25 replies to this topic

[skeeterbuck]

Today I finished  building my Cox GT40. I'd been looking for one for some time that would be a good canidate for building. I came across this one on ebay that was almost complete with the exception of a couple of small parts that were given to me by Jairus Watson. (Thanks again Jairus ). I also used replacement decals from Electric Dreams. The kit was in its original box, but the parts had been taken out of the bubbles and the insert was gone. With 60's slot cars I try and build them like Bill Wessels. Nothing over the top, just clean, classic builds. I modeled it after the 65 Daytona winning car (#73) driven by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby to the first 1st place victory for the Ford GT. This is the version with the TTX 200 motor. (end bell drive) Check out that cone shaped pinion gear. I don't ever remember seeing one like that. IIRC Cox didn't make this version too long before coming out with the TTX 250 motor version. (can drive).

 

Also notice that I didn't "pink" the magnesium parts after blasting. My thinking is that anyone who sees any magnesium parts and their NOT corroded know that the parts have been restored and to me look better "natural". 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ricky Vegas]

Impressive build; Charles and fantastic pics! 

[dc-65x]

Lovely car Charles. It's nice to see what they really could look like when carefully built. We see all the endless glue blobs on eBay...YUK.

 

Did you clear coat or polish the body?

[SlotStox#53]

It came out superb ! Great job

Been tempted to grab one of these Cox cars to restore & your GT40 certainly gives inspiration.

[spudboy]

Sano!

[Jairus]

Wow, that turned out fantastic!   

[TSR]

Charles, very nice build. No one will mind the green helmet! 

The TTX200 version was actually the second issue of this kit, there was originally and very briefly a TTX100 version with the same motor as in the two F1 cars, the BRM and the Ferrari. It was very quickly discontinued and an actual unopened kit today is a rarity.
The conical pinion is standard fare for the TTX200 version that is less common than the TTX250 version.

Did you clear-coat the magnesium parts with some polyurethane varnish before assembly? If not the mag will begin corroding as it is exposed to air and especially to temperature changes.

[skeeterbuck]

Thanks all. I appreciate the feedback. 

 

Rick, I used Tamiya finish compound on the plastic to bring up the shine some. It's the finest of the 3 they make. I covered just the decals, but not the whole body, with Future. After all was dry, I gave the entire body a light coat of Tamiya's model wax.

 

Dokk, You had to bring up that green helmet.   Its from info in Rinsey Mills book on the Shelby Cobras. I was described as being "housefly green".

I sealed the magnesium parts with Scalecoat glaze which is a clear coat designed for painting metal. After which you bake it at 160 degrees to harden it. It's designed for painting die cast and brass model train engines etc. and is very resistant to wear and chipping. I then airbrushed them with Testors dullcote to obtain the matt finish.

 

As to the pinion gear, I had to press it on a little more that it was originally. When I first tried to assemble the rear axle it was out too far and caused the gear to bind against the tire and the wheel wouldn't spin. About a 32nd inch more and everything worked fine then.

[slotbaker]

Not over the top, clean and very classic build.

Very nice. That's how they should look.

[Samiam]

Beeee-yoo-tee-full.

 

Very nice job. I will use it as inspiration and a guide for doing the ones I have.

[skeeterbuck]

Thanks Steve & Sam for the feedback.

 

I love building these kits from the 60's. It's almost like having a time machine and reliving a simpler time. 

 

Next up is a Monogram Ferrari 275P. Hope it turns out as nice.

[n.elmholt]

Not over the top, clean and very classic build.

Very nice. That's how they should look.

 

correct - like in the real world, too many "over restored" car, both small and big 

 

Niels :-)

[TSR]

Charles,

Here you go! 

[skeeterbuck]

Charles,

Here you go! 

greenhelmet.jpg

 

 

 

 

WOW! Dokk, you just made my day! 

 

If that not positive verification, nothing is. 

[TSR]

Well, there are often problems with such verifications...

 

[skeeterbuck]

Dokk, you need to color the actual helmet in on the poster to complete the ruse. It's still showing GREEN.   

 

How ironic that were going on about this movie which included Jack Brabham, only to find out that he just passed away. 

[Allan Feldman]

Charles I really like your restoration. Philippe I am making this point not to destract from Charles fine build but after viewing  the Mecum auction selling the Shelby 1965 Daytona 3rd placed Ford GT GT/104. It is a beautiful Ford GT. Its just a pity that Cox went down the win at Le Mans route with their Ford GT kit instead of making an accurate version of the 1965 Daytona winner. I hope I am not boring you completely. But the Cox Ford GT box has the car in 1965 Daytona mode with single headlights But the Cox kit was modelled  as the 1964 Le Mans entry with double headlights.

Regards Allan

[skeeterbuck]

Charles I really like your restoration. Philippe I am making this point not to destract from Charles fine build but after viewing  the Mecum auction selling the Shelby 1965 Daytona 3rd placed Ford GT GT/104. It is a beautiful Ford GT. Its just a pity that Cox went down the win at Le Mans route with their Ford GT kit instead of making an accurate version of the 1965 Daytona winner. I hope I am not boring you completely. But the Cox Ford GT box has the car in 1965 Daytona mode with single headlights But the Cox kit was modelled  as the 1964 Le Mans entry with double headlights.

Regards Allan

Allen, I always love taking about my favorite car (Ford Gt & GT40) and Ken Miles!

 

I think that the Cox GT40 is a copy of the car as raced at Nuerburgring in 1964 with Bruce McLaren and Phil Hill. Notice the location of the oil filler cap above the left side radiator exhaust port in the hood. By LeMans of that year, the oil cap had been moved to between the radiator exhaust ports, two small spoilers were added to the front below the headlamps and the bug deflector was added to the upper right side of the hood.

[skeeterbuck]

Not to beat this dead horse too much, but check out this pic of Ken Miles.

 

 

It looks like two strips of electrical tape between his visor and helmet. If the tape is black, and it looks to me to be darker that the color of the helmet, so the helmet can't be black. What say ye! 

[TSR]

Ye say that if you can tell the diff between the tape color (placed there to reduce the peak's vibrations, I had to do the same on my old Buco lid) and the color on the helmet, you are a better man than me. 

Checked with his son, his dad's helmet was always black as far as he can remember. I was at Le Mans when he won and we simply did not take notes then...

 

As far as the Cox model, it is quite simple and I explained it before: the Cox guys went to Riverside when the cars were first tested by the Shelby crew just after they had been received from the UK and had been hastily painted in blue. It was before they were fitted with the revised nose for Daytona. Hence the car DID exist that way (briefly) but never raced in that config.

P

[skeeterbuck]

Ye say that if you can tell the diff between the tape color (placed there to reduce the peak's vibrations, I had to do the same on my old Buco lid) and the color on the helmet, you are a better man than me. 

Checked with his son, his dad's helmet was always black as far as he can remember. I was at Le Mans when he won and we simply did not take notes then...

 

As far as the Cox model, it is quite simple and I explained it before: the Cox guys went to Riverside when the cars were first tested by the Shelby crew just after they had been received from the UK and had been hastily painted in blue. It was before they were fitted with the revised nose for Daytona. Hence the car DID exist that way (briefly) but never raced in that config.

P

 Dokk, maybe I just trying to "fit a square peg in a round hole".   I can't tell the color of the helmet for certain, I was just noting that if the electrical tape is "assumed" to be black, then the helmet must be a color lighter than black, at least to me the helmet looks to be a lighter shade that the tape. It's dishearting to try and get all the details correct to find out after your finished that you still got it wrong!   

 

As to the color of the Cox model, this is the first time I have ever heard this story. It's interesting to know that a least for a short time the paint scheme was correct.

 

Thanks yet again Dokk for sharing your wealth of info with us. 

[Asp]

The helmet was black..just Google Ken Miles, go to images, and you'll find a few color photos.

[Vay Jonynas]

That's a great looking build-up! It's everything a slot car should be!

 

What year did Cox release the kit of the GT40?

[Allan Feldman]

Ye say that if you can tell the diff between the tape color (placed there to reduce the peak's vibrations, I had to do the same on my old Buco lid) and the color on the helmet, you are a better man than me. 

Checked with his son, his dad's helmet was always black as far as he can remember. I was at Le Mans when he won and we simply did not take notes then...

 

As far as the Cox model, it is quite simple and I explained it before: the Cox guys went to Riverside when the cars were first tested by the Shelby crew just after they had been received from the UK and had been hastily painted in blue. It was before they were fitted with the revised nose for Daytona. Hence the car DID exist that way (briefly) but never raced in that config.

P

 

Ye say that if you can tell the diff between the tape color (placed there to reduce the peak's vibrations, I had to do the same on my old Buco lid) and the color on the helmet, you are a better man than me. 

Checked with his son, his dad's helmet was always black as far as he can remember. I was at Le Mans when he won and we simply did not take notes then...

 

As far as the Cox model, it is quite simple and I explained it before: the Cox guys went to Riverside when the cars were first tested by the Shelby crew just after they had been received from the UK and had been hastily painted in blue. It was before they were fitted with the revised nose for Daytona. Hence the car DID exist that way (briefly) but never raced in that config.

P

OK Phillipe but it still does not explain why they had to make the pictures on the box single headlights for the Daytona win. Even if they model the car before the Daytona going through different configurations? The only thought to me would be that they made the Ford GT to be the Daytona winner even though they could not retool? Why could they not have made the slotcar based on the Daytona winner itself? Instead of committing themselves to a configuration that was not raced even though and i appreciated the subtle changes from Nurburgring to Le Mans were more suited to the shape they modelled on.

As for Ken Miles helmet colour it was anything to do with his tank regiments colours? Like Graham Hill London rowing club coloured helmet! Also I agree with you Phillipe, morally he did win the 1966 Le Mans

Regards Allan

[skeeterbuck]

The helmet was black..just Google Ken Miles, go to images, and you'll find a few color photos.

Yea I know, There's no debating that he used a black helmet. What I'm trying to discern is did he also sometimes use a dark green helmet ( British Racing green or darker) and was he wearing that helmet at Daytona in 1965 when he won. Check out my post 8 and 19 earlier in this thread.