If you’re a fan of large-scale models and vintage cars, Italeri might be near the top of your favorites list. The company has recently produced several new, big-scale kits, the latest being the all-new Italeri 1/12 scale Bugatti Type 35B.
An iconic car, the Bugatti Type 35 amassed over 1,000 wins during its reign, including the Grand Prix world championship in 1926 and winning the Targa Florio five years straight from 1925 through 1929. The Type 35B featured a 2.3-liter straight eight with three valves per cylinder and a supercharger that boosted power to around 138 horsepower.
You might expect that eight-cylinder powerplant to be the first order of business when assembling the Bugatti, but you’d be wrong. Starting with the chassis, you’ll want a large, flat surface to make sure everything remains flat and square as you add cross members to the side rails. The fit and location of the parts are well-defined, requiring only minor cleanup of a few mold seams.
As is always good practice, test-fit everything before gluing. I spent some time reworking the attachment point for the rear springs to the axle, trying to make the joint more realistic, but the completed model hid my efforts.
Attaching the friction-shock bar to the axle in Step 6 proved difficult. I had to come in at a steep angle with the screwdriver to clear the differential, which made it hard to keep the screwdriver in the screw slot.
The main engine block comes in two pieces, so you’ll want to eliminate the join seam. Again, test-fit everything; some parts had locating pins that were slightly too large or too small, making positioning uncertain. The detail is excellent, from separate spark plugs and wires to all the oil and coolant lines. I suggest leaving parts 37b and 40b (Step 13) off until the engine and radiator are mounted to the chassis. I had mine leaned slightly back, and the lower radiator hose (Part 1b, Step 13) wouldn’t reach.
The rest of the engine assembled without issue and really is quite impressive. I’m not sure if I did something wrong, but when I attached the completed engine to the chassis, the output shaft didn’t meet the gearbox, falling just a little short.
Technically, the front wheels should be steerable, operating from the steering wheel, but the parts are just not up to the task. The wire provided for the brake cables is stiff, and it won’t allow the wheels to steer without really stressing some of the other components.
The highly detailed suspension assembled without any problems. I attached the steering box to its mounting bracket before fitting the bracket to the chassis — my mistake. When mounting to the chassis, I discovered the steering box was not aligned with the hole in the firewall, so my steering shaft is a little askew.
A length of copper wire replicates some of the oil lines, but the locations and routing are sometimes hard to decipher in the instructions. On the plus side, the wire is pretty easy to work with and can be bent, straightened, and re-bent if adjustments are necessary.
The well-done molding on the body needed only minor cleanup for mold lines and a few ejector-pin marks. Most of the louvers are molded open.
The Cartograf decals for the numbers worked flawlessly, even over the louvers. Once they’d settled, I gave the body a couple of coats of Mr. Super Clear and a light polishing.
Make sure to test-fit (yes, there is a theme here) your hood pieces before attaching the parts for the hinge pins and allow for some paint buildup. Attaching the hood to the body was, perhaps, the most difficult and nerve-wracking part of the entire build. The hinge pins extend into the firewall and radiator, so you’ll need to squeeze the hood in between without snapping anything.
Attaching the windshield was another tense moment, as there are no clear locating points.
I used the supplied fabric to make hood belts and spare-tire straps, punching the holes with the sharpened lead sleeve on an old mechanical pencil. Yes, the hood will open as advertised, but I’m concerned about the longevity of the strap anchors (parts 7g & 8g) on the righthand side. The kit includes an extra pair if needed.
The Italeri 1/12 scale Bugatti Type 35B plastic model kit is not a “shake-and-bake” kit. You won’t need anything more than your basic modeling skills, but it will require effort to get it all together. For that effort, you will be rewarded with an impressive model of a true legend of automotive history. No, this kit is not for the beginner, but definitely recommended for anyone with some experience and average skills.