Author Topic: Italari 1/12 Fiat Mefistofeles (Read 13489 times)

kpnuts · « **on:** February 12, 2016, 02:35:57 AM »

Hi all since the Soliel Royal is permanently shelved here is my next project.

jcf · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2016, 02:54:34 AM »

What do you think of it so far?
Seeing as it's re-release of a Protar kit that was primarily metal when originally released in 1975
I'm curious about the general part moulding quality.

kpnuts · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2016, 02:13:38 AM »

Hi all here is the next installment

the moulding on the kit are totally awesome (although reading other builds of the the instructions would have you put the front suspension the wrong way round and the rear suspension too high) both easy fixes if you know in advance also the sequense of build is also awkward if yo follow the instructions ( much better to read another build and follow their suggestions as to the build order) as far as i've got the fit is superb and the build i'm following has not mentioned any flaws in the fit (although they do suggest throwing the assorted tubing which comes with the kit away and using wire shrink wrap as the stuff in the kit is way out of scale) (I trust the info of the builder I'm following as they are way out of my league)

kpnuts · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2016, 03:19:48 AM »

Hi all well the friction dampers are definitely fiddely these took all last night (the legs/arms have round holes which are an interference fit on square pegs I was worried they might snap with the force required to push them on, so I drilled them out a bit, still a snug fit but safer

kpnuts · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2016, 01:22:37 AM »

Hi all I've read a lot about this car and from what I can gather the engine leaked oil like a sieve (in fact the driver was sitting in hot engine oil after every run ) so I've tried to depict a very oily engine.

kpnuts · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2016, 04:05:28 AM »

Hi all here's the next installment.
A lot of the kit supplied tubing is way out of scale, another modeler is building this (to a much higher standard than I could hope to and they are using shrink wrap tubing to great effect) the following photo is of the kit supplied tubing and the tubing I intend to use (I think you can see there is quite a difference)

kpnuts · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2016, 11:37:03 PM »

Hi all here is today's bit.

CiTrus90 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2016, 11:56:42 PM »

Top notch so far! :)

Frank3k · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2016, 12:37:40 AM »

Once again, it's hard to tell that you're not building a real car! You may want to run a soft wire through the heat shrink tubing if you're planning on bending it to any degree. Most polyolefin heat shrink tubing folds rather than bend.

apophenia · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2016, 03:25:14 AM »

That engine just gets better and better :)

kpnuts · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2016, 01:41:57 AM »

Hi all well as I'm doing this as she was for the record run I've primed her in black(she was painted red some time after she went into the museum, on the run she was black)

kpnuts · « **Reply #11 on:** March 12, 2016, 03:00:17 AM »

Hi all well done a bit more on this, I was told by someone building this on another forum the chain is very difficult to do(you put it together in sections then melt the little pins to keep the chain together)
well as he did I melted the first link to the one underneath, so I had a rethink activexp (the other builder) tried a solering iron with adjustable heat setting and even on the lower setting had trouble with melting links so that method I ruled out, my solution which seemed to work quite well after a few minor changes (tried cold water but cooled the blade to quick)I put the chain assy in a shallow glass dish and put just enough hot water in till it is level with the top link then heat the knife blade up and melt the pin, I made the water as hot as I could bare to put my hand in (not boiling as was worried it might warp or melt the plastic)

this is just one set there are I think 4 more

Old Wombat · « **Reply #12 on:** March 14, 2016, 05:24:13 PM »

Ah, the joys of chain-drive!

Almost as good as individual-link tracks!

kpnuts · « **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2016, 06:12:05 AM »

Hi all thinking of giving up this modeling lark but will finish what I've started and the Rolls,tbh i just don't have the time and apart from the loyal few no one is really interested in what i'm doing, anyway here is where i'm at on this .

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #14 on:** March 20, 2016, 08:50:01 AM »

Quote from: kpnuts on March 20, 2016, 06:12:05 AM

Hi all thinking of giving up this modeling lark ... and apart from the loyal few no one is really interested in what i'm doing .

Do you enjoy it when you are modelling? If so, stick with it! Does it really matter what others may think? So long as you enjoy yourself is all that matters.

BTW, I can assure you that many of us are in complete awe of your work and are probably to speechless to know what to say.

elmayerle · « **Reply #15 on:** March 20, 2016, 09:46:22 AM »

Quote from: GTX_Admin on March 20, 2016, 08:50:01 AM

BTW, I can assure you that many of us are in complete awe of your work and are probably to speechless to know what to say.

What the man said. Your work just blows me away and I'm in awe of your patience.

kpnuts · « **Reply #16 on:** March 20, 2016, 04:56:55 PM »

Thanks for the kind words, yes I do enjoy it immensely, but I seem to have less and less time for it, plus space for finished stuff, I used to post practically every day but find now I may not get any modeling done for three or four days, I feel like an addict missing his fix.

finsrin · « **Reply #17 on:** March 20, 2016, 05:23:11 PM »

Leaks oil,,, you sure its not a Studebaker engine.

You are doing great. Looks much like 1/1 build. :)

Old Wombat · « **Reply #18 on:** March 22, 2016, 01:40:42 AM »

I'm not really a car/bike/sailing-ship bloke but, even if I'm not commenting, I'm always visiting just to check out the awesomeness of your builds, mate!

Maybe cut down on the number of simultaneous creations & use what time you have to focus on the fewer builds.

My build rate has never been anything like yours but even I've had to slow down lately because of life outside whiffing interfering but, if I wasn't building when I can, I'd go completely insane, as opposed to mostly.

apophenia · « **Reply #19 on:** March 22, 2016, 10:31:58 AM »

What they said :) If I could Photoshop an engine to look as good as yours does in polystyrene, I'd be feeling very pleased with myself!

I know what you mean, though, about rates of production. None of us are as productive as we used to be but, really, it is the end result and enjoyment of the process that determine whether it was worth the effort.

Quote from: finsrin on March 20, 2016, 05:23:11 PM

Leaks oil,,, you sure its not a Studebaker engine.

kpnuts · « **Reply #20 on:** April 14, 2016, 03:43:28 AM »

Hi all well I was shown some photos of this on it world speed run by Dominic Beerts and as well as being black the rear of the car was higher and the 4 breather holes weren't there so I've raised the back by 10 mill now I just have to lower the skirt by 10 mill. Here are some pics, lots more to do.

kpnuts · « **Reply #21 on:** May 17, 2016, 04:06:45 AM »

Hi all well back off hols with renewed energy, oh dear, there is something weird with the plastic on this kit, the paint I'm using I usually (on other models anyway) I can get off with meths, I didn't like the look of this so I thought I would remove it and start again, I started brushing it off using meths and it started melting the plastic?

I put some plastic from another kit in the meths along with a piece of sprue from this kit over night, as you can see the ItalarI sprue has dissolved completely

And the other sprue as you can see is completely untouched

Don't know what to do now, if I sand it out I will loose the rivet detail, all I can think of is to do a what if and have it as a derelict in a barn now, any suggestions.

Old Wombat · « **Reply #22 on:** May 17, 2016, 09:25:33 AM »

As you're using metho to remove the paint, I assume you're using acrylics?

If so, I'd check how the Italeri sprue reacts to oven cleaner fumes. If there's no adverse reactions, I've read on other forums that placing painted parts in a sealed container with a "bowl" (lid?) of oven cleaner loosens the paint so it can be scrubbed off.

No personal experience with this method, though.

Never had any problems with metho & plastic, either.

Turp's, on the other hand!

apophenia · « **Reply #23 on:** May 18, 2016, 12:45:08 PM »

Ouch! Old Wombat's suggestion of oven cleaner is a good one. It seems to work best on glossy paints ... but not at all with flat black.

Modelling_Mushi · « **Reply #24 on:** May 18, 2016, 03:27:34 PM »

Or better yet try isopropol alcohol first. Small amount on an ear bud, wipe on and burnish or use a toothbrush to dig into panel lines.

Rember styrene is made from petrochemicals so I wouldn't use petrochemicals on it ... no-one expects them to eat into styrene, in fact those who do ... no, no, NO Cardinal Biggles, no-one expects the Spanish Paintstripquistion, our weapons are three, no four, our weapons are FOUR, turps, rocket fuel, JP1 or 6 for you blackbird drivers, and fanatical devotion to Mr Tamiya oooh ah ha! What be your name o Wizard? My name be Tim! Oh mighty Tim, takest thou thy holy oven cleaner and cast it at thy painted abomination and waitest thou twelve hours and the abominated paint, being nought in the Lords sight, shall snuff it. The number of thy counting is twelve, countest not to eleven unless thou countest to twelve, countest not to thirteen. Twenty is right out. Takest not the holy unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine for thy oven cleaner for the Lord frowns on idolatry and hypergolic fuels ...

Old Wombat · « **Reply #25 on:** May 18, 2016, 09:52:56 PM »

jcf · « **Reply #26 on:** May 18, 2016, 10:06:21 PM »

Meths/methylated spirits/denatured alcohol isn't a petrochemical (although some formulations contain small percentages of petrochemicals as the denaturant aka the poison) but isopropyl alcohol is.

kpnuts · « **Reply #27 on:** December 04, 2016, 04:37:24 AM »

Hi all well you probably think this is dead but no, I never really give up on anything, got it back out of storage, first thing I noticed I didn't store it very well.

Both levers snapped off (no biggie but annoying to say the least)

As I've been informed by von trips most of the rivet detail was added after the alterations post run and there are very few pics pre run so who's to say the rivets were even there, I've tried to make it not to shiny (surprising how difficult that is, I didn't want satin just not super glossy like modern paint jobs) I'm happy with the finish at the moment.

Anyway here it is at the moment the ass is raised 10 mill added 10 mill skirts.

kpnuts · « **Reply #28 on:** December 05, 2016, 04:04:39 AM »

Here's what I've done today, the trouble with stopping a build and coming back several months later is you can't remember where you got to, after hours of scanning the instructions (well an hour or so) (another reason to follow the instruction order) I've decided now since I have no idea where I was upto I will go by the instructions now, anyway I've fixed the broken levers (not drilled them out as I think that is why they broke off in the first place)
I think the decals on the rear are very white any suggestions how to subtlety dull them down or something, they do look out of place.

Incidentally this must have been huge, I've put it on top of the 1/8 traction avant and there is little to choose length wise between them, considering the Fiat is 1/12 the actual thing must have been huge,I mean the traction was not small by today's standards and was a 4 seater.

kpnuts · « **Reply #29 on:** December 06, 2016, 04:33:05 AM »

Hi all well here is a little update (been wrapping Christmas presents today and will be for the next week or so, so not much modeling time)

kpnuts · « **Reply #30 on:** December 07, 2016, 05:28:11 AM »

Hi all here is tonight's bit

jcf · « **Reply #31 on:** December 07, 2016, 08:02:42 AM »

Indeed it was large, although interestingly the frame was only lengthened by 17 inches in order to accommodate
the 21.7 litre, 6-cylinder FIAT A-12 airship engine in place of its original 18 litre four-banger.

kpnuts · « **Reply #32 on:** April 26, 2017, 03:36:00 AM »

Hi all well now the big Citroen is done I've promised myself I will finish this to add another stalled build to the finished pile.
I'm not sure why I put the engine in the chassis as it was not finished there is some pipework I hadn't added as you can see from this first pic

I really like the wheels on this kit, although they are a bit too shiney.

I think they look better now.

kpnuts · « **Reply #33 on:** April 28, 2017, 02:42:41 AM »

Hi all here's the next update the four breather holes in the hood were added after the speed run so I've filled them

The next problem I thought I might have was that the name mefistofeles is in black and with a black car obviously I would need to make a negative of it, however luckily enough the name was added after the run so it is not a problem after all.
The lettering was stark white so I've dulled it down a bit

Need to do a bit more research apparently it may have had 2 seats in the record run.

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #34 on:** April 30, 2017, 09:56:44 AM »

I really like that big FIAT on the front grille!

Brian da Basher

kpnuts · « **Reply #35 on:** May 01, 2017, 02:06:24 AM »

Hi all there would have been quite a big update on this, I'm starting to wonder if there is somthing wrong with me, I dropped it (this must be a dozen I've dropped in the last year) thing is I don't know why I dropped it I was about to put a screw in and next thing I knew it was on the floor (fortunately not too much damage ) but some thin bits of plastic may need replacing with copper wire, I'm starting to worry maybe I've got dropsy or something.

Old Wombat · « **Reply #36 on:** May 01, 2017, 05:19:48 AM »

Can't hurt to go see your GP.

Loss of fine motor control can have a number of easily treated causes, or simply be a case of small parts, big model & not holding it firmly enough for fear of damaging bits.

kpnuts · « **Reply #37 on:** May 02, 2017, 12:38:14 AM »

Hi all well I've fixed it up a bit, here's the next update.

Claymore · « **Reply #38 on:** May 02, 2017, 06:37:15 AM »

Very nice work indeed! :)

I find that loss of motor control and dropsy are less to do with any medical condition and more to do with the abnormally high gravity generated by the singularity carpet that exists directly under my desk. Whilst it is usually only vital, one-off parts that cross that damned rug's event horizon, I have, on occasion, seen entire models sucked into the beast never to return!

Old Wombat · « **Reply #39 on:** May 02, 2017, 11:59:24 AM »

Insanely awesome! If there's any damage, I can't see it. :) :)

kpnuts · « **Reply #40 on:** May 04, 2017, 02:47:16 AM »

Hi all here's an update on this, I think the kit exhaust is toooo shiney,

Sooo, mask up the exhaust straps

Spray with hairspray then sprinkle talcum powder on it

Respray with hairspray and then sprinkle on some salt

I think it looks much more realistic now

kpnuts · « **Reply #41 on:** May 06, 2017, 01:17:40 AM »

Hi all, well after CC's kind ref pics I've amended the exhaust to look more like the pics.

kpnuts · « **Reply #42 on:** June 09, 2017, 02:44:41 AM »

Hi all well the world record version had two seats so the co driver could use the pump to increase the fuel/air mix.
Here is my first attempt at the extra seat.

As you can plainly see it's rubbish, this was made with das modelling clay and I tried a few times with this (including trying to make a mould of the original but none were any good so I tried a different approach, i heated some 2 mil plastic and wrapped it round the seat, let that cool then heated some more and pushed inside that which (although not an exact copy gave me the shape of the seat) I then sanded and cut the sides to suit.
So here is the next version

And here they are installed, just a few more bits to do now.

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #43 on:** June 09, 2017, 03:07:51 AM »

Old Wombat · « **Reply #44 on:** June 09, 2017, 08:58:26 PM »

Looking sweet! :)

kpnuts · « **Reply #45 on:** June 16, 2017, 02:26:34 AM »

Hi all well it's finally finished (I seem to have very little time to model or even check out the forums lately, life is so hectic)
Anyway for those that didn't follow the build this is not the red version in the museum it's the Ernest Eldridge world record run version, the tail had to be raised and the skirt lowered also an extra seat for the co-driver had to be added all else is out of the box, I've seen some amazing builds of this kit where an amazing amount of detail has been added, I'm no where near as patient as that or talented so here is my version of this amazing kit. It truly is an amazing kit, I have plans for another one but it will be totally radical and nothing like the actual car, anyway that's in the future. Here are the pics.

I think I'm going to concentrait on finishing some of the models I've started to clear the bench for October's ducati(the missus surprised me further saying I could also get the upgrade kits taking the cost of it to nearly 700 quid)

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #46 on:** June 16, 2017, 02:53:09 AM »

elmayerle · « **Reply #47 on:** June 16, 2017, 06:24:06 AM »

Beautiful piece of work! Quite inspiring.

Old Wombat · « **Reply #48 on:** June 16, 2017, 10:13:44 AM »

Brilliant job!

andonio64 · « **Reply #49 on:** June 18, 2017, 09:24:20 PM »

Indeed a masterpiece!

AXOR · « **Reply #50 on:** June 18, 2017, 09:40:33 PM »

Another one that I missed,great job all around,I love it!

kpnuts · « **Reply #51 on:** June 19, 2017, 04:00:40 AM »

Thanks all glad you like it


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Author Topic: Italari 1/12 Fiat Mefistofeles (Read 13489 times)