Modified Elite F40

Nice job!
How did you do the pins?

 

Nice job....and kudos to them. I must say, even given tha this is an old tool, the Elite models are damn nice for the $$$$.

 

Yeah...when I first read, "Not entirely happy..." I thought to myself, "Big surprise," but the updates you made - even if minor - really improve that model quite a bit!

It's unreasonable to expect Exoto or CMC detail for under $100 USD. However, if Mattel can make models comparable to AutoArt's in terms of detail, fit & finish, etc., that's a step in the right direction. AutoArt, while not producing Ferraris, have become somewhat of the "benchmark" in the under-$100 1:18 diecast world.

I still think I'm going to hold off on buying *every* release from Mattel in the Elite series, but I will definitely pick up the FXX, 599, and possibly the SuperAmerica.

 

Ahhh....damnit - forgot about the TR. Yep...I'll be getting that one, too. I just picked up a 512M off eBay in 1/18, but the only TR I have in 1/18 was somewhat of a Mattel semi-kit (if you will). Basically the same price as a built HW 1/18, except there was some assembly req'd. I have built a couple models in my life, and this one was more along the lines of snap/screw together, yet somehow, it still didn't come out well.

Do you not have any of the 1/18 Kyosho Ferraris? If so, these are a MUST for your collection! And add them soon - many are getting harder to find, depending on the color you're looking for. I believe Kyosho has, in various colors depending on the model,

-308 GTB (1976)
-308 GTB QV
-328 GTB
-BB512
-365BB
-Daytona early (plexiglass nose)
-Daytona late (flip-up headlights)
-Daytona Competizione

That last one - the Comp car - is BY FAR the nicest 1/18 model I've seen under $100. Once upon a time, it shared a shelf with two Exotos, and I must say that it *more* than held its own against them in terms of detail.

 

You guys have to remeber the F40 is an OLD tool....I bet the 599, which will be a NEW tool will be very, very nice. The Hot Wheels models get nicer and nicer with every new release.

I bet the Elite 599 will be a beauty!

 

i agree 100%. the f430s were awesome. i cant wait to see a new tool from the elite series.

 

Nice work! Overall it doesnt look like too bad of a model.

 

Nice work. Mine will be here Monday. So many people have reviewed this car badly but not many wanted to buy it, I think it's very well done and pretty reasonably priced. I can't wait for the FXX in April/May. The spy pictures of the bare metal one are just so nice.

 

Is the price of Kyosho red 512BB expensive?

 

No. It should be under $75USD.

 

oh.. price dropped alot from past days...

 

Greetings,

I too took delivery of an HW/Elite 1:18 F40 and was in some ways happy, in other ways underwhelmed. Not having registered on the day I took note of your post, I couldn't view your images of the modified car. Now, having had the opportunity to examine the images, I'm happy to relate a few things I've done that could compliment the modifications you've thus far demonstrated as desirable and possible. I especially like your hub pins and front lip spoiler.

With regards to mine, I've done the following thus far:

1. Removed rear 'gills' blackwash with nail polish remover. From a front three quarter view or even in profile, one can hardly see the actual vents. I might take some narrow R/C aircraft vinyl tape into each slot (positioned towards the forwardmost edge of the vent) as I doubt I could control either black paint or a black wash any better than HW. Slight cleaning with a nailpolish remover-soaked cosmetic cotton facial pad around the other blackwash detail helps to perk up the model as bit besides.

2. I noticed a few spots where the black perimeter 'trim' shone through to the Rosso Red. I used Tamiya flat black out of a bottle - it works well.

3. With regards to the side NACA ducts and such, I wasn't impressed that material around the ducts looked so heavy and out of scale. Across the top of the model, each NACA duct looks quite nice, whereas looking across each flank my eyes are draw to the overlap of material that betrays the fact that we're looking at a metal casting. While a bit old school, I applied the aforementioned flat black paint around the large duct seen on either side and carefully removed the excess with nailpolish remover-soak cotton swabs and the aforementioned cosmetic cotton facial pads. While the red paint is a little thin around the refueling door higher up on the quarter panel, know that the finish surrounding the NACA ducts a bit further down is pretty robust and will accommodate a certain amount of abuse should you have to try to apply and remove the black paint a few times. While I can't imagine I'm fooling anyone when the disguise is view in full sunlight, the effect of thinning the panelwork around the duct really helps the overall appearance.

4. I had to do something about those strange 3D-effect tampo print lock cylinders! They wash off with nail polish remover, although many cotton swabs gave their lives before I succeeded in removing all traces. A set of 1:24/25th photoetched lock cylinders were substituted instead - a vast improvement.

5. I used yet another cotton cosmetic facial pad, this time soaked with Armor All, and went over the tires. The intent was not to leave them soaking wet, but to darken each tire and flood the treads so that a bit of excess would remain. This really seemed to help.

6. The paint finish on my F40 seemed to be a bit thin around the tiny NACA ducts seen atop the front hood. The lip formed between the top of the duct and the panelwork proper almost appeared white on mine, whereas a delicate application of Tamiya Red out of a bottle helped.

Outside of this small amount of work, I'm thinking of picking up a more mundane earlier HW issue of the same topic for spares. Perhaps one could cut the outer rims free from the centers (which would be wasted), have them chromed, then mate them to refinished HW/Elite centers? That would help matters considerably. Also, I'm not exactly won over by select color choices made with respect to the underhood detail, i.e. exhaust, muffler, etc. Thanks again for sharing. Best regards...

Mike K.
Southeast Michigan
United States.

 

I agree, and for that price what can you really expect, I hope one day a company will make modern Ferrari's like AutoArt.

 

Greetings,

Thanks for posting the source with regards to the wheels. I had posted a request for suppliers of the same on another hobby board prior to discovering this resource. While others helped to the best of their respective ability, no one alerted me to the Autograph site. Again, my thanks.

It's a pity that at present I have no way to post photos, but seeing that nothing quite communicates hobby success or failure quite like a photograph, I hope in time to have one so that results achieved could be better appreciated (or mocked!). I do believe I'll purchase a set for myself, alert to the fact that I could easily spend the same fabricating something that may only approach the appearance of a proper transkit. In addition, the Allcad airbrush finish suggestion posted by another visitor shouldn't be discounted. When I first heard of Allcad I had doubts that it could be anything special. That said, with the passage of time I've had opportunity to examine some plastic parts so finished, and can attest to the remarkable effect that can be achieved.

With regards to reference material for the F40 project, I was quite delighted to find a copy of Michael Dregni's Inside Ferrari (ISBN 0879384298) as published by MBI in 1990. With so many Ferrari books on the market it can be difficult indeed to separate the good from the indifferent, but this volume really does stand out. Clearly a labor of love, the writer makes an examination of the Ferrari automobile fabrication/manufacturing process from the beginning until the date of publication. Rather than focus on the bread and butter Mondials and 328s and the automated facilities used manufacture the same, the latter part of the book concentrates instead on the special line set up for the F40. Examples in various states of assembly are on view in full color - truly a feast for the eyes. If you don't have a copy, either lend from a library or seek one for yourself via abebooks.com or some such retailer. Used they go for US $65+, but here is a rare instance where value is a given. Again, thanks for the tip - I hope to post again as I experiment more. Best regards...

Mike K.
Southeastern Michigan
United States