My take on the Porsche 917K

[Siffert917]

After 30 years pursuing other hobbies, I got into the 1/8 scale car models when I purchase the Pocher Lotus 72D. I really enjoyed the additional upgrades on the Lotus and I want to do the same thing with the Porsche 917K. I  decided to change the Steve McQueen Nr. 20 to the Siffert/Redman Spa 1972 winning car with the Nr. 24. Before I received the first package, I already started the project.

 

After downloading hundreds of pictures, I started with the left front suspensions and add nuts and bolt instead of the kit's provided Phillips screws. I scratch build the inside of hub carrier piece. I found on the internet a video series of a 917 restoration, that showed this side of the part. It is not 100% accurate but good enough without cutting the hub carrier apart.

[Siffert917]

The next step is Stage 4. I filled off the dummy screw and added M1.2 nuts and bolts. The crosspiece got two upgrades. Instead of the FM screws, I glued in a brass tubing and painted it silver. They are a little recessed to simulate the right position of the headless hex bolts. The crosspiece plate got 4 hex screw dummies. On the other side of the disc, I painted the molded on hex head silver to match the bolts on the other side.

 

[Siffert917]

I worked a little bit on the gearbox parts than came in the first package.

I added M1.2 bolts and nuts to the back part of the gearbox. There was not much of a lip and I might use fake nuts and bolts that are smaller, if I would do it again. The bigger holes will be filled with a glued in rod to make the M1.2 bolts work.

I also added a M1 nut that above the left hole for the muffler holder.

I filled off all the molded  on nuts, drilled holes and will add M0.8 nuts and bolts. Although the color of the gearbox seemed to be spot on, I scratched the pieces too much for just a touch up job.

 

The right gearbox had all the fasteners missing. The mounting bracket needed 4 bolts in the corners. Before final painting, I will remove the Phillips screw and patch the hole.

The side shifter needed a little bit more work. I had to add some plastic pieces and putty to give me some room to add 3 additional nuts and bolts.

I have to wait for the second package for the other side of the gearbox but that should be arriving soon.

 

[Mark, The Master Modeller]

Love the amazing attention to detail!

[Siffert917]

Thanks.

i am actually using your built to already check out my changes for the next packages and find pictures of those parts.

[Siffert917]

I got the second box and finished the gearbox.  A lot of work went into drilling holes on the left gearbox side, 15 just for the circle. I also dirty up the starter. I could not find a picture where the starter was still snow white. I repainted the entire gear box brown and use a black wash. The pictures show the gearbox much darker/blacker than it acutely is. The muffler plate also got bolts and nuts and a Tamyia Panel Line treatment. I used 0.8mm and 1.2mm real bolts and nuts but had to paint them silver, since I could only find them in brass. Original pictures showed more bolts but the casting did not have the space to add them and there is a limit how much I want to change the casting.

I added a few half round styrene piece on the gearbox to give the added nuts and bolts on the rear gearbox cover a more convincing way to be attached.

[Siffert917]

I finished the 2 pack. I spend a lot of time on adding bolts and nuts on the different parts or painted them if the were part of the mold.

I also upgraded the 2 alternators with 3 cables and repainted it in aluminum. The cooling blades were painted gray to simulate that type of sheet metal they would have used. The fuel pump got the missing hook ups in the back according to pictures I found on the internet. I noticed, they were to indentations in the mold at that spot and I believe this hook up part was planed originally and never made it to the production line.

I used Tamiya Panel Line for the cylinders to give them a little bit more depth. I did not want to spent to much time on them, since they will not be really visible at the end.

The most time I spent on the fuel pump. I added a lot of screws, nuts and bolts and repainted every piece (except the yellow plates) to match my pictures I found on the internet. On the cover plate, the bolts were missing although the prototypical indentations where provided. The 2 Bosch plates where copied from an original fuel pump that I found on a sellers website. They are too small to read but I know they are there.

The muffler holder plate was updated with nuts and bolts and got a Tamiya Panel Line treatment.

 

[Mark, The Master Modeller]

Im really enjoying the extra detail you’re adding to the model. 
I'm a fan of Tamiya panel liner too.