In Progress: Tamiya Ferrari F40

[Fkouch]

I think someone already said this but its true. This is Model Car Porn! The only bad thing is the wait for updates.

If I may make one suggestion MPWR, could you perhaps go into more detail on your engine weathering process, or would that be like asking a magician how he did his tricks? Its just that in your F50 build this magnificent, highly realistic engine just appeared and all you said was that you 'just used Tamiya acrylics'.

I demand more info !!!!!

Cheers

Farrokh

[Captain Mark]

Excellent work so far! Your attention to detail is amazing!

[Spitfire7]

Excellent work so far. I don't visit the street forum much but I will to watch this

[MPWR]

Been keeping busy with bodywork lately. Not as much fun to show off as the engine or interior, but just as necissary.

One of the often lamented flaws with this kit is the fit of the engine lid when closed on the body. The lid appears too wide for the body, and its edges protrude on both sides, as obvious 'steps'. (Unfortunately, I didn't think to get pics of this....) Here's why it is, and how to fix it!

The truth is that the engine lid is not too big, the body is to small- when mounted on the chassis, that is.



This is the underside of the front body section (carapace maybe, it's even red like a lobster!), and the chassis. The carapace is held in place by these pins (circled in blue), which fit into the sockets on the chassis (circled in green). The problem is that the sockets are closer together than the pins, and when assembled, the body is pinched inwards, so that it becomes narrower than the engine lid.

So, enlarge the sockets! I drilled them out with incrementally increasing drill bits to 7/64", which allowed the body fit to relax enough to align well with the engine lid.

The results:


You can see that the body does sit wider on the chassis now. The top and bottom halves of the air ducts don't align correctly. Guess we'll have to do something about that.



Some strip of styrene were added to move the bottom halves outwards.

Then, filling, shaping and sanding.




Meanwhile, the carapace is done up with primer, and ready for paint.




The headlight areas are masked with Tamiya tape- I didn't want to have to sand textured primer out of these recesses, and they'll be painted black later. Took forever to get the bodywork even, and the seams properly filled. There are a part on each side that are glued to the front edges of the doors- they're rather hidden, and impossible to photograph, bit their fit was terrible. Lots of work here. The seams on the window filler panels disappeared pretty well, though.




Red, as promised. Cobra Colors Rosso Corsa. Still needs another couple of coats, and a polishing.




The finished air ducts. Time to get the chassis primed up and painted.




And the results of all this effort. Fits pretty well, now!




Time to put an engine in there!

[Big Kahuna]

Kkkkkeeeerrrsssppplllaaattttttttttttttttttttt!!!!! !!!!!!!!

is the sound I would make as I faint and fall backwards in amazement.

This is great work. I didn not even realise that the rear section fit was so iffy that it needed this sort of attention. I must check that out for myself.

Great work.

Cheers
Nenad

[g00eY]

very nice work!

[agamo]

Originally Posted by MPWR

Thanks, guys!

druid_99- Perhaps against my better judgement, I've ordered the S27 set. Much of it I'm sure I won't use for this build, but there are a couple of details (like oil cooler logos) that I want.

Samurai75007- I'd love to see any pics you have of the prototype. I wouldn't have guessed that the prototypes would carry the EPA certifications for import into the US (close enough to the production model, maybe). As best as my research has turned up, the sliding side windows were not just a prototype feature, but also an option on the production models. It saved weight over the roll down windows. The production model was also availibe without air conditioning (I believe) for the same reason. I'm pretty sure the Tamiya kit was based on the prototypes- there are a couple of features in the engine, such as the smaller air filter boxes, that suggest this. I may correct some, and leave others. I kinda like the sliding windows, though. It adds to the 'street legal track car' (instead of trackable street car) feel of the F40 that's always appealed to me.

Have you seen the Yorozuya detail PE set for this car?, it's great, got mine in Hapico, I think its better than the S27

A note on the door windows:
The plexiglass sliding windows are not just production option, are the normal equipment for this car, as well as the hollowed door and just a cable to open the door latch, (the complete door including plexiglass, wieghts something like 1.5 Kg) and remember, this car, was made as the pure escence of a racing car, which you can use in the streets, and for the doors, as an option, you can get normal windows, with interior trimming, , handles, etc.
The air conditioning is normal equipment also, this because of the high heat produced by the engine behind the driver, so using only vents is not enough, some racing versions removed the air conditioning making the habitacle a hell.
The Tamiya kit resembles the early production F40 models for the European market, for wich, I think the sizes of the intercoolers and air filters are correct (but need to re-check), the model for US has several differences in the engine compartment to comply with emitions regulations, and has some more heat deflectors not included in the European version, other differences are in the body, rear and front fascias, (personally I don't like the US version fascias)

[agamo]

As usual in your work, it's amazing!!

I'm impressed with the level of detail you add.

This is also one of my favorite Ferraris, and also have it in the started projects, some day will finish it.

Have all my respect and admiration.
I'll keep looking for more on this awesome thread.

Excellent solution to the body - engine cover fit.

Congratulations.

[sportracer02]

Hi,

great progress, nice how-to report !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lambophilia]

Man! You build the best Ferraris I have ever seen! Just SWEET and I love the F50 too!

[A_C]

Nice progress. Never think that fitting problem will appear in Tamiya. Thanks for the detail solution.

[klutz_100]

as always - attention to detail and cool solutions

+1

[ImolaEK]

Oh my gosh. Soo much attention to detail. Your awesome man! I love your threads! Awesome pictures too!

[robrex]

Wow! what a great thread! I can't wait for more updates!

[fieldmarshal]

cool way of fixing that of an engine cover. I never could have thought of that.