|
 During
the late 80s many IMSA teams fielding the Porsche 962 began
extensively
modifying their cars in order to compete with stronger and better
budgeted
competition from Nissan, Toyota, and Jaguar.
In 1988 Jim Busby
Racing introduced their modified Porsche 962 at the West Palm Beach
Grand
Prix. The modifications over the factory standard 962
included a
replacement of the factory monocoque with a much stiffer Jim Chapman
tub,
revised rear bodywork with integrated deep rear wing endplates,
repositioned
rear wing, replacement of the standard single element wing with a
double
element unit, reshaped nose, reprofiling the front wheel well exits,
modifications
to the cooling exits, reshaping and changing the angle of the
underfloor
tunnels, and modifications to the intercooler intake and the inclusion
of a turbo inlet scoop. The car ran throughout 1988 in BF
Goodrich
colors, but come 1989, and with the unfortunate passing of Al Holbert,
the team inherited the Miller High Life Beer sponsorship.
|
| 1989’s Daytona 24
was unfinished business. The year before the Busby team had
come
to within a lap of winning the race after having qualified on
pole.
In 1989 the team lined up for the start in 12th position overall,
though
leading the field were the wickedly quick Nissan GTP ZX-T and Jaguar
XJR-9.
At the start and throughout the first half of the race the battle was
between
the Nissan GTPs, Jaguar XJR-9s and #86 Bruce Leven Havoline Porsche
962.
The #86 Porsche would drop away from the lead group by ¼ distance
but rising into the background, if not into contention, was the #67
Busby/Miller
car driven by Bob Wolleck, Derek Bell, and John Andretti. The
1989
race was unique because just before half distance fog dropped over the
circuit leading to a red flag period that ended up lasting four
hours.
With the restart the lead (and only remaining) Nissan resumed in first
place but by hour 19 retired with a blown engine letting the #67
Porsche
962 past and into the top spot. But the #60 Jaguar XJR-9 of
Price
Cobb, John Nielsen, Andy Wallace, and Jan Lammers gave hard chase and
but
for a spin by Cobb and rising engine temperatures they ultimately fell
just 2 minutes shy after 24 hours of racing. |
| The M
& S Hobbies 1/24 scale resin kit depicts the 1989
Wolleck/Bell/Andretti
Daytona 24 winning car with low downforce nose (throughout the year the
car would use a high downforce nose at appropriate tracks and the team
did initially test with it at Daytona). The kit comes with 30
parts
all cast in either tan or clear (headlights, headlight covers, tail
lights)
resin. Two vacuum formed sets of front wind shield and side
window
glass are provided. The model's casting is crisp and clean
with very
good definition in bodywork parting lines and high detail in areas such
as the waste gates (which hang out the rear of the car).
Naturally
there is some flash but in the areas where you’d expect it and is
easily
removed. Pinholes are absolutely minimal. Mold
parting lines
are tucked away where less obtrusive and can be sanded off with
ease.
A donor Tamiya Porsche 962 is needed and essentially everything is used
from that kit barring the body, wheels, tires, and decals.
The M
& S kit comes with IMSA style (and dimensioned) BBS wheels and
tires.
Instructions, and more importantly, templates are provided.
The templates
are used to mark the areas of the Tamiya underbody and monocoque sides
that need to be removed in order that the underfloor and tub will mate
up with the M & S body. At first the task seems
somewhat daunting
but a quick read through and you’ll notice the templates are used
sequentially
and they all make sense in where to place them and what areas are
removed.
Just take your time and think before you commit. The decals
that
come with the kit include everything needed to livery the car as it was
at Daytona in 1989. The printing is crisp and the colors are
sharp.
The kit retails for $75.00. |
| Overall the model
is faithful to the actual car but for two small areas. The
1989 Busby
962’s underfloor was modified from the factory standard and fit closer
to the engine, gearbox, and had a much higher trailing edge at the
rear.
As you are using the underfloor from the Tamiya kit this actually
depicts
the water-cooled 962C's underfloor. M & S Hobbies'
other 962
transkit includes a resin piece that replaces part of the underfloor
correcting
its differences at the trailing edge (height and length). Though the
primary
issue here could be that photographic research is very limiting
as to what the actual shape of the floor was beyond what can be
determined
about its trailing edge height. Regardless, as the tunnel's
shape
was significantly different (it isn't just a trailing edge height
difference
but the tunnel's angle is different as well) it would have required a
rather
extensive replacement piece for the Tamiya underfloor in order to
depict
it. Suffice to say, in my own research of this car I haven't
a definitive
answer of what that shape is and would be hard pressed to commit
anything
to resin. Additionally the trailing edge of the intercooler
intake
on top of the engine cover is less streamlined than would appear on the
actual car. Ultimately these are minor quips, and while there
is
little that can be done to correct the underfloor, with some sand paper
and a file the intercooler duct’s taper can be improved. |
| Clearly
this kit is recommended and its
shortfalls are really minor (call me a rivet counter). The
subject
is very unique, efficiently utilizes Tamiya's decent Porsche 962 kit
(though
talk about shortfalls!), and is well executed. The Porsche
962 was
so prevalent in IMSA and Group C that many teams wanted to improve
their
performance over the next guy. All these years later these
variants
lend themselves to interesting model kits and M & S has
indicated that
they have another 962 transkit in the pipe line for this
year (along
with another GTP subject!). Stay tuned. |
1989
Daytona 24 race details paraphrased from Janos Wimpffen's book Time
and Two Seats
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