Testors/Fujimi Ferrrari Dino 246GT-April 28, 2012 Final Update!

[Romell R]

Very nice keep the updates comming!

[simonr]

This last update will start with some minor, but, important goodies added to the engine.

I added the dry sump oil tank hose:

The expansion tank for the radiator:

The DINO lettering for the cylinder heads, they are really tiny, you guys can see how small it is placed on the top of a penny:

How it looks in place:

With the engine completed, then I moved to the body. Besides the plastic main body and the rear panel that holds the trunk, I will use the white metal’s trunk, engine cover, and the hood.

Test fit:

Edited April 28, 2012 by simonr

[simonr]

I will start working the front lower panel, which has plastic and thick bars.

The bars has to go:

The panel was aligned and glued in place.

It glued nicely, but, some care has to be taken. I has a deep seam that has to be corrected with some putty:

Instead of putty I will use a better method, at least to me. I will do a mix of micro balloons with super glue. The result is a plastic hard paste that doesn’t shrink and sands smooth with almost no trace of what was here before:

It was applied all over:

Edited April 28, 2012 by simonr

[simonr]

For the rear panel these sanding sticks from micro mark are a great help for the hard shape of these panel:

Here you guys can see how it looks after dry, it almost invisible were it was a seal before:

Going back to the front panel were I removed the plastic grill, I will use the photo etch one from the detail set. I was built from 10 parts:

This how it looks in place in this mock up, big difference, isn’t?:

To help to a more strength union, I added a line of Gunze Sangyo’s Mr Surfacer 500 liquid primer:

In this area I even used some white putty:

Edited April 28, 2012 by simonr

[simonr]

Now it looks much better, specially at the rear where I had to re-srcribe and putty the window moulding. Some Gunze Mr Surfacer 1000 thinn primer sealed everything:

After I added the metal primer to the white metal parts, the same surfacer 1000 primer prepared the parts for the white and final primer, since I planned to paint the model in yellow:

This is a great primer with almost no trace of sanding:

Some white primer was shoot direct from the can:

These are the colors I planned to use; Gunze pure yellow, Ferrari Yellow from the Gunze Auto Color line(hard to find), Finisher’s Pure Yellow, and Lemon Yellow.

To me they all looks great, but, the Ferrari yellow looks to “creamie”(correct Ferrari shade) that I didn’t like, and the Finisher’s Pure Yellow its to deep. So I have to decided among Gunze pure yellow and Finisher’s Lemon Yellow…My selection…I will use both!

The Finisher’s lemon is at the top with a glossier look and the Gunze yellow at the bottom with a typical lacquer semi gloss look. The Finisher’s lemon will give a crispier-vivid look while the Gunze will give a solid shine yellow base:

Edited April 28, 2012 by simonr

[simonr]

Let’s start the fun…Some color was added first to the recessed areas that will covered when I tape together the doors for an even color:

As a result, I got an even beautiful “supermarket” fresh lemon look:

Giving the body a final light sanding to prepare it for the clear, I discovered something typical of lacquers, the seams at the front and at the rear panels where not hide. I always resolve this using some Dupont Variprime primer as a sealer.

[simonr]

I brushed some Future at the seal but it didn’t work. Then, I could managed the situation, I airbrush a little bit of clear as a sealer, then, airbrushed more clear and finally got the result I was looking for.

Everything looked fine and I airbrushed some Finisher’s Urethane GP-1 Clear, but, again…another surprise, the airbrush spitted some remains of black paint over the left quarter panel…:

I though a light sanding will fix it, but…

I give it a general deeper sanding and could fixed it, then another shoot of paint and finally we were ready to go:

Here you can see the results after I used Finisher’s Urethane GP-1 Clear:

What a great glossy clear…:

Edited April 28, 2012 by simonr

[simonr]

After I polished the body, I started to add the details to the body. First I added this photo etch disc that will serve as the base to the plastic lens for the front turn signal. Actually, you guys can notice there’s no trace of the panels seam:

The wipers from the photo etch set...great pair, by the way:

I used the rear lights turned base and the plastic lens, the white metal bumpers were polished to a high shine with the Dremel and some blue magic polishing paste, then were masked for the flat black paint that will double as the rubber, photo etch Ferrari script from the set and the horse one from a Ferrari photo etch set from Crazy Modeler and the license plate complete the rear:

At the hood area I masked everything to paint the rubber seal:

Great results...Can be seen that I gave the same treatment to the front bumpers, I added the Dino emblem, front signals, wipers, foil, rear mirrors and the washers for the wipers that are Model Factory Hiro rivets :

A close up to the wipers and washers area:

The rear mirrors could been polished to a high gloss polished look. Here you can see the un-polished white metal part from were I start, the final polished part, and the plastic part:

For the doors stand bars, I scratchbuilt them using some plastic and metal rod:

Edited April 30, 2012 by simonr

[simonr]

The parts already glued in place:

The results:

Edited April 28, 2012 by simonr

[simonr]

General views:

The tires received the valve stems from RB Motion:

Finally, the chassis met the body...This a picture from the local IPMS where it took for my surprise a second place...Surprise because the model had the best finish and the best detail in European class, at least to my opinion…judge by yourself… To me the best part is that I was able to finish this great model with over 200+ parts and with a piece of history on its shape!

Simón P.Rivera Torres

[Mike Kucaba]

Fabulous build and great results. Interesting that you mention two products that I use, the Vari-prime and Micro-balloons. Try mixing the balloons with 30-minute epoxy in place of the CA glue for a filler.

[cobraman]

beautiful !

[simonr]

Thanks guys for your kind comments...Mike, it sounds interresting, sure I give it a try. I don't know where, but, I read it in some place, but, can't remember. The thing is that about 10 years ago I tried to do some alterations to some panels and sand it was a pain it the...But, yes, I will try the micro balloons to see how it turns out.

Simón P. Rivera Torres

[Matt Bacon]

That's absolutely lovely Simon... I think mine will be heading for the bench as soon as I get the DBS finished! Colour looks great, and all your usual exquisite detailing is present and correct. I, too, find it hard to imagine what could be worth First Place if that's "just" a Second! I only have one regret: you put a "Ferrari" badge on it -- I think Dinos should just be Dinos, as they were originally... ;-P

bestest,

M.

[simonr]

Hi Matt, thanks for your comment too. Yes, you're right, I just used it because, besides I had seen the FERRARI badge as it is the prancing horse on other Dinos over the internet to me that spaces look too empty without it, but, yes, I think the original model doesn't wear it,

Simón P. Rivera Torres

[Kanedge]

Excellent work my friend, best Dino model I've seen.

[simonr]

Thanks guys for your comments...Will post finished pictures later...

Simón P. Rivera Torres

[Romell R]

Just Marvelous