Here’s another “how to” post, improving one of the quite basic Onyx Indycar models to enhance its appearance, in this case Michael Andretti’s Newman-Haas Lola from the 1995 Indy 500. Essentially, the process is pull it apart, clean it up, do some detail painting, remove the front axle and re-assemble.
The Car
1995, the last year for CART teams racing at the Indianapolis 500, just prior to the CART/IRL feud that split open-wheel racing in America. The ’95 500 was famous for an opening lap crash (Stan Fox breaking the front off his car) and Jacques Villeneuve’s win, despite a 2-lap penalty for passing the pace car.
The subject of this post is Michael Andretti’s Newman/Hass Racing Lola T95-00 powered by a Ford-Cosworth XB turbocharged V8 engine. Andretti qualified the car fourth and led 45 laps of the race, but retired with bent suspension after brushing the wall while avoiding another car, to be classified 25th.
The Model
1/43 diecast by Onyx, item number 263 (though there is no identification number on the box). Onyx were trying to pass this model off as 1995, but the casting was their 1994 Lola which wasn’t accurate to begin with. So, while the decoration is 1995, most other detail is either wrong or poorly done, which was typical for the time with Onyx.
The model had proven quite elusive. I have no idea on production numbers or distribution, but I could not find one in Australia. While there are plenty of Michael Andretti Newman/Hass cars around, I could never find the 1995 version. Thankfully this popped up on eBay in the UK at a good price.
The Enhancement Job
This was a pretty quick job, all done in a day. As a point of note, I enhanced the sister car to this, Paul Tracy’s Budweiser Lola, a few years back. See that HERE.
Underside showing the two rivets that need to be drilled out so the model can be disassembled. Note the base plate has Lola T94 cast into it. 
Drill out the two rivets and this is what you get. Not many parts to these Onyx models. It’s all plastic other than the diecast body and 2 metal axles. 
Cotton tip on the right is new. The one on the left was wet and rubbed over the body to clean it. I was amazed how much filth came off this model, even though it was sold as not being on display. I used a small amount of dish detergent in water on the cotton tip. 
First step in reassembly, glue the upper wishbones in place. I then cut the axle but this time retained the last few millimetres of each end as they simulate a wheel nut. 
To prevent the axle tips flying off to oblivion, I use some masking tape to help hold it. 
Decal curled up on the rear wing. 
Lots of decal softener got it back down flat and still in one piece. Gun-metal colour was added to the gearbox casing. 
Driver figure was all white, but the Newman/Hass race suits of that year had black legs, sleeves and Andretti used red gloves. I’m not sure of the seatbelt colour, so took a guess and made them black. Tread surface of all four tyres was lightly scuffed. 
Above & Below: Body painting finished. All the touchup was done by hand. I used Tamiya acrylics: semi-gloss black around the windshield and inside the cockpit, gloss black around the edges of the front wings and sidepods, and gloss red around the roll hoop and ends of the front wing to simulate the red endplates on the real car. 
Black piece of plastic on the left is the pop-off valve waiting to be glued into the top of the engine cover. 
I use 5-minute two-part epoxy to stick the baseplate back to the body via the original rivet holes. 
Model was mounted back on the plinth to assist adding the pushrods and getting the front wheels set at the right ride-height. 
I fabricated the angled front suspension pushrods from one of those plastic ties they use around power cables when you buy a new electrical device. It was a little over-scale but had the right aero profile 🙂 
Model complete and back on the plinth. It was only then I realised I’d forgotten to lower the driver in the cockpit like I did on the sister car of Paul Tracy. Oh well, too late now! 
Before. 
After. 
Before. 
After. 
1995 Andretti Lola back in the box until there’s a new display cabinet ready for it.