Italeri - Ferrari 275 GTS (Spyder N.A.R.T.)

[89AKurt]

Ferrari 275 GTS by Italeri, labeled as the Spyder N.A.R.T.   I got this years ago at a local r/c hobby shop that didn't last long, for about $15, I didn't have to think twice about it.  Even though I have three WIP started last century, this has been staring at me from the stash.  It has got to be the sexiest Ferrari, close second is the 250 GTO which was vying for my attention.

My plan is to improve a few things, not go overboard (famous last words).  First to go are the horrid truck tires, have a decent set from the horrid Aoshima VW Beetle kit that fit the nice wire wheels, are lower profile and most likely wider than correct, but looks much better.  The windshield frame has a broken post, so will embed a steel wire, in both, to make stronger and give a chance of adjustment if required.  Looks easy to make the wheels steerable.  The headlights are a pet peeve, the center pin in the lens and flat reflector are getting fixed (taillights are similar but just the pin removal should work).  I'm seriously thinking of opening the doors, will add steel plates to the chassis and sill before cutting, the door panels are separate so it begs to be done.  Plug wires and radiator hoses will *have to* be added.  I've collected some cool aftermarket emblems and parts over the years, so even though the decals are nice, that's a *have to*.  Have the pearl dark red nail 'polish' picked out.  If I'm feeling really ambitious, will vacuum form headlight covers.

Started today with the basic assembly of the engine and transaxle, suspension, and other things that are two parts.  It's decent quality, needs some mold line scraping, a few parts have flashing, but parts fit really well.  I used Testors tube and Flex-i-file liquid glue for steps so far, exception is the rear body where the beautiful spoiler lip could be melted, so used superglue.  Also used Squadron putty to fill minor ejection pin marks.

Need to think about stance, lowering just 1 mm would help.

[DukeE]

Great kit. It is not a 275 GTS. It's a 275 GTB/4 that Chinetti/North American Racing Team had Scaglietti build 10 Spiders. 275 GTS/4 not really used for these.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_275#275_GTS/4_NART_Spyder Tons of great ref pics I'm sure you have. A couple of very succesful race cars in the bunch. 

Barchetta has full DB for all 10. http://www.barchetta.cc/All.Ferraris/by-serial-number/ferrari-by-serial-number/model-index-65-71/model-summary/275-gtb-4s-n.a.r.t.spyder-register/index.html

Build looks nice so far, wsf really fragile as you've found. Flat box doesn't help. 

BTW, only 2 were rosso chiaro (not corsa), 3 yellow (2 fly, one pale yellow), 3 Blu Sera, and 2 grey. 

Below is a 275 Spider for comparison, 2 cam only. Evolved into the 330GTS with nicer nose. 

Edited October 2, 2019 by DukeE

[beeRS]

A good start. This is a lovely kit, and you have a good plan there.

I have this Italery kit on my shelf too (but different box art), and its been calling to me too.

I love the idea of opening the doors, but it is a lot of work.

I'll be watching with interest.

[djflyer]

Its great to see one of these getting built - I may have to get going on mine (as well as the GTB I finally acquired).   Am planning to use the excellent Borrani alloy wheels and tires from HRM on the coupe - not sure about the Spyder, but you're right - those tires gotta go.

I really liked this color combination on the link posted by DukeE

Edited October 3, 2019 by djflyer

[89AKurt]

23 hours ago, DukeE said:

Great kit. It is not a 275 GTS. It's a 275 GTB/4 that Chinetti/North American Racing Team had Scaglietti build 10 Spiders. 275 GTS/4 not really used for these.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_275#275_GTS/4_NART_Spyder Tons of great ref pics I'm sure you have. A couple of very succesful race cars in the bunch. 

Barchetta has full DB for all 10. http://www.barchetta.cc/All.Ferraris/by-serial-number/ferrari-by-serial-number/model-index-65-71/model-summary/275-gtb-4s-n.a.r.t.spyder-register/index.html  *

Build looks nice so far, wsf really fragile as you've found. Flat box doesn't help. 

BTW, only 2 were rosso chiaro (not corsa), 3 yellow (2 fly, one pale yellow), 3 Blu Sera, and 2 grey. 

Below is a 275 Spider for comparison, 2 cam only. Evolved into the 330GTS with nicer nose. 

* s/n 11057 looks very close to the nail polish that I was planning to use!  The picture above is actually a 330 GTS; I knew someone who had the GTC when I was a teenager, I begged him for a ride and finally got it, but it needed a tuneup and he was a bit embarrassed.  The taillights, side vents, and windshield rake are the most obvious clues.  Appreciate the links, bookmarked the Barchetta for future use.

1 hour ago, beeRS said:

A good start. This is a lovely kit, and you have a good plan there.

I have this Italery kit on my shelf too (but different box art), and its been calling to me too.

I love the idea of opening the doors, but it is a lot of work.

I'll be watching with interest.

Thank you.  Oh good, hope I inspired you. ?  I know about doors, agree, that's going to be decided later, for sure adding steel just for weight.  Last projects, Porndy, Mongrel, and some others were practice, still not perfect, but will see.

[89AKurt]

18 minutes ago, djflyer said:

Its great to see one of these getting built - I may have to get going on mine (as well as the GTB I finally acquired).   Am planning to use the excellent Borrani alloy wheels and tires from HRM on the coupe - not sure about the Spyder, but you're right - those tires gotta go.

I really liked this color combination on the link posted by DukeE

? You too?  Thanks for posting a link showing a picture, I should test the paint on different base coats.  I have the Hobby Design, and another brand (not home at the moment) aluminum rim/photo-etch wire wheels, you guys are prompting me to consider using them, but have several other kits that are the target projects.

Edited October 3, 2019 by 89AKurt

[djflyer]

10 minutes ago, 89AKurt said:

? You too?  Thanks for posting a link showing a picture, I should test the paint on different base coats.  I have the Hobby Design, and another brand (not home at the moment) aluminum rim/photo-etch wire wheels, you guys are prompting me to consider using them, but have several other kits that are the target projects.

If not those then HRM has a very nice set of Borrani wires, and then there's the 3D printed ones from Model Builders Warehouse that are fantastic.

[Dann Tier]

I will be watching this beauty!!!....its one of my favorite box arts as well.

[Justin Porter]

Just like classic Ferraris themselves, classic Ferrari kits are meant to be driven/built and it's so good to see a kit so often regarded as untouchable getting built!

[DukeE]

Glad links helped. NART's are amazing cars, pretty fun histories. 

Norm has the correct mags for the NART and 4-cam B's. Square (trapezoidal) holes with knockoffs. NARTs ran with those too. GTO tire sets probably work using just fronts, or asking to buy 2 pair of fronts. FPPM has some that'll work. 

The nero 275GTS in above post is #8621, second from last 275 GTS. It has different side vents than early GTS in series. Rear nearly identical to 330, but front bumper on 275 is lower, really doesn't wrap around much. If you look, the 275 bumper ends below the knockoff, the 330 ends above the knockoff, even if you can't see the front end. Here's front view.

 

Here's 10703 below, a 330 GTS, unrestored sub-30k mile car. Borrani style correct for California thru Daytona. 

Edited October 3, 2019 by DukeE

[89AKurt]

12 hours ago, Dann Tier said:

I will be watching this beauty!!!....its one of my favorite box arts as well.

Glad to have you hang out!

11 hours ago, Justin Porter said:

Just like classic Ferraris themselves, classic Ferrari kits are meant to be driven/built and it's so good to see a kit so often regarded as untouchable getting built!

I'm done with trying to be a collector.  It's much like having a trailer queen, roll off for a car show, be paranoid about people touching it, see a rain cloud and evacuate like a hurricane is going to blow in.

4 hours ago, DukeE said:

Glad links helped. NART's are amazing cars, pretty fun histories. 

Norm has the correct mags for the NART and 4-cam B's. Square (trapezoidal) holes with knockoffs. NARTs ran with those too. GTO tire sets probably work using just fronts, or asking to buy 2 pair of fronts. FPPM has some that'll work. 

[...]

Replicas & Miniatures of MD Norm?  Used his interior parts for the California (?icon picture).  I have his V12 kit, that would take a year in itself.  FPPM?  *edit* Historic Racing Miniatures is the marketed wheels.  I'm not doing this since the car I chose has wire wheels.

I've been working on removing ejection pin marks, and putty filling all sink holes that I find.

Edited October 4, 2019 by 89AKurt

[djflyer]

This is the Model Builders Warehouse 3D printed wire wheel with a Fujimi Michelin XWX mounted.

[DukeE]

Great looking wires, outside laced though. Only  for fronts usually, NART has inside laced Borranis. They'd be perfect for Jags. RMCM has Dunlop wires off Tamiya Mk2 Jag that are great for E, 120 btw (sorry OT)

Yep, that Norm, RMCM. HRM is Harold Bradford aka Brad. FPPM is Fernando Pinto. Does amazing stuff. Crazycar19 on Bay, on FB too. Lots of Ferraris, LM and GP cars. 

Here's the diff between outside laced on front. and inside laced in back.

Edited October 4, 2019 by DukeE

[Funkychiken]

This is a beautiful Ferrari! 

[89AKurt]

On 10/4/2019 at 5:36 AM, DukeE said:

[...] FPPM is Fernando Pinto. Does amazing stuff. [...]

Yes he does!  I got his Auto Union kit with these amazing wire wheels.

2 hours ago, Funkychiken said:

This is a beautiful Ferrari! 

Sure is.

[djflyer]

These are the Fujimi 15" Borrani wire wheels with their Michelin tire mounted.  Not as good as the FPPM's for sure, but definitely better than the kit.

 

Edited October 5, 2019 by djflyer

[DukeE]

Those are really nice for this application. Wish they had 7.5 and 9" for the Daytona, but I'll take the 7.5" squares. Pinto's Auto Union is stellar. His kits are a cross between Paul Fisher's and a MFH is some ways, far easier to build. His LM winning Ferraris are great.

Hope Paul Fisher and Suzy are recovering from the Paradise fire. Total losses. 

No current Fcar is as pretty as the pre-78 stuff. Wish someone did good 512bb wheels. Family friend had 7.5 & 9's on his BB, other than broken spokes they looked awesome.

How's the NART coming? Sorry we strayed a bit, but I love this stuff, grew up with it.

Edited October 6, 2019 by DukeE

[89AKurt]

6 hours ago, djflyer said:

These are the Fujimi 15" Borrani wire wheels with their Michelin tire mounted.  Not as good as the FPPM's for sure, but definitely better than the kit.

Did you rob a Fujimi kit for the tires?  I have a few, but want to keep the kits together.

I've been filling every sink hole, and ejection pin hole that can be seen, with Squadron putty.  Scraped all parts of mold lines.  But the big thing was to fix the broken windshield post.  I'm figuring out where to add plastic, such as the tail end of the chassis pan, so there will be a positive match ledge, and not open air which could result in poor fitting body/chassis.  I would like to add screws too, don't like counting on massive gluing.  Even thinking of adding trunk floor, which is now a gapping hole above the transaxle.  I ought to open the trunk at this rate. ?

I used a #11 blade to scribe a kerf, then super-glued in a wire, with a bent leg going under the fender, with another bend, and then plastic over that.  I'm planning to do the other post too, this ain't breaking!  I have also scribed the doors about 95%, so I will glue the jambs to the body, not the interior tub as I've done on previous projects.

[djflyer]

Actually they came from the Fujimi Borrani 15" wire wheel set.  The box art is very deceiving as the tires you get are actually Michelin XWX and no where near as wide as it shows (the sidewall actually says 215/70-15)

[89AKurt]

53 minutes ago, djflyer said:

Actually they came from the Fujimi Borrani 15" wire wheel set.  The box art is very deceiving as the tires you get are actually Michelin XWX and no where near as wide as it shows (the sidewall actually says 215/70-15)

[...]

Just checked Hobby Search, not available.  But I found a screaming deal on eBay for $180, and these:

Edited October 6, 2019 by 89AKurt

[stitchdup]

Well at least the shipping is cheap. Enjoying watching you do your stuff to this

[djflyer]

8 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Just checked Hobby Search, not available.  But I found a screaming deal on eBay for $180, and these:
 

WOW. Glad I got mine before someone decided they were made of gold (or silver in this case).

[89AKurt]

More examples of get-it-when-you-see-it.  I looked for tan Zero-Design carpet, not available anywhere!  I've used the black, will *never* use flocking, I've not seen a good result yet using that stuff.  I have little left-over pieces of Detail Master now discontinued white paper-backed carpet, thinking of gluing together bigger pieces, or I have another option.....

[Rich Chernosky]

Will be  following this one fer sure.  A nice kit of one of the best looking Ferrari's

[89AKurt]

8 hours ago, Rich Chernosky said:

Will be  following this one fer sure.  A nice kit of one of the best looking Ferrari's

Thanks for riding along!

If I was the average model builder, or a kid just starting out, I would have had a cow when I fit the windshield in! ?  The problem with this kit, if any weight pushed the box down, it bent and/or broke the windshield frame.

Lucky to have a GTB kit, so I pulled it out, and saw the window fit fine.  That kit has a completely different window part, side windows are integral, in fact the driver window has a hole to look like it's half way down.

Then I got smart, and removed the vent wing parts, and saw how badly the rake was!  I had a feeling this would be the case, but not this bad.

I put a block of wood at the corner, then gradually bent the posts up until the vent windows showed the same rake.  The window fit really well, it's by friction in this picture. HUGE relief this is all it took.  I can bet many of these ended up in the junkyard.

Started adding sheet styrene to fill holes and gaps.  Might never see the bottom of the battery, but it's done. ?  Got the rear done.  I barely glue some parts together, such as the interior, so next step is to put the body on, and figure out steel bracing and door jamb.  I'm going to add styrene along the bottom of the windshield on the body, to help keep the glass in place, and fill the space so light won't shine through.  Found sink holes on some more parts to putty.  The firewall part needed to be cut and bent where the 4 louvers are (tweezers clamping).  I'm really wanting to open the trunk too, since the fuel filler is under the lid (can't clutter the beautiful body lines with an aluminum racing filler like the GTO ?), doing that hinge is going to be a trick, since it's not what we usually do for doors, thinking of using fusee watch chain with all but the operating hinge "pin" glued.  Maybe.....