Project K51: 1/8 Pocher Ferrari Testarossa

[Twokidsnosleep]

Here is a long term project for me, restoring a partly finished Tetarossa in 1/8 scale


It is flipping huge and heavy, so I have it in my big workshop




I bought it unfinished from a nice elderly guy in the States who could not complete it due to eye sight issues. He actually owned one of theses beauties.
So my plan is to tear it down and restore it completely as one might with a full on car restoration
The body is metal with beautiful paint, I may not have to mess with that at all
It came with an engine detail set and I have another kit of just the engine


So this will be interesting to see where it takes me
I plan on doing this as small sub-assemblies, taking my time and doing it slowly

[Twokidsnosleep]

Ok, so first off is some interior work, specifically the seats
The driver's seat is rattling around and fell out on me...thus it volunteered to start first
BEFORE:


Not horrible, but the driver seat is loose, the leather looks a bit off and the dog shite brown dash and console must be changed.
This is what we are after...classy black and tan



Stripping the seat in oven cleaner...it comes off pretty easy leaving pebbly surface texture that does not like sanding.


Very weird plastic, kind of like the Bandai stuff. I don't anticipate it taking to painting very well. It is hard to cement and required CA glue as TET didnt touch it when I tested. Might try some contact cement as well.
I remove plastic seat operation bits and replaced them with aluminum




A sharp eye might notice a leather strip on the seat. If I can get a thin enough leather I will cover them in real leather.
The thinnest I have is still too thick and it is difficult to get it to paper thin by hand.
Fine glove leather 0.5mm is what I need. Will look around...you guys in Europe have better thin leather than NorthAmerica

[Kevthemodeller]

I'm liking this Scott

[Twokidsnosleep]

I'm liking this Scott

It is an insane project

[Gary30]

Oh yes! What a cool project!

In for this!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Oh yes! What a cool project!

In for this!

Cheers Gary, it is something I have wanted to start for a long time and keep putting off
SO this new year, damn the torpedoes I am making a start
Plus I get to take a trip to the leather shop this weekend ...have not been in years

[Gary30]

Best part about the leather shop is the smell right?!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Best part about the leather shop is the smell right?!

MMMmmm indeed
I am an absolute nut about fine leather, just love working with it site smell and touch, just a joy to the senses.
Same way with wood...when I cut some nice maple and it just smells so gorgeous
Yes, I am weird

[DRUMS01]

TwoKids; It is nice to see a pocher in the hands of someone like you. I am confidant that it will standout with realism not offered by the common modeler. The kit was lucky to find you.

Have fun and show us the progress.

Ben

P.S.: and you are right with wood and leather having just the right smell.

[Twokidsnosleep]

TwoKids; It is nice to see a pocher in the hands of someone like you. I am confidant that it will standout with realism not offered by the common modeler. The kit was lucky to find you.

Have fun and show us the progress.

Ben

P.S.: and you are right with wood and leather having just the right smell.

Cheers Ben, thanks for the nice words
I am going to really try and make this one into something

[Twokidsnosleep]

So let’s dip a bit into my leather psychosis
Not the creepy sex fetish kinda thing, but I do love working with leather and everything about it.
So it is a bit like collecting model kits, you go to a store the sites smells feels and you come home with some hides.
I am searching one (ahem) of my boxes of small hides for thin enough leather for the interior

Top layers all too thick, but a beautiful square of Congnac English Bridle and some rolls of Chromexel waxy leather in browns and black. Those make gorgeous wallets

This is a roll of red kangaroo leather. It is very thin and strong and a bit too nice for this model...maybe the f40

Red soft pigskin on the left and then a tan and black pigskin...those are getting closer.

Square of the tan pigskin on the seat...hmmm not bad a bit darker and the hair pattern on the surface is a smidge large

Opinions???

I think I will have to go to the leather store and find a finer grain tan hide

[Fridgy]

I'd would go the kangaroo leather personally.... but hey I am an Aussie.... and I no nothing about leather apart from once you make motorcycle gear out of it, it is bloody expensive

[Twokidsnosleep]

I'd would go the kangaroo leather personally.... but hey I am an Aussie.... and I no nothing about leather apart from once you make motorcycle gear out of it, it is bloody expensive

The kangaroo is nice, but a bit too red and too rare to use on this.
Is kangaroo leather it common over there?? It is really beautiful
The guy who used to run my vancouver leather store was an Aussie...he said Roos were like rats over there
A few years back, Canada had stopped allowing import of such stuff, not sure if it is the same still

[Fridgy]

Yeah they get in plague proportions some times
There is a big army base an hour away from me where they do culls all the time

[Tomcat64]

That's an interesting project.

Looking forward to seeing how you decide to upholster the seats.

Is the body shell pre-painted or will that need stripping back as well?

[theoneaeon]

Looking forward to seeing this. Have actually never seen a relatively small, Scale modelcar with leather seats

[Twokidsnosleep]

That's an interesting project.

Looking forward to seeing how you decide to upholster the seats.

Is the body shell pre-painted or will that need stripping back as well?

The body comes painted.
I have seen others strip them and repaint but it is a monumental task for minimal returns
Unless something drastic happens, I will go with the factory paint

[Twokidsnosleep]

Looking forward to seeing this. Have actually never seen a relatively small, Scale modelcar with leather seats

I did it with this 1/16 MG
The leather was hand skived and thinned down and the carpet is an ultra suede fabric
The dash is a piece of cherry wood as well

[theoneaeon]

That looks amazing.

[Twokidsnosleep]

That looks amazing.

That one was fun!!!
Model building, leatherwork and woodwork

[Twokidsnosleep]

Made a trip to Lonsdale Leather store in Vancouver today...nice young couple have bought it and are doing well.
I picked up a tan lambskin for the seats and interior plus some Barge Brand contact cement...awesome stuff

So while listening to the hangout and watching gunfight and monkey vs human battles videos, long story, I began upholstering the seats.
Before:


During






Almost done, just the headrest to go


Not perfect, but much much better. The seams are a bit tough to get absolutely perfect as my trim piece cannot be thinned any further or it tears up. Oh well.

I tested the base with Ultimate primer and then oil and with just straight oil
Both wiped off very easily with just the slightest touch. This plastic will not hold paint.
That was the deciding factor to go to contact cement and leather covering.

[theoneaeon]

looks good. Are you planning on getting a little horsie on the headrest.

[Twokidsnosleep]

looks good. Are you planning on getting a little horsie on the headrest.

Ahh good eye
Yes indeed and why I left the headrest to last
Will do it as an insert and either have
a. Metal decal horse
b. coloured Ferrari badge
c. Laser etched Ferrari horse

We shall see how that plays out

[Twokidsnosleep]

Ok, that looks a lot better...pretty happy with the look
Before:

After:

[theoneaeon]

Me like

[BobM]

Great Scott, Scott! That sure is impressive.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Great Scott, Scott! That sure is impressive.

Me like

Cheers guys
She is putting up a fight but I am getting the handle on it
I am going to add the red roo skin as an interior accent....this is my research vehicle

I like the red lower door cards and behind the seats, but likely will do the tan leather in the foot wells and do a head liner too

[Tomcat64]

Beautiful craftwork - those seats look superb

[Twokidsnosleep]

Beautiful craftwork - those seats look superb

Thank you Neil
Ya not bad, a couple things I could have done better. I like the colour but wanted a smoother leather surface
All the smooth leather was too shiny and would make everything look plastic again....so I went with this stuff
My seams could be better, straighter and more consistent, but I am improving as I go along.
Pretty hard comparing your work to a Ferrari leather artisan's

[Twokidsnosleep]

Working on the passenger door card....tan, black and red leather with smooth Ultimate black paint

[Fridgy]

Very nice

[Twokidsnosleep]

Very nice

I used the kangaroo...just pour vous

[Fridgy]

Hey why not.... it is on our national coat of arms.... and we eat them

[Twokidsnosleep]

While dinner being made, I worked over the e-brake handle
Before: shiny painted all plastic yuck


After: Plastic replaced by aluminum and the base wrapped with leather

Not shoved all the way down yet so I can access the other stuff

[Kevthemodeller]

Looking good Scott

[Gary30]

That's what I'm talking about

[Tomcat64]

Really neat progress

I wouldn't worry about comparing yourself to a Ferrari artisan as I suspect it's probably "easier" to cover a full sized seat with a couple of square metres of hide than it is to make it this tidy in scale.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Really neat progress

I wouldn't worry about comparing yourself to a Ferrari artisan as I suspect it's probably "easier" to cover a full sized seat with a couple of square metres of hide than it is to make it this tidy in scale.

True. I have watched some factory videos and those ladies are super talented
I cannot thin the outside edge enough to get the seam overlaps to lay perfectly flat...the leather just tears
So I am trying to strategically place the seams in and under, behind and around so they won’t be as visible

[Twokidsnosleep]

That's what I'm talking about

Cheers Gary
I am really enjoying this. Just taking it one bit at a time and trying to be careful
My modelling mojo is like off the scale with this project, so I must be doing something I like

[Twokidsnosleep]

Looking good Scott

Thanks Kev...something a bit different

[Paul]

Looking really good Scott

[Twokidsnosleep]

Looking really good Scott

Cheers Paul
I am getting good at stripping

[kiwigav]

Looking really good Scott

Cheers Paul
I am getting good at stripping

ooh err

[Twokidsnosleep]

Driver’s door card work.
I am getting better at seams and keeping them linear and minimal
Here you see more overlap of edges so I get full coverage and a little to wrap around the back and side


I have them both done now, just letting the Ultimate black on the arm rest dry fully

[Fridgy]

Nice mate
Looking awesome

[Kevthemodeller]

Looking good Scott

[Twokidsnosleep]

Looking good Scott

Nice mate
Looking awesome

cheers guys
I am at that point that I have to take the body off the chassis and get at the tub
So far I could just pluck stuff off...now S gets real

[Twokidsnosleep]

So I took the tub out from the body...no breakage surprisingly


Took everything apart...foot pedals, middle console, shifter, headliner, rear view mirror, seat belts

Good talk with David on the hangout and he suggested cutting up the kit rear view mirror rather than starting from scratch.
So I cut off the front rim, added a back to it and a rim and the soldered a new thin brass arm support




Then I made a new silver painted speaker cover for the footwells




Tub is getting paint stripped now in prep of leather covering

[barryf1fan]

Amazing work with the leather. Pretty impressive.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Amazing work with the leather. Pretty impressive.

Thanks man, it is really fun getting my leatherwork juices flowing again
With the right material and a few tools, it is very easy to do