MFH's 908: Finished, finally! (#1 for 2019)

Well, I finally wrestled it to the ground. It is far from my best build at my current level of skills, but way ahead of where I was in late 2013 when I started it, and any flaws today are due to the fact I was much farther out of my depth than I realised when I started this.



One major attraction for me, apart from the fact it is a proper little go kart with essentially no ground effects and 380 hp from a flat 8, is the Targa Florio-winning livery of this specific car as driven by Jo Siffert and Brian Redman. The two orange arrows are very bold and contrast nicely with the pale blue, which is the other main colour of the classic Gulf Oil livery.



With just a coat of clear to seal in the decals missing, the pictures show paint that needed polishing; panels that don't fit; excess levels of glue in the engine compartment if not elsewhere; and front suspension (at least) that is too high.



The complex tubular chassis is the sort of thing any well-prepared gear head could weld up out of 4130 tubing, given a TIG welder, tools for mitering said 4130, and a solid platform to serve as a base for a jig. Sadly I no longer have my copy of Racing and Sports Car Chassis Design, by Michael Costin and David Phipps.



Nonetheless I am happy with it as it shows the progress I have made in 5 years, and reassures me that I could probably do a much better job of it if I were to start today. And with that in mind, I will reveal that I have ordered the 1971 Nurburgring-winning version of the same kit, in classic Martini Racing livery. Enjoy the rest of the pictures!



When you see this in your mirrors, you should move over!



The regulation "spare tire" sits in the tub behind the driver ... I don't see any provision for the FIA suitcase, however.



A proper little go kart! Lots of oil tankage and piping still to go in this earlier shot.