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Post by Chris K. Hale on Jun 24, 2014 9:49:51 GMT -8
On June 14 I finally had time to sit down and start a project I have been planning for, well years A 1963 Porsche 904 GTS Carrera 1200.. about 2 years ago I started looking for a complete and un-started Monogram #2954 Porsche 904 kit but it turned out to be a long search, I finally bought one at this years So Cal NNL for $10, it was the fact this kit was selling for average of $50. on ebay and other places that made the search so long, I wouldnt pay the $50. price for the kit. Meanwhile the research was very intense and hard to find detail shots of the car and its parts but after 2 years I finally had enough. This is a generic build, not any particular Race Car or driver but a detail build of the car as I would have it..  The engine is basically done minus wiring and throttle linkage...  Basic chassis and engine layout  I added numerous RB Motion Bolts and Hardware, a few scratchbuilt parts, aluminum pulley's , fan belt and misc to get the engine this far, the carburetor stacks are from corner5hobbies.com , our own Trevor Taylor, and come in 4 sizes, these I cut to the proper length, the engine should be done today with more pics to come... Chris  |
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Post by Art on Jun 24, 2014 15:58:43 GMT -8
Nice, Chris!
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Post by alterrenner on Jun 24, 2014 18:04:24 GMT -8
Nice start! I've never started building mine because I can't decide which racer to model. Saw a beautiful maroon 904 at an auction earlier this year, and then there was Cunningham's last Sebring car (another silver car), or maybe that dark blue beauty I saw vintage racing a few years back... Frank
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Post by Chris K. Hale on Jun 24, 2014 21:07:34 GMT -8
  Thanks, The actual factory built cars were all Silver except 2 Red and 1 black This Red version is absolutely beautiful... I could not find pics of the black car but the Maroon car sold at auction a few years back was not a factory car, it did bring big money but was not an original 904 GTS as is with many other Porsche race cars there were several other Authorized builders and the Maroon car appears to be one, it has a later model upright fan type 1600 or larger engine in it. There were factory authorized 904/6 GTS versions built. Since the kit came with the preferred 1200cc Carrera 4 cam engine in it I decided to use it. The Carrera 4 cam engine is quite a little power unit, almost jewel like!! I decided to go with a Light Gunmetal paint and build it as a generic car since none of the actual cars or colors appealed to me.. My collection has so many Red, Blue and Silver cars I wanted this one to stand out a bit... Chris |
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Post by harron6 on Jun 25, 2014 3:08:58 GMT -8
Cool project. Engine detail quality on the model 904s I've seen isn't the best, so anything you do will help. My only view on the paint is a dark color makes a small car look even smaller and can hide some of the exterior detail and lines. I like a lighter color, and tho silver is a bit boring, it is traditional.
My kit of a 906 in large scale, an oldie I think was an "Entex" Co. import to the U.S. If I ever get back to building it'll be painted the colors of one I saw in '66, white with yellow trim. Thanx for your project. We'll be watching.
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Post by gwadagone on Jun 25, 2014 8:08:57 GMT -8
Chris a very good start,as usual...And as you I like very well the Scuderia Filipinetti '64 version.
I remember my first 24 hours of "Le Mans" in 1964 with this car drove by Herbert Muller & Claude Sage(11th overall & fourth in class): And as I've received the very good 1/18 Minichamps version,I think,maybe,assemble this one with one my old Aurora/Monogram kits(I've about six model kits,in stock).
Any pics from the good Minichamps:   And the Monogram (old Aurora mold) in 1/25...
OK,any other pics in next time with the car sold recently in Switzerland, to the futur modelers?
But Chris we await your model suite....
Best greetings.
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Post by gwadagone on Jun 25, 2014 16:43:36 GMT -8
Any other pictures from the Filipinetti Porsche 904 GTS,with this car sold any years ago in Switzerland:
   I'll like to make also the '65 Brumos version,but today I've not found any good pictures,HAVE YOU IT or THEM???
Best greetings.
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Post by gwadagone on Jun 26, 2014 6:44:50 GMT -8
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Post by Chris K. Hale on Jun 26, 2014 8:36:37 GMT -8
Not a whole lot of pics under the skin, no Brumos pics, Thanks for the link.. in the overall pic the 904 was a very short lived Porsche race car overshadowed by its predecessors the 907/908 and the big one 917, so it seem documentation is there as a footnote tokeep the progress of Porsche Racing in order.. I have always liked the 904 and I think when completed it may be one of the best detailed, accurate models I have built.. watch for more reports.The link is for my Fotki album, I am using mostly my library for info and pics though..... Chris public.fotki.com/pmodwrks/904/ |
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Post by sandysixtysfan on Jun 27, 2014 15:36:59 GMT -8
Great project, I always liked 904's, kinda 'cute', if its OK to say that about a race car!
Sandy
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Post by Chris K. Hale on Jul 22, 2014 13:21:20 GMT -8
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Post by dustymojave on Aug 2, 2014 10:41:40 GMT -8
Just want to post a minor correction to Chris' notes above. The Porsche 904 Carrera GTS 4 cylinder engine was homologated by Porsche with FIA and SCCA as having a displacement of 1966cc, NOT 1,200cc as stated by Chris. Won't make a difference in the model, but worthy of note.
There were a couple of 904s which raced in SCCA Cal Club region in the era against Corvettes, Cobras and GT350s. They were classified by SCCA as A/Production class vs 427 Cobras and 427 and 454 Corvettes. They were only 2 liter engines, but the little DOHC made 200hp out of the box without any sort of supercharging. In the lightweight (1430lbs) and sleek mid-engined chassis and body of the 904, combined with typical Porsche good handling, they were quite fast and plenty competitive with the bigger heavier American cars. The same engine was offered in the Porsche 356C Carrera which was modeled by Fujimi in 1/24.
While I have known this info for decades, I referred to my SCCA PCS (Production Competition Specifications) 1972-3 edition for verification. Also, the Racing Sports Cars link provided above by Bernard in all cases lists the displacement as either 1,966cc, 1,988cc or 2 liters.
The 904 did not have the 907/8 or 917 as "predecessors". They came LATER. The 906 actually was the next step, but it and the 907, 908 and 917 were pure race cars, not intended for GT class or street use like the 904 was.
The 904 was based on the RS Spyder chassis with an upgraded engine and suspension, no longer swingaxle in the rear or torsion beam in front, and had the fiberglass lower body tub "bonded" to the steel frame for rigidity as was also done on the 906. This is accurately represented on the model by gluing the frame rails to the tub floor ;~).
For comment on the model build, not much to say aside from looking pretty good. The following suggestions are aimed at improved accuracy, but the model will do as it is:
- Sheet metal shrouding should cover at least the upper half of the cylinder and head fins. It would run rather warm as Aurora modeled it.
- The Solex carbs are kinda clunky, but will serve.
- For period correct plug wires, they should be black.
- While the aluminum pulleys and belt are much nicer than the kit pieces, The pulleys should be black. They were painted stamped steel.
- For accuracy, the Bosch starter should have a solenoid on top with the cast aluminum actuator housing extending up from the bellhousing end to the 2mm diameter cylindrical solenoid. That actuator housing is about 2mm of the end of the starter motor cylinder from the bellhousing. The wiring should go to terminals on the end of the solenoid. One of the wires is the positive battery cable and should be thick and insulated in black. The starter motor housing and solenoid should be semi-gloss black.
- Bellhousing including starter portion should be cast magnesium alloy as one piece with the transaxle case, not separate. So there should be no ring of bolts around the bellhousing. There are 4 bolts holding the transaxle to the engine, one of which passes through the starter mounting flange. In fact, this engine would bolt right up to a VW Bug trans, though the clutch might present some issues. The starter motor should snuggle a little closer to the trans case.
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Post by Chris K. Hale on Aug 3, 2014 10:52:02 GMT -8
Thanks Dusty, with all the needed upgrades on this kit I decided to build it as a generic car and not resembling any historic racer.. overall detail and look on my shelf being the important factors, Dale King and I discussed the needed changes and thats why it is what it is.. but I do hope you will enjoy the finished product..I have some factory blueprints and that weighed heavily in my decision not to do a replica.. Chris
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Post by Art on Aug 8, 2014 16:38:02 GMT -8
It's looking good, Chris!
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Post by Chris K. Hale on Sept 14, 2014 12:30:09 GMT -8
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