Ferrari 458 Italia

Finished this early spring, just published in October issue of Scale Auto.

Revell's 458 Italia, built OOB, and used Ferrari's online configurator to finalize my paint and (especially) interior color scheme (many, many cool options). Excellent kit, nice level of OOB detail. I've also built the Fujimi kit, and I far prefer this one overall. Revell did their usual "tires too tall, wheels too small" and the oddball wheel/brake detail, but as I've always found, detailed out nicely, they end up looking good. And I have the stock Fujimi wheels (with lower profile non-Fujimi tires) for another Revell build. This one just kills the Fujimi kit for interior detail, chassis detail, engine detail. The body required less cleanup work. The mesh areas on the body don't get lost under one coat of paint. If you want to super-detail an Italia, this is the one to work with. I will admit the Fujimi kit does look good finished, but the Revell kit was more fun and satisfying to build, and in the US, a much less expensive kit.

Veyron pointed out the mirrors are too big...I never noticed that before, but he's right. Doesn't dampen my enthusiasm to build another one of these in another color combo. And wait for the inevitable Spider to arrive...

http://images57.fotki.com/v283/photos/8/10258/9423479/IMG_1510-vi.jpg
http://images58.fotki.com/v506/photos/8/10258/9423479/IMG_1368-vi.jpg
http://images16.fotki.com/v272/photos/8/10258/9423479/IMG_1403-vi.jpg
http://images57.fotki.com/v81/photos/8/10258/9423479/IMG_1405-vi.jpg
http://images17.fotki.com/v62/photos/8/10258/9423479/IMG_1395-vi.jpg
http://images114.fotki.com/v145/photos/8/10258/9423479/IMG_1409-vi.jpg
http://images114.fotki.com/v145/photos/8/10258/9423479/IMG_1392-vi.jpg

Nice job Bob! The Fujimi wheels and brakes would look perfect on this kit, but we'll have to wait for your future build!

looks awesome!

just received my scale auto in the mail, can't wait to open it tonight and read your review!

Absolutely beautifull Ferrari! But just one quick question, How do you mask those windo's so clean and make them shine like that!?

Absolutely beautifull Ferrari! But just one quick question, How do you mask those windo's so clean and make them shine like that!?

Thanks! I don't mask the windows (unless the kit comes w/precut or templated masks), I use a chisel-tip Sharpie pen. With slight pressure applied, the nib takes a "set" on the edge and it's pretty easy to run the pen back and forth a few times for maximum coverage. Even with shaky hands! It also is easier on models like this because the glass is all separate pieces and mount from outside; the Fujimi glass is more difficult as it's a glass tub that fits from inside. I just align the nib to the edge of the frosted area or the engraved edge of the trim, and run the pen back and forth. Having a fine tip is good for doing corners or small areas, like the area around the rear view mirror. Another good thing about using a Sharpie pen is that if you make a mistake, it can be polished away and you can start over on any section that needs it. I save a ton of time vs. using paint.

Doesnt a sharpie pen rub off really easy when your rubbing off finger prints?

Great work as usual Bob. Silver is one of my favorite colors for the 458, though I'd have preferred pink.

Doesnt a sharpie pen rub off really easy when your rubbing off finger prints?

Not when the sharpie is on the inside. :icon16:

Beautiful works as always Bob! You've done this kit justice, and the color scheme is bang on! I might steal some of your ideas when I do mine~

Nice work as usual. those wheels & brakes do look a tad.... um.... undersized
Love the coloured interior! Are those seats the same as the Fujimi version?

458 Spider - released last week - Sex on Wheels!!!
http://www.ferrari.com/Pages/Gateway.aspx?CountryId=33&CountryTitle=New%20Zealand

Ash

Doesnt a sharpie pen rub off really easy when your rubbing off finger prints?

Once the ink is dry it doesn't come off that easily, but you do have to be careful with it while handling. I start w/the piece as clean as possible, and try to handle it as little as possible, so there are few if any fingerprints. And the ink side is inside the model.

Thanks for all the comments! :cool:

Great work as usual Bob. Silver is one of my favorite colors for the 458, though I'd have preferred pink.


You can build one in primer pink; apparently pink is the primer color for Rosso Corsa :biggrin:

Nice work as usual. those wheels & brakes do look a tad.... um.... undersized
Love the coloured interior! Are those seats the same as the Fujimi version?

458 Spider - released last week - Sex on Wheels!!!
http://www.ferrari.com/Pages/Gateway.aspx?CountryId=33&CountryTitle=New%20Zealand

Ash

I don't really mind the wheel size all that much, it looks pretty good, better than a lot of other models where the size difference seems more prominent. The seats in both this kit and Fujimi are the factory race seats. The Revell seats are so nice, there's also a separate seat base not seen in the above photo, with a seat belt buckle, you paint or c/f the piece. On the opposite side of the buckle there's also a separate pivot piece attached between the bottom cushion and seatback. I've been seeing guys here doing all kinds of heroic work on the Fujimi seats, to separate the cushion from the tub and add all kinds of scratchbuilt detail that is included on the Revell seats. Let there be no mistaking the reality that the Revell interior is 1,000 times better than the Fujimi. Fujimi's windshield has a big sink mark from them molding the mirror console on it...:rolleyes:, and Revell's kit has that great separate interior roof/pillar detail, which really adds to the realism.

I fully expect Revell to revise the kit to a Spider; I may hold back building any other coupes to see what the Spider kit looks like. The Spider looks pretty amazing considering it's a retractable HT.

Perfect job, as always :bigthumb:

Very clean and precise build. I like it very much! Very good color choice.
Congratulations.

Hi,

your thread makes me think about buying the Revell kit instead the Fujimi kit.

Great job as always.

I'm just a rookie, I doubt I'll ever be as good as you...but would you hate me if I said the holes in the brake discs are too big? The wheel nuts coult fit in those holes, maybe it was stock but if they...they should be filled in and re-drilled in my opinion. The rest perfect though! And thanks for the Sharpie tip!