So, I got this itch, right? Been looking at pictures of old Can-Am cars, and the McLaren M8D just kept grabbing my eye. That big, brutal orange thing. Decided I had to get my hands dirty with one, somehow. Not the real deal, obviously, but the next best thing – a model kit.
Finding the Kit
First off, finding a decent kit wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. Searched around online, checked some hobby stores. Lots of newer stuff, but the M8D? Took some digging. Finally snagged one, an older boxing, I think. Looked okay from the pictures.
When the box arrived, I opened it up straight away. You know that smell of old plastic and decals? Yeah, that hit me. Spread all the parts out on the workbench. Looked like a lot of pieces, especially for the big Chevy engine block. Instructions were kinda yellowed, but seemed straightforward enough. Famous last words, eh?
Getting Started: The Build
I always start with the engine on these things. Seemed like the heart of the M8D, so it felt right. Glued the block halves together. Then came the fiddly bits – the heads, intake manifolds, all that stuff. Some parts needed a bit of cleaning up, flash removal, you know the drill. Nothing major, but took time.
Then moved onto the chassis. This kit had a sort of tub frame. Piecing that together was okay, but getting it perfectly square needed some careful clamping while the glue set. Attached the suspension bits next. Always tricky getting the alignment looking right, even on a model.
- Got the engine block assembled.
- Cleaned up chassis parts.
- Glued the main tub frame.
- Attached suspension components.
The big block Chevy engine actually slotted into the chassis pretty well, which was a relief. Connected the gearbox to it. Ran into a small snag with the exhaust pipes – they looked like spaghetti and getting them to line up from the engine to the back was a pain. Lots of test fitting, a bit of swearing maybe.
Paint and Decals
Bodywork time. The main body shell was pretty big. Gave everything a good wash, then hit it with primer. Let that cure properly. Then came the big decision: that classic McLaren orange. Finding the right shade took a couple of tries, mixing wasn’t an option for me, just wanted a spray can. Found something close enough.
Spraying that big body shell took a few light coats. Tried to avoid runs, mostly succeeded. Let it dry for ages. Meanwhile, painted the chassis bits, engine details, wheels. Silver for the suspension, black for this and that. Basic stuff.
Decals were next. Oh boy. Old decals can be tricky. They were brittle. Had to be super careful sliding them off the backing paper. Used loads of decal setting solution. Some of the smaller sponsor logos were a nightmare. One or two tore slightly, but managed to patch ’em up so you wouldn’t really notice unless you looked close. Patience, lots of patience needed here.
Finishing Touches
Finally, put all the main sub-assemblies together. Engine/chassis unit, wheels on, then carefully lowered the orange body over the top. Had to wiggle it a bit, make sure everything lined up. Clicked into place eventually.
Added the last few bits: the wing, mirrors, windscreen. The clear parts needed a polish. Stood back and looked at it.
It’s not perfect, few rough edges here and there if you look really closely. But sitting there on the shelf, it looks like a proper M8D. Big, orange, mean-looking. Took longer than I thought, had a few frustrating moments with tiny parts and old decals. But yeah, felt good finishing it. Got that M8D itch scratched, for now anyway.
