslake heads but my GT40 has standard Ford heads. The G/W heads were easily removed from the block and will be replaced with heads from the 1/24 Rev/Mon Shelby Mustang. The Weber carbs and manifold I will be using are also HRM items designed for the Rev/Mon 1/24 for 289. After getting what I thought were all the parts together I read the directions that came with the HRM kit. Torsion bars and sway bar attachments are mentioned but I could not find them. I searched everywhere with no success finding these parts. So, then I did an online search of photos of the HRM kit. In none of those photos are radius rods or sway bar attachments. I wonder why these were not included. I don’t remember another HRM GT40 suspension kit. Fortunately, I have an old IMC glue-bomb GT40 that will supply these parts or help me fabricate them. Edited February 9 by Phildaupho 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 I'm using portions of the VRM decal sheet for the Cobra Daytona coupe in the Sebring build - there stuff is great ... chassis color looks just right ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Rivard Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Project is looking really good. A great one to follow, thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy D Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Great build going on here Phil!!!!! That is alot of holes😀 As to the HRM set.... The two sway bar attachment blocks are those 2 tiny square pieces in the middle of the photo showing the parts. The sway bar is the piece of brass rod that needs to be bent to shape.... Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 21 hours ago, absmiami said: I'm using portions of the VRM decal sheet for the Cobra Daytona coupe in the Sebring build - there stuff is great ... chassis color looks just right ... Thanks Andrew - I agree VRM decals are great and I am glad I got a number of sheets when they were available including the Cobra Daytona sheet. 5 hours ago, Pierre Rivard said: Project is looking really good. A great one to follow, thanks for sharing. Thanks Pierre. Likewise I always follow your projects. 55 minutes ago, Randy D said: Great build going on here Phil!!!!! That is alot of holes😀 As to the HRM set.... The two sway bar attachment blocks are those 2 tiny square pieces in the middle of the photo showing the parts. The sway bar is the piece of brass rod that needs to be bent to shape.... Randy Thanks Randy - I found some additional photos of your amazing brass GT40 project on Facebook. All will be a big help getting me back on track. I spent some time searching the forum for GT40 parts, projects and completions. Overwhelming what is or was available and the complexity of some of the GT40 model completions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absmiami Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Hi randy … Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinacar Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 I'm watching closely. My first serious contact with the GT40 was in Geelong Australia when I had the luck of being the passenger in one in the Geelong Speed Trials in the early nineties. Love at first site. Last year I started working for Shelby and occasionally the legends around the GT 40 come up, especially with the movie a few years ago. In any case, good luck on this one you are doing beautiful work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 1 hour ago, Chinacar said: I'm watching closely. My first serious contact with the GT40 was in Geelong Australia when I had the luck of being the passenger in one in the Geelong Speed Trials in the early nineties. Love at first site. Last year I started working for Shelby and occasionally the legends around the GT 40 come up, especially with the movie a few years ago. In any case, good luck on this one you are doing beautiful work. Thanks Alex - I really enjoyed studying the photos of your current GT40 and look forward to your next project. I have a few 1/12 models in my collection both completed and still in boxes but I actually only ever built one myself and that was decades ago. I like their size for seeing the detail but the downside is they take up so much space to display. I was attracted to 1/43 scale for the opposite reasons for a while but have settled on building 1/24 & 1/25. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan31 Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Great work Phil. I plan on building one of each version of GT40 someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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