1:24 Skid plates for Audi coupe quattro rally (Tamiya/Italeri)

Armor for the gravel Audi

Group B drove competition specials over gravel at speeds the series underside of a car was not built for. The Audi Coupe quattro therefore carried substantial plates under the engine, the gearbox and the tank, which caught flying stones and hard landings after a jump. Without them a crew would have risked a holed oil pan on the very first special stage.

Box contents

Castings of fine-grained resin follow the pressed stiffeners of the plates and the holes for the fixing bolts. The material will stand being sanded to a feather edge, having small passages drilled and, in thin places, even being bent slightly if you need to adapt a plate to your own alteration of the underside. There are no locating pins or holes for installation here; the position is measured off the floor of the body.

Preparation before gluing

After separating them from the casting block, level the mating surfaces with a file and give the part a short bath in lukewarm water with detergent. Remains of the mold release agent otherwise prevent the primer from adhering and the paint later peels off in whole patches. Resin is harder than plastic and at the same time more brittle, so sand thin edges in two passes rather than breaking them off in one movement.

Who it is for

The dimensions are based on models of the Audi Quattro in 1:24 scale of the kind Tamiya and Italeri both have in their range. The accessory is aimed at modelers who are building a particular competition special and want the car to stand up even when seen from below in a display case with a mirror. A scuffed, dusty underside moreover gives the whole build a story that the body alone cannot carry.