Penske Indy Special

[Deleted]

I just got my hands on one of these. It was still sealed when I got it, but I've opened it and have been looking at all the pieces-parts.

Are the Indycals set for the Donohue McLaren appropriate for this kit?

I know it has flaws, but I just thought I'd build what's here. I want to do the Donohue car if possible.

Thanks.

Terry

[indycals]

My 73 Gulf McLaren decals are better suited for that kit. Unfortunately that kit isn't even remotely close to Donohue's 72 winner.

Actually that kit isn't even close to the car it's supposed to be ;-)

[dale]

It does have the long engine cowling which I believe makes a sleeker looking car. Too bad that they made the rear wing at the 1974 width instead of the 1973 width. The front wheel air splitters are a short track option on a superspeedway car. Still this is my favorite McClaren version.

[indycals]

Dec 30, 2008 21:42:05 GMT -5 dale said:

It does have the long engine cowling which I believe makes a sleeker looking car. Too bad that they made the rear wing at the 1974 width instead of the 1973 width.

Actually it's too wide for 1974 and not wide enough for 1973. IIRC there was a wing reduction after Indy in 73, but was not as extreme as the 74 reduction - this may be where they got that funky wing size. I even think the instructions tell you to trim the wing down to do the 74 version, but don't quote me on that.

The long cowling was a 1973 feature that had something to with with a rule that the wing must be incorporated into the body work - something similar to what they had in 71. What I don't know is why this rule applied to the McLaren and not the Eagle. Only thing I can figure is that since there was no body work over the engine on the Eagle it may have been exempt?

[indycals]

Looking at the 73 field there does seem to be some contradictions. Jerry Karl's Smokey Yunick car seeming to be the big exception. All the new McLarens and Parnellis had the bodywork/wing configuration. Older McLarens seemed to run without the engine cover. Foyt had his engine partially covered but the cover did not touch the rear wing. With the exception of Karl/Yunick all the Eagles had no bodywork over the engine.

[russd]

I have one of these kits that I'm using to do the 73 Gulf McLaren and I have question about the engine cover. The cover that comes in the kit has a cut-out on the right hand side the exposes the exhaust headers. On the later versions of this car this area is covered (rounded blister that covers this area). I haven't been able to find a picture of the right hand side of the Gulf M-16 and I was wondering if this area was cut out on this car or if it was covered.

RussD

[indycals]

Here ya go Russ. First shot is from Ontario, second shot from Indy

[russd]

Thanks Mike. Thats exactly what I needed to see. I had a hunch that the engine cover might have some sort of cowl over those headers. I should be able to reproduce this with a bit of sheet plastic.

RussD

[russd]

Dec 31, 2008 16:47:13 GMT -5 @ziggy said:

that is the induction side.

neat photos. The only time I ever saw one of these cars from the outside (right hand side) was on raceday, and I could not remember what it had on it. They messed around quite a bit with the engine covers. I did see Emmo run a tire test in the '74 version from the suites outside turn two.

RE: induction side ... Yup, my mistake

RE:neat photos ... I agree. I have seen some other cars with the same style of engine cover, but I hadn't seen any pictures of the McLaren team cars from this side.

RussD