Progress: 1/24 Ferrari F430 Challenge

Just wanted to pop in and say that your work is outstanding. I'd like to profile you in my column in Scale Auto once you've finished your masterpiece.

In the meantime, your mention of Kamimura-san led me to post this photo of myself and Akihiro outside of Make-Up Company just a few months ago. I had the wonderful pleasure of touring the very best Tokyo hobby shops with the master himself. It was quite an honor.

Marc Havican


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a176/FilmMkr/Japan%202006/Three/Akihiro.jpg

Just wanted to pop in and say that your work is outstanding. I'd like to profile you in my column in Scale Auto once you've finished your masterpiece

Marc Havican ???!!! Oh Lord, what honour ! Thanks a lot for your kind words. I just read, yesterday evening, your article "An American modeler in Tokyo" and thought about your feeling when you met Akihiro Kamimura, what a envy :iceslolan !

Bye: Roberto

Marc Havican ???!!! Oh Lord, what honour ! Thanks a lot for your kind words. I just read, yesterday evening, your article "An American modeler in Tokyo" and thought about your feeling when you met Akihiro Kamimura, what a envy :iceslolan !

Bye: Roberto

Congrats mate :)

Rob i cant wait to see the finishing work! Do u have a dateline ? :p

Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wo w!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow! Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wo w!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow! Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!Wow!

I am bowing to you at my computer desk! This is why I need to have more free time! This is simply incredible, it really is!

I was looking at my Challenge the other day and thinking, "wow, this is a really nice kit". Now I SEE a really nice kit after what you have done!

I need to order that photo etch set, and your etch saws.

Great build!!!

Hi to all and many thanks for the comments.

Tiny update: the last portion to be removed from the body was the area between the exhausts on the rear bumper; proceeding as usual drilling the contour and then removing the part with a mill and finishing the cut with files and sandpaper
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch124.jpg

All the panel lines have been re-scribed with a SRC blade because all the lines from the kit are somewhat on the soft side
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch125.jpg

I also cured the air outlets on the front bumper, tedious work, carried out with files, mill and shaped sandpaper
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch126.jpg

Then I sanded all the body with #1000 grit under water, I also carefully cleaned the panel lines with a toothbrush to better remove dust and residual. I let the body naturally dry overnight
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch127.jpg

I installed the body on my own made paint stand
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/B4.jpg

…and sprayed it with alchyd matt white. Under suggestion of my friend Alessandro, this time I did not use the acrylic sealer before the primer: he discovered that the poor quality of the kit plastic badly reacts with the sealer, revealing the sanded areas and damaging the body surface. So, once primed, I’ll wait several weeks before proceeding with the color. At a first check, some panel lines look correct
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch128.jpg

while some others need additional care, damn
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch129.jpg

as well as the air outlets
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch130.jpg

Overall views in white
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch131.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch132.jpg

On the wheels, RB Motion’s valve stems will be installed
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch133.jpg

Bye: Robi

Beautiful!!
Outstanding attention to detail!
Love it!

Looks great Robi, keep it up!

Looks great Robi, keep it up!

:iagree: totally

It looks so great in white. Think about it. Paint it white!!!

woah,

how on earth did I miss this thread, top drawer modeling my friend, simply top drawer, boy would i love to see you tackle a 1/12 F1 from Tamiya.

Not my type of subject however none the less simply outstanding, another master on this forum!

cant wait to see it finished!

Sean
_______________________________

http://www.scalereproductions.co.uk (http://www.scalereproductions.co.uk/)
_______________________________

WIP: Lancia Stratos (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=639403)

Gentlemen, thanks a lot for your comments, a great motivation for me.

godfather23 > I'm just changing my mind about the final color once seen the model primed, most probably I'll switch from bright red to gloss white !

SeanyG > what to say ? Many, many thanks, you're too kind. The difficult part is now coming...

Bye: Robi :)

Following this one for a bit... it looks great. I can't wait to see final color, no matter what it is.

If you do it in a dark color, might you put on the Italian flag stripes like on the 360CS?

Finally!!!

Came into work and had a reason to now!

I just go my Etch stuff from Hiroboy and the set is very nice quality. I am really enjoying modding this body for the set.

Thanks again for the great buildup, made me really get back into my models.

I am thinking white now also?!?!?!?

More progress, more progress !!!!

Great job Robi. Beautiful!!

More progress, more progress !!!!

Great job Robi. Beautiful!!

Thank you.

I'm sorry but, due to a job I'm carrying out away from home, I cannot continue in working on the F430.

Robi :)

Thank you.

I'm sorry but, due to a job I'm carrying out away from home, I cannot continue in working on the F430.

Robi :)

OMG Rob.... :frown: :frown: :frown: :frown: :frown: :frown: i been waiting since the start for it to finish :disappoin

Crud, now I have to wait for yours to see what I potentially am doing wrong to mine!!! That is not fair, lol. Hopefully you will be able to finish soon! :popcorn:

great job there!

Thanks, Robi :grinyes:

I thought about the self timer on your photos, I have to try it. But on your pics is more interesting skill to see :rofl:.

Looking forward to see your next steps.

Hi again to all, and thank you for attention and comments.

So… as above mentioned, I primed the body directly, without intentionally using the pertinent acrylic sealer, but sanding the bodywork (not carefully enough !). The result was the following: where I sanded the body, no problem; where I did not sand it, the paint did not stick at all to the part. I discovered it while re-scribing the panel line between the nose and the front bumper
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch134.jpg

I then checked all the body, discovering other critical areas and so I sanded once again the complete assembly. In the meantime, I also cured the air outlets on the front bumper and re-scribed some panel lines. The next step will be the white re-priming
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch135.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch137.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch138.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch136.jpg

Bye: Robi

I had a doubt and made the "tape test" ...results are horrifying. I have to consider to place the boby in a stripping media
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/212_1216a.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/212_1217a.jpg

Bye: Robi

This never happened to me. With my models it´s more the other way around. Paint sticks like hell :lol: !

Ouch!!

Robi, I guess you must FOR SURE take all that shitty primer off. Big risk for your beautiful paint if you leave it!

So …stripping time. Reading the recent topic about stripping paints, I came to the conclusion to try pure alcohol. I put the body in for a few hours and then I tried to brush away the paint, at the beginning with a soft brush and then with a hard one. No chance at all
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch141.jpg

In the mentioned topic, someone wrote that the brake fluid could affect the latest poor quality plastic present in several kits, and the F430 is included in this list. So, to avoid further troubles, I started a sanding session - #1000 grit - which took approx 1 hour
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch142.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch143.jpg

and this is the result
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch144.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch145.jpg

Now, I’ll re-start priming the body work with Tamiya white primer. Hoping this will be the word END on the priming process.

Bye: Robi :)

Dang, seems to be the luck lately for the F430's. I tried stripping my first body in bleach for a day or so and did nothing. I need to get that Castrol Super Clean that everyone talks about. Tamiya primer is pretty tough stuff I guess.

You are going to use Tamiya primer now, huh?! Sory to see this happen, but I'll bet you are happy it did it now instead of after the base was layed.

Robi, I am curious. How you will make the engine? You already have some idea?

Thanks
Fabiano

Jon > I could be probably wrong, but in my opinion this shitty plastic of the recent Fujimi is the origin of the troubles. Alex had similar problems and concerning me, I did not have it on other kits, namely Tamiya or Hasegawa.

Fabiano > The engine will be a mix between the kit upper parts and the block from the 360 Tamiya, exhaust pipes will be made of tin rods.

Bye: Robi :)

Ooooh what a joy ! The alcohol did not work only APPARENTLY. After having carefully and lovely cleaned the body, the remaining paint started cracking a few minutes ago :eek2:

Buaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah !!!

Ooooh what a joy ! The alcohol did not work only APPARENTLY. After having carefully and lovely cleaned the body, the remaining paint started cracking a few minutes ago :eek2:

Buaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah !!!

:frown: I wish i could help... i guess ill stick to tamiya and mr hobby primer just to avoid any problems

What kind of alcohol did you use? I am using 99% and it works great with Tamiya paints...

Damn, that is lame. I was about to try the primer you used on my new body too!!! I think I will wait now and use Tamiya still.

I was looking over my 360 block the other night, and the ModelerSite link you had provided for Alex I think. Seems like a bit too much to end up hiding it under a non opening cowl?!

But, I am sure you will do it anyway, lol.

Thesaint111 > ethylic denaturated

Jon > Yes, near a complete engine from the 360 could be too much for this Fujimi. But I saw in person the F430 from Alex and I have to say that the difference is noticeable. So, I’ll proceed in that way …even because I’ve already destroyed the engine bay !!

Okay, I was too nervous to wait. I took two bottle of DOT4 brake fluid and put in the F430
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/212_1234.jpg

In less than six minutes the bodywork was cleaned. I washed it quicky but energically with alcohol to remove fluid residuals and immediately after I washed it carefully under warm water in soapy solution. And here it is …as for Nov. 17…
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/212_1235.jpg

The small puttied areas are gone. The rest seems okay, now I’ll leave it for a day to see if something else happens.
Next step is the re-priming with Tamiya white primer.

That’s all for the moment, as always, thanks for attention and comments.

Robi :)

Robi,
next time use IPA (or IsoPropyl Alcohol), not denatured, to strip Tamiya's synthetic acrylic lacquers (i.e. the TS line) and any acrylic paints.

Use non-silicon brake fluid or Castrol Super Clean for enamel or lacquer paints (i.e. auto 2-part and Testors/MM line). Also make sure to score the surface after using brake fluid (i.e. scrub the surface with a mild abrasive such as Comet/Bon Ami, etc) to make sure no residual brake fluid exists and to help with the adhesion of the primer layer.

Oh, and Tamiya's 2 sanding primers are great as they will actually etch into the plastic's surface. The Tamiya clear metal primer will etch into PE parts. Apart from automotive primer, you just can't beat Tamiya...I do wish they would put it in bottle form for us N.A. modelers thou...heck the whole TS line for that matter!

hth,
Bill

Robi,
next time use IPA (or IsoPropyl Alcohol), not denatured, to strip Tamiya's synthetic acrylic lacquers (i.e. the TS line) and any acrylic paints.
hth,
Bill

Ok, sounds stupid, but I want to confirm...

ISP is the same hing you find at Walgreens/Walmart, etc....right?

The clear bottle, like $1 per bottle stuff?

Can you strip chromed pieces from the factory sprues?

Robi, next time use IPA (or IsoPropyl Alcohol), not denatured, to strip Tamiya's synthetic acrylic lacquers (i.e. the TS line) and any acrylic paints.

Use non-silicon brake fluid or Castrol Super Clean for enamel or lacquer paints (i.e. auto 2-part and Testors/MM line). Also make sure to score the surface after using brake fluid (i.e. scrub the surface with a mild abrasive such as Comet/Bon Ami, etc) to make sure no residual brake fluid exists and to help with the adhesion of the primer layer.

Oh, and Tamiya's 2 sanding primers are great as they will actually etch into the plastic's surface. The Tamiya clear metal primer will etch into PE parts.

Bill, thanks a lot for all these precise and precious informations. I'll remind for the next time, even if my friend Alex told this evening that IPA is no longer available in Italy.

Bye: Robi :)

Ok, sounds stupid, but I want to confirm...

ISP is the same hing you find at Walgreens/Walmart, etc....right?

The clear bottle, like $1 per bottle stuff?

Can you strip chromed pieces from the factory sprues?

It will say Isopropyl alcohol on the bottle and yes, you can get it at a pharmacy. The higher the percentage the quicker it will strip the paint.

For stripping chrome I use either Fantastik, Windex or straight ammonia. Just remember that once you strip the "chrome" off, you may to also remove the coat of clear primer underlay.


hth,
Bill

Bill, thanks a lot for all these precise and precious informations. I'll remind for the next time, even if my friend Alex told this evening that IPA is no longer available in Italy.

Bye: Robi :)

Not a problem and thanks for sharing the build with us!

Hmm...Tamiya's acrylic thinner is nothing more than medical grade IPA and surfactants. That might be a not-so-economical way around the problem?

hth,
Bill

I can't imagine how 430 are sttoped all over the world.
I'll start mine... next month... next year !

Ok, sounds stupid, but I want to confirm...

ISP is the same hing you find at Walgreens/Walmart, etc....right?

The clear bottle, like $1 per bottle stuff?

Can you strip chromed pieces from the factory sprues?

best & quick way for chrome is chlorine.

best & quick way for chrome is chlorine.
But I think bleach does not remove the clear varnish beneath the chrome? You agree MaestroPongSki-Wan?

Hi Guys, yesterday I re-started priming the body and I did it with a can probably 5 years old, used once only. I started from the air outlets on the front bumper and what came out from the nozzle was somewhat milky …but not primer. To avoid further tragedies, today I bought a brand new can and sprayed the first light coat
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch146.jpg

…and this is the missing panel lines from what all the recent mess started…
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch147.jpg

klutz 100 > chlorine removes the chrome only, to remove the clear varnish (on the rims of my C6-R for example) brake fluid is still necessary

Robi

Moving away from the body, I took care about the side mirrors. Not perfectly replicated, this item carries two oversized brackets
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch148.jpg

Using a very flat file, intended for the nails, I reduced the brackets thickness down to the right size
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch149.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch150.jpg

Then, someone at Fujimi, should explain to me how the side mirrors have to be connected to the pillars since no pins or decent recesses are provided. So, I marked the lower bracket with a steel drift and drilled a hole dia. .15 mm / .006 inch
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch151.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch152.jpg

Then I cut a piece of steel rod, the length will be shortened afterwards, and superglued in the bracket
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch153.jpg

In the body pillar I’ll drill the relevant holes to fix the mirrors.

Have a nice weekend: Robi :)

Moving away from the body, I took care about the side mirrors. Not perfectly replicated, this item carries two oversized brackets


Using a very flat file, intended for the nails, I reduced the brackets thickness down to the right size


Then, someone at Fujimi, should explain to me how the side mirrors have to be connected to the pillars since no pins or decent recesses are provided. So, I marked the lower bracket with a steel drift and drilled a hole dia. .15 mm / .006 inch


Then I cut a piece of steel rod, the length will be shortened afterwards, and superglued in the bracket


In the body pillar I’ll drill the relevant holes to fix the mirrors.

Have a nice weekend: Robi :)

thats a nice way to secure the morror~
i just glued it on~ but dueto carelessness, it's been broke off twice already =.=||

Ok, sounds stupid, but I want to confirm...

ISP is the same hing you find at Walgreens/Walmart, etc....right?

The clear bottle, like $1 per bottle stuff?

Can you strip chromed pieces from the factory sprues?


the 91% alcohol or higher is recommended to strip Tamiya. This
is usually found behind the counter in the Pharmacy . Just ask the Pharmacist
and they will get it for you.:smokin: The 50% stuff out on the shelf just doesn't cut it.

Ariel

Hi Robi,

I am new guy in this forums, very like ur modified challenge
btw where can find more challenge photo

Thank you

Tong

Hi Tong and welcome to AF. I hope these links could be helpful:

http://www.joe250.com/images/ferrarichallenge/ferrarichallenge.htm

http://www.fotorissima.net/francais/photos.php?idx=63

http://www.redinfocus.com/html/english/index.html see under News from 19th July 2006

http://www.conceptcarz.com/view/vehiclePhotos.aspx?carID=10180&optionID=0&pg=2&catID=0&eventID=

http://www.infocoches.com/fotos/ferrari/2006-F430_Challenge/

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=F430+challenge&m=text

Bye: Robi :)

Robi, I cannot lie, I am lost here with my 430 and about to scrap what I have done and just build it OOB with Photo Etch.

I feel bad because I don't know enough about adding a 360 engine or modding it to look right. I think I need to just dumb mine down and settle for oob w/PE.

I will still eagerly await yours though. :popcorn:

Jon, installing the 360 engine in the F430 is not an easy task. It is impossible to describe the process without photos, anyway the point is to maintain the intake plenum of the F430 and install the rest, what is laying under, from the 360. It is not easy because several test have to be made to reach the right height, the 360 block, infact, has to be reduced in its height starting from the bottom and the gearbox must be adapted to the undercarriage of the F430. And all this assembly have to be cross-checked with the cockpit. Alex spent many hours studying how to fix this problem and, concerning me, I’ll use a little different approach and, yet now, I did not have the time to care about it, sorry.

Anyway, if cleanly built, even OOB the Challenge's engine bay looks very fine !

Merry Christmas: Roberto :)

Hi to all. Very tiny update: bodywork has been wet sanded with #2000 grit and drilled holes for the side mirrors.
Using each mirror as reference I visually traced the axis of the holes to be drilled on the pillars
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch154.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch155.jpg

Then I marked the relevant recess with a steel drift and drilled a hole dia. .15 mm / .006 inch
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch156.jpg

and checked the mirrors positioning
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch157.jpg

Bodywork and its accessories are now ready for the first coat of TS-26 Gloss White.

Merry Christmas and Byeeeee: Robi :)

this makes me want to quit modeling for good!the only reason I havn't quit is the fact that i might be getting a couple models for christmas and i need to finish my '32 ford roadster. very nice 430.

clean!

Hi Guys, my progress stops here, for the moment. Personal issues will take me away even if I'll try to follow your projects. I'd like to thank all of you for the attention and support you gave me over these months.

My best wishes for all: Roberto :)

Best wishes to you Robi - see you soon I hope!

Hi Guys, my progress stops here, for the moment. Personal issues will take me away even if I'll try to follow your projects. I'd like to thank all of you for the attention and support you gave me over these months.

My best wishes for all: Roberto :)

Now what is going to keep me busy at work?:popcorn:

good luck robi~~thank you very much for bringing us this wonderful and educational progress,hope everything goes well :)

Hi Guys, my progress stops here, for the moment. Personal issues will take me away even if I'll try to follow your projects. I'd like to thank all of you for the attention and support you gave me over these months.

My best wishes for all: Roberto :)
Take care of yourself first Robi, we'll still be here as will the models.

Mike.

First let me thank you for the extraordinary look at how you are building this Ferrari 430. Your posts have been massively inspirational to me and spurred me to get back into building cars again. It's most refreshing to see someone not let problems with building a kit stop them from continuing on. You seem to have the ability to convey the fun of building scale models throughout your post. I hope that the future will brighten for you and allow you the time and energy to continue this super looking Ferrari.

Thanks again.

Dan

i dunno how i missed this one. thank you for a most educational and entertaining WIP. i'm learning a lot. :)

Okay, back for a while.
Let’s resume what happened with the painting. At the beginning of December I sprayed the first coat of Tamiya White Primer, followed after two days by the second coat. I left the body naturally dry for twenty days and then wet sanded with #2000 grit
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch158.jpg

I washed the body, carefully cleaned all the panel lines with a toothbrush and the next day I sprayed on the first coat of Tamiya Pure White TS-26 and a second coat after 24 hours both straight from theb can.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch159.jpg

Mounted on the paint stand, I left the body on a radiator (set to minimum) for a week. Everything was okay.
I sanded all the body with #2000 grit, carefully traced and cleaned all the panel lines. Then I sprayed the third coat decanted in an airbrush and after a few hours, reactions started appearing, especially on the roof and the hood. I faced etching problems with the sanded down Ferrari emblem on the hood and some sanding scratches (totally eliminated before the painting process) on the roof, not visible in the photo
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch160.jpg

I set apart the body for ten days and starting the necessary polishing process. I had to sand with #4000 grit roof and hood, then I rubbed the surfaces with a scratch-remover followed by Amway Glaze and a final touch with Tamiya Wax. For the rest of the body I had minor reactions so Amway Glaze did a perfect job
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch161.jpg

And this is the result
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a163/RJ1108/F430%20Challenge/430ch162.jpg

I’d like to know if someone of you had similar experience, I mean unexpected reactions among the same color brand and etching troubles. I was thinking about the poor plastic quality of the latest Fujimis, but my friend Alex faced similar troubles on his Tamiya Ligier JS11 (original kit) with Tamiya TS non-metallic paints.
Please share your thinking !

Latest but not least, I’d like to thanks all of you for the kind messages, both on the board and private, greatly appreciated.

Have a nice weekend: Robi