Lotus 72 build photos

Peter Jenssen
I'm pretty sure this is the starter motor assembly, but what's with the drive shaft?!

Peter Jenssen
Cam covers and auxilliary drive cover painted.
3/4 Tamiya Nato Black, 1/4 Tamiya gloss black.
Finish off with a light drybrushing of Testor's "exhaust" metalizer.

Peter Jenssen
An early dry fit.
Getting a first sense of the final size. -It's going to be big.
No bad surprises with parts fit yet.. 🙂

John Thomas
Nice start. I love F1 cars. I have two kits I need to start
Thanks

Peter Jenssen
I'm having trouble gluing the polyethylene plastic parts.
Does anyone have a good suggestion of what glue to use?

Thanks,
Peter

Steve Wilson
Looking good Peter🙂
Being 1:12 you really can go bonkers with extra detail, is that your intention???🤔

John Thomas
Have you tried Tamiya extra thin cement

Peter Jenssen
@John, is Tamiya extra thin a polystyrene cement?
I've tried standard Tamiya liquid cement as well as CA
Problem is that polyethylene is that plastic that glue caps are made of. -It doesn't stick to anything. I've tried sanding the surface, tried different solvents to rough up the surface, still nothing sticks. Now considering using blu-tack! 🙁
@Steve, I don't have the budget for all the potential detail that can be added using aftermarket parts. The kit comes with a bit of PE, I'm going to do mostly OOB though.
I will be adding some wires and plumbing, -there are for example no brake lines, no electrical (except for spark plug leads), no throttle. I'll add what I can glean from pictures.
It looks to me that since they made the working suspension, some parts are a bit too thick, so already there is a problem going for high realism without a lot of work.. 🙁
I'll go for as good a general impression as possible with suitable level of realism overall.
So far it looks promising.
I'm nervous about the paint job though. This will be my first car with a proper paint job.

Steve Wilson
Hi Peter...
Hey!!! I've been there with the aftermarket stuff, some are more expensive than the kit especially in 1:12😮
When I built 1:12 I used to scratchbuild most of my extra detail, one tip I can pass on to you, is, use fuse wire or solder of different diameters for fuel and brake lines, pipes wires etc, it bends easier and holds its shape better, it takes paint after primer for coloured lines...
The glue your asking about, I use and swear by Revell's Contacta...

Steve Wilson
BTW Peter...
about aftermarket paraphernalia, the expense is one reason why I love MFH kits so much, everything is in the box and I mean everything. Kyoto Hiro has thought of most eventualities. No need to buy anything...😄

Peter Jenssen
Yes, the MFH shop looks good. I saw Hiro's (out of production) 1/12 Cosworth DFV. Impressive.
I also saw the conversion kit for a Lotus 72E.. ..-And the price tag! :-o

I'll see if I can find Contacta.
The polyethylene parts are mostly for the cockpit padding and seat, so it's not _too_ bad if things come off occasionally I guess.. 🙁

thanks,
Peter

John Thomas
One more idea for glue. If the parts are Polystyrene then a Vinyl Glue may work.
I would test it first. I cant remember the glue I used on my F1 car I built almost 30 years ago. I would try a Vinyl glue or just a white glue.

Alexander Aristides Cronvall
Now that's a car ! i'm tuned in 👍

Peter Jenssen
A couple more pictures:
Fixing the bodywork, sanding, dryfitting.
Done the fuel injection and ignition leads.

John Thomas
Nice work, keep it up.

Peter Jenssen
Dry fit after first coat of paint.
Sanding next. Working on rear suspension as well..

Alan Rush
Hi Peter. Just joining in and wanted to add my compliments. The first coat of paint looks great. The finished model will be big and looks like it will be nice when done. Looking forward to seeing it take shape.

Peter Jenssen
Thanks Alan. I'm working on the exhausts and doing wet sanding of the first coat of paint.
Unfortunately I can't do the second coat yet..
Ran out of black and it seems like my local hobby shops are depleted in the black paint section at the moment as well.. 🙁
Perhaps they sold a lot of black during Christmas? 🙂

Alan Rush
I have run into the paint shortage problem before. A forced break and rest until it arrives. 🙂

Peter Jenssen
Paint acquired!
Soon it will be decal time.
Anybody got any tips/warnings what to do vs. what not to do with regards to applying a clear coat on top of decals.
This will be the first time I do that.
-A bit nervous.. :-/

Pascal GARAT
Great work on the Lotus!

Steve Wilson
Hi Peter...
Take a decal you won't use.
A spare piece of styrene, painted with the colour you're using.
Apply the decal, now spray it with the clear you're using.
Leave it to dry checking it all the time...
What's the reaction??? I always test first, saves any tears later!!!
Good luck🙂

Peter Jenssen
Thanks guys!
Steve, -What thinner do you usually use for clear coat on top of decals?
(I have a couple of different brands of clear, but they need thinning, as they are not at all "airbrush-ready"😢

Jonns Pfeiffenberger
👍 awesome build!! I saw the car a few years ago live in goodwood, driven by Johnny Herbert. Keep it up!!
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Steve Wilson
@Peter...
Aaaaah!!! Now there's the danger warning.
Thinning clear coat to spray or paint on decals is where half the problems start.
I avoid it like the plague, I only use a clear coat designed for models.
Humbrol Enamel Varnish is a good one, I use the rattle can so I don't have to thin it.
If I use it in the Airbrush, I decant it.

Steve Wilson
@Peter...
Paints and Clears for models are Chemically COLD...
Other Paints, Clears etc, like touch up car paints are Chemically HOT...
You can spray/paint C/COLD on C/HOT, but only when the C/HOT is fully cured/dried.
You can never spray/paint C/HOT on C/COLD it'll destroy the C/COLD, including any decals.
Decals are C/COLD as well...
Thinners are strange substances, some are C/COLD but most are C/HOT...
If you think about it C/HOT is logical as it softens the paint to thin it.
I use a lot of Acrylic paints these days especially Tamiya as I can then use X20A Thinners...

Steve Wilson
Sorry Peter.
Had to nip off🤔
So adding thinners to paints can change the paint chemically... Meaning it could cause damage. Beware!
Never use Cellulose Thinners, ideal for cleaning Brushes and Airbrushes, but that's it.
I hope this info helps you...

Jermaine Hoskin
Are you kidding me? Awesome build mate. I will be adding this to my wishlist and to my stash very soon.

Peter Jenssen
Thanks gyus.
I have Humbrol Clear Cote and Testors Model Master Clear Top Coat.
I'll give each a try on some test pieces..
I think start carefully with a few coats of thin mist with plenty of drying time in between so the decals are exposed as little as possible to the solvents..
I think I'll try the Humbrol first, the Testors has a slight orange tinge..

Peter Jenssen
Since the Tabu Design decal sheet was short of two JPS logos, I found this decal sheet off eBay for $5.
It also came with a nearly complete second Lotus model (in rather bad shape).
Plus a Tamiya Pit Crew set that has been started in a horrible way...
It may be possible to build a second Lotus using this... (haven't got time! -Too many other projects!) 🙂

Peter Jenssen
Never ending decals.. I need a coffee.. :-D
Old decals I found of eBay seem to work fine. Paper was yellowed and quite dusty. Took ages to soak.
Needs a bit of the gum off the new decal sheet on the back of these old decals in order to prevent them from silvering..

Steve Wilson
If it becomes a pesky chore...
Rather than an enjoyable pastime, have a break!!!
A small tip: When applying old Decals, before using, I give the whole sheet a coat of clear and leave to dry, this stops the decal breaking up in the water. I brush a little diluted PVA wood glue to where the decal is placed on the model, this helps with the adhesion of decal on model. The old decal glue is pretty useless as you've discovered...

Peter Jenssen
The thin line decals require lots of patience. And also attention not to dry too quickly and set in the wrong spot!
The old decals were not brittle at all, luckily. No clear coat needed..
All looks good so far.
Only six more decals to go now!...🙂

Steve Wilson
That's good news Peter👍

Peter Jenssen
Not much happening here for over a month.
I have completely chickened out on the clear coat.

All tests I have done with Hombrol GlossCote and Testors Clear Top Coat seem to remain sticky, not drying completely.
Anyone else have challenges with clear coats?
(Paint underneath is Humbrol Enamel, which is perfectly dry and hard.)

Test piece with Humbrol GlossCote, on Humbrol paint, thinned with Humbrol Thinner and airbrushed in a thin layer is still tacky after a month.
That is, it seems dry to the immediate touch, but if you hold it for more than five seconds, it feels tacky and leaves permanent fingerprints..
(Testors is better, but none of them dries as hard as the paint.. It will be hard to polish and wax something that is tacky.. 🙁 )

Peter Jenssen
Testor's Model Master Clear Top Coat it is.
-And it worked! -Phew!

Choppa Nutta
yeah the clear coat can be a worry. I've had a couple of issues with Future-Pledge Klear where it has gone milky frosty white colouring but I've rubbed it down with turpentine which seems to have cured it anyhow, glad it worked for you, looking good too

David Lengyel
It looks flawless so far Peter. Keep it coming! I've build a paper one when I was much younger, so I am in love with this car. Looking forward for the outcome😉

Peter Jenssen
Well, completed the Privateer, the Corsair, Mr Bean's Mini and the Volksjäger and started a Me163.
Time to dust off the Lotus again.
Added some Photo etch detail (thinking if I should give it a polish and one more clear coat or not..)

Choppa Nutta
you've completed the Mr Bean's Mini !?! must have missed those pictures, had a look in your TNKR album and couldn't see it 🙂

Anyhow, your Lotus is looking sweet so far, another really cool addition to TNKR 🙂

Peter Jenssen
You're right!
I don't seem to have any photos of the completed Mini.
Looks like I just put it in the cabinet without taking any pictures.. 🙁
(How did that happen...)

Choppa Nutta
Enthusiasm for the next model 😄
well here's hoping that you will address that omission asap 😄

Peter Jenssen
Anybody knows what the skid blocks look like for these cars?
(Non visible detail, I know, but just curious. -If easy to add, I might just add it.)

Peter Jenssen
Just bought a bottle of Alclad.
Hey, -this stuff is really good!
I have used ModelMaster metalizer so far. I like this one better. Really convincing metal finish.

Peter Jenssen
Found some mystery parts on one sprue.
Can make a surprise bonus jackstand.. 🙂

Peter Jenssen
I'll call this done now.
Going on the shelf. Quite happy with the look of it.

Steve Wilson
...
Nicely done Peter, I know it's not a Ferrari, but it looks really great from here😢👍

Tomasz Janeczek
Excellent job 😄

Choppa Nutta
turned out sweet 🙂

Donald Medley
Beautiful

Peter Jenssen
Thanks, everyone.
Looks good behind glass at the moment! 🙂