superduty455
05-14-2009, 12:45 PM
Fujimi came out with a very limited kit of the Euro Ferrari Challenge car. I was enthralled with the look of the car and ordered the kit a.s.a.p. Shortly thereafter it sold out. Hard kit to find now.
Upon receipt of the kit disappointment soon followed. Opening the box revealed a Ferrari F430. Not the Challenge body. Instead of spending another $30 for a correct kit and using the decals I decided to see if the skills I've acquired over the years could help me overcome and beat this kit.
Naturally it is taking a lot longer than I had anticipated. Lots of body work and unfortunately another kit, but I only paid about $10 for it since it was so badly warped. This $10 kit has now and will ultimately give up the correct parts.
I also went the distance and bought KA masks for the windows, as well as the Studio 27 Challenge photo etch.
The body had no likeness of the Challenge body. No side fuel fillers, incorrect tail panel or provisions for hood latches front and rear.
So off to hacking cutting and filling.
Here is the car I'm trying to depict:
http://images45.fotki.com/v1361/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430challenge-vi.jpg
Correct rear tail on top in red plastic as the bottom in flour. orange is incorrect:
http://images47.fotki.com/v1484/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430p-vi.jpg
These were both cut off to make room for the very fragile challenge screen:
http://images42.fotki.com/v1312/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430h-vi.jpg
That part has since been dremeled out to make room for the p.e. screen. Also of note is the engine cover has been dremeled for the vent openings, and p.e. screen will be added:
http://images41.fotki.com/v1341/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430i-vi.jpg
Here you can also see I have already drilled out the side coves for the fuel fillers.
Also of note I had to fill the gas door in as well.
Not seen or pictures taken yet are the hood latch pin indents. I utilized tracing paper, cut out and taped onto the correct challenge body and using a mechanical pencil transferred the image to this body front and rear.
I did this after the first coat of Fluorescent red was applied. Not a big deal since I have to sand it and re-apply. Here's a shot of the flour. red:
http://images47.fotki.com/v1476/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430o-vi.jpg
The other problem I have run into are the tires. Although I have the wheels done I am using the street tires that came in the kit. All of the Fujimi kits utilize the street tire. IT should be a slick, but finding this item has proven difficult since the wheels are 19 and 20. It would certainly take different tires from different kits to correct this but I can live with the street tires for now.
http://images38.fotki.com/v1353/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430b-vi.jpg
I started this kit before I purchased the p.e. So the brake discs you see here are from the kit. Each hole was drilled out by me with a pin vise. Long arduous task, but looks very realistic and in my opinion better than the p.e. The tire lettering is from the kit.
I'm hoping to have this kit finished by September, realistically. However I'm trying to finish it in June unrealistically.
I'm working on a kit for a customer in between this and also on a secret project for myself.
I've also done a high resolution scan of the decals so I can get another set made for future use.
A few other items are almost finished, but I have slowed down to concentrate on the secret project right now. I do a little work with it each night. These kinds of builds slow me down sim0ply because the obstacles are new to me and I want to try to make sure to do it correctly. SO far it's been more fun than frustrating.
Constructive comments welcomed.
Chris
Upon receipt of the kit disappointment soon followed. Opening the box revealed a Ferrari F430. Not the Challenge body. Instead of spending another $30 for a correct kit and using the decals I decided to see if the skills I've acquired over the years could help me overcome and beat this kit.
Naturally it is taking a lot longer than I had anticipated. Lots of body work and unfortunately another kit, but I only paid about $10 for it since it was so badly warped. This $10 kit has now and will ultimately give up the correct parts.
I also went the distance and bought KA masks for the windows, as well as the Studio 27 Challenge photo etch.
The body had no likeness of the Challenge body. No side fuel fillers, incorrect tail panel or provisions for hood latches front and rear.
So off to hacking cutting and filling.
Here is the car I'm trying to depict:
http://images45.fotki.com/v1361/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430challenge-vi.jpg
Correct rear tail on top in red plastic as the bottom in flour. orange is incorrect:
http://images47.fotki.com/v1484/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430p-vi.jpg
These were both cut off to make room for the very fragile challenge screen:
http://images42.fotki.com/v1312/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430h-vi.jpg
That part has since been dremeled out to make room for the p.e. screen. Also of note is the engine cover has been dremeled for the vent openings, and p.e. screen will be added:
http://images41.fotki.com/v1341/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430i-vi.jpg
Here you can also see I have already drilled out the side coves for the fuel fillers.
Also of note I had to fill the gas door in as well.
Not seen or pictures taken yet are the hood latch pin indents. I utilized tracing paper, cut out and taped onto the correct challenge body and using a mechanical pencil transferred the image to this body front and rear.
I did this after the first coat of Fluorescent red was applied. Not a big deal since I have to sand it and re-apply. Here's a shot of the flour. red:
http://images47.fotki.com/v1476/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430o-vi.jpg
The other problem I have run into are the tires. Although I have the wheels done I am using the street tires that came in the kit. All of the Fujimi kits utilize the street tire. IT should be a slick, but finding this item has proven difficult since the wheels are 19 and 20. It would certainly take different tires from different kits to correct this but I can live with the street tires for now.
http://images38.fotki.com/v1353/photos/9/95430/6857349/f430b-vi.jpg
I started this kit before I purchased the p.e. So the brake discs you see here are from the kit. Each hole was drilled out by me with a pin vise. Long arduous task, but looks very realistic and in my opinion better than the p.e. The tire lettering is from the kit.
I'm hoping to have this kit finished by September, realistically. However I'm trying to finish it in June unrealistically.
I'm working on a kit for a customer in between this and also on a secret project for myself.
I've also done a high resolution scan of the decals so I can get another set made for future use.
A few other items are almost finished, but I have slowed down to concentrate on the secret project right now. I do a little work with it each night. These kinds of builds slow me down sim0ply because the obstacles are new to me and I want to try to make sure to do it correctly. SO far it's been more fun than frustrating.
Constructive comments welcomed.
Chris