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1/12 Tamiya Datsun 240ZG


stump

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Hey guys,

Back with another project....I'm stepping up my work load to 1/12, the 1/25 stuff is giving me nightmares.... :blink: 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.... :o

112240ZG001-vi.jpg

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

112240ZG003-vi.jpg

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. :blink: The centre is scratch built.

watanabe007-vi.jpg

watanabe004-vi.jpg

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... :blink:

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.... :o

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.... :blink:

cheers

Greg

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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! :lol::D;)

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

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:blink: .. :D

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... :lol:

Future "options" will include a rear spoiler (can't believe it doesn't come with one... :huh: ...) 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

post-3007-1235109296_thumb.jpg

Edited by stump
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  • 2 weeks later...

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

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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.

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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.... :lol: 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. :o 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..... :P

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... B)

newwheel-vi.jpg

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

cheers

Greg

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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....

wheeltyre001-vi.jpg

Still a very long ways to go....be so much easier with a lathe.... :P

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.... B)

wheeltyre003-vi.jpg

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....

wheeltyre005-vi.jpg

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

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

Greg

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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

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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! :)

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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! :lol:

:lol:

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... <_<:lol:

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... <ahttp://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/uploads/emoticons/default_wink.png' alt=';)'> Just gotta make it happen.....

Cheers mate

Greg

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Small update....

Just checking fitment....good side showing.. :)

Stock height....

wheeltyretest1002-vi.jpg

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....

wheeltyretest1004-vi.jpg

More soon....

cheers

Greg

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Thanks John.. :blink:

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... :P

Small update...

A good percentage of the weekend was consumed getting the tyre smoothed....putty, sand......putty, sand...... :lol:

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"....

tread001-vi.jpg

tread003-vi.jpg

As you can see, I also started on my treaded area....talk about consuming time..... :lol:

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

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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! :lol: )(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!!!!! :blink::P:blink:;) ( I jus coulnt call ya an angel!) :lol:

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:lol: ... :lol::lol::D ..

Thank you very much for your very kind words and encouragement George...

I'm sure I'm getting NUTTIER.....that's a given, it's the next natural step ain't it...... :blink::lol:

To be honest, I'm enjoying this challenge more than any I tried/started in the last couple o years......Must've been meant to be....

Yeah, I'd be a hell of a lot happier if there was more aftermarket bits for 1/12.......I may have to change that.. ;)

I have a giant (1/12) turbo I'm going to set in resin as well.....see what else I can find to do......

hahaha....I been called lotsa things George, don't think angel has been used since I was in diapers..... :o

Cheers mate

Greg

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Those are coming along spectacular! Building a wheel and tire from scratch would put me in George 53's house chained to the wall!!! :lol:

Glad you're filling us in on this.. watching with mouth agape and eyes the size of pineapples.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks very much Mike and rv1963.. :)

Update...kind of a large one too, sorry...

First up...front tire.......DONE !

tread2a001-vi.jpg

Work has begun on the rear too, but as it will be built the same way, I won't bore ya's with that... :lol:

Spent the best part of the last few weeks working on an exhaust system...I knew I did not want it standard....Off to Bill's Muffler Shop..... ;)

Headers, these were first started in 3mm plastic rod, but after bending up 3 tubes, gluing in place and test fitting...it became obvious that the

next 3 would not fit...My bends just weren't tight enough.... B)

So, off to the hardware store...I returned with some 3.2mm solder, and the bends were much easier to get right. I think they come out ok...

headers001-vi.jpg

From the twin 3-pipe collectors (ex Ferrari...) I made a 2-bolt collector to mount an over-size single sportz system.

The hotdog centre muffler is scratched, the rear is a kit part, slightly modded...I'll add a second "U"-bolt as well..scratch-built too.

2-Bolt collector..

headerssystem007-vi.jpg

HOTDOG..

headerssystem008-vi.jpg

headerssystem004-vi.jpg

REAR..

headerssystem014-vi.jpg

headerssystem011-vi.jpg

More soon guys...I have an 8 day break coming up..the 4 days after Easter, so I expect this to roll on...

cheers

Greg

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YEEESH Dude!, That thing gotta RUN? Have you seen the thread where the guy built a 1/16th Engine from scratch? I mean, he built the Block,Crank,heads,valvetrain,the WORKS! Since you've come THIS far, Just hook that bad boy to run on Petrol! B) GREAT JOB so far Stump, ya CAIN'T stop now!!! :)

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