Questions on building the Hasegawa Testa Rossa

I'm building this Hasegawa Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa that so many of you have already built, and I have several questions about specific aspects of the kit. I'm trying to improve my skills and to increase the detail level, so really don't want to screw up on this one. Anyway, I've been closely following everyone's builds and would like answers to these questions:

1) Bob "Zoom-Zoom" Downie mentioned something about tweaking the suspension to make the wheels sit correctly (that is, all four on the ground). Have any of you had this problem, too? Is there something specific to the kit that causes such a problem, or is this just a general issue that can affect any kit? I'm not used to tweaking anything and am wondering what is the best way to test this out. Use white glue to assemble the suspension parts and see if it sits correctly, then make adjustments as necessary and reglue with something stronger?

2) Has anyone else had a problem with the hood fitment? Mine seems to have a very slight warp that keeps it from sitting squarely in its proper spot. I cut out the opening in the scoop and don't know if that caused the problem. I'm keeping the grooves free of primer buildup, but maybe there are just really tight tolerances on the hood and body.

3) The rear bulkhead problem that requires stretching out the body and causing cracks where the side/fender parts are attached: can this be avoided by simply cutting off the parts that are at the ends, gluing the little flat piece in place, attaching the body, then inserting those wider pieces afterward?


Thanks in advance for your assistance.

I just creatively "bent" the suspension pieces so the wheels would all sit correctly; I don't know if it was my problem or the model's problem.

I doubt that cutting open the vent would cause the hood to warp. Just carefully bend it back the opposite direction w/your fingers. I can't tell you how many models have slightly warped parts and I just fix them by bending in the opposite direction. Obviously you can't be ham-fisted about it, but plastic generally cooperates.

I wouldn't bother cutting the bulkhead, you'll never get the parts to fit back together easily. Try installing the bulkhead inside the body instead of gluing it first to the chassis before final assembly. You can always install the seats when the chassis is already in place. If you've made the fender "weld" strong enough you shouldn't have any problems. Test fit test fit test fit; do this in the primer stage, and with and without the bulkhead attached to the chassis. It's not a terribly difficult task, and warning ahead of time gives you a chance to avoid it, but it also tends to make modelers even more skittish in the first place. The model in general goes together amazingly well, don't fear it!

Thanks a lot, Bob. That's a big help. The hood is minor and I may not worry too much about it. And I'll try installing the bulkhead the way you suggest. I was thinking about putting in the seats after mating body and chassis, but wasn't sure it was possible. Looking at everyone else's builds I couldn't tell if that would work. Thanks again.