Italari 1/12 Fiat Mefistofeles

Hi all here is my next project

Great subject.

Great work.  Details look sharp!

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

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.

Engine "oiling" looks very realistic. Looking good.

Ditto what Pete said.

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)

Hi all here is today's bit.

Hi all I've just realised there is a huge error on this engines valve gear, every single cylinder is moulded in compression stroke (all valves closed) every multi cylinder engine I've ever worked on whilst one is closed the other is either on exhaust or intake stroke, had I have noticed before I'd brass leafed or stuck them on I could have corrected it fairly easily I think, too late now but for anyone else building this a point to remember.

Looking good. That's a great tip, I never thought of it before but you are right about the valves.

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)

I'll be this WIP. The engine looks nicely weathered.

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





I'm having exactly the same problems as Skid with the paint on this one I'm doing it black so its not the colour and its been a week between the primer and the gloss coat so the primer should have dried, I think its something to do with the plastic, stripping it off then going to try a first coat of barrier coat then paint over that.

I have been enthralled with this model ever since Skid started his.
What a NEAT old racer !!!
Good lick with the rest of the build !!

That sure was some creative engineering with the chain. The progress looks real cool so far.

You mentioned that the valves are positioned wrong in your build and thought you would want to fix them if you built this again.
The valves in this picture all looked to be in the same position. I am guessing they are all closed since this is on display.
Just wanted to share this with you.

Thanks for the info mate, I know this was copied from the one in the museum so that would explain it.

kpnuts wrote:Thanks for the info mate, I know this was copied from the one in the museum so that would explain it.

Interesting, there ya go, now you're building a museum piece. They just have the rocker screws backed all the way off to keep the engined sealed.

Hi all well engine is done, I've put the body shell on just for fun (don't worry it won't be that shiny when finished, I'm going to rub vasline over it

nice progress.

That engine is super cool !!!
I've been anxious for updates on this baby !!