1975 Gatorade McLaren - Johnny Rutherford

[modelcarjr]

I had a long-winded explanation of what I am doing with this one but my computer decided to disconnect to the internet. I went back and pulled it back up on another website but there was a tag that said clear editor and I did. When I did that everything disappeared. So don't even click on "clear editor" or you will lose everything! So  now you get the short explanation. I had a 74 McLaren from the MPC Hall of Fame kit. I have previously built one of these. I studied photos of the 75 McLaren and determined that the turbo was more centrally located over the transmission instead of directly back and to the left of the body with a straight exhaust pipe. The rear wing is also smaller. So I bought an AMT 1975 McLaren from e-bay for $35. What I found was that AMT took the 1974 MPC McLaren with new instructions and decals and stuffed it in an AMT box. So I am right back where I started but $40 lighter. Here are some photos in no particular order, I hope:

Coparison  of MPC kit to AMT kit - exactly the same trees and pieces


AMT kit instructions and decals



1975 Mclaren given to me that turned out to be a Penske PC-6



Comparison of 1974 Mclaren to 1979 Penske PC-6 or 7 (same kit plastic) built 30 year ago

[project510]

That kit looks older than me haha. This is exciting!

[modelcarjr]

Thanks, James! I appreciate your comment!

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I've been busy trying to change the routing of the turbo and I think I have arrived at a reasonable approach which more centrally locates the turbo. Actually, I just flipped the turbo so that the exhaust comes out of the left and the velocity stack is on the right. Then I shortened the pipe that attaches to the waist gate and re-routed the rest of the pipes. the turbo should be right behind the engine but I couldn't manage to do that because the suspension is in the way. I toyed with the idea of lengthening the transmission or using another one from another kit but that would have been a lot of work and this accomplished a change that should work. I also white glued to body together (not very well) and found that I only needed to cut a small corner off the engine cover at the end in order to make this fit. I also cut some supports for the turbo so that it wouldn't be a flying turbo!  So now, I can start painting. I will have fun painting the engine now that it is together! Thanks for looking! 😎

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[kyledehart5]

Excellent!! I really like what you’re doing to this old girl. Looking forward to watching along. Engine is looking great.

[handiabled]

Following! Nice turbo mods to make it fit in the correct position

[modelcarjr]

Thanks, Kyle and handlabled! I appreciate your comments!

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I finished painting everything today and none too soon as it is raining now and I have to paint on my covered patio. The white is Dupli-Color Pure white that I painted yesterday and the green is Testors square bottle Gloss Green thinned for airbrush. I'll do the green outlines on the radiator side pods and the front wing with some tape and a brush. So now after it dries a couple of days, I'll try to rub it out lightly (no clear coat because I don't have an enamel clear and they always yellow too quick anyway) and apply some Pledge Revive It. The white is already cleared because it is lacquer and it has been rubbed out a bit. 

I have some extra vinyl tires from an extra parts kit and correct four spoke wheels from a Penske PC-6 kit that I have already painted black. So I can sand the tires out including the Goodyear markings on the side and assemble the wheels and tires. That should keep me busy for a while. Plus I can finish the rear suspensions around the motor and get that all assembled so that when the body is ready I'll be ready to assemble this one. Oh, and did I mention there's a contest next Saturday so I can prepare for that as well. Should be a busy week! Thanks for looking! 😎

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[lyle]

Nice paint work!

[handiabled]

Great progress!

[TJ]

This is really cool.

[kyledehart5]

Awesome!! Paint looks excellent.

[modelcarjr]

Thanks, Lyle, Handlabled, TJ and Kyle! I appreciate your comments!

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I finished the wheels and tires. Sanded the raised letters off of both sides of the tires and then sanded the drive surface of the tire to eliminate the mold line and make them look driven. I moved the front wing back about 1/16" to line up with the nose and eliminated the inside end plate that doesn't need to be there. I cut about 1/4" off each side of the rear wing because it was really too wide and needs to be within the width of the rear tires. I also finished the engine detailing and added the support rods for the suspension. a lot of work in the sub-assemblies but it should pay off in the final product. Thanks for looking! 😎

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[kyledehart5]

Excellent work!! That’s looking wonderful.

[handiabled]

The engine and gearbox assembly painted up look wonderful cradled in the rear suspension

[garybrantley]

Very nice indeed! 👍 Is that an Offy engine?

[kyledehart5]

May 2, 2024 9:00:48 GMT -5 garybrantley said:

Very nice indeed! 👍 Is that an Offy engine?

Useless information time from me. 😂 That’s the last and most powerful version of the venerable Offenhauser. Reduced to 159 cubic inches and running about 25 pounds of boost it was good for 750+ horsepower. Other than the turbocharging much of the design remained the same from the engines debut in the 1930s. It was finally rendered obsolete by the arrival of the Cosworth DFX in the late 1970s.

[modelcarjr]

Thanks, Kyle, Handlabled, and Gary! I appreciate your comments! And thanks, Kyle for the information on the engine. Although I now a lot about the Indy 500. I don't know all the engine or chassis design packages.

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All the painting and construction are done! IndyCals decals are next and this one will be finished!

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[kyledehart5]

Man. That looks great. Has to be one of the nicest examples of this that I’ve seen yet. Awesome job

[handiabled]

Holy fast Batman! This came together really superb!

[modelcarjr]

Thanks, Kyle and Handlabled! I appreciate your comments!

Its done! Decals are on and I have a comparison to the same kit (74 McLaren from the MPC Hall of Fame kit is the same plastic as this AMT 75 McLaren). I made some changes to the front wing, rear wing, added the correct wheels and better tires from the parts box, and changed the position of the turbo to be over the transmission instead of to the left side. Not all the changes that are needed to change the 74 into a 75 but most of them. Thanks for looking!

[kyledehart5]

Awesome job!!! Love the old build in the mclaren livery too. That’s a great looking couple you have there.