Gulf Aston Martin DBR9, LeMans 2008, 1/24 MFH

This thread is started now but the actual build up will start in a month or so when I finish what I started before :biggrin:

But never the less I wanted to bring out some issues with this kit.

First of all this first post will be connected to the outside of the car and next one will be more focused on the interior.
Kit it self doesn't step much from previous releases from MFH so I will not bother with contents of kit to much (Steve aka klutz_100 did a really good job on both review and build up).

So, of to a start

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/2008_007.jpg

From here you can see one bigger difference and few smaller ones. Those rear ducts are really to big and need to be sanded down and remade. Since the thickness of the body is big it will be a bit harder, but doable. Front fender hole look to big, but I must see how will it look in the end. Those lights on the side look to big to and lowest one is to close to that panel, again nothing major.

Now for the rear

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/LM2008_essais_mercredi_0653.jpg

Everything looks more or less ok but shape of fenders look a bit different, could be the angle or something, so I think I will not bother with that.

Now of to the point where all MFH Astons have problem, left and right rear wheels are not leveled the same (compared to fender). Steve had even bigger gap if I remember correctly, but this is easy fix.
Naca duct on right fender should be closed so you get white metal cap for it, this is good since it should be CF and it is easier to have it as separate part, still be carefull with fit, because now without primer/paint/clear it fits very tight.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8011586.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8011587.jpg

Exhausts need treatment, as well as panels under door, on this picture I already remade them slightly.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8011589.jpg

Front end look more or less ok, fit of the bumper is OK but you will need to be careful, watch out for that panel and left/right leveling.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8011590.jpg

Now for the wheels, from pictures I have there were cars with 14 spokes OZ and 15 spoke OZ, race cars seem to have 14 spoke wheels while show cars and ones attending Goodwood have 15 spoke wheels.
MFH wheels look like toy wheels, to small, to thick spokes and strange in one word.

Here are photos of real cars

15 spokes
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/740251.jpg

14 spokes
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/lemans-2008-24h-eg-0029.jpg

Now for the kit

14 spokes from kit

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8011591.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8011595.jpg

15 spokes from Technomodel

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8011593.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8011594.jpg

Scaleproduction makes 15 spoke sets but I can not find any 14 spoke wheels. Also I can not find any race picture with 15 spoke wheels, they are all mostly in action shots so you can not see the wheels.

If someone have some "inside" information regarding wheels I would be grateful (call me wheel nazi :biggrin: but I can not help my self)

That's it for now. Interior in few days, more problems/differences there.

You made fine for start. Keeping all infos for my kit too.

got this one to do too.
Just for info, hiroboy has released a lighter shade of blue than the 917 one to do the DBR9.
The tecnomodel wheels looks great..

I have that color already. ;-)

I hesitated to order it (the original seems light already) but I was afraid it could have densified with the clearcoat, so ordered it too ;)

Nice introduction! Thanks for pointing out the shortcomings of this kit.

I am sure that this will be a superb build, can't wait to see actual progress :grinyes: :grinyes:

Oh and there are some more little problems, just take a look at Klutz or my progress thread. Some of those tips could save you some trouble :licka:

And that also reminds me that I still have to finish my Silverstone 05 version :banghead:

Interesting points you made about the car and kit. I hadn't noticed some, like the wheel thing. I agree that the Hiro spokes are too fat!
I noticed some others like the curvature of the side windows being wrong ( too "peaky" and i think the proportions on the rear end are not really accurate.
I'll follow your build with interest. So far i'm still hoping Provence Miniatures will re-release their full detail 1:43 kit. If not i have to decide wether to get the Hiro or Renaissance 1:24. Question is, which one needs more help....

For the race, im nearly positive that they ran with the 14 spokes. Every time Ive seen them race its been with the 14s (Always been interesting, like a cross between the current 14 BBS LMs and Oz 15s). Ive never seen them with 15....(Though your picture shows them with 15s while testing at Paul Ricard....).

This is a picture I found from this years Goodwood, the race winning car, still dirty....with 14s on...
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn111/JTninja/Liveries/0092.jpg

Anyways, good luck with the Aston. You have my full attention :D

Mmmmm I'm a bit disappointed with all those troubles.
At least MFH got the benefit to see some model well done , like Steve and Dennis stuff: since they sure redone any molds, why not fix them?
And why just put a sheet of decals to do a new (and popular) version? This is not serious, and not in MFH phylosophy.

This said by an enthusiast MFH collector.

I wondered to order it when I seen out, than I thought I got the '05 to do yet.... Zero aston green going down... better I do those before :D

No doubt i won't be doing any maserati in the forseeable future, i must say the shape of the supercar does look really good!

if, i mean if...i really have a chance to do this car, i'll definitely re-mod it into a road use version, in BRG of course!!!

a nice car indeed, very brute-tiful & british!:grinno:

I am glad that there is interest in this one, I think I made enough Ferraris and need to make a change :D

Dennis I sure checked your and Steve's build ups in details :D they made me buy this kit.

Jay I see what you mean with roof line, but that is something I am not up to change :D
I hope Etienne will not mind if I put his picture here, looks like his roof line is correct, even thou I can not help myself in thinking that something is strange in overall shape of the roof, it looks to low, I don't know, maybe it is in my head.

http://www.renaissance-models.com/images/WIP_Proto_DBR-9/2008-12.jpg
http://www.renaissance-models.com/images/WIP_Proto_DBR-9/Preliminaires_LM2008_DSC_33.jpg

Once again images are from Etienne http://www.renaissance-models.com

As for the wheels, thanks to JTninja for the image, I was sure I saw 15 spoke car on some Goodwood pictures, but I could be wrong, it could be some other event.

Gio I am with you, but I never looked on this curbside MFHs like on ones that are full detail, it always seemed they are outsourced. And the price is more or less OK :D

I am working on interior shots, so new chapter on Monday.

Let's continue. Like I said before interior is same in all Aston kits but this years car was much different on the copilot part of car.

This is how MFH suggest to make it, of course this is good for some old cars but for new it is wrong.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8111672.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8111673.jpg

Basically non of the parts can't be used (those three parts on copilot side).

This is how it should look

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P7110063.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P7110066.jpg

Or if you like schematic this is what would be needed to make

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/untitled-1.jpg

Most of the thing shouldn't be problem since they are all simple shape, I will try to make this vent system as good as possible but to make those pipes bent this way and so thin....well I will see :D
Also the part marked with "?" could be some kind of electrical engine for ventilation? or? I don't know :D

The rest of the stuff looks OK, like steering column, shift lever etc but will need slight remodeling like Steve and Dennis already explained.

Now for the central console. Steve remade his also and this one will need some redecoration. Here is how it should look.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P7110064.jpg

You can also see from the pictures that heat shield foil is not only on the central tunnel but also on the side.

The thing I don't know (I don't have picture of) is that wall behind copilot back (where inspection hatch was on older cars). If someone have the picture of that part I would be very pleased :D.

That's it for now. Now for the progress.

yeah a bit disappointed that hiro is just taking advantage of his license without modifying the rest of the car. Etienne has changed some parts in his DBR9.
Strange no one did the vitaphone version..

Hello Sasa,
let me show you (and other interested members for sure) this pic of the LM08 DBR9. I'm quite sure to see 15-rims.....?!
I'm a new member and hopefully i can join this forum sometimes (not only with pics but also with WIP's.)

Nastavi tako dalje, jako mi se dopada tvoj rad ,kako ti radis .
sta me jako fascinira je DBR9 GULF - WIP.

Best wishes
Jochen, Ulm/Germany
"lets fix'em parts together"

http://www.speedheads.de/auto-fotos/fotos/aston_martin_dbr9-5747-69-800x0.jpg

OMG!!! I missed an Aston thread :( :banghead:
Sorry Sasa!

Interesting reading on the (rather big actually) mods in the 1/1 Gulf version that are NOT reflected in the MFH kit :o
But I am more than sure that you will cope with them (even if you are a wheel nazi :rofl: ;) )

I don't know what the your read on the nose intake is but I still have some leftover casts from the one I made and you are more than welcome to one if you want it - just say the word and I'll post it ASAP

One last question - where's the donkey going to be?? :D

Great information, very interesting, will be following this, it looks like quiet a challenge to getting it looking right. Can't wait to see the start of the build.

Thanks guys.

Jochen you are right, those are 15 spoke wheels, I found few more pictures with them. Steve (aka Hiroboy) has some pictures from Goodwood, car 009 on the pictures have 15 spoke wheels also. So I have to make 009 car with Tecnomodel wheels, now I am a happy wheel nazi :D (Hvala ;))

Stevenski what to say...but....yes :D, thanks for that as I was looking at that lump of white metal yesterday with proxxon in my hands but I somehow couldn't decide where to cut first :D

I have a little more work on those F430s and then I will start with interior modifying.

Thank you guys for the interest.

This will be an interesting progress to follow. My friend Alex (P64) modified also the front wheelwell radius, he reduced it a bit with some styrene.

Just discovered some refs http://motorsport-photos.org/gallery/categories.php?cat_id=14&page=1

Bye: Robi :)

I don't know what the your read on the nose intake is but I still have some leftover casts from the one I made and you are more than welcome to one if you want it - just say the word and I'll post it ASAP


I don't want to spoil the party here but my intake is better :iceslolan :iceslolan lol just kidding... what i wanted to point out is that the intake is different to what we made for our old Astons. Sadly Steve didn't take a good pic of the intake but you can get the idea here CLICK (http://motorsport-photos.org/gallery/details.php?image_id=276). It's not as round as the intake on the previous Astons. Last years car had that "reworked" intake too

http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/88/52588/400_3231626362646134.jpg
http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/88/52588/3231626362646134.jpg (http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/88/52588/1280_3231626362646134.jpg)
thanks to JayKay for the pics :p!!!

Jochen,

Was that picture from race day? I have a picture of the winning DBR9 crossing the finish line at the end of the race and am counting 14 spokes....

Was Aston Martin Racing running two different rims during the race?

Thanks guys I am glad there is interest. Robi, thank you for link, I will check that radius, didn't saw anything wrong in brief view. Mr.Prini should really make his own web page, I am sure it would be very visited one :D
Dennis, thanks for heads up, I wanted to remake those vertical parts anyhow, but this picture is really great, it shows everything I need to know. Thanks.
JTNinja, look at the picture from etienne, that car also have 15 spoke wheels, look like they used both sets on both cars.
The interest for this thread makes me start sooner then I thought :D

could be a 14 spoke for rain tires, 15 spoke for slicks :confused:

I hardly post here, I'm more of a silent admirer ;) But here I can finally help out a bit I think.

The 14-spoke OZ rims were the ones originally designed for the DBR9. They've been on the car since it was introduced. For 2008 the new 15-spoke rims have been introduced, both the factory team as the Gigawave team in FIAGT has started to use them. But because of the large amount of 14-spoke wheels available those are still in rotation, so those are also still used on a frequent base. For the Gulf car I would vote for the 15-spoke rims.

I hardly post here, I'm more of a silent admirer ;) But here I can finally help out a bit I think.

The 14-spoke OZ rims were the ones originally designed for the DBR9. They've been on the car since it was introduced. For 2008 the new 15-spoke rims have been introduced, both the factory team as the Gigawave team in FIAGT has started to use them. But because of the large amount of 14-spoke wheels available those are still in rotation, so those are also still used on a frequent base. For the Gulf car I would vote for the 15-spoke rims.

Thanks for the info, I will try to do something regarding 14 spoke ones but in the end I will go with 15 spoke ones as they look very good.

Time to start, I have made idiot mistake in my 430 build so I decidet to put them all in the box for some time and spend some time with Aston.

I started with opening the body parts that should be hollow.

The body is very thick and need a lot of drilling/sanding to go through.

Let's start.

Rear bumper

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8221681.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8221685.jpg

Naza duct

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8221682.jpg

Front hood

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8221683.jpg

I have thinned areas that need to be drilled through, I will have to do it a bit more since you can see that profile is still very thick.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8221684.jpg

I left a bit of step on all the openings to give something for PE to hold on to.

I forgot to take the reference pictures with me so I couldn't do much more.

But stat is here.

Thanks for watching.

Looking good, but it seems youve made a mess all over the place...and on the wheels :D

Dont know if you need anymore reference pics, but theres at least 2 detail shots of the 05 car here:
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/2039/Aston-Martin-DBR9.html

Let me know if you need more, I got some good place to find them ;)

I love this Aston and Gulf livery.

Good job guy.

Sanding continues.

Diffuser was thinned down, still need to shape it a bit.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8271694.jpg

I welded the cage to

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8271695.jpg

Drilled holes for exhaust and made pipes

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8271698.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8271699.jpg


Next of are ducts, I sanded them of.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8271689.jpg

took rotary tool with this handy cutting piece and marked the hole I wanted to make.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8271690.jpg

Drilled it through and puttied, putted all together, looks good

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8271692.jpg

front end, left side, a bit more sanding to make it fit right.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P8271693.jpg

that's it, for now.

You are doing it great!
I hope so that I will start mine soon too.

looks great so far and it's good to see someone opening all the vents, I couldn't motivate myself to do that :p

Renaissance has updated the DBR9 kit and now has the correct interior detail you are looking for.......

Keep up the great work.

Fola

The dash, Bulk (rear) and fenders have also been remodeled.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/slotfabrik/SMdlIWGtUoI/AAAAAAAAVBU/vHybhOxeeds/s800/24-28_Aston-Martin_DBR9_LM2008_pieces.jpg

yay, they fixed the nose :D

It would be great, if the Renaissance parts would be as clean as shown on Fola´s photo, unfortunatelly there is lots of resin to remove from the cage, the spokes ...

Any idea, why they don´t cut out the doors?

[QUOTE=
Any idea, why they don´t cut out the doors?[/QUOTE]

maybe coz not "every body" can or wants to build an open door version.

btw, the hiro is imho really good, but the a pillars need to be made smaller and the roof needs to be chopped slightly so that it is lower and the front windsheild a little more slanted.......
Regards,
fola

http://lh5.ggpht.com/slotfabrik/SAN3OCdVpRI/AAAAAAAALuw/zKr_D6nK4P4/s400/DSC09991.JPG";

http://lh6.ggpht.com/slotfabrik/SAN3KSdVpJI/AAAAAAAALtw/W0KwsAeSROU/s400/DSC09949.JPG";

http://lh5.ggpht.com/slotfabrik/SAN3LCdVpLI/AAAAAAAALuA/KriLEPhOzcc/s400/DSC09953.JPG";

http://lh5.ggpht.com/slotfabrik/SAN3QCdVpVI/AAAAAAAALvQ/mQSSY4bPC_c/s400/DSC09996.JPG";

http://lh5.ggpht.com/slotfabrik/SArwDtSMTPI/AAAAAAAAL10/v7yq-q6dMU8/s400/DSC09921.JPG";

I am glad to see the thread alive even without some progress pictures :D

But I have some progress.

First of all I would like to compliment Etienne for DBR it really look great. To bad there is only picture of resin parts.
I must say that decals look good to, there is decal for central console to.
Windows are prepainted and they look good to.
Anyhow, great job Etienne.

Here is what I have been doing.

First of all, thanks to Stevenski I got front intake, I will remake it slightly and it will be good.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9021732.jpg

Next I remade lower intake to make hole behind the nets

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9021733.jpg

Also I made some dents in steering column and gear lever.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9021734.jpg

Remade seat to look like real thing, filled it with two part epoxy putty, central part and those head pads. Then some tamiya tape cut to thin stripes, stick them, then covered with glue, then washed with artistic oil paint, then cleared, then kevlar decals and clear again. Now I have to paint it and finish it.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9021730.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9101747.jpg

Dash was primed, masked lower part for CF, some primer from distance on upper part for texture and base black, now I need to do some gray and put CF on.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9101745.jpg

Body was painted with Zero Gulf for this purpose.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9021726.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9021725.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9021724.jpg

Then very light clear coat and then decals + CF

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9101738.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9101739.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9101740.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9101741.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/DBR9/P9101742.jpg

Now I need to add door knobs and front hood CF covers and clear it. Soon I hope.
Thanks for following. :wink:

Have you made SOME progress ?!? My Lord, it's nearly finished !!!

Anyway, very very nice painting and decaling. I love the seat modifications.

Bravo!

R :)

wow, that really must be the absolutely correct Gulf Light blue; it even changes colour depending on the light levels.

Y'know, I keep wondering how much work it would be to take one of these kits back to regular road car form.

Wow! love the body, colour and decals look perfect. Great job on the seat, works really well.

F-n hotness!!! :D

You are doing an INCREDIBLE work with this kit!!

I just have one note..The real car doesn't have the event decals in the roof.

GREAT clean work! Keep it up!

:eek: Wow! Beautiful!

Looks great, Sasa, the driver´s seat is my favourite

Simply stunning, Sasa!
Love it (despite the gay color scheme :evillol:)

Y'know, I keep wondering how much work it would be to take one of these kits back to regular road car form.
I've been having the same thoughts :evillol:
I'd love to know what your conclusion was.

I just have one note..The real car doesn't have the event decals in the roof

On the contrary :)

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/Various/plaque.jpg

On the contrary :)
Not on the contrary - on the roof :D

I've been having the same thoughts :evillol:
I'd love to know what your conclusion was.

two things.

1) it would involve a lot of sanding
2) i really need to finish some kits before finding out

parts wise, the key elements are all there.
the body is thick enough to handle the sanding neccessary to reduce it back to road car and the dash is a good enough representation of the real dash to add trim back onto. Apart from the mental anguish os sanding away so much resin, it doesn't look too bad....

Might have to get one and make some copies.

Body looks very beautiful.I really love the Gulf colours, one of my all time favorites on any car.That seat looks incredible as well :)

On the contrary

You are absolutely right, my mistake. I was looking at the wrong photos. The car was tested without those markings, and they were added before the race.
Sorry! :icon16:

WOW nice..I love the seat...but onl in the first picture :-) that "matt" version looks so real.

daniel
-germany-

Hello Sasa,
you are doing a great job on that one!
I'm looking forward for your finish!! The seat is really amazing.
I follow your work with great interest, keep up the inspiring work!
Cheers
Jochen
PS: I will start my WIP-report about this one today, i can't resist....;-)
It is really challenging and inspiring to see your efforts on that one.

WOW impressive work, that body aswell as everything else looks great! Although I have to admit that I liked the matt finish on the seat much more :licka:

Superb job Sasa, on the body shell and seat too.

Very nice work so far ! Keep it in this way!!
Regards, Tibi

Thanks guys, The seat is not even close to finished, I had to seal the kevlar decal as well as wash and gloss clear looked to be the right choice, I t will turn dull again, don't worry.
As for the roof decals I was in panic for a while. I also saw cars with and without those but after checking it out again I was calm again :D
More to follow soon, Now I am tempted to redo the diffuser after seeing Jochens work on his kit, nice work once again.

Hello Sasa,
thanks for your kind words! Actually, you are the "accelerant" for my
DBR9-project.
The thing about this specific diffusor is (from my point of view!!!) that it is a essential part for the look of this mean machine, it underlines it's wunderful developed beamy butt.........hehehe!
Keep on doing that great efforts on your one!!!

Greetings
Jochen

Not much progress but I got my self going after almost a month of being without motivation.

Body was clear coated with 2K clear and polished using micromesh and tamiya rubbing compound.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/Aston/PA202360.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/Aston/PA202367.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sjelic/Aston/PA202368.jpg

New photos coming soon.

wow this looks brilliant ! ..are you going to darken the panellines?

daniel
-germany-

Hi Sasa!

Nice work! It's looking great, keep going!
I think it will be your nicest race car!

Ciao, Tibi

Impressive finish on that model!