Corvette Model Gallery

1999 Le Mans Pace Car

After many years of non official involvement, GM re-entered the world of sports car racing with the C5-R. To commemorate the appearance of C5-R’s at Daytona and LeMans, Corvettes were used as Pace Cars at both races. An eye-catching scheme was created for both races, Torch Red/White for Daytona and LeMans and Nassau Blue/White for the Le Mans safety cars.

The model

I built this Revell’s snap ProFinish kit, #85-1344 as the 1999 Le Mans Pace Car

A snap pre-painted kit suggests an inferior model, but with the help of a Revell '97 coupe as a donor for many parts, this kit really stands out.

The safety lights were scratchbuilt using clear LEDs painted Tamiya clear blue, Model Master amber metallic and Testors Gloss Green.

The rear wheels and tires, as well as the four brake rotors, are from the glue kit, with aluminum spacers to make them fit. The exhaust tips are aluminum.

The rear screws were relocated under the tires, and the mufflers filled with putty. Only paint was needed to detail the chassis.

The Revell '97 coupe also donated the door relectors, interior mirror and outside mirrors faces. The interior is flocked and features scratchbuilt wiper and turn signal levers and seatbelt latches. Probably the hardest part was to color match the outside black plastic mirrors to the red plastic of the body. The windshield/window trim was painted flat black. The red plastic was sanded, mold lines were removed and then polished with LMG polishing kit and Bare Metal plastic polish. The front axle was replaced by a wire for slightly posing the wheels.

Overall Comment

I ended up spending as much time in this kit as in a glue one. This snap kit does not need to apologize, and sits proudly among my other C5s.

If you have any questions or comments for Robert, you can email him at  tatocorvette@hotmail.com

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Page updated  01/16/01