26 replies to this topic

[Matt Bacon]

 

...got this one started now, as usual doing the body first so that it's got time to set hard before I polish it, though it doesn't look like this one will need much polishing. Zero Paints Blu Abu Dhabi with 2K Clear. As you can see, the Blu Abu Dhabi is a pretty dark and rather greeny blue, so I'm glad I invested in some -- it's not like any colour i have, and DOES in fact (Vaguely) resemble the colour that the online Ferrari configurator shows you. I suspect quite a few of the pictures on the web of "Blu Abu Dhabi" cars aren't -- or Ferrari have reformulated the colour. I got the original paint code from the Lechler site for Hiroboy to mix, so I'm confident that it's the correct colour. Though I say it myself it looks even better in the flesh -- a real Peacock blue. Beautiful -- even my wife loves it!

 

 

Oddly, I do also have a red car on the bench at the moment as well, but it ain't a Ferrari -- or even Italian. This is the Moebius Chrysler 300, in Guards Red, which will get it's own build thread soon.

 

 

...bit of a traffic jam on the bench at the moment! It's that desire to get the bodies done so they can cure fully. The two Californias will be another "two-fer" build in a month or so.

 

 

Guide to Ferrari Blues, Part One: L to R Blu Abu Dhabi, Blu Mirabeau (not yet clear-coated, so the colour will be richer when it is), and Blu Dino.

 

bestest,

M.

Edited by Matt Bacon, 20 January 2013 - 10:21 AM.

[CJ1971]

Got the F12 on the way in the mail, Matt. Looking forward to how it goe's together? How are the wheels, do they seem/look accurate? I've noticed the seats are actually molded to the interior bucket, disappointing about that! Found this pic on the 'net, don't know if it's the same blue hue as your's but it does look good...

Anyway keep up the great work mate!
Cheers Cliff

[jaymcminn]

Awesome, Matt. Can't wait to see how this build goes... thanks for being the guinea pig!

[Tonioseven]

Very nice work so far!!!

[kelson]

That's a stunning color you chose!,do you have a interior color picked out yet?

[Matt Bacon]

Thanks, guys... I finally got back to the bench. Slow progress, but at least it's SOME progress!

 

 

This is more of my fake carbon fibre effect, done by spraying Zero Paints Graphite Grey through a fine mesh mask onto a black base. Getting the mesh to lay down over the curves of the heat shield was pretty easy (I use 3M "photo mount" spray-on tacky glue when the shapes are complex). I think I'd have found using decal much harder... even if it would look more prototypical.

 

Curtis... yep, I do... ;-P OK. I'll spill the beans:

 

That's red, by the way, not some dark chestnut brown as it might look here. I like the idea of the "stealth" look on the outside, with a splash of bright colour inside. I'll probably do "privacy glass" back rear windows as well, for better badassery...

 

bestest,

M.

[Matt Bacon]

Slow but steady progress:

 

 

The front end is on! Thanks to Bob Downie for the tip about the lights -- I fixed them to the pins inside the bumper with some strong but flexible glue before fitting the bumper. I also fitted the grille and support inside the bumper before attaching it, so the whole lot went on as a unit. A little bit of "wiggling" is needed with the lights, hence the flexible glue, but when they go in, they just pop into position. The air intake boxes are done with Scale Motorsports carbon, just for variety. I actually prefer my "sprayed" look, but that's just me...

 

The "carbon" sills are also attached, which was a pain -- the location and angle is not a very positive fit. Wheels are painted Zero's Graphite Grey.

 

 

A closer look at the headlights. I used fine wire for the LED tubes along the top, rather than tryin to paint silver. Actually, both are wrong -- but my attempt to use fine transparent fishing line didn't work out. It looks like there's something there, which is the point... at a distance. The problem is that the lights are pretty monotone unless they are lit up -- the silver surround to the main lens is the only brightwork, unless you look closely enough to see the pale yellow squares of the LEDs in the smaller "ladder" up the outside. The grille is mainly black, with a "chrome" front edge applied using "rub n buff". It'll need a bit of a tidy, now I've handled it to fit it in...

 

 

Some bits and pieces. The brakes have "Grigio Silverstone" callipers, and are just painted in Humbrol Flat Aluminium from a can and washed with Citadel "Devlan Mud" for contrast. The engine parts are Tamiya Italian red with a matt coat.

 

 

The interior is under way. Black, grey and red for contrast...

 

bestest,

M.

[vintagercr]

This is turning out beautiful!

[Matt Bacon]

...I know there are people who will HATE these, but the etch metal seemed too good an opportunity to miss for an experiment:

 

 

I'm not sure whether I'll use them on the final model, but I have ordinary yellow ones as decals as well...

 

bestest,

M.

 

[jrherald420]

I like them!

[lanesteele240]

Never thought of carbon on the pe parts. Looks great

[martinfan5]

I really love the color on the body, just beautiful

[Matt Bacon]

Thanks, gentlemen... A little bit more progress:

 

 

This is just mocked up to see how the ride height looks.I haven't changed anything at all -- all the parts are used just as they come. And, to be honest, I really can't see an issue with either the ride height or the wheel/tyre combo. The wheel dimensions are within a couple of % of what they should be for 20" (22.5mm versus 22.8mm for 20" wheels with +2cm flanges), the tyre width is spot on, and sidewall profile is if anything slightly too "low-profile", not too deep. The clearance above the front wheels is pretty small, and the back looks OK too... there has to be room for some suspension flex, after all!

 

bestest,

M.

[lanesteele240]

The paint came out boss. It kinda looks mirror with the outside light

[lanesteele240]

The paint came out boss. It kinda looks mirror with the outside light

[Kennyboy]

I am a resident Ferrari lover and this is just a beautiful job. Love the Abu Dhabi blue!

[Matt Bacon]

Thanks, lads!

 

 

Lots of work on the interior this weekend:

 

 

The red is Zero's Rosso Scuderia, and the various shades of "black" are Vallejo German Grey and Black, and Citadel "Charandon Granite". If you look hard there is a "carbon driver zone", and the "bridge" is carbon effect, but it's not really showing up in these pictures. Natural daylight needed, I think.

 

 

The dash is detail painted with various Citadel colours, and finished with the kit decals -- very nice. The seat backs are carbon effect, but the combination of out-of focus and overexposed in this shot is killing it!

 

 

I wanted to put this one in, because I'm sure there are/will be lots of complaints about Fujimi moulding the pedals as part of the tub, unlike Revell's typical separate parts. It's dark down there, and this is a pretty close-up shot, and I really don't think it will be too obvious. I painted the whole thing carpet colour, and then outlined the pedal in black, which I blended by drybrushing into the carpet colour. Then, I painted the pedal in bright silver. I bet even with the door open it'll be hard to spot, and with them closed....

 

 

The engine is nicely under way, with some detail painting left to do.

 

 

...and this is where we are at tonight. The Cavalleria is now on the grille along with a few other details, and the glasshouse is painted, of which more tomorrow...

 

bestest,

M.

[jrherald420]

Well that's it, I want one now!! lol

[lanesteele240]

Keep it up. Cant wait to see some more

[Paul H]

Looking great!  Fantastic colour choice too - dark blue metallic seems to suit many recent Ferraris so much better than the stereotypical red.

 

 

I wanted to put this one in, because I'm sure there are/will be lots of complaints about Fujimi moulding the pedals as part of the tub, unlike Revell's typical separate parts. It's dark down there, and this is a pretty close-up shot, and I really don't think it will be too obvious. I painted the whole thing carpet colour, and then outlined the pedal in black, which I blended by drybrushing into the carpet colour. Then, I painted the pedal in bright silver. I bet even with the door open it'll be hard to spot, and with them closed....

 

Exactly - whilst detail is nice, it is often a pity when it can't be seen later, and from what I've seen, this kit seems to tread a very fine balance between keeping assembly & parts count as simple as possible, but whilst still looking detailed after assembly.  Talking of which, can't wait to see the rest of this build