Maserati Gran Turismo 1/24

I'm treating this as a white-metal kit, rather than a "detailed die-cast"! It's the Mondo Motors model. The one I received shows every sign of corner-cutting and cost reduction compared to the reviews of the model on the web. There was nothing like the level of detail painting you can find online -- just one overall red body, a few black grilles, and nothing else...

So, I stripped all the paint, and primed all the black interior plastic for a new colour scheme...

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-6h29dRs/0/XL/kit-o-parts-1-XL.jpg

...and a couple of days later, here we are...

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-whzh7MD/0/XL/paint-started-1-XL.jpg
http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-gPsFXr7/0/XL/paint-started-2-XL.jpg

The moulded detail on the dash and the engine bay is actually pretty crisp -- at least the equivalent of a current Revell Ferrari. The colour is the same Rosso Brunello as the 3500 GTi -- I want them as a pair/compare and contrast...

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-x3K8Sdr/0/XL/interior-started-XL.jpg

The dash isn't glued in place... The main problem is access around the seats, but as you can see, there's a good level of detail to paint. Black carpets, and dark wood trim with this leather, all picked from the configurator...

bestest,
M.

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-vKBXtSW/0/XL/interior-done-1-XL.jpg
http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-kdR6Mh4/0/XL/interior-done-2-XL.jpg

Lots of detail painting. There are only four parts in this picture (five if you manage to separate the steering wheel...), and that's after me prising out the gear shift because the assembler had put it in backwards. All this interior was black raw plastic in the model I bought. It just goes to show... there's lot's of crisp detail to paint if you want to! And yes, there's a wash and some dry brushing on the seats to give them a bit more relief. It may look a bit caricature in bright light, but inside the car it just makes the "modelling" a lot more convincing.

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-5DwVW6K/0/XL/dash-done-1-XL.jpg

This is all detail painting of the kit part, with the exception of the instruments, which are printed out from a Car and Driver review...

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-LfQQmPg/0/XL/engine-XL.jpg

This is a single moulded piece, which should be a wake-up call for "curb side" manufacturers. I'll probably add a few more bits of wiring/tubing, but with careful painting it's pretty convincing, IMHO.

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-LJdmzXW/0/XL/headlights-XL.jpg

The headlight buckets are not body coloured, as the diecast would have you believe. A bit more final detail, but these are pretty much finished now...

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-bB2S9bc/0/XL/trial-run-3-XL.jpg
http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-tngMJfz/0/XL/trial-run-1-XL.jpg
http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-jqj5jmZ/0/XL/trial-run-4-XL.jpg

Coming together nicely, I reckon. There's some detailing to do, but the mainstream plastic kit vendors could learn a lot from these diecast guys. There are only 20 or so parts in this "kit", but the fit is irreproachable, and the end result really benefits from some detail painting on the crisp components. Great online picture reference is invaluable, of course....

bestest,
M.

Looks a ton better!

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-vTqVdFD/0/XL/rear-light-XL.jpg

Our friends at Mondo decided to make the tails lights all in red. After looking closely, I figured out that it was paint, not coloured styrene. Caustic soda wouldn't shift it after a couple of days, so, I tried putting it in Surgical Spirit and running it for a while in my ultrasonic cleaner. That turned it first into pink jelly and then took it off completely. Hooray! Once they were properly clear, I painted them in the right places with Tamiya Clear Red.

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-T4dLXmk/0/XL/front-end-XL.jpg

Headlights finished with lenses in place. I outlined the glass with a Sharpie, and put some black paint on the inside ends of the locating pins to prevent a rather weird "light pipe" effect. The grille got a chrome surround courtesy of a brilliant paint marker.

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-phsDSHV/0/XL/last-look-inside-XL.jpg

Last good look at the inside before it's all closed up.

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-44SzD8j/0/XL/vents-XL.jpg

I hate DOING BMF, but I like the results when it's finished. These are just raised lumps in body colour on the die-cast. They shouldn't be...

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-fL6gc3J/0/XL/doors-done-XL.jpg

Door handles BMF'd and shaded with Citadel dark wash for red to give a bit of relief.

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-Kpj5fHm/0/XL/kit-o-parts-done-XL.jpg

...and now we have a kit of parts to put back together!

bestest,
M.

Now we see the advantages of a "kit" with only 20 parts that press or screw together. I did say the fit was impeccable, didn't I?

http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-CdmZs25/0/XL/done-on-bench-1-XL.jpg
http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-kTHJ8cG/0/XL/done-on-bench-2-XL.jpg
http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-5xndzh9/0/XL/done-on-bench-3-XL.jpg
http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-LrxRgbz/0/XL/done-on-bench-5-XL.jpg
http://cmatthewbacon.smugmug.com/Hobbies/Car-Modelling/Models-Gallery-13/i-4GC3W3d/0/XL/done-on-bench-6-XL.jpg

This'll be the last "in progress" update. I need to figure out how to make some "chrome" logos and badges as decals, but then it really will be done, and proper photos in proper light will be on their way...

bestest,
M.

looking great Matt, bravo!

some diecast are cheap to get, so nice subjects to upgrade or refinish!
the dietech one looks like a straight slush copy of this diecast?