Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster - Versace

[da_ashman]

Hi Everyone

This is my latest project that I just couldn't resist starting on.
Managed to pick up a Murc Roadster kit that had been half started a few months ago & then brought the Hobby Design transact, with a little bit of research I decided to build the Versace version.
There is limited & vague information available about this edition, 20 were made, mostly Coupes. Some websites say there were only 2 roadsters produced, 1 in white & 1 in blue (that had since had the versace bits removed)
But a quick search of youtube proves there are more.

Anyway on to the pics

The Car


The Transkit
Amazing detail, the photoetched parts are amazing.
The resin in clean & smooth, almost no bubbles.










The incredible wheels


Most of the other bits


Hobby design supplies you with 3x carbon fibre engine cover things
The photos Ive found show different ones in different cars so I picked the one I liked the most, the bottom one


The Photo etch






These are the pieces for the brakes, nuts & the bolts that hold the hat together, pretty amazing detail, should built up nicely


This is the clear engine cover panels of glass, very thin. I wont be using these but thought I should show you.


The body as I got it, the previous owner had primed it without removing the mold lines. It was going to be candy green




I do love these wheels, as a bonus the roadster kit came with the original Murc wheels in shinney chrome too!!


This is the engine cover, I will be modifying this to have a glass panel in the middle


Oh wait, it doesn't fit.... By ALOT!!!! rear bumper has stunk 4mm!!!
Massive thankyou to Hobbyeasy for sending me replacement parts (twice)








So a big warning to anyone buying this transact, make sure you test it against a plastic kit straight away & don't store it for too long!

Thats all for now, I have started cleaning & sanding all the resin parts & should have some pics for you soon

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Will be watching this for sure. Locally there's a white Murcielago Spyder like the photo, just w/o the logo on the door.

There is just no excuse for undersized resin on very expensive transkits. NONE.

Whether it's built right away or stored, it won't matter...if it is the resin shrinking, and say it was put on the model before it shrank, it won't miraculously not shrink on the model...it will cause big problems.

I'm pretty sure it's the original molds that have shrank over time and with production. I've never seen issues like this in resin from the US, but w/Hobby Design and the resin in some of the Fujimi kits, it seems to be a definite issue.

[BVC500]

Glad I was one of the first to buy an HD transkit. Very little shrinkage issues for me. Looking forward to your build!

[RonCla]

I have just had the same fitting issues with the Hobby Design Hamann Fiat 500 trans kit. The front and rear fitted perfect but both side skirts were bent like a banana and were several mm too short.

The Hobby Design 722 SLR GT trans kit I've just got has a bonnet that is so twisted its unusable too.

There seems to be an issue with the resin Hobby Design is using as I've never seen a similar issue with any of the other manufactures resin parts I've had experience with like Hiro, S27, Fisher, Modelhaus, Replicas & Miniatures.

[MidMazar]

Wow, i've never encountered such a bad t-kit even with the older fujimi/aoshima kits. They are soo much older than HD kits and not as bad. I agree, Hd better invest in some better resin. I was eager to buy a kit from them, not anymore. With so much money, id rather buy a scale production,scale motorsport or even a studio 27 kit.

Good luck on this build. The easiest way to make those parts to fit is cutting them in the middle and adding styrene in between until its big enough. But in your case it might take even more effort than that to make it fit.

[rx7king]

is this HD kit the only mf making the LP640 tho? Also ash, how long did it take to get the replacement parts? I really want to build this but this scares me away a bit

[countach79]

can't wait to see this one done!

[auw12]

I also got this TK in the pile. Not just the resin parts, you might have to test fit everything from any sort of HD products, then you can be sure if you should go on or just quit. Best luck of this build.

[da_ashman]

Originally Posted by rx7king

is this HD kit the only mf making the LP640 tho? Also ash, how long did it take to get the replacement parts? I really want to build this but this scares me away a bit

Hey, it only took about a week to get the first replacement parts & then about 2 weeks to get the replacement parts that actually fitted. & thats delivered from Hongkong to New Zealand
I think Hobbyeasy just sent me another set the first time that they had in stock & then when that turned out to have the same problem they got replacement parts from HobbyDesign so I guess thats why it took a bit longer & to Hobbyeasy credit they replaced the parts at no additional costs etc, so many thanks to them!

As for Progress, it has been s l o w .... To my amazement having a baby somewhat encroaches on hobby time! lol. I havent really done too much, I'm still working on the seats to get them smooth & have designed all the decals that I need to have printed, oh & ive manged to get the parts cleaned up & primered & ready for mounting to the body, but there is alot of modification to chassis parts & wheel arches etc to get the new body to fit! But more on that soon!
Ash

[da_ashman]

Well, Finally made a bit of progress.
Started mounting up the new resin body panels, most still need a touch of work, some pieces like the fron bumber & side skirts require a small amount of lengthing to math the plastic body. There is also quite alot of other parts that need to be modified so that the new body can be mounted. the Rear wheel housing needs to be reshaped to fit into the new rear bumber, the chassis needs plastic removing to fit the side skirts & same with the front bumper.
Anyway onto the pics!!













Next I need to make the engine cover & make sure all the pe fits

[rx7king]

So much work, keep it up!

[Entau]

i wanted to get the HD lp640 transkit a while ago, but seeing no wip of the kit and tonnes of bad review, i dropped the plan

now i might change my plan, looking forward the progress and good luck on your conversion

[Ferrari TR]

Looks great.
Seems like a lot of work for an expensive kit. Hopefully the finished model will be worth the effort and expense. Good luck.

[countach79]

lovin it!

[auw12]

Nice progress, please do finish it! Have you test fitted the tail light cover? I was worried about the soft material HD used, it could have shrinking or fitting problems.