Hardcastle and McCormick coyote = GT40?

[Ace-Garageguy]

just to make this thread more confusing, isn't that a real live Lotus Elite parked next to the Coyote? Or the Manta? Or the Mirage? Or the Montage?

Sure looks like it to me but I am easily confused, obviously

jb

I think it's a Europa...roof's too low and wide for an Elite...or a 246 Dino. Small lights wrong for Europa.

Nope. Not 246.

But I don't think Lotus Elite either...

Edited December 30, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[jbwelda]

couldn't be a Europa, might be a Dino, but still looks like an elite to me

one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

could that photo be from a museum of kit cars or maybe fiberglass cars?

jb

[webestang]

FYI...actually, no. The Manta Mirage and the Manta Montage are two entirely different cars. You're correct, a Mirage was stolen in 60 Seconds,

The Mirage has the characteristic McLaren M8 front wheel opening shape, like this...

While a Montage ( the Hardcastle car) looks very different, and is a semi-clone of a McLaren M6 GT...

Cool.....Thanks for the correct info!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Cool.....Thanks for the correct info!

Well, Mr. 4X4 made a good point about something that needs clarifying. The Hardcastle car wasn't actually a Montage (which I implied in those photos) but was based on molds pulled from a McLaren M6GT, while the Montage was a kit car also based on the design of the McLaren M6GT (which is pretty much what I said originally) and they all 3 look rather alike.

Then there's the Marauder McLaren, which is an exact copy (appearance wise) of a McLaren M6 GT.

Confused yet?

Edited December 30, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

could that photo be from a museum of kit cars or maybe fiberglass cars?

jb

It's an actual screen shot from Gone in 60.

[jbwelda]

I dig the flares and the skunk baxter haircut

jb

[Mister 4x4]

OK, my bad implying the Coyote was a Manta Montage, which was a later development kinda based on the M6 GT as well. BUT the phony Montage and the phony Coyote and the phony Marauder McLaren are all obviously based on a REAL Mclaren M6GT design, and the Manta is based on the real M8.

Also, Mike Fennell, not the ubiquitous Barris, is credited with the Coyote X.

WikiPee entry: "The car that McCormick drove, the Coyote X, was built from custom molds based on the McLaren M6GT.^[1] The original Coyote X was molded, modified and assembled by Mike Fennel. The nose, windshield doors and lower body (minus the ventral intakes) are faithful representations of the McLaren; the cut down rear deck, however, was a custom component that became a feature on many Manta Montage kits with damaged or removed rear windows. The most noticeable differences between the Coyotes and Mantas are the wheel wells, roll pan height and shape, and the fact that the Coyote has a one piece front clip that terminates about an inch before and surrounding the windshield.

Most of the cars made for the show were molded and assembled by either Mike Fennel or Unique Movie Cars. Like many kit cars of the time, the car uses a chassis from a Volkswagen Beetle and its engine from aPorsche 914."

Dude: nothing there, Man. There are no "my bads" here - information is information... and it's all good, IMHO.

I just remembered the whole Montage vs. Marauder discussions from back in the day. I'd gone to an Autorama when the Coyote X was making it's rounds, and was set straight by the car's "tender." The George Barris reference was from an old photo with a bunch of TV/Movie cars he had some kind of influence over or owns now or something. His website doesn't call out any of the cars in this picture as being "his" except for the Batmobile.

I also found this on Mantacars.com, where it appears George Barris is very in-touch with the Coyote X. Maybe Mike Fennel worked for him when the car was conceived or something. The wiki isn't specific, and I haven't found anything more solid about exactly who was responsible for what.

http://www.mantacars.com/coyote/ddcoyoteinfo.html

Interesting to get all this information all laid out in one place, though.

[935k3]

Then there was this, anybody know what movie?

[Phirewriter]

The kit lineage for Coyote actually starts with the MPC "J" Car, a GT40 development car that Shelby Team driver Ken Miles was killed in while testing. The kit was then modified into the Mark IV and was available as a double kit with the clear trailer and as a stand alone kit. The Mark IV was re-released sometime in the mid 70's and then changed to the Coyote. As to whether it can go back depends on if the body tooling was saved or permanently changed (more that likely given MPC's track record) I would post pictures but do not work with a photo hosting service at this time, sorry.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Then there was this, anybody know what movie?

I believe that little beauty is from Death Race 2000. Kinda looks more like a bizarro carnival ride than a gnarly-bad-ass street fighter.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The kit lineage for Coyote actually starts with the MPC "J" Car, a GT40 development ...

...with a very interesting but fragile alloy honeycomb chassis that had nothing in common with previous GT40 iterations.

[aurfalien]

Check this out, a bit steep for the MPC J Car at $150;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-Ford-J-Car-Clear-See-Through-Body-MPC-501-200-RARE-Model-Kit-1-25-Scale-/201251910242?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item2edb8c7262

Another for $90;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-J-CAR-J-MPC-MODEL-PRODUCTS-CORP-MOUNT-CLEMENS-MI-L148-/400520900334?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d40e7eeee

I understand that these kits are total PITA!

And of course the MPC Coyote which I hear is also a PITA kit;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mpc-1983-Hardcastle-and-McCormick-Coyote-1-25-/191462933965?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item2c941485cd

I did love the show however.

Edited December 31, 2014 by aurfalien

[Exotics_Builder]

In the basement stash I still have the Coyote and Mark IV:

As stated earlier, the Coyote was non-prototypically based on the Mark IV chassis and engine and perhaps other parts:

Here is a shot of the Coyote body top:

[Ace-Garageguy]

Cartpix's idea of building a McLaren M6 GT from it really has me thinking. I have zero interest in a Coyote model (just bought it real cheap for parts, basically) but an M6GT...hmmmmm.....

[Mister 4x4]

I wonder why everybody thinks the MPC Coyote kit is such a PITA. I built one as a kid when it first came out, modified the rear end for a little boost in height with some Goodyear Blue Streak wide tires, cut and widened the rear rims to scale 15x10s (since the original Centerline Champ 500s are satin-finish anyway), and had VERY few issues getting the kit together (that I remember, anyway). I originally blacked out the light covers (from the inside, of course), but I think I'll be using some Tamiya "tint" for this one.

I think I remember the biggest disappointment being how sloppy the suspension was - seemed to have a lot of play in it allowing the wheels to flop around.

[cartpix]

Cartpix's idea of building a McLaren M6 GT from it really has me thinking. I have zero interest in a Coyote model (just bought it real cheap for parts, basically) but an M6GT...hmmmmm.....

This thread got me thinking about the same thing. I did a Google Image search & saved a bunch of pix. It looks like quite a bit of work. It would need to be widened, the top would have to be raised, filled & re-contoured. The front of the rear section needs to be straightened out, to be 90 degrees, to the ground. The easiest part, believe it or not, would be the new chassis. It's a flat bottom monocoque with curved up sides. It looks like it's the same width, front to back. There are plenty of images of the m6a & b chassis (the GT was based on the m6b Can Am chassis), on the net, as reference for the front & rear suspension from. Tires can be sourced from the MPC IndyCar kits (Gurney Eagle & Lotus STP Turbine), that were reissued awhile back. The wheels from those kits are a good place to start, to scratch build the McLaren wheels. All the glass would have to be scratch built. A new interior would be needed & a small block Chevy with Hewland trans axle.

Not quite a cake walk but do-able. All I'm missing is the H&M kit & courage to attempt it. I think I can find both of those fairly easily.

Jeff

[aurfalien]

I wonder why everybody thinks the MPC Coyote kit is such a PITA. I built one as a kid when it first came out, modified the rear end for a little boost in height with some Goodyear Blue Streak wide tires, cut and widened the rear rims to scale 15x10s (since the original Centerline Champ 500s are satin-finish anyway), and had VERY few issues getting the kit together (that I remember, anyway). I originally blacked out the light covers (from the inside, of course), but I think I'll be using some Tamiya "tint" for this one.

I think I remember the biggest disappointment being how sloppy the suspension was - seemed to have a lot of play in it allowing the wheels to flop around.

It is possible that you had one that was manufactured later on? What I mean is do model companies, upon hearing word from the street, do slight mods to there kits during production without having to change documentation, version numbers etc...

[Mister 4x4]

That's an interesting thought. I don't think it was a later run kit - I built it in '84 or 85... the kit came out in '83, I believe. Maybe it was a later run or something. I just don't seem to remember having any problems with it going together. Then again, I might've just been really focused and didn't know any better if something came up that would be considered a "problem" these days (the hobby has progressed by leaps and bounds in the decades since then, after all).

I'll definitely keep this discussion in mind when I start building my "new" Coyote X, though.

[The Junkman]

Sooooo could one take the H&M Coyote, get a slot car body of a Ford Mk IV and come out with a shelf model of the Mk IV? Of course the wheels would be a dickens of a thing to source.

[Exotics_Builder]

Sooooo could one take the H&M Coyote, get a slot car body of a Ford Mk IV and come out with a shelf model of the Mk IV? Of course the wheels would be a dickens of a thing to source.

Are you suggesting this as an option to trying find the MPC Mark IV? Otherwise, why not try to find the MPC Mark IV?

[Jeremy Jon]

Bill's post is 100% correct, the H&M Coyote kit base is from the MkIV set, and the bodywork is not accurate (horrible) in almost every detail

The H&M show car(s) were in fact replicas (Manta), the bodywork molds taken directly off of a (Trojan built) McLaren M6GT

I have to update my thread, but my parallel build is to result in a full detail McLaren M6GT and Coyote, because I have never found a 24th scale M6GT in all my searching, and want one which is more than just a curb-side kit, so will have individual each accurate chassis, sharing only the basic bodywork structures, waiting for some digital 3D printed parts for them right now, then I'll add a bunch more updates

[farmallgray]

Is the coyote kit currently available? Or soon to be reissued?

[aurfalien]

Jeremy, would you ever consider putting out some type of kit once you are done with these projects?

It could be as simple as how to get the custom printed parts and what to kit bash etc... And basic assembly instructions. But the body I think is best sold by you.

I see that you have a company that sort of does this already.

[sfhess]

I remember when watching "H&M" that the wheel bolt pattern of the Coyote changed from 4-lug to 5-lug from scene to scene......

Also back in the 70s-80s I worked in the building that was shown as the Coyote "factory".