Fugimi Lamborghini Countache 5000 qv: WIP

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

I've finished with The Mummy Machine so it's time for the next project, something a little more conventional. "Conventional" being a relative term.

This is the Lamborghini Countache 5000 quattrovalvoli kit by Fujimi. I've always wanted to build one of these. Well, it's more accurate to say that I've always wanted to own one of these cars but since that that is unlikely to happen, I'll have to settle for building and owning a model of one.

 

This is where the love affair first started. Well, sort of. I remember first learning of the car when I was about eleven ot twelve years old. I saw a photo of one on a magazine cover at a local supermarket and I was immediately smitten. Sometime in 1985 I purchased this poster in a bookstore and I've kept it for these past 37 years, still (mostly) in the original shrink wrap. This is the inspiration for the model kit I'm about to start building.

 

 

Fujimi did a beautiful job with the metalized finish on the wheels. They're a good representation of cast aluminum ones that can be seen on most of the real cars. It's almost a shame to strip them for repainting but I want the wheels on this build to be white like the ones on the poster.

 

 

Here are the wheels repainted to match the ones on the poster.

 

As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to comment.

David G.

[slusher]

I remember one in white in a couple of episodes of Miami Vice. I can’t remember if it had white wheels 🛞. I like the white wheels and your poster…

[FLHCAHZ]

This car is truely an icon.  Cant wait to see what you do with it.

[David G.]

19 hours ago, slusher said:

I remember one in white in a couple of episodes of Miami Vice. I can’t remember if it had white wheels 🛞. I like the white wheels and your poster…

Thanks Carl. I never watched Miami Vice so I didn't see the one you're referring to.

5 minutes ago, FLHCAHZ said:

This car is truely an icon.  Cant wait to see what you do with it.

Thanks Chaz, I plan on keeping it simple on this one. It's a pretty straight foreword kit, nothing tricky or fancy. It should build up quite nicely.

David G.

[dwc43]

20 hours ago, slusher said:

I remember one in white in a couple of episodes of Miami Vice. I can’t remember if it had white wheels 🛞. I like the white wheels and your poster…

White wheels.     

 

   

[iamsuperdan]

Whoa. I had that same poster on my wall! I thought that front wing was just so cool.

 

I see Gallardos and Huracans quite often, but none make me stop and stare like a Countach.

 

Looking forward to seeing more!

 

[gotnitro?]

Nothing more beautiful than a Countach growing up 

My dad still has my poster above his toolbox 

[slusher]

16 hours ago, dwc43 said:

White wheels.     

 

   

Thanks buddy, those was a couple of good episodes. I would have liked to see. It against the Testarosa..

[David G.]

20 hours ago, iamsuperdan said:

Whoa. I had that same poster on my wall! I thought that front wing was just so cool.

 

I see Gallardos and Huracans quite often, but none make me stop and stare like a Countach.

 

Looking forward to seeing more!

 

Thanks Dan. I know that there must have been more than one of these posters made but I have yet to see one. Even searching online.

20 hours ago, gotnitro? said:

Nothing more beautiful than a Countach growing up 

My dad still has my poster above his toolbox 

Agreed!

David G.

[dwc43]

7 hours ago, slusher said:

Thanks buddy, those was a couple of good episodes. I would have liked to see. It against the Testarosa..

Ask and you shall receive. lol   

 

[iamsuperdan]

3 hours ago, David G. said:

Thanks Dan. I know that there must have been more than one of these posters made but I have yet to see one. Even searching online.

 

I recognized the design instantly. The white border around the picture, the location and font used underneath. There was a whole series of these made, and IO remember seeing them in auto parts stores and I believe in bookstores too. I had the Lambo and a Porsche 911 slantnose.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

One of the first steps building this kit is assembling the front suspension. I had some difficulty getting part A-6 to align properly with the chassis plate.

 

The two side supports toward the rear of the car wanted to spread apart preventing them from seating properly on the chassis plate. I ended up using a wire tie to squeeze them together a bit and hold them until the adhesive cured. Just one of those things to be aware of if you find yourself building one of these kits.

 

As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to comment.

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

After body prep and clean up, I applied some Tamiya Panel Line Accent wash to darken the panel lines a bit. I do this before and after priming and usually at least once after the first color coat. I find that this method creates a more subtle shadow. I'll clean up the blobs with some mineral spirits on a cotton bud or two.

 

Here's our first official test fit of the body and chassis along with some of the other body bits. It actually took me a couple days of thinking things over to work out the best way to mate them up without damage. 

Also notice that the blobs are gone!

 

That's all for now. As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to comment.

David G.

[gotnitro?]

Great idea pre shading the panel lines. Subtle color shifts make these stand out 

Keep up the progress..love watching a Countach being born

[FLHCAHZ]

The panel lines look great

[David G.]

21 hours ago, gotnitro? said:

Great idea pre shading the panel lines. Subtle color shifts make these stand out 

Keep up the progress..love watching a Countach being born

Thank you Jeff.

25 minutes ago, FLHCAHZ said:

The panel lines look great

Thanks Chaz.

David G.

[dino246gt]

I got this far on mine, rear suspension really tried my patience, put it back in the box. Lovely car though! Hope you'll be able to get it together without major issues. Cheers!

[David G.]

21 hours ago, dino246gt said:

I got this far on mine, rear suspension really tried my patience, put it back in the box. Lovely car though! Hope you'll be able to get it together without major issues. Cheers!

You may not have finished the car Dennis but it looks like you ended up with a pretty good diorama!

Mine's not nearly as complex of a kit, just a curbside with poseable steering and opening doors.

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

Here's another test fit with the interior tub in place. Though it can't be seen here, I've painted the inner body shell with flat black and Tamiya TS-46 Light Sand. Light Sand will be the primary interior color.

 

It looks like the rear deck lid will need a little adjusting to obtain a proper fit. It's hinged so it can be opened which is strange for a curbside kit. I'll probably just glue it down during final assembly.

 

That's all for now. As always, thanks for taking the time to look and please feel free to post your comments.

David G.

[slusher]

Tamiya Light Sand will make a great interior color. I have used it..

[89AKurt]

I didn't have that poster, but a black one with gold wheels, and a neeked blond on the hood.  I have the 1/16 kit, and 3 other versions in 1/24.  Look forward to using this for guidance in the future.  You going to add the bumper wing?

[David G.]

23 hours ago, slusher said:

Tamiya Light Sand will make a great interior color. I have used it..

I have too Carl, it's a good interior color.

7 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

I didn't have that poster, but a black one with gold wheels, and a neeked blond on the hood.  I have the 1/16 kit, and 3 other versions in 1/24.  Look forward to using this for guidance in the future.  You going to add the bumper wing?

Thanks for your comment Kurt. This kit doesn't provide the front wing but there is a rear spoiler option in the kit which I will be adding.

I thought about building a nose wing for it but in my research I learned that it was most likely a dealer add-on meant to sidestep bumper height requirements in certain US states. I decided not to go to the trouble of building and adding a non-standard accessory. 

That, and recently I've begun to see the nose wing as superfluous and clunky. It kind of disrupts the visual flow of the car's lines.

David G.

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

The body prep is mostly done. There wasn't much to do which is surprising considering the age of this kit.

So now, on to the interior.

Here are the basic interior colors, Tamiya TS-46 Light Sand and Tamiya XF-52 Flat Earth for the carpet. The seats are currently in primer with some basic shading applied. They'll eventually be painted Light Sand.

 

I got some embossing powder on the floor to add some texture for the carpet. I'll give it a day to dry then spray some Dull Coat and follow up with Tamiya XF-52 Flat Earth.

 

That's all for now Folks! As always, thanks for looking and all comments are appreciated.

David G.

 

[David G.]

Hello Everybody!

I really enjoy working with this kit, it's well engineered and builds rather quickly. I'm also impressed with the quality of the castings. I'm finding very little flash or any of the other problems often associated with an older kit.

The seats and carpet are painted. It looks like a little touch-up may be needed around the carpet edges and another few dabs on the carpet. Embossing powder seems to act a little weird with brush paint.

 

 

 

Here is the nearly completed dashboard with the acetate cover in place. It's one of those little details that may not be directly noticed but will contribute to the overall impression of detail and completion.

 

That's all I have for now. As always, please like, comment and subscribe... Oops, wrong channel!  

But you get the idea.

Thanks,

David G.

[slusher]

Coming along very nicely, David very clean work also!