Tamiya F40 upgrades...

Just interested if anyone can recommend a good upgrade parts kit for the Tamiya F40 road car kit? PE or what have you...

I am also a fan of the LM's bigger bonnet vent, I don't suppose there is an LM body transkit or anything? I'll probably just scratchbuild it.

Also think its a bit camp on the stock wheels and I'd like to stick something else in there, any ideas on something suitable racey and euro style that I could get hold of?

I'm not planning on building it stock, but I'm not putting NOS and Aoshima CE28Ns on it either. Just after some ideas, as supercars aren't really my area of expertise.

One other thing, I'd like to run LM racecar style straight through rear exhausts (i.e. from the wastegate and turbines back, without the muffler box), any ideas what to fab them out of? Styrene with the ends drilled (thought it might be a bit coarse) was one idea. If I were to do it in metal tube (aluminium or brass), can anyone give me some ideas on bending it without crushing it (solder ends and fill with sand?)?

I admit: I don't like (well not I just hate ;) ) the idea of a Ferrari with a NOS bottle inside :evillol:, however:

I've the Acu Stion PE set: that's good, with intercoolers face, rear grill and some other great stuff, I haven't used jet but I'm planning to do my road F40 soon.

Bonnet vents and rims: There's around a Italeri F40 racing: I owned but I sold some time ago: it could be a decent base for the bonnet and the rims are ok (not the tyres, terrible as usual for Italeri)

Exaust: try solder

I seem to recall Studio 27s PE set was rather good.
If you want an LM body there were several transkits about with resin bodies. Scale Productions and MSM Creations IIRC. The latter is probably better and easier to find.

Well, let's see...

There's very little I would recommend for Tamiya's F40. i haven't seen the Accustion PE set, but the S27 set is total crap. It's full of stuff that's either unnecissary, or doesn't fit. Take for instance, the intercooler grilles:

http://img438.imageshack.us/img438/7217/11313671wv.jpg

Notice the near perfect fit? Also notice that the kit part looks better then the PE anyway?

This pic hardly does the set justice, but it gives you some idea:

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/7593/11212080tt.jpg

Parts 26, 27, 28, and 44 (the front and rear mesh grilles) are much much too coarse- the solid rear kit part will probably look better. My advice is get a sheet pf your favorite PE screen, and make these parts yourself. But my favorite thing about this set I believe well illustrates the care and attention to detail that went into designing it. You've probably noticed the Tamiya kit comes with two different pairs of wing mirrors- one prototype style and one production style. S27 thoughfully includes PE mirror inserts, parts 22 and 23- one of each! For a full set of either style, get the Crazy Modeler Ferrari logo set.

As for wheels, I think just about anything other than the stock wheels look camp- especially anything big or with lo profile tyres. The F40 was made before that style became popular, so to my eye and F40 on 18"s with low profiles looks as goofy as an SUV on 22"s with low profiles.

For the exhaust, you're looking at serious work to modify it. It's going to be really tough to get all three pipes bent into the same shape and hung together correctly. If I was going to try it, I'd use solder. Do an image search for Tubi F40 exhaust for some inspiration. The easy way to do this modification would be to take the intake/exhaust train from the Monte Shell kit.

Come to think of it, all three of your questions would be solved by the Monte Shell kit.

Thanks MPWR,
Glad I didn't buy the S27 set. And yeah, about all I wanted in PE was the rear mesh so I will just have a bash at making my own.

Definitely don't want any low profile 2006 style stuff, was thinking something very much race style and in period, just a bit bigger (width) and more aggressive (offset/dish) than the factory rims. I'm sure I'll find something, considering maybe the Fujimi OZ racing 345 set and suitable semi slicks or full slicks... But yeah, I may just end up with stock rims.

edit: Just tried the fujimi Advan 345 semi slicks (from my Techno TV-Rs) on the F40 kit rims and they're a near perfect fit (or will be when I shave the lip off the backside), which makes for a more aggressive look than the full tread road rubber.

I'll check out the Tubi exhaust, I've been basing my plans off pics of the Uderzo LM so far.


I guess I'm going for a "I'm ridiculously rich and have tried to make my road F40 a bit meaner for trackdays" kind of style.

I guess I'm going for a "I'm ridiculously rich and have tried to make my road F40 a bit meaner for trackdays" kind of style.

I think I'd seriously consider the Monte Shell kit, then. It has a set of open 5 spoke OZ(I think) racing wheels w/ slicks, a straight through exhaust, a racing interior (which basiclly means, take out the right hand seat and add a fire suppression system- perfect for a club track car), and a PE fret including (I believe) brake overlays and a rear mesh grille. Hobbysearch will tell you everything for certain.

Build it out of the box, paint it red, and you have a rich guy's streetable track toy F40.

Hey Bad guy ;)

'scuse the stoopid question, but what is part 10 on the s27 sheet? looks like it might have fitted the intercoolers (too?)

Hey Bad guy ;)

'scuse the stoopid question, but what is part 10 on the s27 sheet? looks like it might have fitted the intercoolers (too?)

In theory, they're supposed to fit the small transmission oil cooler.

In theory..
:lol: loud and clear!

I have a bit of a confession - I recently ordered (expetcting to receive soon) several sets of Tamiya PE parts and wheel/brake parts as spare parts from Rainbow ten. I feel that the part that the regular kit needs most is the rear grille, and it's nicely included, and if you also order the wheels, you get a set of huge brakes (to be used together with PE parts), lug nuts for wheels and rear parts for the tail lights. This should satisfy all my F40 needs, one thing left to do is to build all of them :uhoh:

Roland Linders "LM" sounds just like what your are looking to build. His car is a racer built from a street car with elements of both types retained.

Thanks for the tips everyone. It certainly sounds like the monte shell car is a a better option, but I'll stick with modding the road F40 as I have the kit already (and got it for next to nothing).

If someone could tell me what the sprue letter/number is for the wheels in the Monte Shell kit though, that would be great.

Sure.

Kit number 24284;
Parts tree: F-G, parts code: 9000005 (wheel and brake parts, both trees come together and have one code) - paid 450 yen at Rainbow ten, I think HLJ might be actually cheaper;
Photoetched parts; parts code 9402387, 780 yen at R10

I've ordered the Monte Shell wheels/tyres, brakes, and photoetch. Not sure if I'll use the wheels as I quite like the fujimi advans on the Kit rims, but we'll see.

Have a look here for some inspiration:

http://www.tubistylejapan.com/F40ST.001.htm

Some Japanese dude who bought an F40 and totally rebuilt it for the track. Should provide some inspiration!

Watch out though, LOADS of pictures if you're on 56K.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who contributed.
I just received the wheels, tyres, brakes and PE parts for the monteshell kit. There were a few other interesting bits on the brake sprue which was an unexpected bonus - I think there is a firebomb for the extinguisher system, some ducting for the engine bay and a mystery part number 7?

Hopefully I'll finish some skylines soon, haha, and get a start on it.

Mystery F7 is computers behind the passenger seat. I found a photo here: http://ferraris-online.com/cars/97881/F4097881PassSeatLr14.jpg

Aha! So it is, thankyou very much - another one for my growing reference file...