cmatthewbacon Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Thanks, guys... I fix the parts to some kind of base (a tile or something...) and stretch the mesh tightly over it with masking tape. Great thing about the LFA is that you can spec it any way you like, so who's to say that this look doesn't exist! ;-P I decided that the horizontal recessed panel would be impossible to mask and get into with the mesh "carbon" technique, so I used some of the Scale Motorsport decal I have. It claims to be 1/24, but it looks a bit large to me. It's another texture and finish effect in the mix, though... ..and that's the LFA interior done. Once again, not too many parts, but crisply moulded, well-fitting, and just crying out for detail painting... Slow progress on the 507 in parallel, but not much to show for it at the moment! bestest, M. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triumphfan Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 M, I think your carbon fibre effect looks far better than any decal work I have seen. The subtle effect you get from spraying 2 colours through a net looks more realistic than the stark appearance of decal, proof of this from the bit of decal you used on the dash I feel. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 Thanks, Steve -- it's so much easier than decal, as well! I just couldn't see how to get the mesh mask into place in the concave dash section, and it does depend on the mesh being right ON the surface. The good news is, if you can see anything on that panel when the car's closed up, I'd be amazed, so it might need to be a bit "larger than life" to be visible at all... Despite its age, the Revell kit has some nice detailing. I must read up on how this rear suspension works, because I've never built one like it before. It looks like some kind of torsion tubes for the "springing", regular shock absorbers, and a cross-brace to locate the rear axle. It needs some detail painting and touching up, as well. Nearly there with the LFA chassis now... more on that later. bestest, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 It's been a productive day today: That's the whole chassis completed. Now time to move onto fitting out the body. You can begin to appreciate the engineering of the real thing: carbon tub, aluminium chassis beams and the most complex packaging of all the cooling systems. Plus the engine. Ah, yes... Not many parts, but it's quite the beastie. In these shots you can see the various tones of "black" I've used (NATO black, Rubber Black, Semi-gloss black... and the air box is actually just the kit plastic, polished up) This is the bit I love about modelling. Now, when I hear Clarkson or Evo raving about the engineering of the LFA, I can really understand what's going on under the skin. The kind of engineering that made the guys at Toyota stop half way through the design of the thing and redo it from the ground up with carbon instead of aluminium is clearly visible in the Tamiya kit. You won't get a better insight into the relentless pursuit of "supercar" quality that those guys went on. There are few compromises in terms of what the kit gives you, either, all the whilst keeping the kit buildable. No fiendish complexity and equally fiendish fit like a Fujimi Enthusiast kit -- nope: all the parts you need to reproduce the genius of the original, and no more. This is a car kit like no other I've built, although I hope that the LaFerrari will be its equal. And next, today's progress in BMW-land... bestest, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 The 507 is making good progress as well: Chassis pretty much complete now. I did that detail painting and assembled the front suspension. Further reading makes me think there's a bit missing at the back: all my references talk about the rear axle being suspended on longitudinal torsion bars and located with a "Panhard Rod" and a rear A-frame. The Panhard Rod is the diagonal brace running parallel to the axle; the torsion bars are the black rods running along the car attached to the front and rear axles. I see no "A-frame". I need a shot of the underside of a BMW 507... First test -- does the chassis sit with all four wheels on the ground? Yes, it does... phew! Second test -- does the cockpit sit properly inside the body if it's stuck to the chassis, not the bodywork? Check... it does! Tomorrow should see the 507 with full engine compartment detailing, and the LFA with all the "bits" attached to the body shell interior... bestest, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 24, 2014 Author Share Posted April 24, 2014 Didn't do as much on the LFA as I wanted today, but the 507 is progressing nicely... These are all kit parts, just with some detail painting. I decided that the best way to deal with the chromed windscreen and detail parts, which were covered in flash and injector pin marks, was to strip them, glue into a solid assembly, and then respray them with Humbrol Chrome Silver. And the clear part does fit -- I checked before polishing it! Getting the bonnet on and opening was a pain. Both plastic pins on the bonnet ended up being replaced with steel pin segments, and the transverse tube in the frame at the front of the bonnet folds the crossbar above the radiator,. With it removed, the bonnet opens fully, but there's going to be some fettling needed to get it to close fully tight... bestest, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 That 507 is so nice Matthew, I've said it before but it's sex on four wheels. It progressing real nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 (edited) Thanks, Jorgen! I'm pleased to report that the "fettling" has been a success... When I left off, the bonnet would open nicely, but hovered open with about a 1cm gap at the back. It would close OK if you pushed it down, but popped back up of it's own accord. Fortunately, I remembered that a while ago I'd acquired some small but strong magnets -- that's one covering the 10mm mark on the steel ruler. Turns out that you can fit one nicely into that silver box at the centre of the firewall. With a magnet in there, and a piece of old knife blade glued to the underside of the wide end of the bonnet, the magnet holds the bonnet closed very nicely. It's strange -- Revell have obviously designed the kit so the bonnet rides high in the middle, to sit flush with the raised chrome grille behind it. It's not warped -- the fit into the corners and along the sides is too exact for that. I can't really see from photos if this is prototypical, but it would be a lot of work to fix, involving flattening the bonnet, reshaping the sides to be straight again, and probably lowing the engine or shortening the air stacks/carbs... Anyway... on with the LFA now. bestest, M. Edited April 26, 2014 by cmatthewbacon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 The windscreen is on, now, and I'm glad I did build it up before painting... And then time for another test fit of the hardtop. Still needs glazing, obviously, but the fit is going to be OK! bestest, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S5 modeller Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 That bmw looks awesome. Wish I could build cars like you. Matt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 (edited) Thanks, Matt... just keep practising. I'm only a relatively recent convert to car modelling, and it's got its own rules here and there, but mostly it's just modelling (and not knowing if you're doing it wrong...) Wheels on the 507: The Lexus is not so photogenic at this stage, but progress is being made. The body shell now has all its grilles etc fitted, and the lights have been painted. The retracted rear wing has been carbon decalled (using some of the spare "patch" decal from the Tamiya LaFerrari, which has a better texture than any aftermarket product I own), because I decided that the blue wasn't a good enough match for the body -- one too few coats of the transparent glaze second colour, I reckon. It just goes to show that the only way to be sure with these two- and three-layer colours is to tape the "add-on bits" into window gaps, for example, and spray them all together. For whatever reason, the "extended" wing is a better match... And here it is... I think it makes the beast look pretty wicked... So... this is the bench tonight. The finish line is in sight, I reckon... bestest, M. Edited April 27, 2014 by cmatthewbacon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 And since I've now put the 507 to sit on a tile so that the wheels set finally in a four-square, "feet on the floor" position, I thought I'd test out the hardtop again... ...seriously, if someone offered me one of these two cars for real, I wouldn't know which to choose. Nice problem to have, though... ;-P bestest, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 I would know which to choose, easily, no competition. The BMW 507 any day! You're doing a great job on both of them as usual though, but the BMW is certainly one of the very best I have seen so far from you. Great modelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 Thanks so much, Jorgen... The LFA is finally assembled. It went together as well as I'd expected, though I was surprised to discover that the exhausts don't actually reach the ports in the rear of the body. Otherwise, no issues... ..and with the pop-up wing popped up: They make a striking pair, I think. Last detailing tomorrow, I hope! Home straight, definitely. bestest, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 The Lexus is pretty much finished now... Mostly, it's the 507s turn in the spotlight... Should all be done and dusted this weekend... with a bit of luck! bestest, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madhatter Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Your really making me want to buy that LFA Matt - that is just beautiful! Speaking of beautiful, I'm not much of a fan of BMW's but your 507 is rapidly changing my mind. It's a very spectacular looking car. Well, at least you've made it so anyway I envy your car making abilities - mine never look quite so nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breaker Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Both of these look excellent. I've always loved the LFA, the noise it makes is amazing. I've never heard of the 507 before but I've never been a European car fan, always preferred big muscle. The item you where looking for the name of, for the seatbelt - Would 'buckle' cover it? Hence, buckle up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triumphfan Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Both models look really nice. A bit like chalk and cheese though, a great exercise in technological progress. I think the 507 would have been the pinnacle in it's day. The LFA would blow it off the road today and that's how it should be. For me, the 507 is more engaging to view and probably to drive as well. Well done on both builds, it looks like you have enjoyed this project a great deal. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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