1:24 BMW Z4 - Vita4One No.17/18 Nurburgring 2012 Decals Set (for Fujimi Kits)

Studio27 1:24 decal sheet, BMW Z4 GT3 Vita4One, No. 17 and 18, Nürburgring 2012

This is a sheet of decals, that is markings, from the Japanese maker Studio27 in 1:24 scale, prepared for the BMW Z4 plastic kit from Fujimi. It is NOT a kit. There are no plastic parts, no body and no wheels in the package, just a sheet of decals. You have to get the model of the car separately.

Why do people buy such sheets at all? A production kit usually has one livery, at most two, yet the BMW Z4 GT3 raced with dozens of customer teams all over the world. A collector wants one particular car from one particular race, and for that a separate sheet is needed. This one is generous: it covers two cars at once, race numbers 17 and 18. From a single box of decals you can therefore build two different models, or pick the one you like better. Other Z4 liveries were made as well, if you collect the whole family.

The real subject

The BMW Z4 GT3 is a customer racing car from BMW intended for private teams under the GT3 rules. In 2012 the Vita4One team associated with Michael Bartels entered the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring with it, and did so with two cars, No. 17 and No. 18. Car No. 18 finished fifth overall, car No. 17 retired during the night after a collision.

The Nürburgring Nordschleife counts as the most demanding circuit in the world and is nicknamed the Green Hell: over 20 kilometers long and more than 70 corners. More than 150 cars start the twenty-four-hour race at once, from GT3 specials to production sedans, and chaos, fog and night are part of the contest. A model of a car from this race therefore has something to tell on the shelf.

How to apply the decals so that they look like paint

• Decals are applied to GLOSS clear coat only. On a matte surface air gets under the film and the decal starts to silver: it looks like a flattened patch. It is the most common mistake and there is no other cure than taking the decal off.
• The Z4 body is all curved areas: fenders, hood, sills. Without decal softener the decal will not settle there and will make folds. Softener relaxes the film, it sucks down to the shape and holds once it has dried.
• Once it is completely dry, spray clear coat over it and polish the surface. The edge of the decal disappears in the coat and the model takes on the wet look of a real race car.
• The color of the body has to match. The sheet does not cover the whole area of the car, the rest is sprayed with paint. Prepare the shade in advance, otherwise the marking will sit on a different base than the original had.

Who the sheet is for

• Modelers who already have the Fujimi BMW Z4 kit (or are getting ready for it) and want one particular livery.
• Fans of endurance racing and of the Nürburgring.
• Collectors of GT3 cars who build a whole starting field.
• More experienced builders, as working with decals on curved areas calls for patience.

This is not a kit. The package contains decals only; the Fujimi model, paints, gloss and clear coat, decal softener and glue are separate items.