This is a review of the Revell Ferrari F430 kit#85-2033

I have to say that this is one of those cars that I liked from afar. Not something awe-inspiring looking – like that of an Enzo, or LaFerrari. Not world-changing like the F40 or eye candy like a 288 GTO. It was a replacement for an aging vehicle and it didn’t stray too far from its design, purpose and prowess. That said, I really do like this car and this is a good kit… with a large disclaimer.

There are a couple of F430 kits by Fujimi that look fairly impressive but I haven’t done any of them. The Revell kit is cheaper and has enough detail that I cannot believe the extra cost is necessary.

CAR BACKGROUND :: So what was wrong with the Ferrari 360 Modena? It was sleek, elegant, and went like stink. Well, time passes and like anything else, the successor must arrive. Built with a newer, more powerful V8 , the F430 betters its older stablemate in just about every category. Quicker, faster, nimbler, and a heck of a deal next to the opulent 600k Enzo. Road tests range from 3.5-3.8 seconds to 60 and a 198mph top speed. It was impressive some almost 15 years ago, but really those numbers are nose to nose with some 2020 exotics… and some of those aren’t as sweet looking as this stallion is.

Yup. Red. What else for a Ferrari? Well, I actually like whites, blues, and even a black, so I will be making different ones eventually, but for now, Tamiya Bright Red. Now, where do I start with the laundry-list of “disclaimers” I mentioned? For starters, there are the front lenses that have ZERO lip in which to glue. One bad step and the car will have disgusting “eyelids” where the clear lenses should be. Then there is the flat black detail work. The giant holes in the front are gaping and have tough lines to follow for a good painting. Then black paint around the door sills, the windshield, the rear hatch… you will be flat-sick by the time you get finished. Next boggle are the side vents. Each take either a piece of decal OR a piece of mesh material to cover. They are irritating to cut out, and never fit properly. Lastly, the fit is atrocious. The mid-glass fitting to the completed bottom of the car is a nightmare. You really have to make sure that everything is where it should be EXACTLY, or you’ll have to re-position (or worse). And PLEASE make sure you leave the exhaust tips off until the car is assembled. They will not like the joining process. Whew.

The interior is a fun undertaking, however. There are multiple ways you can do this and have it look pretty sharp. I went with the straight tan, but there are a half dozen other colors/combos that you can use. Half-and-half dash colors and the like would look great. This Revell kit delivers detail in spades though and the finished product is great to look at. BIG side-note here: if you are wondering how you can see inside the car, it is because I cut the glass for “windows-down” look. The side glass is one big piece that covers the interior, but if you are careful and use a sharp hobby knife, you can trim the glass where the pillar meets and insert just the rear triangular piece without having glass in front of the interior. It is slow work and if you rush it could ruin the important rear piece. It IS worth it though.

Anyone who has done an Enzo or the like and then this one will vouch for me when I say that this engine is not only a bit ho-hum, but lacks numbers-of-pieces. There seemed to be a lot of places they could have added things to make it more interesting, but it just turned into painting carefully on a few pieces for detail work.The end result is nice and looks great through the glass lid, but would have liked to put together more stuff than what they gave with the kit.

Something a bit different with the exotics that I will be reviewing is there will most likely not be an undercarriage paragraph because most of these exotics have a basic flat panel underneath. Not news-worthy. I WILL mention if there is something detestable with the bottom build, otherwise forgetaboutit!

Patience is a virtue when working/finishing this car and if you have little, you may want to by-pass this one. The time spent on the little things will drive you wonky and it may not be worth your time/money. This model is getting more expensive due to rarity everyday, but right now it is still a bargain. I’d pick one up for collectors AND one to build. This is too pretty of a car for the closet shelf!

8.5 Good