Update 2-9-2022 --- WIP Italeri 1/12 scale Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Roadster

Right on!  Looking forward to this one.  I've been so tempted to add this kit to the stash.  I'll be following along for sure.

That looks like a really cool model. You may have me wishing for one before you've done!

The car is very old school. It was built in the early 1930's. The frame is an old fashioned laddar frame with bolted components. The side rails look like they were bought at a steel mill. The shocks are friction type. It looks to be a fun build. 

keavdog

Right on!  Looking forward to this one.  I've been so tempted to add this kit to the stash.  I'll be following along for sure.

 

I started but never finished the almost-as-old-as-I-am Pocher version of this as a kid, you keep up this WIP thread and I'll bet you will be responsible for my adding this kit to my stash too.

Thanks for posting and please do keep it going.

keavdog

Right on!  Looking forward to this one.  I've been so tempted to add this kit to the stash.  I'll be following along for sure.

 

Ditto. I am really gonna enjoy this. I was tempted to buy this one too. 

I like their large scale kits- built the Mephestofele and it turned out great.  But a friend's AR beat the Meph with his AR at a recent contest!

Next up are the friction shocks. There are four sets of these and each set has 12 parts. Each part needs to be painted and the paint needs to dry overnight.

I, too, built a Mefistofele, so I'm really interested in following this build.  I've had my eye on it for a while.

Dave

I assembled the springs and painted the coolant pipes while I waited  for the enamel paint on the friction shocks to dry.

The springs are composed of a leaf spring, shackles and steel bolts. I added dirt and dust to the springs using AquaLine Brown Mud. The Brown Mud is water soluable and it can be reactivated after it dries by using water.

The spring shackles are attached to the frame using steel bolts. I added a drop of clear paint onto the bolt threads to prevent the nut from geting loose. Per the instructions, the frame is painted with Tamyia Mica Red. I dirtied the frame with the AquaLine Brown Mud.

The pipes were painted with Model Master Aluminum Metalizer. I buffed the paint using a paper stump. The rubber hoses were painted flat black and the clamps were painted Testors' Chrome.

Nice. Very detailed description of your work. I like that. 

Looking good. 

I am not an auto person, but I totally agree with Bakster. Love the way you are doing this.

Thanks for the kind words regarding my writing style.

It is possible to install the front axel backwards, which would cause a big problem when installing the friction shocks. You need to look at the instructions very carefully to understand which way the axel is installed. The gold arrows point at two molded screws. When the axel is glued to the springs these screws need to point toward the front of the frame. This is very easy to miss. The red arrows are pointing toward two parts that the shocks are screwed into. When the axel is glued to the springs these two parts must face toward the front of the frame. I used a screw driver from an eyeglass repair kit.

This is the finished front axel. The metal bolts add a nice touch.

The rear axel was installed without a hitch.

I like it ( of course I do it's within my era range of builds) !

This kit is cool. Enjoying it.

I should have mentioned this earlier. The plastic parts are covered in mold release oil. There are actually black splotches of it on some of the parts. First I cleaned the parts using Simple Green. Then I washed the parts in Dawn Dishwashing detergent.

Interesting about the mold release. I built the kit last summer and the parts were totally clean. I didn't have to wash anything. I'm really enjoying watching your progress and must say you're doing a great job. 

Hmmmm;

 Kin I say with all good intent-AWESOME !! ?

Tanker-Builder

Hmmmm;

 Kin I say with all good intent-AWESOME !! ?

 

This is a photo of the engine on a 1:1 car. It is a supercharged straight eight. 

The engine block and oil pan have really nice molded details. I added some dirt using AquaLine Brown Mud. IMHO, there isn't enough dirt. I'll add some more later. This is a large engine. Note the comparison with a 1/24 scale V8.

I have been informed that Fernando Pinto makes and sells actual wire wheels for my model. The cost for five wire wheels is $145. That seems reasonable.   

JohnnyK

I have been informed that Fernando Pinto makes and sells actual wire wheels for my model. The cost for five wire wheels is $145. That seems reasonable.   

Ha ha  they must be NICE wheels

agree with you on the dirt. the 1:1 seems to have more dried oil on it. In those days it probably leaked some all the time and got everywhere. Engine looks great!

This is a fantastic looking kit and the 1/24 engine looks like it's a part waiting to be bolted on!

I started working on the seat last week. The seat is molded in smooth plastic. The 1:1 car had a leather seat. I have no idea as to how to make plastic look like leather so I went to Hobby Lobby and purchase a roll of faux-leather. This stuff is ver thin and fexible, perfect for covering the plastic seat. The box art indicates a red seat, but I think that a red seat would make the car look too monochromatic, so I bought black fabric. I cut the fabric to the correct width and used Gator's Grip acrylic glue to glue the fabric to the plastic. The glue needs to dry overnight, so I can only apply one fabric strip at a time. 

The kit comes with a weird silicone tubing that is supposed to be used as spark plug wires. I did not like the look of the silicone tubing so I purchased some wire from Model Motercars. The wire is a little stiff, but it looks better than the silicone tube. I used the silicone tubing as boots. Thanks to jeffpez for suggesting that I use CA to glue the wire to the silicone. This is a slow and tedious process. 

Really nice work JK. The seats should look awesome when done and nice work on the spark plug wiring too. Very clean build.

I'm in total agreement with Bakster. The plug wires look great and I think your choice of material for the seats was inspired.

Years ago, I built a 1/8 scale model of the same car, the kit was made in the early 70's by Pocher of italy.  Except for the scale, yours looks like the same thing, same assembly methods, etc.  I wonder if they are related?  

The 1/8 model turned out super nice, and I still have it displayed behind glass.

When they were first released in the 70's, those kits were selling for about $150.

Cadet Chuck

Years ago, I built a 1/8 scale model of the same car, the kit was made in the early 70's by Pocher of italy.  Except for the scale, yours looks like the same thing, same assembly methods, etc.  I wonder if they are related?  

The 1/8 model turned out super nice, and I still have it displayed behind glass.

When they were first released in the 70's, those kits were selling for about $150.

 

I'll work on the floor pan as I slowly add leather to the seat and sparkplugs to the engine. First I'll need to fill some nasty ejector pin marks. 

The ejector pin marks in the back side of the hood were also m filled with Mr. Dissolved Putty. Nasty smelling stuff.

JohhnyK- 

Yes, my 1/8 scale model has nicely machined metal pistons, that go up and down in proper sequence when you turn the crank.  Also, the steering works, through a rack and pinion, and the brakes work, too, and the headlights turn on when you put a little metal key in the dashboard.  Amazing model!