PM Gulf 917 Spa 1970

[Dr. Austin]

I finaly got it!!! I have looked for five years for the kit of the Gulf 917 from Spa 1970. It was driven to victory by my hero Brian Redman and Seppi Siffert at an average speed over 149 mph on what were at the time public roads. At the time, it just had to be the hairest thing that anyone had ever done.

I was so excited to get the kit that I cleaned the body up before I took a picture of it. There was alot of flash in the wheel wells and the windows were completely closed off with flash. But it was real thin and trimmed right off with no problem. Flash in these ares isn't much of a problem because these areas don't show anyway. You just trim the flash off and smoothe the area.

Then I soaked the resin parts in a solution of water and Dawn dish detergent to clean off the mould release agent. I have heard rumor that PM uses Crisco cooking lard!!! I also throw in a capful of bleach, and this seems to have eliminated any problems associated with mould release.

After a caot of Plastikote automotive primer (which is great stuff), I went baak and trimmed off the remaining flash that I missed. Here is the body with a coat of Plastikote FM#8090 automotive touch up paint. I have held one of my models up to a Gulf 917 that is still original and it is a dead on match. The "FM" in the paint is for "Ford Motor" and is the same paint used on the Wyer ford GT40's and Mirages. And the Gulf 917's. And the Maverickh Grabbers.

I am goint to let the body dry for a day, and if the paint doesn't shrink up too much and pull out of the panel lines, I'll start decalling them. I can decal a couple of hours after painting with Plastikote, but i don't want to take any risks with this project.

I'll try to get some shots of the interior up later today.

[Dr. Austin]

Opps! forgot the picture of the kit. Pretty basic. Body (already cleaned), interior, decals, and bag with the glass vac-forms, wheels and tires, headlights, photo etched parts, and tree of wheel inserts.

Pretty much the standard PM 917 kit, but the body is a little different at the rear.

[The Beer Baron]

Dr. Austin , how much do those kits cost, I'm not big into modelling yet but I sure could use something to do with the off-season?

[SL]

And here's one I prepared earlier.

Seppi at speed at Spa. Their AVERAGE speed was 150mph. This includes pitstops, driver changes, fuel, tyres and a 50mph haipin bend.

The fastest F1 race ever, also 71 was also 150mph area but without pitstops.

Simon

[SL]

And here's one I prepared earlier.

Seppi at speed at Spa. Their AVERAGE speed was 150mph. This includes pitstops, driver changes, fuel, tyres and a 50mph haipin bend.

The fastest F1 race ever, Monza 71 was also 150mph area but without pitstops.

Simon

[SL]

Ooop's forgot the photo

[cybersdorf]

I have a feeling the doctor is a very happy man right now

[Dr. Austin]

Originally posted by The Beer Baron
Dr. Austin , how much do those kits cost, I'm not big into modelling yet but I sure could use something to do with the off-season?

They run fron $35 to $45 US and you will have alot easier time finding these things than i do. In the US, 1/43 is not as big as in Europe. No hobby shops I know of stock any of the kits, so you have to order them and it takes at least a month or two to get them. Even then, there is no way to even know what is available anymore. They only make limited runs of about 100 or 200 kits and when they are done, that's it. sometimes they re-issue them and they are real finds when that happens.

I suggest that you try your hand at plastic models first because the resin requires a real gentle touch and different techniques. If you can find someone who builds 1/43 resin, make him your guru and have him teach you the special techniques. I was fortunate to land a job with one of the country's best builders and when I quit, I had already learned enough to go into business myself.

I don't know much about the European hobby shop system, but most of the kits can be found at


grand prix models.com

There is also the french kit manufacturers group web site at

mafma.com


Check out the Province Moulage section. Anyone know what that means?

[Dr. Austin]

Originally posted by SL
Ooop's forgot the photo

I thought i was the only one to ever do that! I've got to take a little break so i can work on the kit some, but i'll try to have more photos tonight. The second coat of paint is on and the interior isd almost done. It is going too well. Not always a good sign.

[SL]

Dr, Do you only model Porsche's ?

I must admit a fondness of the Ferrari 312's if you have any.

Also did you get the November issue of Motor Sport ? they had an article on Siffert / Rodriguez driving the 917's incl a great photo of them storming away at the start of Spa side by side.

Simon

[cybersdorf]

Originally posted by Dr. Austin
It is going too well. Not always a good sign.

Then step away from it & let it lie for a while.
If you can!

[Dr. Austin]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by SL

Dr, Do you only model Porsche's ?"

My 914 burned to the ground when i was a tender age, and I never really got over it. I do other makes, but the Porsches just seem to be my favorites. If you are going to have a serious collection of significant sports/prototype cars, you are going to have a heck of a lot of Porsches. It just sort of worked out that way because my era of interest begins in about 1965-66, so Porsche rose to dominance it what i consider the "good old days." My 914 was also powder blue, so I fancy myself a little bit of a Michael Delaney.




"I must admit a fondness of the Ferrari 312's if you have any."

They were favorites of mine as well, particularly the 1969 312p spyder from Sebring '69. As I saw that car run, I really wanted one for my collection. Funny you should ask, because I have that car under construction and am waiting for the body to come back from clearcoat. I'll get that up when it is done. I'm expecting about 10 projects coming back this week alone, so i will be really busy building and photographing, dreaming.......



"Also did you get the November issue of Motor Sport ? they had an article on Siffert / Rodriguez driving the 917's incl a great photo of them storming away at the start of Spa side by side."


Thanks for the tip because you can never have enough reference material.

[cybersdorf]

Originally posted by Dr. Austin
My 914 burned to the ground when i was a tender age, and I never really got over it.

Ouch. But look at it this way: at least you had a 914 at a tender age! (Even though it was only a Volkswagen in disguise, ahem...)

I do other makes, but the Porsches just seem to be my favorites. If you are going to have a serious collection of significant sports/prototype cars, you are going to have a heck of a lot of Porsches.

It is probably the best documented marque out there, certainly in terms of its racing activities.

[Ray Bell]

Well, while you're on the track of famous drivers flying in Porsches... why not get cracking with this one?

[cybersdorf]

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

[cybersdorf]

How about this one?



"Porsche Salzburg"

[AAReagles]

Originally posted by SL
Also did you get the November issue of Motor Sport ? they had an article on Siffert / Rodriguez driving the 917's incl a great photo of them storming away at the start of Spa side by side.

Simon

That's just what I was gonna say. I saw it on the stand, at the smoke shop, but didn't snag it, as I was in a hurry.

Will have to check it out.

[Dr. Austin]

Here is the finished interior. Not much to it except all the little detail at the rear. That had to all be hand painted, but it was not so bad. All of that hides in the shadows under the tail anyway and doesn't get much of a look, but i try to do a clean job of it anyway. More revealing is the engine cooling fan, but i have done so many of them that I am not scared of them anymore, not ifs I am wearing my high powered glasses, that is.

[Dr. Austin]

Here is the body with the decal job about 3/4 done. all that is left is the Gulf emblems on the front fenders and the rest of the rondels and numbers. I'll let it set up a little bit and dry. The decals are still tacky and if I touch any of them now they might stick to my fingers or rip or otherwise deform. I'll put some solvaset decal solution on them and get back on it after dinner.

[Dr. Austin]

Ok, so here it is almost ready for clear. After I let it dry overnight, I'll touch up the orange around the brake duct area with Testor's model master international orange paint, hopefully a perfect match. Then I will wash the body off and give it a final inspection. After that, it will be in Bob DaValut's hands for clearcoating.

While it is gone, I will finish up the wheels and interior. It will be gone for about two weeks, but i expect a shipment from Bob tomorrow with two gulf 908's I am working on. Maybe I will post some of that on the 908 thread.

So keep your eyes open for this thread in about two weeks. When I get the body back, I'll assemble it and take you through the steps. This is the very last of the Porsche holy grail models. I have all the ones that i can't live without, so now I can just start on another obsession like Saubers or something. Anyone got any Sauber kits to trade?

[Dr. Austin]

HERE IT IS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

[Dr. Austin]

Another view. oooop! That didn't work and it won't let me edit, so I'll try again.

[Dr. Austin]

There, that's better.

[cybersdorf]

It's a beauty!