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HW 1971 LeMans Porsche 917 LH Customization Project
Topic Started: Jun 27 2018, 08:04 PM (172 Views)
CarreraRSR
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At the end of 2017 HotWheels started manufacturing a version of the 1971 LeMans Gulf Porsche 917 LH (Long Tail) for launch as a 50 Hot Wheels Est. 1968 Project CARS 2 - NEW for 2018 number 8/10 in their Legends of Speed series hang tag models. They were initially sold on eBay for very high prices from sellers in Malaysia where they are manufactured. Staring in around March 2018 these models were showing up from eBay sellers on the west coast of the USA for high prices. Eventually they started to appear at Target and Walmarts but were usually snatched up quickly.
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The casting of this model is very good but some come with metal flashing on the mold parting line on the rear deck under the wing and rough edges around the side window frame. Unfortunately the pad printed decorations are missing many of the details present on the actual race car, some images are incorrect (like the black instead of red Firestone sponsor logos on the rear sides and the small size of the #18 on white circles on the doors). Many of these hang tag models also have distorted or chipped pad printed logos like the Gulf logo on the rear of the model shown below.
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Fortunately with a little search effort you can find all of the decals and detail items necessary to customize this base HW model into an accurate version of the actual 1971 LeMans Gulf Porsche 917 LH #18. Here are a few hints and suggestions to use during this customization project.

First locate some ultra fine tip detailing pens for high lighting special areas on the base model. The following three in particular have offered excellent fine detailing results.
1.) Molotow Liquid Chrome 1mm Ultra Fine Point (also available in 2mm for larger chrome detailing needs)
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2.) PARMA Dual Tip Detail Pen black with a 1mm ultra fine point tip on one end and a larger tip on the other end.
3.) MICRON 005 black ultra fine point Archival Ink pen
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Note: be sure to store these pens with the fine point tips down to prevent them from drying out.

Second locate some good decals. Patto's Place offers a good 1/64 scale Porsche 917 - Gulf - LeMans 1971 decal sheet that features all of the missing detail logos and correct size number 18 on white circles decals. Unfortunately the orange stripes are slightly a dull orange brown color, and you may want to just keep the bright orange stripes that are on the original HW model. The only down side to this is that the original pad printed orange stripes do not feature the correct black edge stripes that were on the original race car's orange stripes. You must locate some correct size black stripe decals (like those shown on the bottom of the next photo) or trim the black edge stripes from the Pattos orange stripe decals to lay against the pad printed original orange stripes. Yes, this will be a rather difficult and time consuming project. The photos of the completed customized prototype version in this project does not feature the black stripes on the edges of the original orange stripes.
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Locate some of the following decal solutions from a good hobby shop.
1.) Microscale Liquid Decal Film (to repair cracked decals or help decals adhere to the painted metal or plastic surfaces of the model. Note: be sure to test on a decal from the same decal sheet to see if this liquid film works without dissolving the decal.
2.) Microscale Micro Sol Setting Solution
3.) Super Micro Set Setting Solution
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Note: Decals from different sources can react differently to all of these decal solutions. Micro Sol and Micro Set smell different. Some decals set better with Micro Sol and some set better with Micro Set. Be sure to test them on the decals you use to see how they react and which works better. Some of you expert customizers should add your suggestions and experiences for correctly using these decal solutions.

Here are some photos of the actual 1971 LeMans Gulf Porsche 917 LH #18 race car for a reference
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You may want to start your customization project on the top rear deck lid by first finding a correct orange color scrap decal that matches the pad printed original orange stripe. Cut our a orange stripe of matching width and length to reach the rear of the deck lid, dip in clean water, slide off and position to extend the original pad printed stripe to reach the end of the deck lid . Then cut out one of the larger #18 on white circle decals from the Pattos sheet, dip in water, slide decal onto the correct position over the orange stripe and between the two night light bumps on the rear deck lid. After the decals are completely set use the Liquid Chrome fine point pen to highlight detail the two night light bumps and use one of the ultra fine point black pens to highlight the openings of the large Naca duct with the orange stripe running through it and the two small Naca ducts one on each side of the rear engine bay.
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Next you can add the Gulf sponsor logos decals to the inside of each of the two tail fins supporting the rear wing, the driver's names decal to the top of the right door next to the side window. Then detail the other upper sections of the body by using the Liquid Chrome pen to detail the small oil filler cap and larger gas cap and black pens to detail the wind shield wipers and the area intake exits on the hood.
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Note: The Pattos decal sheet even has decals for the racer's tape that was used around the headlights on the actual race car during the LeMans 24 hours.

From there you can move the the tail section to detail the yellow & red tail light lens, detail the chrome on the two metal fastener straps and add the Gulf Porsche decal. Note: the mold parting line metal flashing can be seen under the wing on the HW base model used for this prototype customization project
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Now you can move to the front air dam and head lights. The brake air duct holes are too small on the original HW models. You can use a finger drill to enlarge these to a correct size. Either paint the two small outside air intakes and larger center oil cooler air intake black or use a decal of front air intake screens like those used on this prototype customized model. At this point you can add the Pattos decals for the racer's tape to each of the head lights to make them exactly like the original LeMans Gulf 917 LH #18.
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Now you can move to each side to place accurate red Firestone sponsor logos over the incorrect pad printed black logos, place the accurate larger #18 on white circle decals over the incorrect smaller pad printed ones on the doors, add the Gulf Porsche lettering decals to the sides of the engine bay, add the Gulf sponsor logos to each side of the front air dam, add the E/black circle decal to the left side beside the #18 on white circle door numbers (Note: the original excellent pad printed black rectangle with red OFF and red voltage arrow. Why did they not add a pad printed red E/black circle?). Add the excellent accurate side vent window decals from the Pattos decal sheet to each of the side windows. Use one of the black fine point pens to color the vents on the front ends of the left and right side rear wheel covers and the chrome pen to detail the rear deck lid hood straps on both sides.

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This is the final customized prototype version of the HotWheels 1971 LeMans Gulf 917 LH #18.

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I have just acquired a perfect mint original HW Gulf Porsche 917 LH #18 model to use as the base for a final version of this customization project. After all of the decal applications and detailing as applied to this prototype custom model, I plan to add the black side edge stripes to the original pad printed orange stripes, add the two braces for the rear wing and the two braces to the center front oil cooler air intake. I am also searching for some correct size 917 wheels to replace the original wheels that are too large. That should make an exceptional custom model for my 1/64 to 1/59 Porsche collection.
Edited by CarreraRSR, Jun 27 2018, 11:01 PM.
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jedimario
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RAWR
Excellent work, as always. Always cool to see Mattel get as close as they can given their price constraints!
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Bison Eye
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That’s wonderful, it looks great. Did you do the 917K too?
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ktaz
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Microcar
Very Nice
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CarreraRSR
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jedimario - Mattel Hot Wheels has gotten very close on several low cost HW hang card models in the past. One of my favorite was the Champion Porsche 911 GT1.

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So we know they can do it correctly very close to the actual race car with pad printing.
This is an important issue worthy of a separate post in the future. I plan to customize several other HW race car models like the Sunoco Ferrari 512M and several Porsche 934 versions, as well as Matchbox Porsche GT1 and 914-6, Johnny Lightning Cobra Daytona coupe, Tomica Porsche 934/5 and others.

Bison Eye Thank you for the positive comment. Yes I have completed several other Porsche customization projects using HW models as bases. One that was particular satisfying used a 1969 HlW Porsche 917K (kurtz - short tail) as a base to make a correct version of the original 1969 Porsche 917K racer.

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ktaz Thank you for your positive comment.
Edited by CarreraRSR, Jun 27 2018, 11:12 PM.
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Z28HO
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Fullsize
Job well done John. Really looks good now.
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JBH6666
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That's a great casting that you enhanced so well- thanks for sharing!
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toyotageek
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Japanese Minicar Maniac
Fantastic work on the 917 LH!!! :thumbup:
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