Ferrari Enzo - Tamiya - 1/24

[The Creative Explorer]

Back in 2006 I bought this Enzo kit for a bargain on my vacation in Luxembourg. I kept myself saying that I would start building this one, till I was ready for it. I kept stalling and kept saying to myself that I need to build first this kit and then that kit and it kept going on.

But this last sunday I got some motivation and grew some cohoney's to start on it. What I want is to give myself in this kit, my full 100% without shortcuts. I always have stuff done on a build that is not to my satisfactory and I want to eliminate that element. So I will only work on this car when I want to, when I have the right motivation to build beyond my limits.

And so I started today, Basically the only thing I could do was glueing the engineparts together and cleaned up the left-exhaust. cost me 3-4 hours on just those few parts.

The bos:

Some of the extra parts I am going to use, I will use more aftermarket stuff, but that will appear later on.

The first parts of the engine doesnt need a whole lot of detailling other than adding the sand-texture.

I will sand off the detail on the backside and add a piece of wire.

Here I cut out a tube that was molded in, but didn't show up realistically, so I cut it out and will replace it with tubing.

The parts of the left-exhaust.

Edited April 5, 2011 by The Creative Explorer

[The Creative Explorer]

Because of some hard edges, I threw the parts in bleach and have the freedom to work with it.

In the upper connor was a bit of extra plastic molded-in, I cancelled that and filled it smooth.

The rear-axle will be replaced as well, this is the standard part....

...Which is going to be replaced with a piece of tubing and a turned metal part.

[vizio93]

Looks like a good start Erik !!! Those PE parts will look really good on it

[Chillyb1]

This will be a fun build to watch. However, Erik, what has happened to the Citroen DS?

By the way, you have excellent taste in your model subjects: I'm also working on a Heller DS and have just pulled out a Tamiya Enzo to get that underway!

Can't wait to see more.

[The Creative Explorer]

Thanks guys, appreciated

@Curtis, I work on and off with it, it is just such a pain in the derriere, seriously. It is by far the worst kit I've ever seen and worked on. My window-sills keep breaking and so it's been laying around again. But don't worry, I will finish that sucker.

Since my HDD crashed yesterday and I've been working basically non-stop on it to see what I can rescue from it, I worked a little bit in photoshop to see what I could do for a paintjob. Everybody that knows me a little, does know that I just can't paint a normal paintjob.

With this one, I tried to capture some old racing livery's from the 250-twelve cilinders,

[Nate]

I like the 2 black ones and the second one from the top.

[Raul_Perez]

I have got to spend more time learning how to use PhotoShop!! After I spend more time finishing kits I've already started, playing my new guitar, setting up my new amplifier, getting back into building WWII dioramas, building my next N gauge layout...

Great work!! I like all of the versions you created!!

Thanks for sharing,

[The Creative Explorer]

Thanks guys, At this point, I am leaning towards 1, but I am waiting for the ordered paints to see how the colors will match.

@Raul; I only know a few basics in photoshop and in some cases it helps me visualise something. I have a pretty good imaginary mind, but sometimes this helps me compare a few possibilities and give me insight on how a change might look.

It is a nice tool, but one that is not needed for modelling per se.

Dilemma,

I was researching for the engine, I basically had it ready for primering, and wanted to know how bad the sandcast effect was. But I stumpled accross this picture:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/I53WEruup7Bv-3oGr_vEhA

When you then look at the Tamiya Enzo Engine, you just see it is not correct. Pay attention to the tubes that comes down from the airbox to the engine. In the Tamiya kit, they are 12 straight pipes with a seem halfway. When comparing it to the real deal, you see pipes that come down, they are wider and they bent at the engine half.

So I don't know what to do. The work that needs to be done is quite a handfull, but I can handle that, the biggest problem is that I am not good at consisted scratch-building and since I need to destruct the intake first, before I can make something nice out of it; I am affraid to ruin it.

So, if I just continue, I know I will have a incorrect Enzo, but working on the problem and fix, might make things worse.

However, When I was typing this, a 3rd and more appealing option came upon me, I can also fix the first and maybe second row of intake pipes, therefore not a whole lot of tearing down is needed, and the other rows are not visible anyway, Sounds more appealing.

Edited September 18, 2010 by Erik Olijnsma

[The Creative Explorer]

Finally; after a long time since my HDD crash I can give a update, be aware that it is a huge one!

The exuasts are glued together and been sanded, you can see a seem on the catalyst, but it should be there, so I left it and not overdo the sanding.

A bit of filler too smooth things out.

At the front of the engine, on the banana, I drilled a hole and will put a sensor in there after painting.

I am using PE brakes and use a metal rod for centering

The parts of one of the rear-brakes. One thing I really like is that the middle part is just thick PE, so I dont need to bent all the vents.

A dryfit to see if there are any mistakes, looking for overall fit and it helps me visualize a paintjob.

[The Creative Explorer]

Basically all the body-parts, such a refreshment after all those body's in one piece.

All of the parts had some problems with irregularity, so a bit of sanding is needed.

A 4-way file is just so perfect for these jobs.

Even the small roof had those problems.

On the inside of the fender was a big diagonal seem, it is basically not visible when the engine is in the car, but I want to have it smooth anyway.

The door with the same problem

Not anymore ;-)

[The Creative Explorer]

I also mounted the door-panels, I've seen a few Tamiya Enzo's that had the whole doorpanel in carbon, but this is incorrect, the lower part should be body-color

Filled a few pressureholes

I got rid of the molded-in mesh and will replace it with PE

BEfore and after.

The first round of primer

And the first parts in primer

Still working on the fenders, you can see the diagonal line and how it is filled and smoothened out.

The whole between the doorpanel and the door is filled, because the lower part is body-color; it needs to be smooth

These 2 towers will be replaced with PE

Then came the Proxxon and behold: result!

[The Creative Explorer]

On the left you see a treatment with the 4-way file and on the right the rough product made with the proxxon.

Fill.....

Even de rear-hatch had measels...I mean holes

Looks like a red mushroom with white dots.

Filling the engine.

When you look closely, you see a box molded-in, this didnt look all that realistic and I removed it with the proxxon.

Both sides has such a box (computer)

Edited September 19, 2010 by Erik Olijnsma

[The Creative Explorer]

And filling again

The before mentioned inlet-manifold, it just doesnt look right

With the multitool and a small drill, carefully got rid of the first 2 tubes and it's base.

En because it was difficult working on it, I got rid of the top part. Making things easier.

Filling the bottomside first

Then the top

[The Creative Explorer]

Sanding smooth with my own designed tools, clever it it's simpelness and it works delightfull in tight places.

Finished the door for now

The top part is finished smooth too, a good base to start on.

It might be hard to see, but I used a stainless steel rod beneath the original tube, this time it is curved and heads for the sloped bank. This is just the first step, next step will be cutting in halve, so I can make a base on the banks.

[David G.]

That is an awesome ammount of work, I can't wait to see the finished product.

[davyou5]

Whew! I don't know how you have the patience for that! Seems like the kit is more trouble than what it is worth, But I think you will do this kit justice! I can't wait to see more .

[MILD]

Great work so far and terrific thread. I love seeing the amount of effort some of you guys put in and the warts and all pics really show what it takes to get high level results. Amazing.

And I love your sanding sticks. I am stealing that idea!

[vaughn]

Thats alot of work but I am sure the end results will be outstanding. Can not wait for the finished product. Good stuff man.

Edited October 9, 2010 by vaughn

[The Creative Explorer]

Thanks guys! Much appreciated.

After a long time and some projects, I've found the right motivation to work on this project again. Since it is a high-demanding project, it is hard to keep the right motivation, then I put the kit aside and let it sit, so I won't force the build.

I did some testfitting of the bodypanels,

And dryfitted the engine, just to see how it would look and what was needed to be improved.

Work continued on the intake manifold, it was a delicate and long process to make it look close to the original. When the engine is back in the car, little will be seen, but at least I did it.

[The Creative Explorer]

The subframe had many sinkholes, not really the best effort of Tamiya, some sinkholes are hardly reachable, a challenge on it's own

I had the simple SMS detailset, meaning that I had to provide my own calipers. I cut up the original discs and used those calipers. Especially the handbrake caliper was difficult to make it fit. It is a very fiddly part.

I installed the intake manifold, so I can make it flush with the engine, then it will be ready for primer.

Different angle

I drilled holes on the valve-covers, some wiring will be installed later on

And the subframe again, the longer I looked at it, the more wrong it looked in the middle. There is hardly any referencematerial to be found on this part, so I used my knowledge and filled up that gap. It doesnt make sense to have a gap there.

[gunner]

Fantastic attention to detail! I have the Revell Enzo kit so it will be interesting to see the differences. You are truly a Master.

[The Creative Explorer]

Thanks guys for the comments!

I will do an update of recent days, but man, I make a lot of pictures. SORRY!

The subframe was also sanded and painted gunmetal

The engine was painted and here I tried the effect of sand molds to reproduce. On the picture is not very clear to see, but it has certainly worked. I am in that regard are very satisfied

Here the effect is somewhat easier to see, do not forget that the Tamiya parts were completely smooth

I removed the reaction rods, I found it a little too fake

The front was painted aluminum

The engine mounts and arms are satinblack with carbon. Also, the new reaction rods can be seen here

A close-up

And a different angle

The supports for the reaction bars are painted gold, I think that is very similar.

[The Creative Explorer]

The side of the gearbox, wasn't that good, I'm will try to make something different

As with the pulleys and belt

Just a reference photo for myself, so I can glue the pulleys in the right spot

And two photographs to see how much space I have between the engine and bulkhead

Not so much

Preview of the suspension

The belt removed

A number of pulleys will be replaced by metal ones

And here I start with a piece of tin, to make the sidepanel of the gearbox

[The Creative Explorer]

First I created a template with tamiyatape

And then pasted on the tin and cut out.

Then with a centeringhole and a few screw holes, to give some realism

The generator was equipped with a PE fan and pulley

In the meantime I'm also working with filler, to fix the sinkmarks of the monocoque

You need to have another look, but right above the alternator, I have a sensor in the 'tube' installed, this will be later wired

The mounting rings for the drive shafts are fitted

And the monocoque has been a first primer, to detect flaws

Edited March 29, 2011 by The Creative Explorer

[The Creative Explorer]

Oops so, we continue sanding

This net was not very convincing, so I got rid of it

And in reference to the form later

From my reference photos showed that there is no seam in the tunnel, So I glued the innerpart already in. It should come in later, but now I can fix that seam and make it look better

This is more visible

The firewall has been installed already too, again to fix the seams.

Only I have this sink marks overlooked, we will solve that.