Kit: Ferrari 275P

Scale: 1/24

Kit Number: PC 102

Manufacturer: Monogram

Price: $10.00

Media: Injected Plastic and rubber

Decals: One version; #22

Reviewer: Scott Van Aken

Date of Review: 24 September 1997

 

The Ferrari 275P has been a car that I have liked ever since I first saw a photo of one.  In fact, I liked it so much, that I bought a Fiat X1/9 because it looked like a 275P.  It was red, it was Italian, it had a mid-engine, and it had a similar roll-over structure. It was the most fun car I have ever owned. The 275P itself had a relatively short racing career only being used in the 1964 season. (as far as I can tell).

Monogram's kit is actually a re-release under Revell-Monogram's SSP (Selected Subjects Program).  I for one am glad that they are doing this as it gives me a chance to build kits that, until their release, were only held by collectors and very high prices.  Like others in the series (Chaparral 2D, Porsche 904, and Scarab), it is primarily a slot car body with extra parts to make a curbside (a kit with no engine).

The underbody consists of a plastic pan with a representation of suspension and engine.  The axles are plastic as are the wheels.  The interior is very sparse and contains only a premolded cockpit with seats, shift lever, dashboard and steering wheel. You even get the bits to make a slot car body.

Construction is very simple.  Attach the rollover bar and under nose pan. I puttied all joints and filled in a few low places in the nose and tail section.  The body was then primered, painted white, and then painted Testor's Italian Red.  At the same time, the windscreen was masked and the support panels painted Italian Red.  Next the interior was painted red with black seats and structure and the shift lever glued in place.  There are several chrome parts to the kit and all the chrome looks good and did not flake off.

While the body was drying, the chassis was assembled.  The back sides of the wheels were painted aluminum and the aft section of the chassis was painted black with aluminum engine and suspension representations.  The wheels were assembled around the very good-looking Goodyear tires (although I believe that Ferrari at this time had a contract with Firestone), snapped onto the axles, and the axles threaded into the chassis pan. The wheels are great representations of Borrani wire wheels, complete with knock off hubs.

Final assembly consisted of gloss-coating the body with Future, adding the chrome gas caps, driving lights,  and headlights. The dash area was covered with a black decal (to prevent goofing up the paint with overspray), and the rear view mirror attached.  The interior was installed and when dry, the chassis was superglued to the body.  Then the exhausts were attached, as were the headlight covers.  Several bits on the body were enhanced using Bare Metal Chrome Foil.

The completed kit looks great. It is a simple construction job and easy enough for a beginner.  Highly recommended and I will be building several other of these ex-slot car bodies.  I recall that they also came in 1/32 scale. Now if someone would only release the old Cox molds, then that would be something!!

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