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Lola T-70 Mk III
I pulled this kit from my stash on May 5, 2019; the night we got home from the GSL.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/1.jpg
1997 reissue of the 1970 Tamiya kit. It's been patiently waiting for 22 years in my stash to be built.
I've been researching, planning and figuring all month. (Actually I was scheming a couple days before in case I didn't find a dream deal on another Caterham kit during the show/trip.)
It will be built as a street car T-70 replica with some modern upgrades.
I started by cleaning up the tub and main body panels.
Lots of filling and sanding to remove the twenty ¼ inch diameter ejection pin marks in the tub alone and general parting lines. But still a nicely molded kit considering its age.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/2.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/3.jpg
The insides of the body also needed to be addressed for the same issues.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/4.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
Converting the steering rack over to left-hand drive. Part of the framework had to be cut and other areas filled for the track of the rack to slide and everything to be "flipped". Then a new gear for the rack had to be created since the teeth were backwards. The ejection pin holes were filled and new mounting holes for the pedal set were drilled too.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/5.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/6.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/7.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/8.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
The top of the dash also needed to be converted to LHD. I cut the pod out and a matching area on the left and swapped and blended them back together. A little white styrene was used as filler on the new passenger side.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/.../2019/06/9.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/10.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/11.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
The cowl also had to be modified for LHD.
Before:
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/15.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/16.jpg
In Progress:
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/17.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/18.jpg
Styrene was used as filler in some places; in other places the kit plastic was cut and reused.
The rivets were cut off and drilled out.
Since this car will only have one master cylinder the reservoirs for the dual set were shaved off.
The underside had to be modified as well so the steering would work properly and everything would fit.
Aluminum rivets… Hand cut, filed and installed (some of them).
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/19.jpg
After:
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/20.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/21.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
Fitting the body panels. I started with the side pods. They have molded-in rivet detail along the top edges. Those were removed and drilled out to accept small screws.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/22.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
The windshield frame/cowl section of the body did not fit very well on its own or locate positively. Brass reinforcing plates were fabricated to make aligning it easier.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/23.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
.040 sheet styrene was added to make the thread blocks on the underside of the tub for the small screws that will hold it together.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/24.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
The side pods are mounted to the tub and the brass reinforcements are in place.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/25.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
First test fitting of the front clip. Fits pretty well out of the box after the seams were cleaned up.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/28.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
The rear bulkhead. It doesn't fit very well or positively so it needs to be fastened to the tub in a similar fashion as the cowl was. It also needs to be installed so the doors will fit too.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/29.jpg
A flange was added to the bottom of the bulkhead and reinforced with a dozen buttresses.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/30.jpg
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/31.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
Two more brass flanges were made and added to the rear side of the bulkhead.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/32.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
The windshield frame is very fragile and the way the kit is designed the center of the roof holds it to the rear bulkhead and the doors are hinged off that little center section too. In order the shore up the greenhouse and be able to fill in the seams and allow the doors to operate (and to make it safer for the occupants…), I decided to add a simple roll cage.
The first hoop was made from Plastruct 3/16 tubing to replicate 2.25 inch steel tubing. I found a roll of tape that was the approximate diameter to match the arc of the roof & doors and clamped the tubing to it while heating with a hairdryer.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/33.jpg
When it cooled, I spot heated it again with the hairdryer to make it conform to the inside contours. Steel pins locate it to the bulkhead and brass receivers were installed into the tub for the roll bar to slide into.
http://www.scalemotorcars.com/forum/...2019/06/34.jpg
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Re: Lola T-70 Mk III
Before you go much further I'd suggest that you check the fit of the screen. Mine was out by about 1/16".
