So, I got myself stuck into this Hesketh Racing thing recently. You know, the old Formula 1 team from the 70s? James Hunt, Lord Hesketh, all that champagne and craziness. Watched that movie ‘Rush’ again and it kinda sparked something. Didn’t just want to read about them, felt like I should, you know, do something hands-on.
Decided building a model car was the way to go. Seemed simple enough. Find a kit of the Hesketh 308, stick it together, paint it. Easy peasy, right? Wrong.
Getting Started – The Hunt for the Kit
First off, finding a decent kit wasn’t straightforward. There are some out there, mostly older ones. Found one, finally. Looked okay in the box. Got it home, opened it up. The plastic felt kinda brittle, instructions looked like they were photocopied a dozen times. Not a great start.
Then I started looking for pictures online, just to make sure I got the details right. And man, consistency wasn’t their strong suit back then, was it? Little details changed from race to race. Picked the version from their win, the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix. Seemed the most iconic.
The Build – Fiddly Bits and Paint Woes
Putting the actual thing together was, well, a trial.
- The engine parts, supposedly a Cosworth DFV, looked kinda basic. Had to add some extra wires and bits myself to make it look halfway decent.
- Getting the main body parts to line up? Nightmare. Lots of filler needed. Sanding, filling, sanding again. Felt like I was doing actual bodywork repair.
- Painting was next. That classic white. Sounds easy, but getting a smooth finish took ages. Then the masking for the red and blue stripes… let’s just say my language got a bit colorful.
And the decals. Oh boy, the decals. Old kit means old decals. They were fragile. Tried putting on the big number 24, and it just disintegrated in the water. Had to source some replacements, which was another headache. Managed to get the teddy bear logo on okay, thankfully. That’s kinda the whole point, isn’t it?
Finishing Up – Reflections
Finally got it done. Sat back and looked at it. Despite all the hassle, it actually looked pretty cool. It’s got that unique Hesketh look. Not as slick as modern F1 cars, obviously, but it has character. You look at it, and you can almost imagine the chaos and fun they must have had.
It was a pain, honestly. Much harder than building some newer Tamiya kit or whatever. But it felt kinda fitting. Hesketh Racing wasn’t about being polished and perfect, was it? They were outsiders, doing things their own way, having a laugh but still managing to win. Sticking this rough kit together felt strangely appropriate. You don’t get teams like that anymore. All corporate and serious now. Shame, really.
Anyway, the model’s on my shelf now. A reminder of a different time in racing, and a reminder that sometimes, the difficult projects are the most satisfying. Even if you curse them the whole way through.
