[Ecurie Martini]

Well, it's looking great and even if a few mm off, it's a lot loser than a bunch of commercial stuff.

EM

 

[Ecurie Martini]

I don't know if this will add anything to the discussion but, FWIW, here's my version of the 151/3 based on a Fitzpatrick Classic shell (he called it "1964 Breadvan")

LOA 129 mm

W 56mm (over front wings)

WB 79 mm

The model was first build on a modified commercial steel anglewinder chassis (? make) fitted with a Plafit Fox motor. While a bit of a handful, it did win the first race on the then new 1/32 road course at Rad Trax in Las Vegas. It is now in pieces in a box awaiting a complete refit.

EM

 

[Ecurie Martini]

Found a set of specs: http://www.carsession.com/car-specs/1964-maserati-tipo-151-3.html

These would suggest that the model WB is about 5 scale inches too long.

EM

 

[Ecurie Martini]

.............

Charlie did make a few 'racer' shells. I guess this was one of them. You fitted the top well, I think it comes as a complete roof in vac form.

Thanks. It worked out pretty well. I painted and detailed the interior, fitted the vac form with a narrow strip of carbon fiber scrim set in epoxy bridging the rear joint, masked the windows and painted. Immersion in hot water separated the parts for the rebuild.

EM.

 

[Ecurie Martini]

And it does not help that these bodies were almost certainly hand hammered over wooden bucks and thus are probably not perfectly symmetrical.

EM

 

[Ecurie Martini]

It does sound daft but quite often I find that the small drifts from accuracy capture the feel of the full size car better than rigid adherence to fidelity. Good excuse anyway

This is a concept very widely discussed in modeling circles including model railroading. Similarly, a (painted) portrait may better capture the sense of a subject vs a photograph. In modeling, a lot of it may stem from the very different perspectives in which the prototype and model are seen. As an example, standing next to a 450s Maserati, there is a sense of brutish elegance. As a model, it is clear that it is actually a relatively small car.

EM

 

[Ecurie Martini]

Working on an example of this right now - late 30's MB GP cars. They are covered in louvres. I can work out the louvre spacing - measure a row and compare it to the wheelbase measured on a good side view, count the louvres and divide - not perfect but close. I can make louvres any size I want. I use a Dremel tool in a small X Y Z system to engrave machinists wax, take a mold and cast a sheet of louvres from which I cut an appropriate strip. OK so far but doing this on a model, insetting the strip, pulling a mold and casting a body, the louvres essentially disappear and the impression of a heavily louvres hood (bonnet) is lost.

EM

 

[Ecurie Martini]

EM,

If the louvres essentially disappear after casting the body, why not cast the body and then fit the strip of louvres?

Geoff

The louvres are accurately reproduced in the body casting. The point was that "scale" louvres do not provide an effective image when seen in the context of the complete shell.

EM

 

[Ecurie Martini]

I have been following this thread with interest while holding and comparing the now stripped and primed Fitzpatrick shell that I built up about 20 years ago. the 4 mm wheelbase problem can be addressed by a judicious cut a bit forward of the windscreen. More of a problem: The wings seem to lack the proper "swoop" - they are low and flat compared to the center. Lowering the bonnet and surround is not on so I'm going to see if the wings can be built up a bit without making the distance from the wheel arch to the top too great. My current best guess is that about 1.5 mm need to be added to the top of the curve. Exactly how to accomplish this is under consideration. I think that process will be about a 3 whiskey program.

EM