200 replies to this topic

[stump]

Hey guys,
Back with another project....I'm stepping up my work load to 1/12, the 1/25 stuff is giving me nightmares.... The ol' eyes aren't as good these days.....

I scored this off ebay a short while ago, after thinking/wanting one for so long, this one come up at a price which I was agreeable too....



Just the size alone is amazing with these things.....plus it'll leave the door open for some good detailing....



One of the "options" I've gone for is to dump the standard wheel/tyre combo.....they were never gonna cut it......
I decided on Watanabe's, they seem to be a very popular choice with enthusiasts who have the 1:1 cars...
I'm making them up in 16 x 8.5 and 16 x 9.5 inch, the outer rim is a 16inch rim from an old Porsche kit. The centre is scratch built.




I'm going to make tyres to suit (wish me lotsa luck there please...) in sizes 225/45VR16 and 245/45VR16. I've started them as well, building them up in
strips of sheet stock approx 3mm wide (each sidewall) till I get to the tread area, then I'll use full width sheet stock. Hopefully, this will enable me to cast them
hollow and reproduce them in rubber...
I'll throw some pics up when I get one to a castable state...

If anyone can throw some ideas/hints in my direction with regard to casting rubber, I'm all ears....
I've found a distributor down here in Aus. who sells Smooth-On ReoFlex, so I'm heading down that avenue....

More updates to follow.....this could be a long thread....
cheers
Greg

[george 53]

Yeesh Stump, you can't leave NUTHIN alone! I like that! Shows good creative intuition! The wheels are comin out NICE for bein homemade, But at that scale, what else ya gonna do? She's lookin like another winner Kidd-O, Good Luck!

[Pete J.]

So George - Are you going to build it JDM style or US spec? Pete J.

[george 53]

Pete, I wouldn't even try messin with somethin to that extent, not good enuff yet, BUT, Greg sure is!!! Watch an see how he comes out, you'll be surprised! Greg AIN'T no shake'n bake builder!

Edited by george 53, 19 February 2009 - 12:47 PM.

[Pete J.]

Pete, I wouldn't even try messin with somethin to that extent, not good enuff yet, BUT, Greg sure is!!! Watch an see how he comes out, you'll be surprised! Greg AIN'T no shake'n bake builder!

OOOOPs! Guess I should check who I am addressing. I have both Tamiya kits and the Safari car has US spec body panels. I owned a 72 new from the dealer - paid $2,800 out the door. Wish I still had it. I have wanted to build one for a while, but I need to get a couple of other projects done first.

Pete

[stump]

..
Thanks George and Pete.
Hey Pete, no worries mate...all good.
I'll be keeping her RHD, as if owned by an Aussie.
Nealy got the wheels to a stage I'm happy with....I'll make the centre, part of the inner rim, with separate outer in two widths..
That way I'll be able to paint the spokes and alclad the rim with ease...

Future "options" will include a rear spoiler (can't believe it doesn't come with one... ...) and possibly a front air dam....undecided as yet..Try and copy a style I've seen....
Though I think they look pretty kool without....
The motor is in for a treat as well.......more on that as it takes shape.

This is the "look" I'm hoping to achieve....


Cheers guys
Greg

Attached Files

•  3a.jpg   17.75K   34 downloads

Edited by stump, 19 February 2009 - 07:55 PM.

[Corvette.Jeff]

Hi stump, Being a z enthusiest and owning an s130 i hope i can help you out a bit The model your building and the picture you suplied us of the real car are two different Models of z's. The one your building is a zg model z from datsun. The blue one in hte picture is a fairlady, although both are japaneese versions of the z car they are two totally different cars. The zg had the elongated nose,while the fairlady had a shorter nose. As for the spoiler The one on the blue car looks to be a BRE spoiler,I could be mistaken though. Here is a link to a few different z car forums if you would like. they both have thousands of pictures of 240z's for your enjoyment!


Zcar.com

Hybridz.org

[Corvette.Jeff]

also on the wantanabes, the real ones would be a little deeper than 225 and 245. I beleive (last time i looked at a set) they were 275 wide, How ever much of a profile you want on the tyre, and 16 is a popular size


And i love It already! anything z related i love

[Nick F40]

I love those MiniLites!!! Good job. I love Z cars, something about them..they look and sound so cool, especially with some Triples or DeLorotos

[Bowtienutz]

I've been wondering about that kit for some time. I just scored on evil bay. My eyesight isn't what it was once thanks to an eye operation gone bad. Maybe working on something bigger will help. If you need some assistance in casting I can help.

[stump]

Thanks guys..

Jeff,
Thanks for your input mate. Yeah, I thought they were both Fairlady's.....but that's cool, I prefer the long-nose variety...
I actually like the colour of the blue one, s'pecially with the silver flares...but I think I'm leaning towards a red....??
Thanks for the links too...I joined Hybridz a week or two ago.

Nick,
I have a set of triples floating around the bench....webbers..
I'll need to fab up a manifold though...it's gone missing over the years.....

Bowtienutz,
Thanks for the offer man..I'll see how I go. I've looked into getting some Smooth-On plus some regular resin and molding rubber..
The trial packs will give me enough to pop a couple of sets, allow for mistakes too.... so if they look alright, I'll see if anyone
is interested in some....??

Tiny update..
Been going flat out on the tyres...slow going all the same. Not having a lathe sure makes it interesting......
I'm building up the sidewalls by glueing .010 strips around each other, gaining size with each strip......phe-eew.......I'm at about 5mm,
so I'm just past half way.....
Getting the rims closer to my satisfaction too....There's only 1 inch difference in the 1:1, so it's not much in 1/12....
Shot some dark paint on the centre just to give some contrast...The pic below shows the same centre with the two different outer
rims in place...I think they'll look ok......Test fitting shows they should sit pretty close to the outer lip on the flares...


More soon guys, hopefully a tyre to show......??
cheers
Greg

[stump]

Ok...my first tyre is getting close....
Finally added enough thin layers to build the sidewall up and added my first tread layer...
The first pic gives an indication of what I had to start with...
Stock wheel/tyre combo, bottom left...Tamiya "spare parts" wheel/kit tyre, bottom right...and my version, top....


Still a very long ways to go....be so much easier with a lathe....
I'll sand and shape the sidewall to give that s t r e t c h e d look which is so common on these style of cars....


I decided to leave it hollow at this point...allow for some bagging, to a certain degree.....? If the first popped one does not
look like it will hold the weight of the model, I'll make them solid....


You can follow along here too if you wish...

Thanks for dropping by, more soon........
Greg

[Nick F40]

This is getting better and better.

[stump]

Thanks Nick.

I've got one side almost smoothed enough...just applied another lashing of putty..will sand it again soon.
I made an adapter from a spare inner wheel half so I could mount the tyre on my Dremmel (cheap imitation...)..It has
showed me that when I glued the two sidewalls and the tread layer together, I must have allowed one sidewall to move...
I'll get my good side all true, then redo the other side to match...
Maybe another update this evening....
cheers
Greg

[george 53]

Lookin good so far Stump! I know this may be a silly question, but are ya gonna put writing on the sidewalls? You know, like Yokohama, or Toyo, or somethin? I mean, heck, you've gone this far, why slack up now? Gotta keep ya on yer toes Kidd-O, Don't wantcha to lose interest!

[stump]

Lookin good so far Stump! I know this may be a silly question, but are ya gonna put writing on the sidewalls? You know, like Yokohama, or Toyo, or somethin? I mean, heck, you've gone this far, why slack up now? Gotta keep ya on yer toes Kidd-O, Don't wantcha to lose interest!

Thanks George....Hey, y'know....you whacked the nail right on the head....they were two of my first choices. Think I'll go with TOYO, cause it'll be easier...
Got it all planned out using very fine wire to form the outline of the letters and probably the smaller size designations around the tyre as well... Just gotta make it happen.....
Cheers mate
Greg

[stump]

Small update....

Just checking fitment....good side showing..
Stock height....


This is where I want to get it sitting...it rubs the front when turned, but I'm hoping some more sanding/contouring will fix that...
Lowered height....


More soon....
cheers
Greg

[jtwisconsin]

Great progress so far!

Back before I was married I owned a '71 240Z and have often thought of replicating it with one of these kits.

[stump]

Thanks John..
I say, go for it mate.....you'll have a lot of fun building one of these, and it will surely rekindle fond memories for you...

Small update...
A good percentage of the weekend was consumed getting the tyre smoothed....putty, sand......putty, sand......
Then I added the TOYO detail...didn't go the direction I first planned...
The T and Y are cut from .005 sheet stock, the two O's are sliced from tube stock..The O's were squashed slightly to make them oval..
DISCLAIMER:.."These tyres are my interpretation of a Toyo tyre, any similarities between them and the 1:1 is purely coincidental"....




As you can see, I also started on my treaded area....talk about consuming time.....
I added a solid centre bead, then a row of tread blocks around one side to see how it looks....not totally symmetrical, but close enough...
I hope to complete this tyre this week.....need to start on a rear....real soon......

Thanks for lookin', more soon.....
Greg

[george 53]

Greg, I ain't gonna get a letter from your Mum tellin me this project drove ya NUTTIER than you ALREADY are am I? If so, I'll hafta fly the 15 or so hours just ta get down there ta see ya(Boy, I bet my arms'll REALY be tired! )(rimshot)! You GOTTA be one of the most adventurous builders I've ever seen! Not till I saw the size of your hand holding it did I realize how big it is! Yeah it's probably easier on the ol eyes, but, your right, not ALOT of aftermarket parts for that scale! Well Daddy-O I KNOW if anyone can pull this off,YOU DA MAN!!!! Lookin GREAT Stump, you got the patience of an ang.....Of a TRUE modeler!!!!! ( I jus coulnt call ya an angel!)