Cool Hand

Order from BNA Model World. Display cases and some detail up parts from Hobby design.

Have wanted a 76 glasshouse for years but never been able to find one, got lucky and found a couple recently. Also got some more things from Plaza Japan. My LB Works R35 GT-R collection is complete now. And can never resist getting more wheels to add to the collection.

Check this place out. https://evandesigns.com/

Order from Plaza Japan arrived today, stocked up on my favourite Aoshima Nissan skyline's and got a 430 Cedric for something different.

Not much done, just a quick coat of surfacer to see if any further tidy up work is needed. Found a old spare parts engine I got from a mate many years ago. Thinking it could be freshened up and used in this build.

Seems to be a well thought out plan, always enjoy seeing how you guy's can pull parts from various kits and work them into a custom build. Look forward to seeing this build come together.

Great looking build, excellent job doing all the extra detail work.

On the home stretch now mate. Wise colour selection's, look forward to seeing it all pieced together. Liking the stance in the mock shots, if you can get the wheels mounted on the suspension at that height it will be spot on. Usually do the same when I use those type of wheels, cut that inner lip off as it will also help the wheel tuck that bit more. Doesnt take much effort to hold and cut through with one those saws.

Tried to add a bit more detail to the bed so is wasnt flat and smooth. Used some .010 sheet on the sides and strips shown below for the floor, front panel and tailgate. Roughed in for now, next the finishing work before its all glued in and together and shot with some 1500 surfacer. Thats black CA glue in the rear door line used for filler, it helps with seeing the body work.

Its encouraging and motivating to have so many interested in the build and im very thankful for that. It just one of those idea's where you want to have a go and see if it works. Fingers crossed it goes to plan, one step at time. Purpose made scriber blades that cut super clean and precise with very little effort. The different widths can be useful for different tasks. The 0.2 are good for deepen door lines, 5 or 6 passes is all that is needed. As shown getting into corners and tight spaces much easier with a scriber. 0.1 is around the thickness of photo etch saw blades, but the scriber is more sturdy and wont flex. The tape adheres very well, but easily to remove and leaves no residue behind. Has a hard edge which is perfect for running the scribe along to get a straight clean line, do a couple light first passes. Can leave the tape or remove, then do more passes to deepen the line. The roof was scribed clean through in about 15 passes. Hope that helps.

Trying to make it look some what factory built, but allow myself a bit of artistic license being a custom. Would do my head in going for dead nuts accurate LOL! Not the first time ive done a scratch built a bed, had a little practice with past builds which helps a lot. Very versatile tool worth investing in set. Thank you, hope its looks the part when I get it finished Yeah thats the one Misha, I purchased the black set. Popular tool so have to shop around to find set in stock. Thanks, as long as I can keep motivated, not over think and keep it simple within my skill set I might get it completed. Its a great kit, so many ways it can be built. Look forward to seeing how you go about your build. Thanks Jim slowly getting there. Thanks, hoping I can make the idea a reality. Sounds like a plan, interested to see how compatible the two kits are and if any major surgery is needed to kit bash them together. Thank you Alan for the detailed explanation on how to do a rhd conversion. Kinda had an idea for a custom dash, but now you have provided a process which will keep it some what stock looking that sounds achievable might give it a go and if I mess up il go back to the custom idea. Still havent 100% figured out what the plan is for the B- pillar, Interesting idea with HD/HR though.

Thank you very much Dennis, appreciate getting a comment from you. Im getting some inspiration from your wagon build as to what I can do for an engine. Border Model line engraver set.

Liking the idea's so far Nigel, nice and low with those wheels and centres painted gold will go very well with body paint and interior colour.

Yep, you got things suss'd mate. Excellent styling bringing all the ideas together.

Another tuff black beast, I like your build style mate. Excellent build very well planned out and super clean.

Looks like you had fun with this build, all the little extra detail work turned this into a great build. Look forward to seeing your next JDM project.

Nailed it, great execution. Another quality build, done well mate.

Very tuff looking mate, perfect for chucking around the skid pad. Gary would be proud. Always good to see a slick Tamiya black paint job, well done.

Before finalizing the roof, thought it would be best to sort out the bed first. So went to work modifying the interior tub. Before. First up removed the seat. Also removed spare tyre well Roughed in the bed walls, wheel tubs and new floor from sheet styrene. More sheet styrene used to fill on the tops around the bed sides. Still doing rough and fitting work, final finishing work will be done once all is sorted.

Thanks for the encouraging words. The technique used on the roof was learnt from Scale Auto magazine, similar to what they used on a roof chop. Hmm, could probably just cheat and do a custom dash. LOL! more than likely, depends how the body work turns out. Havent decided yet, but as mentioned above will probably end up black if I cant decide on another colour.

Thanks for showing an interest fella's. Cutting the roof was going to be a bit tricky. So I used a technique I learned from building gundams which made the process easy. Started with some scribing guide tape. Layed it out where the roof was to be cut. Loaded up a 0.1mm scribe and went to work cutting the roof. Spot glued back together for a mock and to work out where to proceed next.

When I first seen this kit when it was re-released recently, my thought's straight away were what a great candidate for a ute conversion. So sourced a couple kits from Model Round Up, then thought about it for a week as to how to approach things and how I was going to build it. First things first pick some wheels. After deciding the wheel's, they were fitted to some new 2mm brass axles. Then the ride height was roughed in. Still need to tweak the front and level things out a bit. Just how I like them, Low! Worked out how I was going to cut and re work the roof.

Couldnt help but have mess around with a recently acquired kit. Bought it for a lazy quick build (thats if I can restrain myself, by not getting carried away) with an idea already in mind. Just a rough mock to check the ride height and see if the idea works for me. Very surprised at the quality of the pre paint especially being black, few scuffs and marks, but overall pretty good. Thought the mold lines would have been an issue, but thinking I can live them. Just needs a fine and finish compound polish, wax, some bmf and then build it up.

2 International orders arriving same day, very happy about that. Model Round Up order. Only really wanted the Nova Wagon, but somehow the rest fell in the cart as well. Plaza Japan order. As always stocking up wheels and again a few kits fell in the cart as well.

Great job on the weathering, what paints did you use ??