Airtrax 1/24 Ferrari 330 GTC - The Beauty and the Beast

[Italianhorses]

22 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

You made good progress!  Since you are making the parcel shelf, be sure you have the differential mocked up in the chassis first, I made a mistake when I did the NART trunk floor.

You mean transaxle, right?

Good call, I didn't' even think of that.

[PappyD340]

Looking great so far, keep it going!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

You made a fantastic job with the brass hood and the hinge Alex!  I do appreciate your honest and impartial comments about the resin overall quality of that Air-Trax kit and pics tell all!  I tried a couple of times working with resin kits but it end-up all the time that I spent more time inside the body shell trying to thin walls than working anywhere else on the body so I finally give-up!  It's sad because most of the resin subjects are the rarest and most interesting ones!  Courage, you made some great progress so far sir!

[Codi]

Super slick job on the hood Alex.  Will certainly follow along as well.  cheers, tim

[Italianhorses]

On 5/21/2020 at 10:38 AM, PappyD340 said:

Looking great so far, keep it going!

Thank you!

On 5/21/2020 at 3:19 PM, AmericanMuscleFan said:

You made a fantastic job with the brass hood and the hinge Alex!  I do appreciate your honest and impartial comments about the resin overall quality of that Air-Trax kit and pics tell all!  I tried a couple of times working with resin kits but it end-up all the time that I spent more time inside the body shell trying to thin walls than working anywhere else on the body so I finally give-up!  It's sad because most of the resin subjects are the rarest and most interesting ones!  Courage, you made some great progress so far sir!

Much appreciated! Yes, some resin kits are a chore to build! This one is one of those. There are some great resin kits though, some are even better moulded than plastic injected kits are!

10 hours ago, Codi said:

Super slick job on the hood Alex.  Will certainly follow along as well.  cheers, tim

Thank you, will have an update soon!

[Italianhorses]

Next phase was making sure interior parts fit the body and the chassis. Made the interior piece straight by boiling it in water:

IMG_1570 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Also bent the front body piece to correct curve:

IMG_1569 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Fixed the chassis to the body, I started fitting interior elements:

IMG_1564 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_1565 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Dashboard is not poured all the way, and had a huge hole in it. 

IMG_1567 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

You think this will be noticeable on the completed model? Really Airtrax?

IMG_1563 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Or maybe this gap in the back? How can you make a kit where parts don't fit to each other THAT bad?

IMG_1562 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Filled the gap with some putty:

IMG_1571 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Before I could fill the dash, decided to fit the firewall - used modified piece from Italeri kit. 

IMG_1574 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_1573 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Still lots to do before I can even call this a kit!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

38 minutes ago, Italianhorses said:

Or maybe this gap in the back? How can you make a kit where parts don't fit to each other THAT bad?    Filled the gap with some putty:

We cannot say that you're not dedicated to this build Alex, your a courageous man for sure but great job by the way!

Sorry for the potentially dumb question but I wondering to know if a strip of Evergreen styrene glued in place with Cyanoacrylate or Epoxy would have been a good option to fix that enormous gap?  I don't usually work with resin kits, but your obvious experience led you to use putty, so your advice on this technique would be greatly appreciated if I decided to build one and faced this kind of problem.

[89AKurt]

15 minutes ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

[...]

Sorry for the potentially dumb question but I wondering to know if a strip of Evergreen styrene glued in place with Cyanoacrylate or Epoxy would have been a good option to fix that enormous gap?  I don't usually work with resin kits, but your obvious experience led you to use putty, so your advice on this technique would be greatly appreciated if I decided to build one and faced this kind of problem.

Not a dumb question, I was going to ask what putty is being used.  Cutting and shaping styrene takes more time than putty, and you still have to shape to blend in anyway.

This is one of those projects where you slip the chassis in and out about a hundred times.  So many of these parts are sort of set in place, are you adding locator tabs/pins/strips to help?

[Italianhorses]

23 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

We cannot say that you're not dedicated to this build Alex, your a courageous man for sure but great job by the way!

Sorry for the potentially dumb question but I wondering to know if a strip of Evergreen styrene glued in place with Cyanoacrylate or Epoxy would have been a good option to fix that enormous gap?  I don't usually work with resin kits, but your obvious experience led you to use putty, so your advice on this technique would be greatly appreciated if I decided to build one and faced this kind of problem.

Thanks!

Using putty because it will be stronger, it bonds better to resin than glue would, and mostly, because I can press the part together and make an indent on the putty that would be a perfect fit once it cures. Its just easier and quicker.

23 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Not a dumb question, I was going to ask what putty is being used.  Cutting and shaping styrene takes more time than putty, and you still have to shape to blend in anyway.

This is one of those projects where you slip the chassis in and out about a hundred times.  So many of these parts are sort of set in place, are you adding locator tabs/pins/strips to help?

So true about test fitting everything a thousand times... For now I'm assembling everything on tape and tack glue, but eventually I will be adding locator pins and possibly magnets.

[Dann Tier]

Looking GREAT!!...all this work will be WELL worth it, bud!!! -you know it

[warra48]

Love this. Great work!

 

[keyser]

Kurt did great tool roll for his NART. I was looking for something today, found tool roll for 330/365. Pretty much what is in Fujimi Daytona +/-. Don't know plans, but figured I get a photo ref for you. Hard to see laid out properly. 

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/es20/the-european-sale-featuring-the-petitjean-collection/lots/n0011-ferrari-330365-tool-kit-and-jack/892995

19 hours left, current bid is $9120 USD/8000Euro. I'd think close will be 11.5-12k  Some good buys in this auction thus far. 

Edited June 10, 2020 by keyser

[89AKurt]

2 minutes ago, keyser said:

Kurt did great tool roll for his NART. I was looking for something today, found tool roll for 330/365. Pretty much what is in Fujimi Daytona +/-. Don't know plans, but figured I get a photo ref for you. Hard to see laid out properly. 

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/es20/the-european-sale-featuring-the-petitjean-collection/lots/n0011-ferrari-330365-tool-kit-and-jack/892995

That is a much smaller set than the Daytona or 275.  But let him get the car done before adding such insane detail (yes I'm insane ?).  The trunk also needs to be opened.

[keyser]

30 minutes ago, 89AKurt said:

That is a much smaller set than the Daytona or 275.  But let him get the car done before adding such insane detail (yes I'm insane ?).  The trunk also needs to be opened.

Yeah. 275 set on there, I was going to send to you. Check the link, look at lots. 037, 600 Pullman, ok 330GTC, and tons. Closing today and tomorrow. Stuff cheap at moment, last couple minutes I suspect snipers

[89AKurt]

Well?  We're waiting!  ?  I found a source for this transkit, so will have to remember to come back for instructions.

[Bainford]

Great project. Very nice work. I hope this one is still on the bench. 

[Italianhorses]

9 hours ago, Bainford said:

Great project. Very nice work. I hope this one is still on the bench. 

It is. Been working weekends and 12 hour days for the past 3 months to close out the year. Just no time to do anything else!

[absmiami]

Just a thought - when you find time for the important stuff -  make a brass trunk lid ...  for your next tool roll ...  ...

[89AKurt]

1 hour ago, absmiami said:

Just a thought - when you find time for the important stuff -  make a brass trunk lid ...  for your next tool roll ...  ...

I missed that.... ?

[Italianhorses]

On 1/2/2021 at 11:28 AM, 89AKurt said:

I missed that.... ?

Nice! Is this 24th scale?

[89AKurt]

1 hour ago, Italianhorses said:

Nice! Is this 24th scale?

Yes, basic parts came from the Fujimi Daytona, I made several tools during my NART project.

Back to your topic, I ordered one of these this week!  I have an Italeri 250 SWB that is missing the chrome tree and horrible tires, and the interior "tub" over the rear wheels, so it could work as the donor chassis.  I really need you to make all the mistakes of conversion, so I won't.  ?

This transkit will allow me to go banshee on several projects.  Now with the left-over SWB body, I can cut the roof and put on the Testarossa to do what master model builder David Cummins had drawn.  Then I could do a 250 SWS (Spyder) resto-rod.  Anyway, sorry to hijack your topic.

[Italianhorses]

On 1/6/2021 at 12:15 AM, 89AKurt said:

Yes, basic parts came from the Fujimi Daytona, I made several tools during my NART project.

Back to your topic, I ordered one of these this week!  I have an Italeri 250 SWB that is missing the chrome tree and horrible tires, and the interior "tub" over the rear wheels, so it could work as the donor chassis.  I really need you to make all the mistakes of conversion, so I won't.  ?

This transkit will allow me to go banshee on several projects.  Now with the left-over SWB body, I can cut the roof and put on the Testarossa to do what master model builder David Cummins had drawn.  Then I could do a 250 SWS (Spyder) resto-rod.  Anyway, sorry to hijack your topic.

Haha, that actually looks pretty cool. I believe the back of the car on the drawing is not an SWB, more like 250 TdF Berlinetta, but SWB would still work!

I have not touched models since summer. No time, sorry

[89AKurt]

2 hours ago, Italianhorses said:

Haha, that actually looks pretty cool. I believe the back of the car on the drawing is not an SWB, more like 250 TdF Berlinetta, but SWB would still work!

I have not touched models since summer. No time, sorry

Correct, the taillights are 1958 Tour De France, which should be easy enough scratch-build.

My Air Trax kit is in transit at the moment.

[89AKurt]

Received my copy today.  Now I see why you made the hood.  😳

 

[MrObsessive]

Alex, all I can say is WOW! 👍

VERY ambitious project you've taken on and I'll have to echo some of your sentiments about the quality of the kit. It wasn't this one I have, but another one I got a while back that was let's say..........less than stellar.

Keep up the great work! I'm sure it'll be a sure fire knockout when done and it's yet another Ferrari model that's been very overlooked over the years.