Getting Hands-On with the Ferrari 2013 F1
So, I finally got around to tackling this Ferrari 2013 F1 project I had lying around. No, not the actual car, wishful thinking! It was a model kit, the F138, that had been sitting in its box for ages. I think I bought it way back, maybe around 2014 or 2015, probably saw it on sale and thought “yeah, I’ll build that someday.” Well, “someday” turned into years gathering dust in the back of the closet.
Found it again during a clear-out a few weeks back. Thought to myself, it’s now or never, right? Had some time on my hands, needed something to focus on, something different from the usual grind. So, I decided to finally give it a go.
Opened the box and wow, memories of why I probably put it off flooded back. So many tiny plastic pieces on those frames, they call ’em sprues I think. Instructions looked complicated too, lots of diagrams and numbers. Honestly felt a bit much at first.
Starting the Build
First step was just cutting out the main body parts. Used some clippers I had for electronics work. Then had to trim off the little plastic bits left behind. Already taking longer than I thought. Patience, I told myself, patience.
Then came the gluing. Started assembling the chassis and engine block. Man, that model glue is tricky stuff. Got it on my fingers more than once. And you have to hold the pieces together just right until they set. Made a bit of a mess on one join, had to scrape it off later.
- The suspension parts were next. Super fiddly.
- Lots of tiny arms and rods.
- Dropped one really small bit on the carpet. Spent a good 10 minutes on my hands and knees looking for it! Found it eventually, thankfully.
Painting and Decals – The Real Test
Got the basic structure together, then it was time for paint. Now, everyone knows Ferrari is red, but getting the right red… that’s a thing. I just used a spray can of bright red I had. Probably not the exact shade, but hey, looked close enough to me. Masking off the black bits was a pain. Used tiny bits of tape, trying to get clean lines. Still got a bit of red spray where it shouldn’t be.
After the paint dried came the part I was really dreading: the decals. Those tiny sponsor logos, the numbers. They are the water-slide type. You cut them out, soak them in water, then slide them onto the model. Sounds easy? It’s not!
Seriously tricky stuff:
- They curl up, fold over, or just refuse to slide off the backing paper.
- Managed to tear one of the smaller sponsor logos. Tried to piece it back together on the model, looks a bit dodgy up close.
- Getting them positioned exactly right before they stick is tough. Nudged them around with a wet cotton bud.
This whole decal process took hours over a couple of evenings. Needed good light and steady hands, which I don’t always have! But eventually, got most of them on. The car started to look like the real F138, the one Alonso drove.
So, now it’s finished. Sitting on my shelf. Is it a perfect, professional-level model? Nope. You can see the glue marks if you look close, the paint isn’t flawless, and one decal is definitely messed up. But you know what? I built it. From a box of plastic bits to something that looks like that 2013 Ferrari. It took time, focus, and a fair bit of swearing when things went wrong.
Glad I finally did it though. It was a good way to switch off my brain from other stuff. Just focusing on cutting, gluing, painting. A simple, hands-on thing. And now I’ve got a little red Ferrari on my shelf as a reminder.
