IMC Ford GT40 Kits

Among the most sought-after kits for builders and collectors are the IMC Ford GT40 kits. They are not the most accurate, detailed, or expensive GT40s, but they have the greatest nostalgia value. It seems that each of us built an IMC kit when we were younger and less experienced modelers. What most of us remember is how intricate and realistic they seemed.

At the time they had no competition. They were the only kits with opening doors, opening front and rear bodywork, poseable wheels, and other rare features. And of course the subject matter was compelling: Sixties sports cars and Indy cars. Irresistable . . .

But these kits get a bad rap from modelers today. I hear some suggest they aren't worth the collectors' prices, or that they're more frustration than fun. On the other hand, IMC kits give you a great starting point for a high quality replica. They may be fragile or poorly engineered when compared to modern kits, but IMC kits have undeniable character.

Kit References

The definitive reference on these kits is the article Making Their Marks by Dan Wildhirt in the December 1994 Scale Auto Enthusiast. Dan's article traces the history of both the Ford factory racing effort and Industro-Motive Corporation's brief existence. This excellent history gives you an exhaustive account of the many rebodied and reissued GT40s by IMC and other manufacturers.

Fine Scale Modeler has an article on GT40 kits in its May 1997 issue. It has photos of the contents of kit no. 110, but see below for a discussion of inaccuracies in that article.

Many posts to rec.models.scale over the last year or so have discussed GT40 models, including those by IMC. Check your r.m.s. archive for these posts.

There were five original IMC GT40 kits issued:
 

Racing Version	Kit No.
1964 MkI (Prototype)	104
1966 MkII Le Mans	112
1966 J-Car (Test)	113
1967 MkIV Le Mans	117
1968 GT40 Le Mans	110

 

Building the IMC GT40s
by Richard Towart

All the IMC kits have a strong late-sixties appeal to them, but they adapt well to nineties tweaks and adult skills. They build into models that overcome all the complaints about accuracy and fit. IMC got better as they developed each kit. They all represent an era that was more challenging from a kit-engineering standpoint, and they should be evaluated in that light.

The IMCs are miles ahead of the "Aurora" R/M GT40. Good luck to anyone trying to make that accurate. It's only cute. I am glad to see it back though: even a bad GT40 is a good GT40!

 

Kit no. 112	I own several IMC kits and clones. Two MKIIs: one mint in sealed box, and the other a Union clone built with the help of parts and details lifted from a Fujimi MKII. I corrected some of the inaccuracies and made bits and pieces to complete the engine bay. I used an article from Sports Car Illustrated on the restored 1966 winner and atempted to duplicate the various metal finishes. I had an early set of decals that Cady did before the current set that was actually 1/25th.  I used the tires from a junk IMC Lotus. The wheels needed to be modified and the offset and ride height adjusted [glued] to get it to sit right. You have to be aware through each assembly step how all the panels will interact when you try to close the body up.  The hardest part to get right is the height of the cowl. This is even worse in the GT prototype kit. the cowl must be lowered so that the bonnet will come down to meet the front of the doors and still allow the doors to swing open.
That weird J-car . . . I mean weird even for a J-car! MPCs is accurate for the Le Mans test car. My guess is that IMC worked from sketches of a preliminary prototype (of the prototype). Can anyone else help identify that one? I have some other IMC stuff , but I really like the box art. It still looks classy and un-toylike even from a time when models were marketed primarily to young people.	The MPC J-Car
Kit no. 110	An article on IMC GT40s in the May Fine Scale Modeler has some unfortunate misinformation for those of us who might care. The Wyer/Gulf GT40 is not a Mirage at all. It was IMCs attempt at a MK IB. It builds-up best as a 1968 car because it doesn't have the bulging wheel wells of the 69.  I think IMC would have done better to use the nose from the MKII. The one in the kit isn't shaped right. Also the Indy engine did appear in the prototype version in '64, although the main engine was the 260 with webers, which is one of the engine options. The Gulf cars used 302s with webers. Historically, John Wyer was responsible for both the development of the 1964 Ford GT prototype, pre-Shelby, and the development of the '68 and '69 MKIBs.