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AMT Gatorade McLaren--Johnny Rutherford 1975

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  • Member since
    January 2007
AMT Gatorade McLaren--Johnny Rutherford 1975
Posted by the doog on Monday, February 28, 2011 6:27 PM

Hi guys,

Been busy as heck, and apologies to all for not being more active here as of late, but I just wanted to share something I've been working on slowly--the old AMT kit of Johnny Rutherford's 1975 McLaren C/D in the Gatorade livery. I always lived this car and the color scheme.

I remember this car brapping around Pocono raceway in the mid-70's when I was but a young turd. Gatorade was new back then, and I drank enough of it to pee a 55 gallon drum in between races, lol.

A difficult build, to be sure--I made new front spoilers since the kit ones were too short and mounted in a weird way. The engine configuration also has to be tweaked. I also filled and straightened the rear cowling. The decals were, of course, a nightmare, after 30 years. I sealed them with Microscale decal film, which makes them really resistant to bending.I had to paint over the #2 on the front green cowl, as it was yellowed and thin. I also made new rear suspension rods, as the kit ones were molded really badly and out-of-round.

Not much more to say or show--so here's the pics. The paint is Tamiya WHite and decanted Metallic Green.Masking was done with Bare Metal Foil.

 

Thanks for the looksee! Comments always welcomed! Big Smile

 

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Biding my time, watching your lines.
Posted by PaintsWithBrush on Monday, February 28, 2011 8:45 PM

Nice looking build you put out there though I have to say that is THE weirdest looking face shield I have ever seen on a helmet.

 

A 100% rider on a 70% bike will always defeat a 70% rider on a 100% bike. (Kenny Roberts)

fox
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Narvon, Pa.
Posted by fox on Monday, February 28, 2011 9:29 PM

Nice resurrection Karl. Toast Outstanding as usual.

Jim Captain

 Main WIP: 

   On the Bench: Artesania Latina  (aka) Artists in the Latrine 1/75 Bluenose II

I keep hitting "escape", but I'm still here.

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Missouri, USA
Posted by angrydawg on Monday, February 28, 2011 10:24 PM

Did you use the kit two piece tires? If so, what paint did you use? Any problems?

I'd rather light than fight.

Looking for sprint car decals, Mopars, and wheel and tire sets from ARII and Otaki.

"models available" list on my Photobucket, link below:

http://s870.photobucket.com/albums/ab267/AngryDawg/?themeSaved=2152923

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, February 28, 2011 11:44 PM

Thank you, Roger, and Jim! Yeah, Roger, I did what I could with the helmet--not much you can do with that face shield!? That's 30-year old molding technology for ya!

angrydawg

Did you use the kit two piece tires? If so, what paint did you use? Any problems?

Yes, I did use the two-piece tires, and they're a genuine PITA to assemble and hide the seams! I super-glued them twice, and sanded them smooth both times, then would up painting the surfaces with flat black. That hid the seam pretty well.

The paint (as I said in the post already) was Tamiya White and Metallic Green, decanted on the M. Green.

The engine configuration has the turbocharger nozzle (?!?!) in the wrong place; it's placement would interfere with the placement of the rear wing. It just doesn't fit. I moved it and cut it a little. I'll never get points for accuracy, but who the hell really knows what a 30-year old Eagle Offenhauser engine looks like from memory anyway? Sad

The suspension rods were too short and out-of-round; I replaced them with styrene rod.

The whole model really doesn't go together very well. Once again, I was saved by the Dremel in a lot of instances.  There's very little of the actual engine left under the top cowl, although you can't see it. But I had to grind a lot of it away just to get it to sit on it.

I made new front spoilers, as the ones in the kit are too short and mount funny. That was no small chore!

Not an easy kit, but 30 years ago the standards weren't what they are today. This kit, by the way, is used as the basic kit for a whole host of other models of this era--the other JR #3 McLaren car, a Bobby Unser car, and I think also another one that lets you build the "Norton Spirit". Luckily, this is the second one I did--here's the #3 Johnny R car--so I'm getting better at this model, lol!

Look at the difference in the front spoilers...

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • From: Maine
Posted by Stage_Left on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 1:34 AM

Nice work, doog. Thanks for sharing.....you made this one look good, and I love the INDY/F1 stuff.

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by TD4438 on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 3:24 AM

What are the tires on the first car made of?

They sure as hell look like rubber to me.

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 9:09 AM

Thanks, stage-left and Ed!

Ed, the tires are a two-piece plastic affair. You have to glue them together, but they're not exactly styrene that joins nicely with a sandable seam. They have to be superglued, and it's a nasty job to get rid of the darned seam.

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Piscataway, NJ!
Posted by wing_nut on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 5:44 PM

Hey doog... told ya I saw ya here.   Looks nice and it has me thinking.  Ever since I did my Lotus 25 I have been wanting to d o a more modern F1

Marc  

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 5:56 PM

wing_nut

Hey doog... told ya I saw ya here.   Looks nice and it has me thinking.  Ever since I did my Lotus 25 I have been wanting to d o a more modern F1

Hey Marc, thanks a lot buddy, for stopping by the garage and your kind words! Smile

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