Hiro Fukuda

Here's my process for making carbon fiber decals.

It's a low-tech approach that uses masking tape to create templates. I mark the twill direction on the templates and align them with the pattern on the decal sheet.

Method 1 is to use a single template for both the left and right decals. A template is placed on the front side of the decal sheet, and then the same template is reused on the back side.

Method 2 is to make separate templates for each side, using only the front side of the decal sheet. The templates are oriented 90 degrees relative to each other.

I already knew that Scale Motorsport decals were easy to work with. Tamiya's decals proved to be just as good, especially in how they respond to decal-setting and softening solutions.

Although the model itself won't be finished in time, I'll assemble the major components and take some photos for the final submission tomorrow.

I adapted a technique commonly used by nail artists to create the color-chrome effect on the exhaust parts. I first came across this method while looking for alternative chrome-finishing techniques. Around the same time, I found an inexpensive no-name chrome powder set on Temu and picked it up just in case. To my surprise, it turned out to be quite useful. Then, when I saw a reference photo of a Huayra with chrome-blue silencers (?), I immediately thought, "Hmm, maybe this chrome nail powder will work..."

Have you ever found a genuinely useful tool or material among the seemingly cheap or questionable items on Temu? Sometimes it feels like a treasure hunt.

Anyway, this chrome powder produces a different kind of metallic sheen than conventional chrome paints, and after a bit of practice, I became fairly comfortable with the process.

The real question is: could this technique work on an entire body shell? That would be an interesting challenge.

I think I'll be able to post one or two more updates before the deadline.

Once again, thank you very much for all the comments and likes.

Thank you in advance for all the comments and likes. I'm not rushing this build, but I'll try to make as much progress as possible. I also have a Plan B waiting in a contest in Texas, and many more opportunities for Plans C, D, E... (laughs).

I've simplified the carbon fiber work to just two decal patterns. For the finer weave seen in the interior photos, I used Scale Motorsport 1/20 Twill (#1020). For the more prominent areas, such as the rear section, I used Tamiya Twill Pattern Fine (12681). I saved masking tape templates for other Huayra kits.

The body is temporarily taped together to make it easier to apply an even coat of paint across all body parts. I initially forgot about the front bumper, which resulted in an extra painting session. Matching color across multiple parts is always challenging, and avoiding that was the whole reason for painting everything together in the first place! (sigh...)

I used a Swallowtail SD airbrush throughout the entire paint process and kept adding paint to the cup without cleaning it between colors to save time. The sequence started with Gundam Color Zaku Pink, followed by several hours of drying time. I then repeated the spray-and-dry cycle with Zaku Red, Gaia's Ideon Red (orangish red), Gravity's Rosso Dubai Base Coat (metallic red) and Rosso Dubai Mid Coat (clear red).

The last photo shows a mist coat of Gaia EX Clear applied before intermediate sanding. Personally, I find it easier to smooth out a finely textured surface than sanding the orange peel as a result of heavy wet coat.

I used a set of telescoping aluminum tubes from Albion Alloys. To recreate the support, I used 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm tubing. The assembly looked a little too slim, so I added 0.8 mm tubing as well, purely for appearance.

I also modified the inlet ducts (parts 82 and 83) so the optional photo-etched mesh can be mounted slightly deeper inside the opening. 

I tested every gold paint in my collection and narrowed the choices down to three finalists: Gaahleri Flashy Gold, Gaia Pearl Gold, and SMS Light Gold.

At first, I thought I'd need to use Gaia Pearl Gold as a base coat for Gaahleri Flashy Gold. However, the Gaahleri paint turned out to be opaque enough on its own, so I applied it directly without a base coat.

I also drilled small holes in the rocker arms (?) attached to the upper control arms and inserted 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm solder secured with super glue. After trimming the solder to length, it creates convincing rivet heads. It's a simple technique that lets you make an almost unlimited number of rivets. 😉

For the rivets that won't be replaced with solder, I'll be using FusionFirm Chrome to help them stand out.

With most of the parts removed from the sprues, I've finished the pre-assembly stage and am ready to move on to painting.

The key to assembling the body is making sure the front corners of the cockpit tub are glued firmly with no gaps. When the front cowl is closed, the locating notches must align correctly on both sides.

For the front and rear subframes, I decided to paint the control arms gold first, then mask them before painting the frames. After mentally working through the masking process, this approach seemed to require the least amount of masking tape.

I plan to replace the kit springs with wound electrical wire, so this doesn't affect my build very much. However, Aoshima  made a mistake with one of the shock absorber parts. All four springs should have the same winding direction, but one of them is molded in the opposite direction.

Most of the engine components will be brush-painted, with carbon-fiber decals added as accents.

The interior parts are also off the sprues. Aoshima reinforced the base of the gear lever with extra plastic on the inner side. I trimmed away some of that and painted the inside with low-reflectance Musou Black to keep it less visible.

The kit also includes components for two audio systems. Parts 176 and 177, along with the center speaker, appear to represent the Sonus Faber sound system. However, the kit does not include the additional speakers needed to reproduce the complete premium audio package, such as the speakers behind the seats.

Here's my midweek update.

I assembled the rear subframe. The engine and gearbox assemblies can be installed from the front and the rear of the subframe.

I also assembled the rear cowl hinges. The mounting brackets have a slight angle that matches the contour of the rear cowl. Just like the front hinges, the rear ones fit perfectly. It really feels like I'm seeing the pinnacle of digital kit design in action. The only downside is that the assembly is quite fiddly.

If you're as crazy as I am and decide to use the kit's hinge parts, it helps to temporarily tighten the pins with thinned wood glue. Otherwise, the support arms tend to fall off easily. I used Joint Strengthening Pen instead, simply because I already had it on hand.

I also trimmed away part of the roof structure to give the door support arms a little more clearance.

The kit includes hinge parts for both the front and rear cowls, but they're grayed out on the instruction sheet.

That's probably because assembling pieces this small would be too difficult for most builders.

In honor of the kit designer's enthusiasm, I decided to install them anyway.

The support arms use two different pin lengths. The shorter pins go on the front supports, while the longer ones are for the rear.

To install the rear support arms, I first need to make some progress on the rear subframe. Even so, the front hinges fit so well that I'm willing to trust Aoshima's engineering on the rear assembly, too.

For my second dry-fit attempt of the rear subframe, I used two additional parts to reinforce the assembly.

To lower the ride height on the left side, I installed both the front and rear spacers underneath the left wheel hubs. The right side was assembled according to the kit instructions.

Comparing the two setups, I think the lowered stance looks a bit too aggressive for a street-driven car. I'll probably add a 0.3 mm spacer above the hub assembly to create a little more clearance between the tires and the wheel arches.

The fully lowered setup may be better suited for a Pacchetto Tempesta build, or perhaps a BC conversion using 3D-printed parts.

One important aspect of dry fitting that I almost forgot to mention is checking the ride height.

To evaluate the stance, I partially assembled the front subframe to see how the front tire sits in relation to the body.

This kit includes spacers that can be installed on top of the knuckles. With the spacers in place, the front ride height ended up a little higher than I personally prefer. The rear ride height looks about right, although I still need to glue a few more rear suspension and subframe components to properly secure the wheel alignment.

Next time: Rear subframe