Lola T-70 Mk III Tamiya No. 12015 Reissue of Tamiya kit Molded in Dark Blue, Black, Chrome,  and Clear Avg. retail: $149.95

Tamiya 1/12 Lola T-70 Mk III
by Dan Wildhirt

One of the most eagerly awaited reissues ever, Tamiya's release of the long-out-of-production 1/12 scale Lola T-70 Mk III coupe comes as a godsend to builders of historic sports racing models.

Tamiya, of course, is widely known for its long-running series of large-scale open-wheelers. I've never been sufficiently enthusiastic about F1 modeling to invest in one, but the Lola is another matter entirely. As one of the few mega-size kits from sports car racing's "golden age" (Tamiya's seldom-seen 1/12 Porsche 910 is the only other of which I'm aware), this was simply a must-have item for me and, I'm sure, many other builders.

While this 27-year-old kit may not be up to the standard set by Tamiya's more recent big-scale offerings -- as if any kit could even approach the amazing Caterham Seven -- it wears its age well. The Lola includes all the trademark Tamiya features we now take for granted, but which must have caused a sensation at its 1970 introduction: working, coil-over shocks; articulating U-joints on the half-shafts; beautifully detailed, hollow rubber tires; and full plumbing for the various engine systems. There are even little rubber carburetor covers to prevent 1/12-scale pit-pass holders from "accidentally" dropping debris in the downdraft Webers.

Tamiya has done an outstanding job of preserving and/or restoring the molds (not to mention the fabulous box art), though I can't ever recall seeing a kit that carried the words, "Made in Philippines." Even Tamiya isn't immune to rising labor costs, so it's moved some production to the developing world, though the Lola's quality doesn't seem to have suffered for it.

 


With some 275 parts, the T-70 is sufficiently complex to capture all the detail of the real car, without being so overwhelming as to intimidate a moderately experienced builder. The body accurately captures the prototype's curvaceous shape, and all panels are openable to reveal the remarkable detail inside.

The 16-page instruction booklet is impressive in its thoroughness, with every assembly explained in detail and every part named. Augmenting this are numerous detail photos of the 1:1 car and of the completed model. There are also two solid pages of very small type recounting the history of Lola, the development of the T-70 series and the intricacies of the World Championship of Makes circa 1970. And just in case you want a real challenge, there's a second copy of the booklet included, all in Japanese.

The engine bay is occupied by the ubiquitous Chevy small-block V-8, and though it's beautifully rendered, it also highlights one of the kit's few shortcomings. According to Motor Racing Replica News issue #25, the Team Surtees car represented by the kit never raced with Chevy power in these markings, which are for the 1967 Nurburgring 1000km. This is confirmed by Surtees' autobiography, which reports that the car ran at the Nurburgring and Le Mans with Aston Martin power, and only at Reims and Brands Hatch with the Chevy. Mike Quarterman of Motor Racing Models (formerly MRRN) also states that the car was never blue, racing in either dark green or red paint schemes with the traditional Surtees stripes.

 

HobbyLink Japan Photo

The good news is that racing's limited commercialism in the mid-'60s, and the fact that most T-70 coupes were indeed Chevy-powered, means that alternate versions shouldn't be too difficult to concoct. The bad news is that the version of most interest to U.S. modelers, the Penske-Donohue-Parsons coupe that won Daytona in '69, wasn't a Mark III at all but rather a IIIb, which used a different monocoque and front bodywork. Modifying the Tamiya to IIIb specs would take considerable skill and bravery. Any resin casters out there want to give it a shot?

The kit's other obvious flaw is the tires. While they have the correct shallow tread pattern for race rubber of the mid-'60s, the sidewalls say "Bridgestone," even though the box art prominently shows the car equipped with Firestones. Or was Tamiya merely anticipating the Bridgestone-Firestone merger a quarter-century early? The Tamiya Lola is said to be a "very limited" reissue, so don't expect to find one in the closeout aisle at Wal-Mart. Both Replicarz and Hobbyweb offer the kit for around $130, but you'd better act fast.

References:

Motor Racing Replica News #25, April-June 1995
Lola T70: The Racing History and Individual Chassis Record, by John Starkey
Lola T70 V8 Coupes: A Technical Appraisal, by Ian Bamsey