A Hobby store, an IMSA Mazda, and a basement

[absmiami]

Well its back to Virginia for the holidays - greeted warmly by the inlaw - who then pointed me down to that basement - the one where i struggled mightily a year ago with the Revell Jag XKE kit …. 

[absmiami]

This time- i’ve left the Revell kit back in Fl - i brought a couple of 43 scale kits w me - the hobby store in Charles Town WV bit the dust - as hobby store do - so i went searching for another one - as i still needed supplies for my holiday basement workshop - 

[absmiami]

In Frederick Md - only about twenty five miles away - is a franchise Hobby Town - w a real good selection of tools paints - you name it - even a Tamiya Lotus 7 kit for just 27 dollars - can’t beat that …

[absmiami]

This is Starter’s IMSA Mazda 792P kit - i bought it from Ultimodels in Cali for 42.00 about 30 yrs ago - i never seem to get around to building any of my few 43 sc kits - so i thought this would make a good holiday basement build - this was the follow-up to Mazda’s Lemans winner - not very successful - wonderful lines - but not a good real-world racer - Mazda’s IMSA team never figured out how to manage the issues caused by the insane exhaust header heat …

[absmiami]

Thing one - the base plate - inclined to remove all of the markings - opinions?

[absmiami]

Body casting is pretty good - just a few small casting holes on the base of the aero skirts .. and i got a Tamiya scriber to deepen the bonnet and door lines - 

[absmiami]

The main photo-etch sheet is thick - i’m judging maybe .08 - that’s good - but i had to open the slots on the corners of the fenders ..

[absmiami]

Tires are rubber - wheels are multi-peice machined brass- and polished nickel - w photo-etched wheel inserts - nice stuff - 

[absmiami]

The detail in the inserts is relief etched - well done - but the parts had what appeared to be some chemical etchant residue and were - after 30 yrs - a little tarnished - i spiffed them up - but i think i should paint them gold - 

[absmiami]

[absmiami]

The splitter is photo-etched - only actually protrudes from the nose a couple of inches - painted black on the team cars

[absmiami]

Early nineties IMSA cars all had this neat rear wing - Jaguar did this too - the side panels are relief etched to place the wing elements - but glueing will be sloppy and uncertain - so I’m leaving the fret tabs on the edges of the wings in place and drilling corresponding holes in the side plates - will attempt to solder everything together upon my return to Fl - 

Edited 4 hours ago by absmiami
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