1/20 LOLA T70 MKIII CAN-AM SPYDER

THIS CONCEPTUAL MODEL DEPICTS THE 1968 ANDRETTI/GEORGE BIGNOTTI MK3 CAN-AM SPYDER AS IT MAY HAVE
APPEARED HAD IT FALLEN INTO THE HANDS OF DAN GURNEY!

THE BASIC KIT USED TO BUILD THE LOLA WAS THE VINTAGE MPC MCLAREN M8D # 8255 WHICH HAS LONG SINCE BEEN OUT OF PRODUCTION, BUT CAN BE FOUND AT TIMES ON THE INTERNET. I WIDENED THE KIT’S CHASIS TO ACCOMODATE THE WIDER SCRATCH-BUILT VACU-FORMED LOLA BODYWORK, AND LOWERED THE FRONT SUSPENSION FOR A MORE REALISTIC RIDE HEIGHT. SHEET PLASTIC WAS USED THROUGHOUT THE MODEL’S CONSTRUCTION TO MODIFY AND SCRATCH BUILD COMPONENTS. THE INTERNET ALSO PROVIDED A WEALTH OF REFERENCE PHOTOS USED AS PATTERNS FOR THE BODYWORK AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND LOCATION OF MANY OF THE OTHER DETAILS. ADHESIVE-BACKED ALUMINUM FOIL USED IN THE HEATING INDUSTRY WAS USEFUL IN SIMULATING ALUMINUM SURFACES. THE DRIVER FIGURE WAS SCULPTED FROM A PUTTY-LIKE PRODUCT CALLED SCULPY AND SPORTS A 70’S STYLE HELMET WITH VISOR AND POSEABLE HANDS MADE FROM FINE WIRE AND “FLESHED OUT” WITH COATS OF ACRYLIC PAINT. ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING ASPECTS OF BUILDING THE MODEL WAS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FORD DOHC INDY CAR ENGINE’S SERPANTINE EXHAUST SYSTEM, WHICH WAS MADE FROM SCULPY ROLLED INTO LONG TUBES , BENT INTO SHAPE, AND BAKED INTO POSITION. THE KIT’S VELOCITY STACKS WERE MODIFIED AND GIVEN ALUMINUM- MESH COVERS . THE RACE NUMBERS, WHITE ROUNDELS, AND “LOLA “ LOGO WERE ALL MASKED AND AIRBRUSHED, AND THE SMALL SPONSORSHIP DECALS CAME FROM THE ORIGINAL MCLAREN. THE BODYWORK WAS AIRBRUSHED IN A SPLASHY TURQUOISE/TUSCAN RED COLOR SCHEME AND FINALLY GIVEN A CLEAR GLOSS OVER-COATING OF AIRBRUSHED LIQUID PLEDGE FLOOR WAX WHICH SPRAYS ON EASILY AND LEAVES AN AMAZING GLOSSY FINISH. THE FINISHED LOLA MEASURES 8 ½ INCHES LONG AND IS ABOUT 3 INCHES WIDE. BUILDING TIME WAS ABOUT SIX WEEKS IN ALL. IT WAS VERY SATISBYING TO FINALLY HAVE A MODEL LIKE THE LOLAS I HAD ENJOYED SEEING ON TRACK AT ROAD AMERICA THREE DECADES AGO!