Fujimi Ferrari F430 Challenge is out; here are reference pics.

[Zoom Zoom]

The model was just released in Japan; at least Hobbysearch has it with pictures of the contents and instructions on their website. Lots of details changed from the street version to make the Challenge version; not a half-assed hack job like they did with the F355. Anxiously awaiting my HLJ order w/the F430 Challenge car, I found some decent press photos of the car to help detail the kit.

http://images17.fotki.com/v12/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_01-1-vi.jpg

http://images1.fotki.com/v318/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_02_senza_omp-vi.jpg

http://images1.fotki.com/v7/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_04-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v4/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_05-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v4/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_06-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v319/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_07_senza_omp-vi.jpg

http://images1.fotki.com/v7/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_08-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v12/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_09-vi.jpg

You can snag the full res pics in my album:

http://public.fotki.com/grdeyed/misc_vehicles/ferrari_f430_challenge/

[Dino Scuderia]

The kit looks very well appointed...was trying to make out how they did the challenge grille yesterday, appears they concaved that section of the body then the 'grille' fits on over it with two mounting pins.

[Zoom Zoom]

Shame Tamiya didn't do the same variation for the 360 Challenge from their 360 Modena :( Fujimi seems to have invested in a lot of unique tooling for this kit variation.

More goodies for the F430 Challenge after looking at the street version's instructions and comparing to the Challenge instructions:

The dash is unique, the entire rear end of the car is unique; Challenge grille above a new exhaust port grille, exhaust routed out in what is the licence plate area on a street car, rear corner vents don't have the exhaust. The chassis looks the same, so I guess we're on our own to depict the onboard jacks.

Instructions lead me to believe the did the sliding glass on both driver/passenger sides; pics of the real car only show it on the driver's side and uses only one seat. I guess there may be numerous ways the car can be outfitted though I don't know where to look for the rulebook. I plan to build mine nekkid in white w/red seats as Tamiya never made a 360 Challenge car and I wanted to build one like the white/red and unmarked one at the auto show when the cars were new. My Tamiya kit will be relegated for parts or as a tuner.

[Zoom Zoom]

I just noticed something interesting. The car looks like it's levitating; either someone forgot to photoshop one of the jacks, or there's an optical illusion that makes it look like there is a jack by the rear wheel when it may be in the center at the back of the car:

http://images17.fotki.com/v319/photos/1/10258/3642036/f430_challenge_07_senza_omp-vi.jpg

[Scott]

I think it has a single jack in the rear mounted near the transaxle

[Dino Scuderia]

I'm positive they have only one in rear center.

[Zoom Zoom]

I think it has a single jack in the rear mounted near the transaxle

Yeah, if you look closely at the rear 3/4 view it's visible just under the tow hook. Looks more robust than the front jacks. Will be a fairly easy detail to add to the kit; the chassis hasn't been changed from stock. I might even give the interior/engine the C/F treatment, and add a few other details that are visible like the red coiled wire (safety wire for quick disconnect?) going to the steering wheel, what looks like an emergency shutoff by the windshield, etc. Hope I don't lose all this enthusiasm from ADD by the time the kit finally arrives, and hope that my next three simple projects (Martini 924, Final M Coupe, and 904 LeMans racer) are done by then.

I'm assuming there are both Euro and US Ferrari Challenge races, there are certainly not many pictures on the 'net of them in actual liveries.

[Scott]

After looking over the pics, my question now is, where is the connector for the air supply to the jacks?

[Zoom Zoom]

After looking over the pics, my question now is, where is the connector for the air supply to the jacks?

What's that connector or ?? just to the right of the rear prancing horse emblem? Could that be a quick-connect air inlet for the jacks? Honestly never paid attention to how they raise the onboard jacks, but it has to be something easy, I don't think they'd want the weight of a compressor onboard.

What might be the red connector at the base of the winshield, all the way over near the A pillar?

[GTmike400]

What's that connector or ?? just to the right of the rear prancing horse emblem? Could that be a quick-connect air inlet for the jacks? Honestly never paid attention to how they raise the onboard jacks, but it has to be something easy, I don't think they'd want the weight of a compressor onboard.

What might be the red connector at the base of the winshield, all the way over near the A pillar?

There's a hose that has a handle on it with a quick connect. The pit crew runs over and pushes it on. It locks on and right before they are ready to go he pulls it out and all the air drops out through that connector on the car causing the car to lower.

They use compressed nitrogen instead of compressors, but its still outside of the car. All the racing series that using onboard jacks that i know of mandate that the air source for the jacks cannot be located on the car. This is to prevent accidental deployment of the jacks. (Of course that would be really cool to raise the jacks coming down the back straight on Road Atlanta.)

[GTmike400]

Looking at that picture, I'd love to know how they keep the car up without any hose or connection to be seen. Even in the pits when they are taking belly pans off they have the air line connected to use the onboard jacks. Then they use trolley jacks to lift up the back and front to remove the belly pan from under the car.

[Zoom Zoom]

Okay, but you still didn't answer the main question :( :rolleyes:

Looking at the back of the car, is the connector that is located just to the right of the Ferrari emblem in the grille area the place where the air hose would connect??

[The Prez]

:) :) Yes! Bob is correct the air jack system on the F430 is a 3 jack system.
1 jack on the trans and 2 jacks on each side of the car.These are mounted
in the wheel well area in most applications for service.When the system
is energized with air at the rear of the car a small lever can be turned
and the air hose removed.This lever will maintain the car in the up or
raised position until service is complete.A flip of the lever and the car
drops and off it goes.In some applications the hose remains attached
until service is complete.All race teams use nitrogen to charge the systems
because it is safer and can have more pressure.As for the lines connecting
the systems on the cars,small metal hard lines are used with a small
length of braided line to allow for service and vibration to occur.I'm
waiting for Mike to install a working version on his model in the future.
See ya.:D :D :D