1/43 Panoz GTR-1 Le Mans
Provence Moulage No. 1265
Resin kit with stainless steel
photoetched detail parts, aluminum
wheels, soft rubber tires, and clear windows.
Decals and instruction sheet included.
Avg. retail: $40.00
 

Kit Review
by Kevin J. Stewart
kit supplied by Merrymeet Model Cars

This is my first 1/43 kit, and it looked great from the start. Opening the box revealed a small number of parts, but all of them are nicely finished. The resin body piece needs little cleanup, and has very smooth surfaces. The body has lots of nice molded-in details, and the chassis/interior insert has lots of detail that can be picked-up with painting.

The instruction sheet (below) tells you all there is to know about putting the kit together, and Peter Radcliffe supplied the missing answers. First, there are some parts from the other LeMans Panoz (the DAMS car) that you can leave out. The small photoetched sheet with four pieces is the rear diffuser for the other car. There are also some cone-shaped resin pieces you won't need. Two strips on the upper left corner of the main photoetched sheet are apparently for the diffuser on this car, but I can't tell you how to apply them. Just chuck 'em - noone will know!






There are some minor problem areas you should know about. Forget the illustration at the bottom right of the instruction sheet that supposedly shows how to form the wheels. The technique is pretty simple. First you'll have to file down, paint, and install the resin inserts (they are a tough fit). Then take the photoetched centers and carefully bend the edges to meet the inside of the rims. Use CA glue to fix them and that's it. They look so good, I don't think they need to be painted.

The best parts are the rear wing and the decals. The rear wing goes together very easily. Be careful not to fold it lengthwise when you bend the trailing edge. It is a bit delicate. But it goes together easily and looks very realistic when finished. Tamiya X-7 Red matches the decals exactly.

	This interior shot is helpful, but remember you won't see much detail through the small windows! (Panoz photo)
	Here's car number 54 in action at LeMans in 1997, driven by Andy Wallace, James Weaver, and Butch Leitzinger. It lasted the longest:18 hours. (Panoz photo)

This is a fun kit to put together, and it looks great when finished. Look for the results on the next update. Many thanks to Peter Radcliffe for donating this wonderful review kit. Visit his website and get your own Panoz, or any of the other great LeMans kits from Provence Moulage.