WIP Ferrari Enzo [First Build]

Model: Ferrari Enzo
Company: Revell
Size: 1:24

Hey guys. This isn't actually my first build. My first build is this junk:
I got so sick and tired with that Monogram Lambo Contouch, that I just stopped working on it. That model was a pain
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0652.jpg

After two years, I'm embarking on a new model. From time to time, I will like to get some help or advice, as this is actually in a sense my "first" build.

Here is what I have done so far

I've done some test fits of the body. This is the back engine cover and the front nose piece of the car.
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0654.jpg

I've allready noticed that there was a problem:
There's quite a bit of a gap between the nose piece and the front part of the body :\. Maybe priming it with a few layers will fix it?
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0656.jpg

Also, I've noticed that when the body of the car is put on the bottom piece of the car (that long flat plate...don't remember what it's called), there's a piece sticking out of it. You can see it in the following picture:

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0665.jpg

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0665-1.jpg

And this is happeniing when evertyhing in the front is alligned.
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0662.jpg

Is this normal?

I've also started the first and second coat of priming:
Since I want to make my car black, I used a gray primer
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0673.jpg
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0674.jpg

Right now, it has been stored away in a dust free plastic box under my bed. I will perhaps take it out in 3 or 4 days:
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0676.jpg

As for the engine, in this build, the engine has different colors to it: black, aluminum, and red. Since the majority of the part is aluminum, I decided to piece together those parts and then paint it that color.

Put together:
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0658.jpg

Painted:
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0671.jpg
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0669.jpg



Future update:
By the next update, I plan on finishing the engine and have the body inspected and sanded/primed as necessary.

Also, I want to create a tutorial (with pictures :iceslolan) on how to prepare, prime, sand, paint, and polish the car all under ONE tutorial. I know these exist right now, but they are in seperate pieces. I will credit those who's Ideas I've taken (Primera-Man heavily) into creating those tutorials.


ALSO
Please bare with me. I am a college student and sometimes, you wont see updates for weeks. I have exams starting next 2 weeks, so I will probably get close to 0 work done.

Good luck with this build!
Actually is a pretty good Revell kit, but there are some fitment problems to go around, from what I saw on a friends kit.

I built this kit earlier this year. It actually turned out really well, and my only complaint was the front suspension sits way too high. Unfortunately I didn't realize this until it was too late to do anything about it. I would suggest some test fits and seriously consider lowering the front for the proper stance.

hey, thanks for the feedback, and thanks for that warning too!
I've done just the paint work on the body and some engine work. Will get into the hardcore stuff later on.
Today, I'm gonna add my coats of paint!

Update # 1

Updates are gonna be going slow for the next few weeks, as exams are closing in on me. After more than a week, this is all I've gotten done so far:

After priming, I waited for about 4 days before applying coats of paint. I inspected through it and lightly sanded some places with 1500 grit sandpaper where the primer seems to be a bit rough or uneven.

After applying some paint (in 3 steps) I noticed that in the 3rd step, the paint on the roof of the car was screwed up. It was uneven and had peeled off a bit because of my hand :banghead:. I waited a day for the whole paint to dry up. Today, I wet sanded it with 1500 paper, washed it, and 4-5 hours later, I applied the final coats of paint. This is what it looks like so far:

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0699.jpg

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0700.jpg

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0701.jpg

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0703.jpg

Some parts may look shinier than others, but thats because it hasn't had enough time to dry up. I will take a look at it again in about 3-4 days (after my first exam) and inspect a bit closer. So far, I am happy with the paint job. Certainly better than my very first model (see first picture).

If everything seems okay, I will do the final steps of the body work (sanding and polishing). After that, I will post up my full Tutorial:
Full Priming, Painting, and Polish and everything in between!

Look forward to it and support me :) Also, in that tutorial, I will credit all those who's idea's I have taken in order to make this an awesome paintjob

what are you painting with (brand and type)?
There seems to be quite a bit of texture even for straight out of the can.

Are you sure that you removed ALL texture from the primer?
Believe it or not, you can sand primer until it is shiney; this is what you want before you apply colour. The more perfect the primer, the easier the subsequent painting will be.

Hey. The paint I'm using is an automotive paint. Dupli-Color.
And yeah, I noticed that it was a bit grainy. However, the sanding from 2000 to 12000 should make it smooth and shiny. Then my compound and polish will go in for the kill :D

Are you sure you have the paint clear coated? All the Duplicolor paint I've used is 2 stage. It looks like you are not getting wet enough final coats. If you do it right it should look pretty darn good before polishing. Duplicolor is pretty forgiving to paint with.

If its only your 2nd model I wouldn't worry about polishing it. Work on getting your painting and assembly techniques worked out for a few models and get some stuff on your shelf. If you're anything like me if something doesn't turn out perfect get frustrated and give it up for awhile.

I'm not sure waht clear coating or 2-stages are.
Should I sand it with 1500 and smothen it out and then apply one last coat to it?

Clear coating is a clear coat of paint that gives it's shine. The base color is just a flat base that is the color coat. That's why your model looks like it was painted flat black. A lot of automotive colors are like this.

I'd recommend sanding it completely smooth with some 2000 grit. Come back and repaint it again. Your final coats should be wet enough to get the paint to flow and lay down nice. If you hold the can too far away, move to fast, etc you'll get a really textured surface. If you get too much paint it will run. The Duplicolor stuff is pretty forgiving to work with though. After you get a good base coat layed down let it dry some and start giving it some clear coat (Duplicolor DS125). I'd put several coats on if you're polishing it. Painting is one of those skills that takes years to get perfected. That's kind of why I'd recommend polishing on your 4th or 5th model. It kind of forces you to do a better job up front vs using a polishing kit as a band aid.

HTH

never used dupli-color so wasn't aware it was a two stage paint.
If it is intended to be clear coated then that explains the non-glossy appearance. Still not convinced your finish so far in those photos is flat enough so you may want to experiment with warmer/hotter paint, better shaking of paint, spraying distance, spraying speed etc etc.

But because it may be a two stage paint, you can sand the base coat but that doesn't mean you can skimp out on getting your spraying right for the clear coat.

by the way, for basic colours, I really cannot recommend tamiya TS sprays enough as it really is the best from can paint there is.

Update # 2

Hey, thanks a lot for your feedback, you guys. It makes a bit more sense. This weekend was my first weekend after exams, so I got back to this Enzo of mine. I want to try to finish this up by the end of this week.

And I think I'm just impatient and a bit retarded as well:-\. I all ready put the clear plastic parts on all ready. Anyways, I will get to that later on in the post. First, I want to post some new pics up.:

Engine done:
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0747.jpg
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0748.jpg

Engine Compartment almost done:
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0749.jpg
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0750.jpg

Body almost done:
I found a hobby shop not too far away from me so I decided to stop by there. I bought myself some Tamiya paint. I sanded the body down with 1500 SP and painted another fresh coating of it. I was really surprised out how awesome it looked this time. A mirror like coat!! Anyways, I thought I was done with the body so I decided to glue the plastic parts on:

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0751.jpg
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0755.jpg
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0756.jpg

:banghead::confused::headshake:crying:
And then this is where I screwed up. After I put on one of the headlight covers, some glue came on to the body. I tried wiping it away but it took some of the paint off and the residue stayed. So I had to sand the whol front down, and I used masking tape to cover up the parts that weren't supposed to be painted. But it seems that some paint went through:
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0754.jpg
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0753.jpg
:banghead::confused::headshake:crying:

Please tell me this damage is reversible!! How do I get that paint off! It's Tamiya paint. Also, it seems that when I put this coating of paint on it was a bit runny and there's this almost visible mold of paint on the front. Will I have to sand and paint it again?

I think I just ruined this model...Any help will be appreciated.

there's still hope and you doesnt need to remove the paint totally accessing from your situation but just that you need alot more work now.

Firstly, what kind of glue are you using? cement or superglue? But even for both cases, you just need to remove the clear parts carefully now. Make sure it doesn't crack, or else everything is over and you may need alternatives to scratchbuild or get a new kit for that. Sand the affected clear parts with #2000 and perform the normal the polish.

For the body, since you are using black color it should be easy to repair because the color difference is very negligible. If it is very visible that the color is removed, just sand down the part the affected area and give it another coat of paint on the body. Another way will be using airbrush and just have a few coats (maybe 2) over the affected area. But remember that this will only work if you are using black paints.

Next. its my advice to clear coat it, mainly because if you have clear coat it before you got te glue problem, maybe the situation will not be that bad as the glue may just be affecting your clear paint, and you can polish it out to save the whole body.

Lastly, for clear parts, use white glue or clear paint for attachment.

Hope these helps.

Ro

Anyone else want to drop some knowledge?
I haven't looked at this for a long while.

Spray some of the Tamiya paint into the cap and brush touch it. I wouldn't sweat the small stuff like this on your first models. Finish this one up and remember on the next one to not make this mistake. I takes a lot of experience to get these things right. Almost every model I build improves upon the previous one in some way.

For items that sit in place on their own I'd recommend using epoxy for them. If you do spill a little you can wipe it off with a wet rag. School glue works but it isn't very strong.

Update # 1

Updates are gonna be going slow for the next few weeks, as exams are closing in on me. After more than a week, this is all I've gotten done so far:

After priming, I waited for about 4 days before applying coats of paint. I inspected through it and lightly sanded some places with 1500 grit sandpaper where the primer seems to be a bit rough or uneven.

After applying some paint (in 3 steps) I noticed that in the 3rd step, the paint on the roof of the car was screwed up. It was uneven and had peeled off a bit because of my hand :banghead:. I waited a day for the whole paint to dry up. Today, I wet sanded it with 1500 paper, washed it, and 4-5 hours later, I applied the final coats of paint. This is what it looks like so far:

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0699.jpg

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0700.jpg

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0701.jpg

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo131/IcelVlan/Models/Revell%20Enzo/DSCN0703.jpg

Some parts may look shinier than others, but thats because it hasn't had enough time to dry up. I will take a look at it again in about 3-4 days (after my first exam) and inspect a bit closer. So far, I am happy with the paint job. Certainly better than my very first model (see first picture).

If everything seems okay, I will do the final steps of the body work (sanding and polishing). After that, I will post up my full Tutorial:
Full Priming, Painting, and Polish and everything in between!

Look forward to it and support me :) Also, in that tutorial, I will credit all those who's idea's I have taken in order to make this an awesome paintjob

Even allowing for the fact this is 2pack auto spray, you need to spray a little bit closer to the job than you otherwise would if you were using, say a Tamiya rattlecan, to achieve a smoother finish. Generally auto sprays are acrylic based to be user friendly, so they tend to dry even quicker when the atomised paint spots eject from the nozzle - & the spray pattern on those stupid nozzles aren't condusive to non-spatter.
Anyways a few quick blasts with light sanding in between should give you a nice surface to then clear coat.

Anyone else want to drop some knowledge?
I haven't looked at this for a long while.
To fix parts like lights etc, I generally use some thinned Tamiya Clear acrylic applied with a really fine pointed brush.
Good to see you achieved closer to the finish you wanted on the bodywork. That's the benefits of lacquer (which is what Tamiya sparays are)

To fix parts like lights etc, I generally use some thinned Tamiya Clear acrylic applied with a really fine pointed brush.
Good to see you achieved closer to the finish you wanted on the bodywork. That's the benefits of lacquer (which is what Tamiya sparays are)

Hey, thanks a lot I really appreciate the comments.