Post by tatocorvette on Jan 13, 2019 16:22:07 GMT -8
Hello,
Anybody that is somehow familiar with sports car racing series like IMSA and FIA LeMans in the last 20 years or so knows about the successful Corvette Racing team. They started in 1999 with the C5R and have evolved with the road car to the C6R and current C7R. However, not everybody is aware that there were actually 2 generations of C6R. The C6R debuted in 2005 and continued the C5R domination in the GT1 category in IMSA. However, by 2008, they were so dominant, competition started to fade away. So Corvette Racing decided to move from GT1 to the GT2 category looking ahead at the new for 2010 GT class regulations. While the GT1 was based on the Z06, the new GT2 C6R would be based on the ZR1, the flagship of the brand. Debuting in mid season 2009, as preparation for a full 2010 season, this second generation C6R had to comply with the GT2 rules. The frame of the car was aluminum instead of steel, the engine was smaller and was down about 100 horsepower compared to the GT1. Mandated steel rotors replaced ceramic rotors. The windshield was now a production unit and aerodynamics were different, with far less downforce when compared to the GT1 car. Continuous improvements helped the team to continue the success until it was replaced with the C7R in 2014. One of those success stories was a win in the GTE Pro category at the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans.... And that's why we are here.
Here is a pic of the 2011 LeMans winner:
There are no model kits of the GT2 C6R that I'm aware of. I had the idea of doing one maybe combining a Revell ZR1 and a C6R but that would have been a lot of work.
In a strike of luck, I came across a cheap Corvette friction toy that shared the body with another cheap RC toy. I noticed it said "Corvette C6R" and "Licensed by GM". Looked at it and low and behold it looks like a GT2 C6R body. So I bought it. Actually bought all 3 but that's another story.
Without much hope, I took it to the workbench and before I knew it, it was disassembled and the body took an overnight swim in brake fluid. I went with the white plastic car instead of the yellow for obvious reasons. The proportions look ball park good and it seems it may be a starting point for something, with a lot of work.
So this is a very long shot and there are plenty of things I'll need to worry about down the road. But for now, let's see if I can get to first base with it.
A C6R kit will be the donor of many parts in this.
The body is plastic and while it seems to be styrene, it is a bit softer and just a bit more flexible than a kit's body. Maybe because it is intended to bump into things as an RC car. The mirrors are rubber and hopeless so they were discarded. I thought the body was a one piece slammer style but to my surprise, the one piece glass is just a black molded piece.
Here comes bodywork like if there's no tomorrow!
Let the MADNESS begin!
Thanks,
Ismael
Anybody that is somehow familiar with sports car racing series like IMSA and FIA LeMans in the last 20 years or so knows about the successful Corvette Racing team. They started in 1999 with the C5R and have evolved with the road car to the C6R and current C7R. However, not everybody is aware that there were actually 2 generations of C6R. The C6R debuted in 2005 and continued the C5R domination in the GT1 category in IMSA. However, by 2008, they were so dominant, competition started to fade away. So Corvette Racing decided to move from GT1 to the GT2 category looking ahead at the new for 2010 GT class regulations. While the GT1 was based on the Z06, the new GT2 C6R would be based on the ZR1, the flagship of the brand. Debuting in mid season 2009, as preparation for a full 2010 season, this second generation C6R had to comply with the GT2 rules. The frame of the car was aluminum instead of steel, the engine was smaller and was down about 100 horsepower compared to the GT1. Mandated steel rotors replaced ceramic rotors. The windshield was now a production unit and aerodynamics were different, with far less downforce when compared to the GT1 car. Continuous improvements helped the team to continue the success until it was replaced with the C7R in 2014. One of those success stories was a win in the GTE Pro category at the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans.... And that's why we are here.
Here is a pic of the 2011 LeMans winner:
There are no model kits of the GT2 C6R that I'm aware of. I had the idea of doing one maybe combining a Revell ZR1 and a C6R but that would have been a lot of work.
In a strike of luck, I came across a cheap Corvette friction toy that shared the body with another cheap RC toy. I noticed it said "Corvette C6R" and "Licensed by GM". Looked at it and low and behold it looks like a GT2 C6R body. So I bought it. Actually bought all 3 but that's another story.
Without much hope, I took it to the workbench and before I knew it, it was disassembled and the body took an overnight swim in brake fluid. I went with the white plastic car instead of the yellow for obvious reasons. The proportions look ball park good and it seems it may be a starting point for something, with a lot of work.
So this is a very long shot and there are plenty of things I'll need to worry about down the road. But for now, let's see if I can get to first base with it.
A C6R kit will be the donor of many parts in this.
The body is plastic and while it seems to be styrene, it is a bit softer and just a bit more flexible than a kit's body. Maybe because it is intended to bump into things as an RC car. The mirrors are rubber and hopeless so they were discarded. I thought the body was a one piece slammer style but to my surprise, the one piece glass is just a black molded piece.
Here comes bodywork like if there's no tomorrow!
Let the MADNESS begin!
Thanks,
Ismael