MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

A forum for builds of the Aoshima/Beemax McLaren MP4/2 kit.
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JamesB
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MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by JamesB »

I have to start this one saying big THANKS to whatever the plastic modeling gods are, or the karma or the will of some executives at ITALERI. Specially when the impression was, in a given moment (a long one) that the new re-release would not see the light. Good also for the price. It´s reasonable. Surely we´re safe on the “cheap enough” side, as it´s been a valuable kit in second hand as people have paid twice and thrice the current price. On the other side, “expensive enough” it´s fair too. You would not ask an MFH price for something that is basically the up-scaled version of their nice 1/24 kit.
Yet, wth! it´s a nice big, good looking Macca, such an iconic car and it can be done to a really nice looking car without much effort.
OK, I though that now "the thing" is really arriving at some homes, it´d be a good idea to have a thread where to throw in all ideas, available stuff, pics offers, etc.
I´ll start (a classical in me, no doubt some other will jump in!) with the "what to make with it" ideas list.
Let´s go!!

-OK, stock 1986 car. If someone is interested on the famous yellow saffron Portugal Rosberg version, just know there´s not a great consensus on the color hue or RAL...
-OTHER GP? well, it´s not like the 4/4... no ultra low drag wings or so... the car was mostly boringly the same... all year. I´ll add that the code bar version look attractive to me. If only because there are some iconic races, such as the Prost pushing one.
-1985 car. Different cockpit front, mirrors and windshield. Not hard. Some decals too, and bye to the radiator exits add-ons
-1984. Same as above plus different rear suspension and thus small modifications to rear body. And surely different rear wing, not too hard to do. And yes some decals. And different wheels too, though this is to be modified in ANY version.
AS a side note, let´s say that simply correcting wing (only 84) and windshield and decals and removing the radiator outlet supplements, you´d have a reasonably looking model.
-1983. Yes that´s way too much, but not that far off. Besides, the low profile of front sidepods (see “defects” section) plays in our favor. The car, without a huge effort, could be converted to the car with which Niki nearly won 1983 S.African GP, yes…
-1987. A long shot… but I am doing it. Right now. Not that hard, and well if someone comes up with a conversion body… heheh.
-OTHER TEAM CAR… not much to take home here, let´s say the car did not create a myriad of followers. In 1985 the trend of flat sidepods with lateral radiator outlets made furor, so it´s few cars that are a doppelgänger of the 4/2. I´d say the 1985 Osella, and little more. Sorry, it´s not an FW07!

OK, now with something that even hard to, must be said. It´s not the first kit that is trashed with remarks about defects, but I think it´s good to mantion them if only to know that it´s not a terrible amount of irresoluble problems. And you don´t need to trash 80% of the car by no means, and it definitely does not present build difficulties of the genre that could make the model suddenly airborne (and wall bound) as some, ahem, blue-silver kit out there…

WHAT´s WRONG!
-WHEELS!!! it´s been commented lots of times but… Wheels are wrong in size, with 15 inch front rims that were NEVER used in 1984, 85, 86… also tyres are quite off in terms of size. Not sure if the rear ones have been corrected (too doughnut in the original version). This can be corrected with either a set from, say, an MP4/6, or even a new 99T, probably. Or, ahem, a resin set from some f1mer…
-Brakes. They are not fantastic, to put it simple. Probably replacing the hub that goes on the disc, things would look dramatically better.
-Sidepods! it´s not been so thoroughly commented as other things, but it´s important. That nice, caracteristical, curved raising profile of the foremost half of sidepods, well… it´s a bit wrong.
The trailing edge of it should be some 3 or 4 millimeters higher. Front edge is well. It´s not exactly easy to correct. It can be forgiven by people excluding paranoid hawk eyes like me, but ther it is anyway.
-The nose cone, hmmm aheeemmm… you must have noticed that the fit of the nose with part is kinda flimsy? On the chassis. I mean, there´s room for a dog fight as we say here. Take a Beemax, you see how the body fits at the nose? that´s it. It should be like that. Similar thing happens with the Tamiya MP4/5B, to make you see what I mean. Also with Protar 126C2. It seems an inherited flaw from up-scaling the 1-24s, I´d say. Fix? Hmmmm Not sure, your opinions are welcome.
-General fit and detail. As commented before, it looks like a good-not-excellent 1/24 seen from very close. I mean, fit is not terrible, the kit comes together easy and it´s just the nose thing that is wrong. But detail is a bit loosy, less crisp than on the 126C2. You´ll be happy applying some work to the radiators for instance.
But I insist: all this does not detract from the car being a hell of a huge McLaren that will look awesome even with little work.
A car driven by Lauda, Prost, Rosberg!
One that brings great memories of three (at least) great and exciting seasons
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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by woodgp »

i'am all in , come on top studio !!!!

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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by SBEST »

woodgp wrote: Mon May 22, 2023 2:33 pm i'am all in , come on top studio !!!!
And, here's hoping some of the 3d guys correct some of the shortcomings!

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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by petrov27 »

Very interested to see what 3d corrections or aftermarket appears for this. I would really like the 1984 version myself
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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by PJE »

Well, I certainly know of someone with a buck to vacuform a new windscreen to back date the car from a C to a B. And the bodywork to show how it’s done! :lol:
Also a major difference between the C and the B is the C had mirrored turbos. One of the turbos, I can’t remember which off the top of my head, has to be copied and then used as the two turbos were the same in a B.
Another challenge is the seat as Barnard unbalanced the right side to accommodate the repositioned shifter. The only thing I could come up with was starting over with a Lotus 78 seat. Someone with James talent could rebuild the right side of the seat to mirror the left side.

Paul Erlendson
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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by JamesB »

PJE wrote: Mon May 22, 2023 9:45 pm Well, I certainly know of someone with a buck to vacuform a new windscreen to back date the car from a C to a B. And the bodywork to show how it’s done! :lol:
Also a major difference between the C and the B is the C had mirrored turbos. One of the turbos, I can’t remember which off the top of my head, has to be copied and then used as the two turbos were the same in a B.
Another challenge is the seat as Barnard unbalanced the right side to accommodate the repositioned shifter. The only thing I could come up with was starting over with a Lotus 78 seat. Someone with James talent could rebuild the right side of the seat to mirror the left side.

Paul Erlendson
Oh Paul! :D and I certainly know of someone with enough talent to make that buck and then generous enough to donate it to a friend! :wink: I count on it too! :D
Interesting detail about the turbos, I had not noticed, and the solution you suggest is really good. Didn´t know either about the seat, will have a look.
I plan to make a nice figure too. 8)
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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by biercemountain »

I'm assuming this kit hasn't been released in the US judging by the eBay listings I've seen which are all from Europe. Are there plans to roll it out in the US at some point?

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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by SBEST »

biercemountain wrote: Tue May 23, 2023 7:52 am I'm assuming this kit hasn't been released in the US judging by the eBay listings I've seen which are all from Europe. Are there plans to roll it out in the US at some point?
Yes, MRC has the distribution rights. Should be end of June. I am getting mine from Mac Modeling.

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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by stubeck »

I'll be picking this kit up as well as the 1/12 Lotus 99T. My Tokyo trip made it clear that car modeling isn't in as good of shape as it was a few years ago, and supporting new/rerelease models which come out is important.
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Re: MP4/2C: THE ALL PURPOSE Italeri 1/12 THREAD!

Post by JamesB »

stubeck wrote: Tue May 23, 2023 8:56 am I'll be picking this kit up as well as the 1/12 Lotus 99T. My Tokyo trip made it clear that car modeling isn't in as good of shape as it was a few years ago, and supporting new/rerelease models which come out is important.
Hmm!! I might have a nice ecuse to purchase one!! :lol: :lol:
Yes, that´s right. And lucky you with a Tokyo trip anyway :wink: Did you manage to visit any "sorcerer´s cave" shop with cool stuff?
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