Le Mans Contest Entry: Ferrari 250 GTO # 24, LM '63 **in progress and completed**

[nniemi]

Hi!

I have been reading this forum for a while now, but this is my first message here.

It surprised me that no one has entered a model of Ferrari GTO for this contest. So i had to make my own model and start a thread for it.

The model represents Le Mans 1963 GT class winner, and second overall, car number 24, driven by Beurlys/Langlois.


For the model i used parts from Protar, Italeri and Gunze Sangyo High Tech kits, Replicas & Miniatures co. of Maryland Ferrari GTO engine kit, Tecnomodel wheels and detail parts from parts box and various manufacturers.

Interior:
Interior is built from Gunze parts and scratchbuilt oil filler tube, bracing and door handles made from wire. I also reshaped door openings to look more like the ones in a real car. Everything was painted flat medium grey, following my reference material. Shifter has been changed to one with a smaller ball.



Seats:
Seats are taken from Protar kit. They look much better than those awful vinyl pieces that come with Gunze kit. I also used Detail master PE seatbelt set and some black ribbon to make lap belts.



Dashboard:
Dashboard is almost standard Gunze item, i only added levers made from thin aluminium plate. Also the photoetched instrument panel is replaced with a decal from a "normal" Gunze GTO kit.



Engine:
Engine is built from RMco.ofM 250GTO engine kit. I removed shifter and also had to narrow the gearbox a bit so that i could fit engine in Gunze chassis transmission tunnel. I also added few hoses that can clearly be seen on real car.





Exhaust system was made from Gunze and RMco.ofM parts and painted with white primer.




Chassis:
First i built the chassis box stock, painted flat black and testors metalizers for suspension,







but after adding an RMco.ofM engine i couldn't resist adding few details to the chassis. I made fuel and brake lines from fine wire and Sakatsu bolts. I also added scratchbuilt dry sump oil tank and oil lines from some wire:





Engine room walls were made of Italeri GTO kit parts, that in my opinion are more accurate than Gunze kit parts.



Thats it for now, body and completed pics are coming soon, let me know what you think.

-Niko

[hks_kansei]

HOORAY, a model of the most Beautiful Ferrari Made.

but better still, made by someone who can do it justice!

if you want, there are some pretty good pics here.
http://www.seriouswheels.com/def/Ferrari-250-GTO-F.htm
http://www.seriouswheels.com/def/Fer...O-Interior.htm
http://www.seriouswheels.com/def/Fer...-GTO-F-Top.htm
http://www.seriouswheels.com/def/Ferrari-250-GTO-RA.htm
http://www.seriouswheels.com/def/Fer...0-GTO-Side.htm

are you going to make the embossed leather too?

[nniemi]

Originally Posted by hks_kansei

HOORAY, a model of the most Beautiful Ferrari Made.

but better still, made by someone who can do it justice!
are you going to make the embossed leather too?

Thanks for pics and kind comments,
No i'm not going to make embossed leather, its not prototypically correct for this car. I have an old (few years) Classic and Sportscar magazine that has an article of this actual car. Interior is sheet aluminium painted gray.

Actually i'm not going to do anything for this one anymore, i just finished it yesterday, so completed pics are coming soon.

-Niko

[godfather23]

Welcome to the contest! Looks very neat, what you´ve got so far, nice detailing and great subject as well. Love to see the GTO in the contest.

[sjelic]

Finnaly the legend came to join the contest, I was wondering who will do it.
Yours is very nice and I think you made good "cross bread" because I think the new MFH product will be the first GTO that will be 100% right (or maybe not )

[Murray Kish]

Excellent..... Gotta love those cars.

One of my favorites.

Murray

[Porsche Carrera]

wow! really one of the most beautiful racers ever and you have done it justice!

[nniemi]

I uploaded rest of the photos yesterday, so i'll show you the modifications to the body. Sadly i dont have any pics of unmodified kit parts, only pics of completed (or almost) model.

Basic corrections made to the body were modifying the rear wheelarch shape and filling foremost cooling air vent. I also modified the shape of two remaining cooling vents. On a first pic you can also see "mudguards" made from sheet plastic





Windows:
Rubber gaskets on windshield frame were made with technical drawing pen:



Kit supplied side windows were replaced with new ones made from clear sheet plastic, for added realism i left windows open. I also added window crank (triangular item on side window)



I carved away molded plastic "mesh" from kit air intake part and replaced it with real metal mesh from parts box:



After installing body to chassis i added few small detail parts: kit supplied PE hood holddown straps, hood catches made from wire, and decals. On this photo you can also see bug screen, made from aluminium plate and clear sheet plastic, and air intake duct made by rolling a thin aluminium plate:



Few photos of completed engine room:

I added cooling air intake ducts and steering shaft from Italeri GTO kit, brake fluid reservoir, window washer fluid reservoir and wired battery from parts box:





Photos of completed model coming in few days....

And thanks for kind comments so far

-Niko

[Layla's Keeper]

Thank you for entering this build and for doing so much to make such a beautiful 250GTO. Without a doubt, this is one of the prettiest Ferraris in the contest.

[rx7king]

your doing an awesome job, keep the progress pics coming

[nniemi]

Here are pictures of completed model. I don't own a digicam so that's why there are not so many "in progress" pics.

Decals are modified Patto's Place "Super quality" from this sheet:


As you can see the shape of the numbers is wrong, so i had to construct each number from two numbers, luckily the decals are very thin, so they blend very nicely into each other. That's the only good thing about those decals though, they were extremely fragile, colors wouldn't stay on....

Another final additions to the model were Miniexotics fuel filler cap, polished with dremel tool, Sakatsu race number lights and PE windshield wiper.

Pics:
















Thats all, hope you like it,
-Niko

[joelwideqvist]

Wow, really nice! I think it turned out great Niko!
best regards
Joel

[godfather23]

What a neat Ferrari, looks very sweet. Great detailing on the front hood!

[Technoman]

That is beautiful.

[sjelic]

It came out realy nice, I like it a lot, worth all the effort