# W.I.P. Ferrari Challenge Shark nose



## superduty455

Fujimi came out with a very limited kit of the Euro Ferrari Challenge car. I was enthralled with the look of the car and ordered the kit a.s.a.p. Shortly thereafter it sold out. Hard kit to find now.
Upon receipt of the kit disappointment soon followed. Opening the box revealed a Ferrari F430. Not the Challenge body. Instead of spending another $30 for a correct kit and using the decals I decided to see if the skills I've acquired over the years could help me overcome and beat this kit.
Naturally it is taking a lot longer than I had anticipated. Lots of body work and unfortunately another kit, but I only paid about $10 for it since it was so badly warped. This $10 kit has now and will ultimately give up the correct parts.
I also went the distance and bought KA masks for the windows, as well as the Studio 27 Challenge photo etch.

The body had no likeness of the Challenge body. No side fuel fillers, incorrect tail panel or provisions for hood latches front and rear.
So off to hacking cutting and filling.
Here is the car I'm trying to depict:









Correct rear tail on top in red plastic as the bottom in flour. orange is incorrect:








These were both cut off to make room for the very fragile challenge screen:









That part has since been dremeled out to make room for the p.e. screen. Also of note is the engine cover has been dremeled for the vent openings, and p.e. screen will be added:








Here you can also see I have already drilled out the side coves for the fuel fillers.
Also of note I had to fill the gas door in as well.
Not seen or pictures taken yet are the hood latch pin indents. I utilized tracing paper, cut out and taped onto the correct challenge body and using a mechanical pencil transferred the image to this body front and rear.
I did this after the first coat of Fluorescent red was applied. Not a big deal since I have to sand it and re-apply. Here's a shot of the flour. red:









The other problem I have run into are the tires. Although I have the wheels done I am using the street tires that came in the kit. All of the Fujimi kits utilize the street tire. IT should be a slick, but finding this item has proven difficult since the wheels are 19 and 20. It would certainly take different tires from different kits to correct this but I can live with the street tires for now.








I started this kit before I purchased the p.e. So the brake discs you see here are from the kit. Each hole was drilled out by me with a pin vise. Long arduous task, but looks very realistic and in my opinion better than the p.e. The tire lettering is from the kit.
I'm hoping to have this kit finished by September, realistically. However I'm trying to finish it in June unrealistically. 
I'm working on a kit for a customer in between this and also on a secret project for myself.
I've also done a high resolution scan of the decals so I can get another set made for future use.
A few other items are almost finished, but I have slowed down to concentrate on the secret project right now. I do a little work with it each night. These kinds of builds slow me down sim0ply because the obstacles are new to me and I want to try to make sure to do it correctly. SO far it's been more fun than frustrating.
Constructive comments welcomed.
Chris


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## SoleSky

Awesome Chris! I think the discs look amazingly realistic! Also the paint job on that is spectacular! i can't wait to see it. Also good job on sparking up the section again. It was getting kind of lonely in here. 
-Alyssa


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## superduty455

Alyssa, the paint on the kit now is actually just a base-coat. The car will be finished in Ferrari Rosso Scuderia. This fluorescent base-coat will just help the paint pop a little bit more. It isn't the final or correct coat.
Thanks for checking it out.
Chris


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## SoleSky

Really?! Thats awesome still. Hmm. I found out that I have an air compressor. Might get a air brush kit to help out with my bad paint jobs lol


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## Auroranut

Excellent detail work Chris! It's coming along beautifully. The detail you've put into the discs and wheels are really gonna make the corners come to life!
I can't wait to see this beastie with paint and decals!

Chris.


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## steve123

Thanks for taking the pics and sharing them! great work on this one..

Steve


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## superduty455

Thanks Chris and Steve. Its been on the bench a long time. I do a little bit here and there between builds. I'm not going to rush it. When it gets done it gets done. 
Just too cool not to build.
Thanks.
Chris


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## superduty455

SoleSky said:


> Really?! Thats awesome still. Hmm. I found out that I have an air compressor. Might get a air brush kit to help out with my bad paint jobs lol


Alyssa, as far as paint jobs go, an airbrush can help but I believe it is all in the prep work you do on the body before you get to color coats.

An airbrush will minimize paint usage, but again, the same principals apply to laying down a nice paint job whether you are using an aerosol or airbrush.

I go overboard with wet sanding. I hardly every dry sand much of anything anymore. Sand the bare body, all the primer coats and paint as well as clear. Of course not all colors get sanded depending on if it is a metallic or pearl. 
I just about use a different method each time to find what I like and what looks the best. 
It's always trial and error when building. Nice to come across something that works after you try it out.
Chris


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## Auroranut

Everything you've said is spot on Chris! No matter how well you lay down a coat of paint, it's the prep work that's gonna dictate how the finish is gonna look. Once the primer's on I always use guidecoats to make sure everything is smooth and straight. 

Chris.


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## superduty455

Just thought I would put an update in. I finally got the Scalefinishes.com Ferrari Rosso Scuderia paint on the F430. Very bright and very nice.
This is a pic of it after one clear coat:









I'll mask and spray the window rubbers as well as the engine bonnet screen section, then on to decals before I add more clear and rub it down. I'm hoping that having it painted will get me on the downward slope to getting more of it done. 
The decals will take some time though, lots of cutting and solution as well as heat is going to be needed on the shark mouth.
Thanks for looking.
Chris


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## SoleSky

Awesome Chris! I love the color, stands out so much. Can't wait to see more


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## superduty455

Well, its been a long time between updates. Anyway, the car still sits where you guys have seen it.
Anyway, I've been working on the photo etch seat belts and thought I would show a little bit of that:









This is an Eduard pre-painted photo etch set. You've got to be careful with them otherwise they'll crack if you bend them too much and the paint flakes off. Here's the fret:









I'm also working on another set of seat belts. Just finished painting them red. Got to add decals to them and see if I like them better than these. 

Anyway it's back on the bench with some slow progress. I see my "realistic" goal of September came and went! LOL Well, now the next goal is March. I just need to stay on it.
Chris


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## superduty455

Finally got the interior tub finished. Now it is on to the meticulous work of CF and p.e. screens. 
The flu is kind of keeping me down this weekend. So I hope to get back on my feet in a few days to get this thing back on track.
Here are a few pictures of the interior tub. Any questions just ask. I do have full explanations on what I did at my fotki, under each picture.
Chris

Heat shield on floor:









Completed tub:









You'll note I changed the seat belt. I liked the smaller design of this one and it fit into the scheme of things better too. This was off of the p.e. fret for the Challenge car. I added the Sabelt decals to them.
You'll note some carbon fiber work on the door panels as well as the cluster shield. 
Chris


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## moebiusman

great work! I am a big Ferrai fan .Nice to see others building them too.


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## Bancroft

I was astonished to see this car since at first I thought it was the Chris Rea this was "the real thing" in that everything was correct and that it had FIA papers to race, which the original replica didn't. This car have Silverstone with Stirling at the wheel.

___________


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