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 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Eidai Grip (later Entex) 1976 World Championship winning McLaren-Ford M23 in 1:8 scale.
This kit was produced in 1978 and is long since out of production.
The McLaren M23 was designed by Gordon Coppuck, with input from John Barnard, and built by the McLaren team. It was a development of the McLaren M16 Indianapolis 500 car. A Ford Cosworth DFV engine was used, which was prepared by specialist tuning company Nicholson Engines. This helped push the DFV's horsepower output to around 490 bhp.
It was introduced for the 1973 season, and scored pole position with Denny Hulme on its very first outing. Hulme and Peter Revson took three wins between them that season, while rookie Jody Scheckter nearly added a fourth. Scheckter was responsible for one of the biggest accidents Formula One has ever seen, at the 1973 British Grand Prix, when he spun his M23 in front of the pack. Emerson Fittipaldi joined McLaren from Lotus in 1974. His knowledge of the Lotus 72 helped McLaren develop the M23 and that season Fittipaldi gave McLaren its first drivers' and constructors' world championships, beating Ferrari, Tyrrell and Lotus.
Further development in 1975, included a 6 speed gearbox (a novelty for the time), helped Fittipaldi and McLaren to second in both championships behind Niki Lauda, who had the benefit of Ferrari's 312T chassis. The team experimented with different bodywork styles, including aerodynamic kickups in front of the rear wheels, different nose profiles and extended bodywork in front of the rear wheels, housing the oil coolers. Most of these changes were adopted for the M23 and its successor, the McLaren M26. At the end of 1975 Fittipaldi left the team to join his brother's Copersucar-sponsored Fittipaldi Automotive team. He was replaced by James Hunt, who went on to win a dramatic and controversial 1976 season with the final evolution M23.
The McLaren M23 improved with age. It won races in four consecutive seasons and was setting poles five years after its debut. Six wins, eight poles and a World Championship, in what was a our-year-old car, which was still competitve when it was replaced!
The M23 was never the most technically advanced F1 car, but sound preparation and continual development helped it win 16 Grands Prix, two drivers' and one constructors' world championships in its lifetime.
McLaren M23 kit detail
Working suspension and torsion bar system. Working rack and pinion steering system. Detailed Ford DFV engine. Rubber 'slick' tyres (plus aftermarket treaded 'wet' set). Decal set (plus aftermarket update set). Vinyl tubing. Mesh air intakes. Fabric seatbelts
Model Length 533mm, Width 264mm, Height 129mm
James Hunt was a British racing driver who won the Formula One World Championship in 1976. His often action packed exploits on track earned him the nickname "Hunt the Shunt." After retiring from driving, Hunt became a media commentator and businessman.
Beginning his racing career in touring car racing, Hunt progressed into Formula Three where he attracted the attention of the Hesketh Racing team and was soon taken under their wing. Hunt entered Formula One in 1973, driving a March 731 entered by the Hesketh Racing team. He went on to win for Hesketh, driving their own Hesketh 308 car, in both World Championship and non-Championship races, before joining the McLaren team at the end of 1975. In his first year with McLaren, Hunt won the World Drivers' Championship, and he remained with the team for a further two years, although with less success, before moving to the Wolf team in early 1979. However, following a string of races in which he failed to finish, Hunt retired from driving halfway through the 1979 season.
1976 was Hunt's best year; the season proved to be one of the most dramatic and controversial on record. While Hunt's performances in the Hesketh had drawn considerable praise, there was still some conjecture as to whether Hunt could really sustain a championship challenge. Now a works McLaren driver, he dispelled many doubters at the first race in Brazil, where, in a hastily rebuilt McLaren M23, he landed pole position in the last minutes of qualifying. Over the course of the year he would drive the McLaren M23 to six Grands Prix wins, but with superior reliability, reigning world champion and main rival Niki Lauda pulled out a substantial points lead in the first few races of the season. Hunt's first race win of 1976, at the fourth race of the season, the Spanish Grand Prix, resulted in disqualification for driving a car adjudged to be 1.8 cm too wide. The win was later reinstated upon appeal, but it set the tone for an extraordinarily volatile season. At the British Grand Prix, Hunt was involved in a first corner incident on the first lap with Lauda, which led to the race being stopped and restarted. Hunt initially attempted to take a spare car, however this was disallowed, and during this time the original racecar was repaired, eventually winning the restarted race. Hunt's victory was disallowed on 24 September by a ruling from the FIA after Ferrari complained that Hunt was not legally allowed to restart the race.
His turbulent life lived was to the limit - in and out of racing cars. As a driver he overcame constant fear and enormous odds to become the best in the world - triumphing in one of the most dramatic championship battles in Formula One history. As a colourful personality and unconventional character he had no peers - alternately entertaining admirers and offending critics with his often-outrageous behaviour. Following his retirement from motor racing, he continued to make a strong impact, as an F1 commentator, which came to an abrupt in in 1993 following his sudden death.
The build of a resin 1/8 scale James Hunt figure to compliment this M23 kit can be seen here: http://forum.model-space...spx?g=posts&t=14575
The F1 movie, "Rush", features the 1976 World Championship battle for supremacy between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, when Hunt clinched the title from Lauda by a single point in Japan. It was in that same year, regarded as one of the most dramatic seasons in F1 history, that three-times F1 champion Lauda suffered appalling burns in a death-defying crash at the Nurburgring.
Tomick attached the following image(s):
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 Rank: Beginner Level 3 Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/10/2013 Posts: 25 Points: 87 Location: UK
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Just bagged my M23 on EBay. The good thing about Rush is that has probably flushed out some of these kits languishing in peoples lofts. From being Unobtainium there has been a slow trickle of kits appearing now. Both the ones I bidded on were in USA.
This will be my first major build of a bona fide large car kit...after recatching the modelling bug from super detailing the Eaglemoss Aston DB5. It will be a pleasure to follow the master and I only hope I can learn and attempt to be as good as you!
The kit will be a nice counterpoint to the Deagostini MP4/23 which I am collecting and I very much hope that both will be joined eventually by the MP4/4....won't that be a display cabinet?!!
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 Rank: Elite        Groups: registriert, Registered Joined: 20/03/2011 Posts: 2,356 Points: 7,122 Location: UK
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So after managing to find some time to start the M23 I thought I would start of with the Ford DVF. Construction of the main block and gearbox was pretty straight forward with some minor adjustments to make the parts align up correctly. Once cured a coating of my old favourite Halfords grey primer then a coat of Tamiya Dark gunmetal. This was left to dry overnight and then given a good wash of Citadel Nulin Oil, any puddels cleaned up ready for some airbrushing. I used Alclad2 Stainless Steel and then some Alclad Manifold to give it a bit more dimension. This was then given a good dusting in of Valejo 790 Silver to highlight more detail. Well thats it for now as there is more detail to be added which will take a bit more time and patience but hope to be back soon with another update... Thanks for looking and all comments welcome good or bad  Spencer Warthog attached the following image(s):
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 Rank: Super-Elite   Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/01/2013 Posts: 4,604 Points: 13,607 Location: Monmouthshire UK
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Lovely engine, bet your well pleased with that Steve
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Rank: Elite Groups: registriert, Registered Joined: 20/03/2011 Posts: 2,356 Points: 7,122 Location: UK
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Another week and another small update. I have been doing a little more on the rear of the M23 and I wanted to get the disc brakes done so that other small details can be added later. Bare metal foil has been added to the disc surfaces and then given a go over with 6000 grit micromesh to dull it down and give it some life as if the breaks had been used to there limits of braking. Rust and dust was added to the inner rim ventilation holes as this is an area that has no contact with other moving parts so will be effected by the open elements mother earth has to throw at it. A wash with Citadel Nuln Oil has been given to other areas where you would get the oily dirt collecting... Warthog attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Super-Elite  Groups: Registered
Joined: 31/05/2010 Posts: 5,679 Points: 17,011 Location: Wiltshire
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Time does indeed seem to fly by these days. Some time now since I have seen bare metal foil being used and it this case looks the ideal choice. Coming along very nicely. Happy Modelling
BUILDING: Hachette Spitfire Mk 1A, Constructo Mayflower
SUBSCRIPTION COMPLETE (Awaiting building): USS Constitution, Sovereign of the Seas, 1:200 Bismarck (Hachette)
COMPLETED: Porsche 911, E-Type Jaguar, Lam Countach
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Rank: Super-Elite  Groups: Registered
Joined: 08/03/2014 Posts: 2,970 Points: 8,502 Location: united kingdom
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Incredible attention to detail on the figure and the engine just amazing work. Ken's the name modeling's the game.
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Rank: Beginner Level 2 Groups: Registered
Joined: 05/08/2014 Posts: 15 Points: 45 Location: Netherlands
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Amazing quality. Really looking forward to seeing this build progress. Keep up the great work!
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Rank: Pro  Groups: Registered
Joined: 05/05/2014 Posts: 230 Points: 657 Location: Northeast USA
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I have this kit and look forward to your expertise; is the Hunt figure still available? Your artistry on the figure is very realistic!
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/01/2014 Posts: 5,060 Points: 14,980
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Thats some nice work Spencer
Really like the bare metal foil on the brake disk, really makes the difference.
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/01/2013 Posts: 4,604 Points: 13,607 Location: Monmouthshire UK
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Lovely work Spence, keep meaning to get some of that bare metal foil, you have certainly put it to good use Steve
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Rank: Elite Groups: registriert, Registered Joined: 20/03/2011 Posts: 2,356 Points: 7,122 Location: UK
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Eagle wrote:I have this kit and look forward to your expertise; is the Hunt figure still available? Your artistry on the figure is very realistic! Hi Eagle and thank you for your very kind comments You will be very hard pressed to find the James Hunt figure available anywhere but that does not mean there are not any around.. Your best bet would be keeping a eye out on eBay. Spencer
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Rank: Elite Groups: registriert, Registered Joined: 20/03/2011 Posts: 2,356 Points: 7,122 Location: UK
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So winter is slowly creeping in and the nights are getting darker but surely is an excuse to do some more modelling! The latest update on this beautiful kit continues with the Ford DVF V8 HT Leads made from scratch and plumbed in. Fuel lines added and the trumpets put into their respective positions. There is a lot more still to do on the wiring side but this will be added as the main chassis is assembled but before that the rear suspension has to be tackled and hopefully this will be the next update. Thanks for drooping in and enjoy the latest set of pictures hot off the press! Spencer Warthog attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/01/2013 Posts: 4,604 Points: 13,607 Location: Monmouthshire UK
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Amazing work Spence, looks real in those last pics  Steve
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Very nice. Looking forward to seeing more of this
Malc.
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I guess its ok Only pulling your leg  , could not look more real if it was real  Jase “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”
-Mark Twain
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Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 05/05/2014 Posts: 230 Points: 657 Location: Northeast USA
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This model should be on the DeAgostini list of 'must haves' as a subscription model, it would be great looking next to the Senna MP 4/4. Great looking build so far, looking forward to the next post
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Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/06/2011 Posts: 434 Points: 1,309 Location: milton keynes
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beautiful work Spence think this ones gonna be one of the greats regards Dan Built - MP4/23, Zero, Deagostini Falcon, Model Airways 1903 Wright Flyer, Senna Mp4/4.
Working - Mclaren M23 1/8th scale to complement the Deagostini MP4/23 & Mp4/4
on the bench, Model Airways Sopwith Camel.
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 08/03/2014 Posts: 2,970 Points: 8,502 Location: united kingdom
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Superb work a level of detail to aspire to, loving it. Ken's the name modeling's the game.
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Rank: Elite Groups: registriert, Registered Joined: 20/03/2011 Posts: 2,356 Points: 7,122 Location: UK
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Another few months and another update to file A lot has progressed to a degree with work being done on what can only be described as poor fitting parts and warping but cleanig up a model and improving on its appearance to rid it of enjector pin marks and seams, sink holes and the odd rivet ! Well I had to get shot of those as the machined parts going on to replace them where far better. The engine is still very much a work in progress and while I wait for more hardware, the bodywork needed some attention so that once the individual assemblies are finished then its just a case of adding a little magic at the end to bring all the parts together for the finale. So, as you can see from the series of pictures, a lot of work has been done to remove, correct and adjust parts to my satisfaction.(oh and a lot of holes drilled) Hope you like it so far.. Spencer Warthog attached the following image(s):
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