Ferrari Daytona Spyder.

[davyou5]

Hello PPL,

I have been in the works now on the Miami Vice Ferrari Daytona Spyder, Revell's reissue kit. And speaking of Issues I have been having many of them with the inaccuracy on this kit. As I have been trying to build an accurate season episode version of the car, I will explain along with the photo's what I have done and what remains to be done.

Starting with my first issue, " The Seats"

The Seats on this kit are very inaccurate, and since I have literally destroyed the body on the first kit I purchased by using Laquer thinner after encountering orange peel, Bad Idea, and I am not using that stuff again. Anyway since I have had to order another kit, I had two seats, I cut the head rest on one, used testor's putty on the back side and place the head rest behind the seat I used, also with some extra added putty on the sides and front, and allot of Sanding later... I got the results (somewhat) that I am looking for... Well at least it's closer to the Seats on the show car.

Issue #2; Headlights.

Okay I have tried cutting away the Plastic covering were the Head lights are suppose to be transparent with a glass cover, Unfortunately I do not have the proper tools to cut the pieces off completely. So I am in the process of ether trying to find someone who would fabricate a decal for them, or I wait until I get the necessary tools and skill before attempting to cut them off and scratch build the lights onto it. Though I was told that Tamiya's Lambo Countach kit has and extra set I could modify...?????? Also I got the Ferrari Emblem from a Previous Testarossa kit that was not such a great build and slapped it on the this kit as it was missing from the Decal set, as you can see on the front.

The Wheels. ( not really an Issue ).

Revell's master modeler missed this one, I painted a little gold spot on the center of the wheels here ( as it was never shown on the Box Art). I also darkend the over all wheels abit as it was way to shiny. And also that's how they are shown on the TV Series.

Issue #3. Exhaust.

I was watching an episode one day to and looking straight at the Exhaust tips and Mufflers, I noticed that on this kit the exhaust system is off.... Way off!! With allot of Tweaking, Gluing, Heating, Bending, I got the Exhuast tips ether exactly the angle that they need to be.... or at least close to it. Originally for this kit the Exhaust system was made to go under the Suspention then come out straight.... which was wrong, When compared to the Episodes, the Exhaust tips come up at an angle and the mufflers are much closer to the suspention than Revell originally made. So you can see on the photo how I have had to modify the Exhaust system.

Issue #4 Dash and Center Console.

Nothing I can really do here, The whole interior is just inaccurate Period. I can paint every thing the colors needed but I don't have the skill just yet to modify the Dash and Center console the way it should be. I also add that the Steering Wheel is off too. But I do have an idea of what I am going to do to modify that.

Issue #5, Rear L & R Side Red Relfectors, or turn signals.. I can't tell which.

No Photo.... On the Rear sides, there is suppose to be a Red Reflector, It's shown on the Show Car, but not on this kit, I was thinking about using what little Chrome BMF I have at the moment and Painting them Amber Red, but cutting the the right size is going to be somewhat an issue. I do have other Decals I may be able to use and paint over.... Possibly????

There is still allot of work to do, Seats, I still have to work alittle more the Exhausts, and of course the BMF and some other things I do have in mind like Sun visors and such. Trying to get accurate detail on this kit is a very difficult task. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Thanks for looking.

[sjordan2]

Are the headlights really supposed to have transparent covers like the European Daytonas? I thought they were pop-up on the Miami Vice kit car (and I believe Ferrari eventually had to export pop-up light versions to the States to meet federal requirements).

Edited November 18, 2010 by sjordan2

[davyou5]

Are the headlights really supposed to have transparent covers like the European Daytonas? I thought they were pop-up on the Miami Vice kit car (and I believe Ferrari eventually had to export pop-up light versions to the States to meet federal requirements).

Yes on the TV show they did. Pictured below ( at least what I can find of it).

[crispy]

Their were a few of these cars used for filming(naturally) as was a Pantera camera car.

If you watch the pilot episode of Miami Vice you note that the Corvette based Daytona utilized pop up headlights. Later episodes had the clear covers over the lights due to laws.

Technically the Revell kit is based off the pilot episode and a Corvette. Hence the problems you are running into to.

Just build it the best you can and be happy. If you want to go MV route I'd suggest a Fujimi enthusiast kit.

Chris

[davyou5]

Their were a few of these cars used for filming(naturally) as was a Pantera camera car.

If you watch the pilot episode of Miami Vice you note that the Corvette based Daytona utilized pop up headlights. Later episodes had the clear covers over the lights due to laws.

Technically the Revell kit is based off the pilot episode and a Corvette. Hence the problems you are running into to.

Just build it the best you can and be happy. If you want to go MV route I'd suggest a Fujimi enthusiast kit.

Chris

I am seriously considering getting the Fujimi Entusiast kit, Thanks for the info . But for the moment I am enjoying this build, the kit itself is really easy to put together so I am not complaining about that. Enjoyed learning more about the skill it takes just to make something right . So though I find many inaccuracies, and I am in the process of fixing them, I will be happy to know that I am the one who built it, and close to accurate .

Edited November 18, 2010 by davyou5

[dwc43]

I have one of those kits to build too. I new it was a little off, but had no idea it was that far off. Here's a clip where you can clearly see the plexiglass going all the way across the nose of the car for the head light covers. It's about 2 min in and another shot towards the end of the clip too.

[davyou5]

Here's a link to my not-finished conversion of the Revell kit to be more like the TV car(s)

Accurate Daytona

The biggest problem you have is that Monogram kitted an ACCURATE body and interior of a real Ferrari Daytona from a car a local exotic dealer had in the Chicago area back when the kit was done.

Even my modification stop short of making a "perfect" replica because you'd have to find a way to put a Corvette windshield on the body...and no scale C3 Corvette kit comes close to the right size. Note how much flatter the Vette windshield is than the real Daytona or the Revell kit...

The seats that you modified still miss the mark. The reason is the TV car used re-covered C3 Corvette seats. You could source a set from a reissued Vette kit if you wanted it to be closer to the TV car. I actually think the 1/20 MPC seats are the correct size, so that's what I'm going to use. The 1/24 Monogram seats I planned to use were way too small.

One last thing is I think your bumper/grill part is on upside-down.

Hey Mark, that is one Accurate model you have got going on there, Tell me How Did you cut out the Pop Ups? All I have for now is an Exacto knife, for which I did cut one of the Pop ups but I could not cut it off compelety. Also from which kit did you use the modified Lamps from? or Would you have choosen something else? Thanks for Sharing that . I am in the process of searching for the C3 Corvette seats.

[crispy]

Mark, you have to finish that. The best one I have seen as far as a MV car goes.

Chris

[davyou5]

Oh, I will. I set it aside as I was having some paint curing issues on the trunk, and I wanted to let the paint fully gas out...then I kinda got distracted. That, and I ruined the first hood with Testor's Wet Look clear (which has a VERY faint gold flake in it...which you can only see on dark solid colors like black) so I kinda was burned out. But never fear...I'll get back to it.

Oh yes I think you should when you are ready, Anyway thanks for the Information. As it turns out I have already done finished the body, So I have resolved to build a Pilot Episode version for now. Maybe later on in the Future when my skills progress I will build a Season Episode version. Right now I am flush out of Cash flow and I need to get a better paying job. Then and only then I will be able to get all of the things I need for better builds. Also since I have had problems with both Monograms, and Revell/Monogram Testarossa Kits, I just got my Tamiya Testarossa kit which I am in the process of building for the Miami Vice Duo I have planned. Though the Testarossa is not the Revell/Monograms original Miami Vice kits, I am making it that way. Thanks for your help and advice, I have saved this forum back for later when I am inspired to build another Dayton Spyder .

Edited November 20, 2010 by davyou5

[Models by Bear]

Wow that brings back memmories That was the first kit I built So please finish it

[davyou5]

Let me just say I'm VERY into Miami Vice, and the car changed episode to episode-mostly hasty non-matching repairs, and there was more than one McBurnie replicar used which varied in some details as well.

Which is a bit of a cop-out way to say that it's nearly impossible to build one that is much more than an "impression" of the TV car since it evolved week to week.

If you are eagle-eyed and look closely, the Pilot has mutiple cars in it, including a brief shot where a REAL Daytona Spider is used. It's in the scene where Crockett and Tubbs first meet "Leon" as he's picking up fried chicken at a take-out place. The car is street parked, and it's never shown moving...but it's a very real Daytona. Also, the car parked in front of "Scotty Wheeler's" house is clearly not the car used in the rest of the episode (although it's Corvette-based) as it has much smaller fender flares.

Yeah I am really into Miami Vice too, since I grew up in the 80's . Okay well, your right the car did evolve allot even during the season episodes. So I am going to finish it up the best I know how and be happy with it . That's all I can do.

[Jairus]

When replicating anything it is best to do your research before starting. Back in 1970 the United States had lighting restrictions regarding mounting height and covers over headlights. This is why all U.S. marketed Ferrari's had pop up lights rather than those sold in Europe which were mounted beneath a plex panel. As was stated earlier in the thread, the T.V. show car was a modified Corvette made to look like a Ferrari GTS. Revell simply did the same thing using Corvette underpinnings and a hybrid interior.

If you are building a replica of the T.V. Show car... the kit is remarkably accurate.

If you are building a replica of a correct 1970 Daytona GTS.... better start with something more accurate such as that by Fujimi.

Just FYI.

[davyou5]

Well, I have done it again! Another Body is down the waste tube!.... Don't ask.... I just ordered another Kit.... I have to wait for it to show up.

Then to top it all off, I decided to use Both Krylon Crystal Clear and Gloss White I bought from Walmart for the Tamiya Testarossa kit, not to mention Paint Thinner from Walmart too.... and that Tamiya Kit is gone. I got Yellowing from the Crystal Clear, I decided to go back to the Model Master's paints and that had a nasty reaction. So I used the Paint Thinner to try and take it off..... The body literally Fell Apart in my hands.... That is some STRONG paint thinner from Walmart. Which Destroyed Two Model Car Bodies.

Needless to say this is the end of experimenting with any other paints, I am working with ether Tamiya Paints or Model Master Paints End of Story .

[davyou5]

I have to strongly disagree, Jarius. I agree you need to do research to get the details right...I'd start with just taking a quick look at the kit and comparing it to the TV car.

They're extremely different body & interior wise. Yes Monogram did do the right thing basing the kit on a Corvette, but there are multiple (fender flares, covered-versus-exposed sauare headlights, mirrors, windshield, quarter windows, or anything in the interior) that they got wrong because as I noted earlier they did their research on a real vintage Ferrari Daytona at a Chicago dealer, then scaled the body/interior to fit the existing Vette chassis.

To do the TV car accurately takes a lot of work, and even there you have a diminishing returns point when it comes to something like the windshield. Since the Daytona body was mastered to look like the real Ferrari, but fit the Vette chassis, it's not the correct size to graft a Corvette windshield and frame onto...that would be a major scratchbuilding effort because you can't kitbash a 1/24 Vette kit with the Daytona and have the frame fit.

I was awaiting someone with alittle more knowledge to answer Jarius, Mark here is correct, even with what little modifying I could do, it is still not correct, Mark also stated that the Daytona changed or Evolved from Episode to Episode, so Ultimately there is not going to be a real accurate model for the Pilot or the Season Episodes, and that is something that I have had to accept. I am just going to build my Miami Vice Duo and be happy with them .

Edited November 24, 2010 by davyou5

[davyou5]

This is a Photo update, I finally got another Kit, and Replaced the Body, I only have a few things left before it is completely finished. and since I am my own worst Critic, I want as much feed back as Possible on this build, let me know what you think. Thanks.

[Danno]

Almost like a DOH Charger. So many variations were used in filming that almost anything anybody does is going to be almost as accurate as anything else anybody else attempts.

Loved the series too; the 'new' remake movie just didn't capture the magic of the original.

[davyou5]

Almost like a DOH Charger. So many variations were used in filming that almost anything anybody does is going to be almost as accurate as anything else anybody else attempts.

Loved the series too; the 'new' remake movie just didn't capture the magic of the original.

Yeah that's why I settled to painting one to look like one from the " Bought And Paid For Episode". Only my skill at Scratch building is not so good, so I have to leave the popup lights on. Still no matter how hard you try with the kit, it's still not going to be accurate, But I call it good enough for me .

Yeah I got up and finally decided to see that new movie a short time ago, All of that Ham acting didn't cut it for me ether, not too mention that the story was also very Bland.

Edited December 8, 2010 by davyou5

[Rockie]

I have one of those kits to build too. I new it was a little off, but had no idea it was that far off. Here's a clip where you can clearly see the plexiglass going all the way across the nose of the car for the head light covers. It's about 2 min in and another shot towards the end of the clip too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UmOY6ek_Y4

.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Rockie