Tamiya 1/24 Honda CR-X 1.5i Ballade Sports

[Italianhorses]

This is another "pandemic" build that I started last week right after I finished the Porsche.

Wanted to build another quick one, but maybe do a little more than just a box stock this time. I have a large collection of unbuilt kits, so picking the next one is always a challenge. this time I chose a little Japanese rocket from the 80s - The CRX! the kit itself is rather rare nowadays original release - first pressing brought into States by MRC!

IMG_0858 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0859 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Number 40 in Tamiya catalogue, made in 1982 according to the date on the decal sheet (yikes!). Decals look fine, but we'll see how they hold up.

IMG_0862 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0861 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

The kit itself is very typical for the kits from the 80s - very charismatic. Look at it - you open the box and can smell that old cardboard, crinkly wraps, yellowed instruction sheet. And what a drawing on the front of it!  

IMG_0863 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Moulding quality seems a bit better than Revell

IMG_0860 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

I also have this small decal sheet that I plan to use on the seats:

IMG_0873 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

The kit was purchased years ago on eBay, and made it to my with some damage - the roof was pushed in and bent one of the A-pillars:

IMG_0856 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0857 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Carefully not to break old brittle plastic, I have bent it back into shape in boiling water:
IMG_0864 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0866 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

To check it I test fitted the glass and it seemed to fit fine:

IMG_0867 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

And I couldn't resist mocking it up with the wheels 
IMG_0871 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

 

 

[Belugawrx]

.....memories..... lol I had the 1:1 back in the day, red over grey...what a fun car.

Looking forward to what you do with this one Alex ?

Cheers

Edited April 14, 2020 by Belugawrx

[Scalper]

Love these old CRX and Tamiya kits. looking forward to this one 

[Brudda]

42 minutes ago, Italianhorses said:

This is another "pandemic" build that I started last week right after I finished the Porsche.

Wanted to build another quick one, but maybe do a little more than just a box stock this time. I have a large collection of unbuilt kits, so picking the next one is always a challenge. this time I chose a little Japanese rocket from the 80s - The CRX! the kit itself is rather rare nowadays original release - first pressing brought into States by MRC!

IMG_0858 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0859 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Number 40 in Tamiya catalogue, made in 1982 according to the date on the decal sheet (yikes!). Decals look fine, but we'll see how they hold up.

IMG_0862 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0861 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

The kit itself is very typical for the kits from the 80s - very charismatic. Look at it - you open the box and can smell that old cardboard, crinkly wraps, yellowed instruction sheet. And what a drawing on the front of it!  

IMG_0863 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Moulding quality seems a bit better than Revell

IMG_0860 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

I also have this small decal sheet that I plan to use on the seats:

IMG_0873 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

The kit was purchased years ago on eBay, and made it to my with some damage - the roof was pushed in and bent one of the A-pillars:

IMG_0856 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0857 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Carefully not to break old brittle plastic, I have bent it back into shape in boiling water:
IMG_0864 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0866 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

To check it I test fitted the glass and it seemed to fit fine:

IMG_0867 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

And I couldn't resist mocking it up with the wheels 
IMG_0871 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

 

 

 

43 minutes ago, Italianhorses said:

This is another "pandemic" build that I started last week right after I finished the Porsche.

Wanted to build another quick one, but maybe do a little more than just a box stock this time. I have a large collection of unbuilt kits, so picking the next one is always a challenge. this time I chose a little Japanese rocket from the 80s - The CRX! the kit itself is rather rare nowadays original release - first pressing brought into States by MRC!

IMG_0858 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0859 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Number 40 in Tamiya catalogue, made in 1982 according to the date on the decal sheet (yikes!). Decals look fine, but we'll see how they hold up.

IMG_0862 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0861 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

The kit itself is very typical for the kits from the 80s - very charismatic. Look at it - you open the box and can smell that old cardboard, crinkly wraps, yellowed instruction sheet. And what a drawing on the front of it!  

IMG_0863 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Moulding quality seems a bit better than Revell

IMG_0860 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

I also have this small decal sheet that I plan to use on the seats:

IMG_0873 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

The kit was purchased years ago on eBay, and made it to my with some damage - the roof was pushed in and bent one of the A-pillars:

IMG_0856 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0857 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Carefully not to break old brittle plastic, I have bent it back into shape in boiling water:
IMG_0864 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0866 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

To check it I test fitted the glass and it seemed to fit fine:

IMG_0867 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

And I couldn't resist mocking it up with the wheels 
IMG_0871 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

 

 

This is cool!! I still have one. Kind of modified but still a cr-x. Love the car and I have to find one of these models.  I cannot wait to see this one! I’ll be watching and learning! A pics of my car. 1985 with 256,000 miles.

[peekay]

Is there a prize for the longest quote?

[doggie427]

19 minutes ago, peekay said:

Is there a prize for the longest quote?

?

[kelson]

Always wanted to buy this kit,but I think you can only build it right hand drive and that's what stopped me.

[Adecoste]

Very cool, I love the CRX. Theres a red one near where I live of the same vintage as your kit, the car even looks unmodified.

[Erik Smith]

3 hours ago, peekay said:

Is there a prize for the longest quote?

Let’s not encourage it. 
I love these little Hondas. Would like to find a 1:1 unmolested, but times running out on those...

I like the fabric decal too. 

Edited April 14, 2020 by Erik Smith

[Italianhorses]

6 hours ago, Belugawrx said:

.....memories..... lol I had the 1:1 back in the day, red over grey...what a fun car.

Looking forward to what you do with this one Alex ?

Cheers

That's cool! How were these to drive?

6 hours ago, Scalper said:

Love these old CRX and Tamiya kits. looking forward to this one 

This is no often seen kit. In fact, I think I've seen only a couple built ones.

6 hours ago, Brudda said:

 

This is cool!! I still have one. Kind of modified but still a cr-x. Love the car and I have to find one of these models.  I cannot wait to see this one! I’ll be watching and learning! A pics of my car. 1985 with 256,000 miles.

I like it!

5 hours ago, peekay said:

Is there a prize for the longest quote?

You not going to win it, Peter

4 hours ago, doggie427 said:

?

Yo!

4 hours ago, kelson said:

Always wanted to buy this kit,but I think you can only build it right hand drive and that's what stopped me.

Yeah, but...you paraphrasing one cool guy I know, you miss on a 100% of the kits you don't buy/build. So, had to.

3 hours ago, Adecoste said:

Very cool, I love the CRX. Theres a red one near where I live of the same vintage as your kit, the car even looks unmodified.

Nice!

1 hour ago, Erik Smith said:

Let’s not encourage it. 
I love these little Hondas. Would like to find a 1:1 unmolested, but times running out on those...

I like the fabric decal too. 

Yeah, grab one now if you want one!

[Belugawrx]

12 minutes ago, Italianhorses said:

That's cool! How were these to drive?

1800lbs., 4 cylinder Honda engine, 2 seater, stayed low in the corners,...it was alot of fun...! lol

Edited April 14, 2020 by Belugawrx

[89AKurt]

For once, I built a kit before you. ?  Built this before I knew they would become rare.  Made a few modifications.

[Italianhorses]

12 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

For once, I built a kit before you. ?  Built this before I knew they would become rare.  Made a few modifications.

Oh Nice! Very cool custom. Love the Jack on the antenna.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Italianhorses

[Italianhorses]

I wanted to paint the car in Capital blue - a dark, almost violet shade of blue that Honda offered starting in 1985.

The problem was - I didn't have the paint, and with all the local stores closed, I wasn't willing to wait for it to be delivered. Sooo, I decided to mix my own. TS15 & TS8 in 3:1 proportion.

IMG_0876 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Painted a spoon to see how the color would look - was very satisfied with the result.

IMG_0900 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Prepped the body, re-scribed panel lines, gave it a coat of white Tamiya primer, and painted the lower portion in MM magnesium silver.

IMG_0883 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0881 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Then the lower portion was masked off, and I laid couple of coats of clue paint:

IMG_0885 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0888 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Followed by 2 coats of clear:

IMG_0890 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0892 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0893 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0896 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Turned out great.

[89AKurt]

3 hours ago, Italianhorses said:

Oh Nice! Very cool custom. Love the Jack on the antenna.

? That was fun to make.  What do you use for clear?  The spoon is glass smooth, this is always the achilles heel of my builds.

[Italianhorses]

1 hour ago, 89AKurt said:

? That was fun to make.  What do you use for clear?  The spoon is glass smooth, this is always the achilles heel of my builds.

I use automotive 2K clear - this brand:

Untitled by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Just make sure you spray it outside or in a WELL ventilated place and wear N100+ mask approved for VOC/Iso and googles/gloves. Iso is a nasty stuff. Change your mask/cartridges after 8-10 hours. Keep the mask in air-tight container.

[89AKurt]

Oh, ok... ?

[Russell C]

11 hours ago, Italianhorses said:

I use automotive 2K clear - ..... Just make sure you spray it outside or in a WELL ventilated place and wear N100+ mask approved for VOC/Iso and googles/gloves. .....

Heed that warning. I used PPG Deltron 2 part clear back in 1991for my. Sure polishes up nice.

[Italianhorses]

9 hours ago, Russell C said:

Heed that warning. I used PPG Deltron 2 part clear back in 1991for my. Sure polishes up nice.

That's a very cool conversion! Love it.

Painted the trim on the body, painted the shell flat black inside, did all the trim and decals. Decals were old and started crumbling, so had to transfer the first one in pieces, then sprayed some Microscale decal film on the rest - went on a bit easier.

IMG_0988 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0989 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0996 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0994 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Funny how the color changes depending on lights. Under fluorescent lamp it looks almost purple!

Then I moved to the chassis and interior. Spent couple of hours cleaning all the parts from mold lines and little imperfections:

IMG_0912 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Painted all the little bits in the base colors:

IMG_0933 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Chassis plate was painted black and then sprayed with some flat clear to give it some depth/texture:

IMG_0938 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

The I ddi some detail painting and dry brush on the suspension parts:

IMG_0942 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Assembled front suspension:

IMG_0945 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

Rear:

IMG_0948 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

And entire chassis ready:

IMG_0952 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

IMG_0950 by Italian Horses, on Flickr

[Belugawrx]

That paint mix came out looking perfect Alex ?

 

[CabDriver]

Love it!  And that trick of spraying matt clear over black to add some depth works great!  I’ve been doing that myself lately too.  It really works well for some reason!

[Italianhorses]

10 hours ago, Belugawrx said:

That paint mix came out looking perfect Alex ?

 

Yeah, it came out a bit darker probably cause I sprayed it a bit thick.

3 hours ago, CabDriver said:

Love it!  And that trick of spraying matt clear over black to add some depth works great!  I’ve been doing that myself lately too.  It really works well for some reason!

Yep, been using this trick for a while now!

[asfastasu]

How did you use the boiling water to straighten the windshield post? Did you pour the water over the affected area only, or ? I ask because it looks really good after. Nice build. I have a friend with a 1:1 CRX, cool little cars.

[Italianhorses]

3 hours ago, asfastasu said:

How did you use the boiling water to straighten the windshield post? Did you pour the water over the affected area only, or ? I ask because it looks really good after. Nice build. I have a friend with a 1:1 CRX, cool little cars.

I boil the water, put it in a wide bowl, then put the plastic in it for a few seconds to warm it, then take it out and gently bend the plastic back into shape. You will have to do several dips, plastic usually remembers its shape, and after several attempts and cool-downs, it will straighten.

[Intmd8r]

Great job - I've been glowing this build from the beginning.  Accurate representation of the real deal.

For extra realism,  Honda's of this generation (I've been under been a few!) have light grey primer on the floor pans and uni body.  The sub frame,  gas tank, lower rad shroud, and suspension components were painted in semigloss black.  That excludes the ones that were covered in aftermarket undercoating or rust lol.

Here's an example of an Integra build I did as example.Hard to see, but there is body color over spray along the edges.

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by Intmd8r