Tamiya saved the most fun for last (can you smell sarcasm?). The final steps of this model is to install rubber oil lines and coolant pipes.
The coolant pipes (red arrow) need to be snaked under the suspensiion rods and ignition wiring. Really difficult because there is no space for your fingers.
This is a photo of the actual 1:1 car. Note the compression fitting on the end of the oil line (red arrow). I figured that I could duplicate the look of the compression fitting by using thin strips of wine bottle foil (duplicate = unnecessary work).
The final result looks nice, except that the wine bottle foil prevents the rubber tubing from stretching over the plastic fittings. I broke a couple of fittings trying to force the tubing over the fittings.
The radiator and oil cooler assembly was a real pain to install. First the black pipe support bracket had to be glued in place and the glue had to set overnight. Then the oil cooler was glued in place and the glue had to set overnight. Ditto for the radiator. Then the coolant pipes were fished under the ignition wiring and glued in place. Next the oil lines were installed. Finally the black suspension control arms were installed.
Well, I finally finished installing the radiators, oil coolers, coolant pipes and the oil lines. Next are adding the decals, attaching the body panes and tires. Then I’m finished.
Hi, living in the USA for many years, I completed two highly detailed 1/12 kits - it’s long and slow! Living abroad now, want to work on a P34. Your pictures and notes are very helpful. Tamiya’s models are excellent, but in order to get closer-to scale, I substitute materials, like metal tubing. I always look for and keep odd bits and pieces that may provide the things I’m trying to model. Different size paper clips are useful for chromed rods or tubing and bass guitar strings served for wrapped oil pipes used on Fittipaldi’s Lotus 72. Access to excellent RB Motion parts like rod ends was invaluable as with Indycals and others. Now access is harder! Can you give me details regarding the springs you used for the brake ducts. They look perfect! Thank you, Mark.
Tyrrell P34! Now I finally know what kind of car “Dragstrip” transformed into back in 1985, season 2, episode 39, “The key to Vector Sigma, part I” of The Transformers.
Nice work!! I have the Tamiya Ferrari 312T4 in my stash, and would really like to do it… some day.
You said you had to use aluminum tubing for the exhaust. What tubing did you use? I may have to resort to some sort of tubing bending for a project of mine. Thanks.
