Meng Ford GT40 Mk.II '66

[Greg Kimsey]

I hope to make this a "review " & "build ". I got this kit for my store shelf, and told my wife that if it didn't sell by Christmas then she was giving it to me as a gift! The cool thing about this kit is that it represents Ford's sweep of the 1966 LeMans 24 hour race. However, the sweep had some scandal attached. Ken Miles, in the #1 blue and red car was four laps ahead of #2, Bruce McLaren. Ford wanted a 1, 2, 3 photo finish, so they ordered Miles to allow McLaren to catch up. If he didn't, it would be the end of his driving career with Ford. So, he did, allowing for a photo finish.

Miles was screwed over and took second, because McLaren had started further back where by his car had actually traveled farther according to LeMans officials. I am calling bullshit, and am going to build Miles' blue & red version.
Let's see what is in the box. The instruction booklet is actually pretty, with full color on nearly every page.

Each sprue came wrapped in individual plastic packaging. I have removed the packaging so you can see the quality a little better. All of the pieces look very sharp.

The kit comes with pre-cut seatbelts and PE buckles and rear grill.
The clear parts look nice and comes with pre-cut masking.

The tires are rubber and finely detailed and come with rubber inserts which fit inside the hub and allow the wheels to roll.

The decals are bright and come with numbers for all three versions.

While every thing I see leads me to believe the kit is excellent quality, the proof is in the fit. Stay tuned, as hopefully, I turn out a flawless model. I may or may not add scratch built extras like shock absorbers and plug wires like I normally do. Ok...I probably will.

 

[moon puppy]

Now that's a project!

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Hmm, kit spring vs. My spring. Mine is not better enough to make the change. In fact, the kit spring is better. So no change there.

I usually cut the top and bottom from the kit spring so the attachment is correct.

 

[helios]

I'll be following this. I snapped one up a while back when they were on sale (and possibly a mistake on the price). I should've ordered 2 or 3 (one for a club member who was out of town at the time) for what it sold for.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

I'll be following this. I snapped one up a while back when they were on sale (and possibly a mistake on the price). I should've ordered 2 or 3 (one for a club member who was out of town at the time) for what it sold for.

If you paid less than $60 then yer gonna hurt my feelings LOL.

I swore I would never do it again, but I primered the parts still in the sprue. I hope it doesn't come back to bite me. My goal was to get all of the stinky airbrushing out of the way all at once so my wife will whine a little less. There are few to no mold lines to fix, and I tried to stay away from glue points and edges. So, we will see.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Every car I have ever built started with the engine...until now. This one starts with the front suspension and interior. Who am I to judge? I did as asked and put together the front disc brakes and painted them gunmetal gray.

From there it moved to the interior.

The instructions say that the bottom of the chassis is the same color as the body. Since I can't find any evidence otherwise, the bottom of the chassis is Tamiya X-14 Sky Blue, thinned with Mr. Leveler.

Since this is also a review, I will say that the cockpit fit perfectly with the chassis. In fact, it probably didn't need glue, even though I used it.

I know I am moving fast, probably not giving things time to dry properly, but I am having back surgery...again...on February 20th. Arthritis is still eating my vertebrae from the bottom up. I will try to not let haste get in the way of a good looking car, even if I have to finish up later.

 

[Sharkmouth]

Cool, I have 2 Fujimi kits (both from my cousins who started them). No decals though so was on the shelf.

 

[mustang1989]

I'm in!!!! I'm down for a good GT-40 build any day!!

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Last for tonight. I got the front suspension put together. The tolerances are VERY tight and accurate, allowing for the front wheels to turn left and right. I weathered with ivory black oil paint to bring out the details. I will get better photos tomorrow but have to go to the shop to get my good camera and computer. Here is the best my phone will show

 

[moon puppy]

Good luck with surgery!
Looking good Greg

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Good luck with surgery!
Looking good Greg

Thank you Bob. Pray it is last one!

I am on my way now to get the camera and computer. I have some interesting things to show!

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Ok, I have some better photos I think. Here is the front end of the model at the start of work today:

The 1966 GT40 had air cooled brakes, directing the air to the brake via ductwork.

This kit does not come with the ductwork for the front. It does for the rear. I think the reason is that adding rigid ductwork would not allow the wheels to turn left and right. I get it. However! They DID leave the round attachment point for the ductwork. I guess in case someone wanted to make their own.

The frame also has the proper shape to allow for the ductwork:

I had to modify the part by cutting away the part right behind the diagonal inlet plate.

The size of the disc on the hub is 3mm. I found 3mm copper tubing:

And wrapped .015 lead wire around it for about 27mm. That was my initial measurement for the length I would need. My thinking here is, lead wire is very soft and pliable so it "might" allow for the wheels to actually turn. The softness of the lead wire may also make it difficult to mold into shape without getting FUBAR'd

I cut a short length of tubing for each inlet. I drilled a 3mm hole at an angle to simulate the original car. I superglued the lengths of tubing into the holes and waited for them to dry. Once dry, I filed down the outside corner of tubing flush with the plate:

I tidied up the butchering as well as I could. I don't believe this connection point is going to be visible, but the connection to the hub will be.

I got the pieces ready for primer and paint. The color calls for dark blue. I don't have dark blue, but I think that XF14 flat blue will look dark blue when sprayed over a black base.

It was here that I realized I had not puttied around the inlet, so I puttied and repainted the inlet, and got it ready to install. I thought I should attach the duct to the hub first, so I did that with superglue:

Then I glued the panels in place. Let me tell you, it was extremely difficult to get the duct started over the tubing. I mangled it pretty good and made a mental note to possibly superglue a portion of the duct that will more easily stay together and slide over the tube. Here it is, mangled as it is:

From there I DID put gap filling superglue over about 7 or 8mm and let it harden, then painted black X1 using a brush. I purposefully did not paint over the part near the hub (it has been spray painted black) in the booth. That flexibility let the hubs move back and forth as intended! Yay, it worked! Hopefully, that part will look good when looking around the tire.

So that is as far as I am right now. My review on this issue is that I wish they had allowed for ducting, and maybe even add rigid ducting to the kit if turning the wheels is not important to you. Maybe someone smarter than I can come up with a good alternative to the lead wire and maybe use a more robust wire. I tried several things before landing on the lead wire. I tried black jewelry wire, I tried black fly tying wire, neither of which would hold a tightly turned duct look. They both sprang a small distance between each turn. I might could have made it work by forcing the springiness compressed and attaching at both ends, but was afraid that it would go BOOM when I wasn't looking and cause havoc. I think making the panel "look" as if the duct was there would have been a nice feature. In the end, to me, it does not detract from the quality of the kit I have seen so far.

 

[centaur567]

Seems like the older we get, the more we look like a Manatee that's been hit with a boat propeller. Best of luck with the surgery. The GT40 is my all time favorite race car. I found a die cast 1/32nd scale GT40 in the #5 colors for 7 bucks a couple of weeks ago at Big Lots.

Next are some pics of real GT40 of a vintage that has a neat paint job. I guess the Gulf scheme is also a favorite.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Seems like the older we get, the more we look like a Manatee that's been hit with a boat propeller. Best of luck with the surgery. The GT40 is my all time favorite race car. I found a die cast 1/24th scale GT40 in the #5 colors for 7 bucks a couple of weeks ago at Big Lots.
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Next are some pics of real GT40 of a vintage that has a neat paint job. I guess the Gulf scheme is also a favorite.
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I think Ford dropped the ball by not making this car public. Maybe they did and I just have never seen one. Just like I have never seen a Dodge Viper on the road either. This car would have given the Corvette a real challenge as far as sales. I love the BigLot find! We love going there and see what hidden treasures they have. That particular car, the gold #5, is going up for auction at Sothby, expecting it to fetch $12million+.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

I think Ford dropped the ball by not making this car public. Maybe they did and I just have never seen one. Just like I have never seen a Dodge Viper on the road either. This car would have given the Corvette a real challenge as far as sales. I love the BigLot find! We love going there and see what hidden treasures they have. That particular car, the gold #5, is going up for auction at Sothby, expecting it to fetch $12million+.

Oh! And thank you for the well wishes. I have to tell my wife about looking like a manatee LOL. I have gone swimming and will have folks ask what the hell happened that I have five and six inch scars both front and back LOL.

 

[moon puppy]

Oh! And thank you for the well wishes. I have to tell my wife about looking like a manatee LOL. I have gone swimming and will have folks ask what the hell happened that I have five and six inch scars both front and back LOL.

Tell'm they should see what the gator who attacked you looks like.

Great job on the ductwork!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

When working with copper, bronze or steel wire that you are winding, if you want it dead soft (no spring back) you have to heat and anneal it.

I live in the Memphis TN area. There are all kinds of odd cars here. I have seen old beetles, and Avanti (Studebaker), all kinds of antique cars, and one Saturday morning I passed an old Ford GT40 in the blue/orange paint scheme out for a weekend drive. I don't think I would be able to fit in one. (6'-2" tall) I was in a Corolla and it was like being in a van looking down on a passenger car.

 

[sharkman]

Cool! I hadn't realized Meng made a smaller kit of this car.

Great work so far!

 

[Brokeneagle]

 

[Greg Kimsey]

When working with copper, bronze or steel wire that you are winding, if you want it dead soft (no spring back) you have to heat and anneal it.

I would love to learn how to do that. I am sure there is a YouTube video on it