CrewDawg15

Thanks! I'm not really a fan of highly modified, stripped out cars (my personal builds are more tame), but this one is a replica of a friends car. She's a far cry from the curbside Fujimi kit I started out with. I love to scratch build, that's why I love the curbie kits...they are literally a blank canvas to work with

I fabricated a few more components for the engine bay: - A GReddy LS intercooler - Radiator - Radiator shroud - Stock cooling fan All mocked up Thanks for looking!

I work at the "Speed of Me", so here's a few more updates. The body has been sprayed with 4 coats of Testors black lacquer, just setting it aside so the paint will have plenty of time to cure before polishing. I also fabricated a few bits for the engine bay such as brake and clutch master cylinders, fuel filter, and power steering reservoir by turning styrene in my trusty electric drill and shaping with a good ol #11 blade and sandpaper. I also plumbed the fuel and power steering systems as well as running vacuum lines for the engine. She's still have a ways to go... ]

It could be a 432 if it had the S20 engine it. The S20 is the same engine that was installed on the 69-73 Skyline GT-R's. Here's a S20 in a 432 Z: Here's an OS Giken TC24-B1:

I've never had the BRE kit, but knowing Revell, they are based off of the same molds...circa 1972

Thanks guys! I did a mock up with my Revell 240Z and the TC24 fit like a glove. I've actually better hood to engine clearance in the Revell kit than in the Fujimi one.

Thanks! I've got a sweet spot in my heart for '70' and 80's Japanese cars...I lived in Okinawa, Japan for 12 years when I was in the Air Force...and I love fabricating "Special One Off" performance versions of stock motors that most people have never heard of.

I've been working on and off again with this one for the last 5 or so years. I started out with a Fujimi 240Z kit, modding it extensively to bring it up to more respectable levels. I also built a new engine from scratch...a custom conversion produced by a Japanese tuning company called OS Giken for the Datsun/Nissan L series strait six engines called a TC24-B1. I replicated a F54 casting turbo L28 block and an early version FS5W71C 5 speed transmission. Thanks for looking. Jimmy

Thanks sorry for the lack of pics in my earlier thread, but Imageshack decided to start charging for hosting. Now, I'm going back to Photobucket to post on forums Yeah, I'm not known to just crank out the builds, LOL. I took a job overseas when I retired from the Air Force, and resources were not plentiful I'm back home now and plan on updating this build more often as this is a commission build, and I want to get back to my own. I've got a lot more "Custom" engines planned, but need to get this knocked out first.

Been away for a while, posting my work on my FB blog page : Crewdawg Works. Chassis complete, engine copied in resin, and body work almost complete. Here's some progress to get you up to speed. Scratch built S15 Silvia Seats Chassis progress [ Engine Body mods: Hood underside bracing, rolled rear fenders, opening/closing sunroof, opening/closing headlights Thanks for looking! Jimmy

This update was a long time in the making. Fujimi molded an auto gearbox in the original chassis...that is why I deleted it from mine. So I hit up a factory service manual, and fabbed up a FS5W71C 5 speed gearbox. The bellhousing was a piece of cake to make, but the tail housing was a challange. I made multiple attempts before I got a box I was happy with. I'm going to cast this tranny in two pieces since a lot of Nissan trannys use tail housings that are of a similar design. That way I can use the tail housing over and over, with me only having to fabricate new engine specific bellhousings. Thanks for looking! Jimmy

Thanks for the offer, but I have a plan in mind...just gotta see if it'll turn out the way I have envisioned

That's a good question Ken. I did take the easy way out and made a cover for the spare. But looking back, I'll make a spare tire well. The Fujimi chassis doesn't have one molded in it because they use the gas tank to fill the space. I just need some time to figure out the best way to fab a well up, has still maintain the stamped look. If I was home it wouldn't be a problem...I'd just graft one from a parts bin chassis, but at the moment, I'm building this in a hotel room. The maid doesn't like the styrene dust that well, LOL

Thanks guys! Its nice to get back to building. I got around to shooting a coat of primer tonight, and was happy to see that I don't have to do a lot of remedial filling...just a couple of spots that I initially had trouble with. Now,the waiting game begins on the primer to cure before pressing on with the rest of the interior. Jimmy

Bring'n this one back! A lot has happened since I left off...I pushed the button, and retired from the Air Force after 20 memorable years of service. That meant that I had to pack up the collection in Okinawa, Japan so I could move back into my house in Panama City, Fl. I'm planning on updating this one regularly as I've got some time to work on it now. My friend that I'm building this for wants a car with a stripped out interior...that meant a lot of fabrication. Then, I went to finish the engine bay. I initially made it too short. I extended the front by 3mm, built a radiator support, and added some more stamped details. Here's how its looking so far: Sorry for the bad pics as they are taken with my phone. Now, to wait for the glue to dry before I can finish sand the chassis before primer. Thanks for looking! Jimmy

Having lived in Japan for over 8 years, I can confirm that the correct pronunciation is ta-mee-ya. My wife is from Japan, and she got tired of translating things for me when we first got married. She told me that if i wanted to know what it said, I had to learn to read it. I taught myself to read and write both hiragana and katakana, and I'm starting to get the hang of kanji. The best way to explain how to pronounce Japanese words is to break it down in groups of consenants and vowels because that is how the hiragana and katakana characters are structured...kanji characters can be a single or group of those characters Dave...to answer your question: Ha-say-ga-wa Hoo-jee-me (most native Japanese speakers pronounce Fu as hoo, but Foo is also acceptable) Aa-oh-she-ma Kyo-sho (the k and y are combined and not pronounced separately) I get scolded all the time by my wife when my southern ohioneese kicks in and I say Key-yo-to instead of kyo-to, or toy-yo-ta instead of to-yo-ta Jimmy

Thanks Gray! I took a bit of a break from this one this weekend to work on some other commissions. I was hitting this one hard and heavy, and got a little carried away. Now that I've taken a breather, I noticed a few things that I want to re-do. That's just the way I am...the more I look at something, the more I see things that I could have done better on. That's what I always do on my engines as you can see in this thread already...the engine that I'm using now, is not the same engine I started off with Jimmy

Looking good Luis! The seatbelts are a nice touch. Looks like you'll be wrapping this one up soon...then you'll be chasing zombies Jimmy

Welcome Jeff...its nice that you brought this one over with you. Sorry for not posting sooner, but I've been pretty busy this weekend...you know why ;) Jimmy

Brian...before this build is finished, there will be copies pulled from this master. I never keep an original in my builds. I Fab them up, pull molds, and then put them in a storage container for future molds. This one will get one of those copies I cast up. Kyle, if i remember correctly, Arii makes a1/24 '77 Celica coupe kit. I cannot vouch for the details as I've never had my hands on one. I can tell you it is a curbside though. Michelle...being active duty Air Force leaves little time to cast on a large scale. I don't have any websites. Most customers contact me via PM. Thanks ya'll Jimmy

Thanks for the stamp of approval Gray...I wasn't too sure if I got the intake right since I only have pictures that I got off the net for reference, and it has a really odd shape to it. JB...I don't know about that. If I got paid on commission, I'd be broke at the pace I build...but, I wouldn't mind lighting a fire under their behind and mold a '60's Toyota Corona GT4 to go with my other '60's and '70's Isuzu, Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota kits (I already have a lot of references for the 9R engine to go in it .) I have been marathoning the engine bay for the last two days almost strait (gotta eat sometime ). I mainly concentrated on reworking the wheelwells to get a better profile than the sqare one the Fujimi used for the chassis...I really cannot fault them since this kit [s supposed to be a curbside ...Fujimi never saw me coming I'm glad Fujimi did make the wheelwells really meaty (nearly 2mm thick in some areas) because I really dug in deep with my file to round out a somewhat rounded shape. So I re-worked the wheel wells, built up the sides, a firewall, fabricated new strut towers, built up a core support, and removed the dummy tranny and made a proper tunnel. For reference, here's my new chassis, and one that has not been FuJimmyfied : ...and how she looks close up: and to close it out with a before: and after: As always, this bay is not complete. I still have a few more details to add to it before I'm happy. Thanks for looking. Jimmy

Yeah Mike...I've got 250+ curbside kits in my collection. That gives me plenty of practice, as I plan on motorzing every one of them Bradley...you bet I'll be casting this one ...as well as a S14/15 vvt head and hump back valve cover. I also have a CA18DET in the works too. And of course I can not leave out the KA24E, and KA24DE for all of you domestic, and Canadian builders wanting 240SX's...might as well since Fujimi included a left hand drive dash in almost all of these kits But these will have to wait as I've shifted gears, and started working in the chassis mods...more to come. Jimmy

Thanks for the offer Gray, but Luis (rollin80's) pointed me in the right direction...it is a little elbow that houses the water temp sensor and another switch...something the I'll probably not bother fabricating since it is just as easy to replicate it with thick wire. I spent the first couple of days after my surgery researching my next project...more to come on that one later I was feeling much better. My wife told me that I looked bored so she set up my work area to make it easier to get around on crutches My friend had a specific list of items he wanted on his motor, so after a few hours reserching, I got cracking on a Greddy/Trust lower oil pan sump, and football intake. He also wanted a 1998 and up Silvia (S15) turbo for this one since he is going to be building his real car the same way. Here's what she looks like with her new oil pan, intake, and T28 turbo: ...and yet another in car shot... While I was at it, I added a few more details that I hadn't got to yet like the water pump, and a few more bolt details. Thanks for looking, Jimmy

It's Saturday afternoon here in Okinawa, so I thought I'd post up what my bench looks like after a whole day of scratchbuilding parts for my Nissan SR20 Motor This is a disaster zone after a day...it was spotless earlier this morning Jimmy