WIP: Leyton House CG901B

[indycals]

One of the more uniquely beautiful cars in F1 history IMO - that coral blue is a color you just don't see on race cars. Found some great reference pics at Gurney Flap of a restoration that I'm using for reference. One modification that I'm making is I cut the electrical boxes off the right side radiator shroud to facilitate easier carbon fiber application and to replicate the single electrical box depicted on Gurney Flap. www.gurneyflap.com/leytonhousecg901.html

The instructions call for inserting the pushrods before cementing the two body halves together. Not gonna happen. I'll cut the pushrods apart and reattach them after the body has been put together. I also noticed two openings above the area where the pushrods meet the shocks - they are not on the kit so I drilled them out.

I'm using F1 Specialties carbon fiber which is very difficult to work with but yields great results when it sets right. The biggest difficulty is that decal setting solution will stain it big time so it must only be applied under the decal, not on top.

[indy]

Nice job with the C/F and this is shaping up to be a really nice detailed build by you! Keep it up!

Jordan

[indydog]

Looking good Mike. Here's a photo I found on Modellboard you may find of some use:

[professor]

I love this car and built one a few years back. I was lucky enough to have Guigelmin sign the bottom of it one day at Indy. He took it from me and went into his garage for about ten minutes. The mechanic that brought it back to me said he was describing different features to the mechanics. I just acquired another one last week.

[indycals]

Engine assembled. The rear suspension had a piece that goes between the two front suspension mounts that is supposed to be part of the gearbox. I removed this piece and built it into the assembled engine/gearbox and puttied it up so that there would be no seams in the top of the gearbox



Rear shocks. Man, these photos reveal a lot of imperfections you can't see otherwise


Tub carbon fibered:


Front wing assembled


seeing how things fit into place


The green here is decal

[Calvin]

First of all great job...I've worked with that F1 Specialties carbon fiber and its a pain in the ...
For how much carbon fiber thats on the car, you must of spent at least 10 hrs total on it.

That is one hell of a decal on engine cover

The paint job is darn near perfect.

But over all....very clean build so far.

[Patrick]

I love watching the work progress on your models. That applies to all of the contributors on this forum. It's been said before, but you are amazing builders.

Patrick

[Calvin]

Anything new lately? I've been looking forward to seeing this one done! I still cant get over how good the Carbon Fiber looks on it, because thats tough stuff to work with.

[indycals]

It's getting close to being done.

[Calvin]

C 8-)L

Before you started building this car, I never really paid any attention to the car.....but after looking at it more and more, its a pretty neat looking car, it has that mean look to it. Which is good

I don't know...but that blue color is growing on me ....I might have to try building this one someday.

[illeagle10]

Even though it wasn't a world beater, it was an awesome looking car. You're doing an awsome job on it Mike!

Jim

[indycals]

Here's a finished shot, even though it's not really finished. Still some under the hood work to do.

[Calvin]

Awesome!

Your blue paint job really flowed out well, it looks smooth as glass!

[indy]

She looks really good put together - a very nice model of a car I don't ever recall seeing built previously - bravo!

Jordan

[racerbrown]

wow! that baby really stands out!
duane

[drdave]

Beautiful!

[Deleted]

This is a great looking build. Hollowing out the holes for the shocks was a real nice touch. Your decal sheet looks super, too.....I'll be ordering one soon!!
Tom T.

[shunter]

One of the best looking cars to be raced. Great job Michael.

[stuboyle]

I really like the scale of the carbon fiber. The weave looks in scale with the car. A lot of the carbon fiber decals just don't look right to me because the weave looks to big. What you've done with this car looks perfect though.

[Calvin]

Question:

Did you use 1/24 scale Carbon Fiber?

[indycals]

I think it's 1/20 scale - whatever it is that F1 specialties produces.

[Calvin]

I have a Scale Motorsport 1/24 sheet and it looks the same as your F1 specialties.
I went off and ordered a few sheets of 1/20 a few days ago.... So I will find out what that looks like.
The reason I asked is IMO the 1/24 scale carbon fiber looks just right for the 1/20 model. I think anything with a larger weave would be a little too much.

[indycals]

I agree. I really like the pattern of F1 Specialties CF, it's just so damn difficult to work with. But when done right, it's hard to beat. Although there is a new CF decal out that actually has a 3D CF look to it, but I haven't tried it yet.

[Calvin]

Kinda funny but I actually just got my 1/20 scale CF decals today, which BTW look very good from Scale Motorsport. The funny thing is I actually bought one 3-D sheet and didn't even know it? I think I just screwed up and click the wrong one. They actually call it "Hi-Def carbon Fiber" But It really looks like Real CF! But the Sheet I got the CF design is too new for anything older than 2000. Michael Id recommend it for your Ferrari 248 and F2007.

The normal 1/20 sheet looks good! its not overwhelming like I was thinking it was going to be... but I still think the 1/24 sheet would be better for smaller parts.... for the air box and most of the chassis the 1/20 should look good.

[Deleted]

What a brilliant job you have done, I think most peopl will agree it is one of the "prettiest" F1 cars ever to grace a track. I am about to start on one, any clues for the colour, did you mix it, or was it out of the tin.

Tim

[Calvin]

Feb 18, 2010 11:00:45 GMT -5 @timt said:

any clues for the colour, did you mix it, or was it out of the tin.

Tim

Tamiya TS-41 Coral Blue Spray is what he use.

[Deleted]

Thanks for that, all i need now is some carbon fibre and i'm set to go. have got two of these so the plan is to do a Capelli and a Gugelmin . Bit of background for you guys i was a mechanic for the team and had the privelige of working on the real things.

[indycals]

Hi Tim - I just sent you a message.

[Deleted]

Welcome, Tim T. I'd love to hear some your insight into the sport!!
Tom T.

[Deleted]

Tom,

It seems like an age ago now as i left the sport when Leyton House folded nearly 20 years ago. I have a lot of fond memories, but basically it was a hard grind, long hours and when the season ended it didn't stop there as there was a new car to be built, and a lot of testing. That was apart from 1990 when everything was late and we were still building the cars before we shipped them off to Phoenix for the first race. At the time i was working on the spare car and from the moment we got there we were still building it (the two race cars were just about finished prior to shipping). It is one of my most abiding memories that Gugelmins race car developed a fault in qualifying and he came in to use our "spare car" that had never turned a wheel. He got in it and went straight out on a set of qualifying tyres on a hot lap, that showed the ultimate faith that he and Ivan had in us as mechanics, and the team as a whole-impressive. In those days we were like a family, and the team spirit kept us going through the many dark days. The highlight was when we finished second at Paul Ricard, after being written off and nearly consigned to the depths of Friday prequalifying. If it wasn't for the fact that Capelli's fuel pump siezed coming round the last corner we would have won. It was a shame that the team folded but by then the genius Newey had left and things wern't the same. But it is a memory that i will always cherish and i am proud to think that i was a part of it.

Tim