Trumpeter Ford GT40 with my twists

[Randy D]

Hi Ken,  You are doing an outstanding job on this kit !!!!!  As to the pedals on P1046,  all of the GT40's used the same  pedal box arrangement.  The seats could not be moved so they made the whole pedal box adjustable.

 

 

 

Randy

[kensar]

Thanks Randy! This was exactly what I was looking for.

[kensar]

After a few days away for Memorial Day, I finished the seats.  They came out as good as I had hoped - a massive improvement from the kit version.

Finished with the belts.

I've turned my attention to the pedal assembly, reworking them yet again.  This time I am confident they are more correct.  Still a work in progress.

Due to the dimensions of the foot box in the model, I'll only be creating the front side that is viewable.

Thanks again to Randy for the reference pic and diagram.

Edited May 29, 2024 by kensar

[MarkJ]

Ken, those seats are astounding. How you got all that work done and flawlessly done is amazing. The pedals are amazing as well.

[kensar]

Thank you very much, Mark.

The finished pedal assembly.

Test fit.

Next, I need to straighten out the slightly warped cockpit tub before installing these parts.

[Pierre Rivard]

Amazing work on these seats, turning a weak component of this kit into a masterpiece.

Wonderful build to follow.

[iBorg]

Those seats may be the best I've seen in a GT 40. The pedal assembly is a huge improvement. What did you use to create the rubber portion covering  the shaft?

[kensar]

Hello Pierre and Mike.

The bellows on the shafts were made from 3/32" styrene tubing.  The 'grooves' were cut into the tubing using a 60 degree thread cutting tool on the lathe.

Thanks for looking and the encouraging posts.

[MarkJ]

On 5/31/2024 at 6:29 AM, kensar said:

Hello Pierre and Mike.

The bellows on the shafts were made from 3/32" styrene tubing.  The 'grooves' were cut into the tubing using a 60 degree thread cutting tool on the lathe.

Thanks for looking and the encouraging posts.

Such an ingenius way to make the bellows for the shafts. they look like the real thing made small.

[kensar]

Yes, Mark, I'm always looking for the easy way to do things - but the end result must look right.

I got the cockpit tub straightened out with some hot water and then painted.  Then did a test fit to look for fit interferences and note what the assembly sequence needs to be to make sure everything will hookup correctly.  Doing so many modifications usually creates some fit problems.

Found no current fit interferences but the left upper tie rod mount is close to the ignition coil and will need to be installed before putting the rear cockpit wall in place.  Also need to put some hoses on the water pipes as I won't be able to access that area later.  I need to paint the side pods before putting the interior tub in.

Overall, things are looking good.

Thanks for following, everyone.

Edited June 1, 2024 by kensar

[MarkJ]

Looking good is not what the last 4 photos bring to mind for me. It's more like looking phenomenal and that really doesn't do it justice either. It is so much fun to watch a master at work and see his creation come together one photo at a time. Thank you so much Ken for sharing this project with the rest of us mere mortals. This is special stuff going on here.

[Musclecarbuilder]

39 minutes ago, MarkJ said:

Looking good is not what the last 4 photos bring to mind for me. It's more like looking phenomenal and that really doesn't do it justice either. It is so much fun to watch a master at work and see his creation come together one photo at a time. Thank you so much Ken for sharing this project with the rest of us mere mortals. This is special stuff going on here.

Man you couldn't have put it better. I agree 100%

[Musclecarbuilder]

1 hour ago, kensar said:

Yes, Mark, I'm always looking for the easy way to do things - but the end result must look right.

I got the cockpit tub straightened out with some hot water and then painted.  Then did a test fit to look for fit interferences and note what the assembly sequence needs to be to make sure everything will hookup correctly.  Doing so many modifications usually creates some fit problems.

Found no current fit interferences but the left upper tie rod mount is close to the ignition coil and will need to be installed before putting the rear cockpit wall in place.  Also need to put some hoses on the water pipes as I won't be able to access that area later.  I need to paint the side pods before putting the interior tub in.

Overall, things are looking good.

Thanks for following, everyone.

Man those seats look like you shrunk the real thing! And the pedals?. I have no words to describe how Amazing that car looks. Great job.

[kensar]

Time for another update.  I'm now getting into the more personalized modifications on the body and chassis.

I'm moving the cooling air intakes to behind the radiator like was done on the Mk.IIb.  I guess the cool air coming from the front of the car was cracking the brake discs.  I used the kit air pickups and put them on the radiator shroud.  I also covered up the intakes on either side of the radiator opening.

I also worked on the front clip.  On the kit, this is posable open or closed.  I will hinge it, although not like the typical GT40.

 

I also filled in the hatches on the front clip as this is not a 24 hour racer, these would not be needed.  I will leave the right side fuel filler as this is common to most GT40s.

 

I abhor these screws that are in a lot of big scale kits.  Most of the time they are completely unnecessary with proper kit engineering.  I will remove or hide most of them.

 

Thanks for looking in and following along.

Edited June 8, 2024 by kensar

[Pierre Rivard]

Why they put these screws in escapes me. Good riddance. Any modifications on integrating the rear body and doors? I seem to recall there are design issues there with that kit.

[kensar]

Thanks for looking in, everyone.

The doors are getting a lot of attention.  I can't find anything drastically wrong with the design, but it needs a lot of test fitting and small adjustments.  I plan to add a wire reinforcement running up into the roof area of the door to get the top to fit closely to the body.  So far the doors are fitting well.

[Bainford]

Stellar work, Ken. I am really enjoying this build.

[4knflyin]

On 4/19/2024 at 8:11 AM, absmiami said:

While I’m spending everyone else’s money … Model Factory Hiro is releasing some pretty good looking sets of 3D printed bolts - and nuts - with longer stems than the Meng sets - they should be more user friendly …

Sorry to jack your thread, Ken but, abs, have you seen them. I can't figure out what they did. Multiple inspections have left me 1) wishing for some better pics than they have released, and 2) I'll keep with TS and keep hoping they start releasing larger options (though I hear they're going to stop producing them completely... them and the metal AN fittings. Boo hoo).

[4knflyin]

On 4/13/2024 at 10:08 AM, kensar said:

...

I can show more about my workshop if there is interest.

...

 

Ken, I really hope you follow through with this. I'd bet my house that lots of people, members and web surfers, would be glued to it. I don't know where you'd put such a thread, but announce it here when you do, please. This build is great. I'm still blown away by you exhaust from a long time ago.

Any chance that you could start posting larger res photos, even if it requires you to post them directly on the site? That last series made me realize you're getting to the point where a lot is going on and some hi-res pics would be beneficial.

Thanks for sharing so much.

[kensar]

I couldn't find a good place to post pictures of my workshop, so I'll put them here.  I am uploading all my pictures so they will be suitable size for messaging boards through Postimage.  I don't know how to post them directly to the site as it only accepts the BB code, as far as I know.

I have two main work areas, a 'dirty' one in the garage, and a cleaner one in my basement man cave.  The man cave is where most of the work is done, pictured below:

I work on a desk with the modeling tools and paints in easy reach.  The cardboard box on the shelf is my paint booth!  I made it myself about 15 years ago and it works fine.  I direct the exhaust hose out the window that is behind it.  It has a flourescent light on the top, shining into it so I can see what is going on, although a strip of LED lights would be better.

Here is the main work space.

In addition to the pictured area, I have a couple of other book case shelves with tools and supplies.  It's ironic that 95% of the work is done in a 18" X 18" area on the desk and all this other space is just for storing stuff.

The dirty area is pictured below:

Here I have a lathe, mill, drill press, scroll saw, and belt sander out on the benches.  I also have a grinding wheel and a lathe tool grinder.

The one machine I use by far the most is the belt sander.

All this is a lot and I'm grateful that my wife puts up with it.  Many years ago, I decided I had too many kits - too many to build myself, so I changed focus to invest in my own skills and machine tools instead of a lot of kits.  Now I could make a model of anything and not be constricted by what kit manufacturers make.

Now if only I had a 3D printer...

[4knflyin]

On 6/12/2024 at 6:34 PM, kensar said:

I couldn't find a good place to post pictures of my workshop, so I'll put them here.  I am uploading all my pictures so they will be suitable size for messaging boards through Postimage.  I don't know how to post them directly to the site as it only accepts the BB code, as far as I know.

I

Here I have a lathe, mill, drill press, scroll saw, and belt sander out on the benches.  I also have a grinding wheel and a lathe tool grinder.

The one machine I use by far the most is the belt sander.

All this is a lot and I'm grateful that my wife puts up with it.  Many years ago, I decided I had too many kits - too many to build myself, so I changed focus to invest in my own skills and machine tools instead of a lot of kits.  Now I could make a model of anything and not be constricted by what kit manufacturers make.

Now if only I had a 3D printer...30x3

Nice! Very nice!. The cabinet on your desk reminds me of those old traveling salesman foldouts. The sander would not have been my first gutss, but it makes perfect sense. I have an entire house and I choose to sit at a particular window and so am limited to a 40" wide desk! My dining room room has the rest of my BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH. I just got an order of paints and that's pushing me over the edge to find a new solution. 

Thanks for sharing where all your delicious custom work comes to life. I wouldn't know where to begin if I go the 3DP route.

[MarkJ]

Wow, I can only dream of having a workspace like that. Breakfast nook is all I will ever have. Luckily, we don't eat anything there.

[kensar]

Marcus - Thanks for commenting.  The hinged box does fold in on itself.  I made it that way to be able to move all the stuff easily.

Mark - You accomplish a lot for what you have to work with.

 

In this update I am focusing on the dashboard, but I did work on the inner door panels, which are painted gloss black with the door panel painted flat black.

First I painted the outer panels blue, then masked them.  Then painted the fuse panel gray and masked that.  Next painted the whole dash gloss black.

The dash on the GT40 I was using for reference has a textured black finish.  I masked the instrument locations and then painted a textured black (a Rustoleum spray paint).

Then started detailing.  Fuses are made from stretched clear sprue and the ends painted with a silver paint marker.

Dash switches are made from beading wire that was flattened at the end to make the toggle switch.  A PE hex bolt was used as a base for the toggles.  Short pieces of stretched clear sprue were used for the indicator lights on the panel.  The main on/off switch was scratchbuilt from styrene.  The kit instrument face decals were used and then coated with clear 5 min epoxy for the lenses.  A few small decal pieces are used for the labels.  I think a couple of PE screw heads are still needed for detail.

I'm still working on the doors to get the best fit I can.

[Bainford]

That fuse box is crazy trick. I am sure this is the first time I've seen scale fuses in a build.

[MarkJ]

Fuses are absolutely amazing, and the toggle switches, and the painting of the dash, and everything else you do. The creativity of your mind is astounding to come up with all these wonderful ideas.