Kyosho 1/18 Datsun Fairlady (240Z) makeover as my ride; need mags

[W Humble]

I've made-over an older Kyosho 240Z into a fair (lady) replica of my 1971 Z-Car, but am stymied for a set of 'mag' wheels.  I have 15-in. Konig eight-spokers on it now, which look a lot like Panasports, or even the old ARC eights, but I haven't found any replacement rims that resemble them -- in 1/18 scale.  Can anyone give me a steer in the right direction, or supply such?  

The car is a mild custom; most features look pretty stock, and the biggest change, after glass-beading I repainted it in the Honda pewter/silver under clear-coat of my 1/1 car.  Best feature, possibly, is that it is autographed by Pete Brock of BRE, John Morton of SCCA C/Prod championship fame, local Z restorer Steve Pettersen (whose Best of Show 240Z was destroyed in the Camp Fire of Paradise CA*, and my humble self.  I am the author of "How to Restore Your Datsun Z-Car" (CA Bill's Automotive Handbooks, Tucson AZ, 1990) which has been in print since then, and is soon to be superseded by a revised edition I did.  

I also have the BIG scale Tamiya Fairlady Z kit, which is the ZG racing version, basically, that I am going to convert to LHD and modify to look like a N.America version.  This will require remolding the head-light 'buckets' and creating a new front bumper from aluminum stock, among other things.  A Japanese source sometimes has resin replicas of Hayashi 8-spoke 'mags' available, if I can snag some!  It will be painted (Mack truck) 'Japanese Racing Green, like the 1970 I bought new and used for the subject of my manual.  This car, HLS 3547, was repurchased by NISSAN USA for a display car in 1995.  

Thx!  Wick

[stitchdup]

theres an aftermarket for the 1/18 kits. a few different companies make parts but the only one i can remember just now is autoart. the parts are not cheap though. another option would to be to find a 3d file of the wheel and get someone to print it at the size and scale you need. I did a quick search and the only z wheels i found were on a full kit and one piece with tyre in a slightly bbs style. the tyres have no tread detail and its not a good looking file but there are probably others out there. did the wheels have a specific name to them? it would make searching them simpler

[W Humble]

Les,

The 1/1 brands are Konig, Panasport, and ARE (not ARC!) and I forgot; Minilite -- all 8-spokers for four-lug hubs.  The Japanese resin source I had was on the 'favorites' file of my old laptop, and lost now, but they were about $65 and also out of stock... !  Z wheel-covers were homely indeed!  Until the last season of the Gen-1 280Z, Nissan did not offer a factory stock alloy rim, not in N American market!  Thus all the slot mags on Z-cars, from the dealer.

Yeah; 3D file... I'm not very tech-savvy, tho I do know impossible things are happening with that technique!  I need to search the 1/18 sources you refer to, as although most of my unfinished projects are 1/25, my fingers and eyes are losing the battle with tempis fugit -- sadly.  Build while you can!!  The bigger scales are a bit easier for me now, though I only have a dozen or so, incl some highly modified die-casts.  Easier to mask and paint, too, for custom finishes.  One thing about big scale, the competition is a bit less at the shows I've attended; I got a second place for my Maisto '59 Caddie redone like the 'fifties classic Larry Watson hardtop.  Wick

[stitchdup]

8 minutes ago, W Humble said:

Les,

The 1/1 brands are Konig, Panasport, and ARE (not ARC!) and I forgot; Minilite -- all 8-spokers for four-lug hubs.  The Japanese resin source I had was on the 'favorites' file of my old laptop, and lost now, but they were about $65 and also out of stock... !  Z wheel-covers were homely indeed!  Until the last season of the Gen-1 280Z, Nissan did not offer a factory stock alloy rim, not in N American market!  Thus all the slot mags on Z-cars, from the dealer.

Yeah; 3D file... I'm not very tech-savvy, tho I do know impossible things are happening with that technique!  I need to search the 1/18 sources you refer to, as although most of my unfinished projects are 1/25, my fingers and eyes are losing the battle with tempis fugit -- sadly.  Build while you can!!  The bigger scales are a bit easier for me now, though I only have a dozen or so, incl some highly modified die-casts.  Easier to mask and paint, too, for custom finishes.  One thing about big scale, the competition is a bit less at the shows I've attended; I got a second place for my Maisto '59 Caddie redone like the 'fifties classic Larry Watson hardtop.  Wick

i think all of those are available. its simple enough to scale them up. I could print them for you but being in scotland it wouldn't be a good price for you as the shipping is about $15-20, and then theres the file cost and print cost so it would probably be around the same but if you post on here somebody closer might be able to help you out. the slot mags are definitely available in 4 and 5 stud. theres afew detail up sets for the 240z as well that might scale up, but those are mostly more modern bodykits and stuff.

[stitchdup]

and some pics of the watson 59 would be cool to see as i've got one of those maisto to tuen into a lowrider sometime (but my eyes are still good so i can wait a while, lol)

[W Humble]

I'll try, with the dc '59; I only have sporadic luck with digital stuff.  Taking shots is easy for sure, but moving them around has baffled me, tho my kids try to help.  Poor Dad; lost in the 'fifties!  I shot the '59 dc with real Cadillac Damson Maroon lacquer, over silver, having previously masked the scallops in Scotch (I know, I know!) tape.  Well, we can't call it Scottish Tape, huh?  Our family claims some Scots ancestry; great grandfather (I never knew) was a Scott, but also the other side are Wickershams (thus my middle name, and nick-name) who have at least some Northumberland claims.  I guess "wick" refers to a dairy, and "ham" of course to a "hamlet".  moo.

I also did a '58 Maisto 1/18 ElDorado as a 'Stray Cats' band tribute, using two cut-up bumper stickers for graphics.  Flat black, red interior, etc.  Too subtle, it didn't interest the judges last year at the area IPMS show.  Funny, those cars crude engines come with plug-wires, but very nice loomed V-12 ones!  Save them for my faux-Miller engines!  I'd like to find some in-scale electric guitars for those two!  Paper catalog cutouts don't get it with real modelers.

I read a lot of WWII fiction (history too) and particularly love the McAuslan series by George MacDonald Fraser; 'The worlds dirtiest soldier' -- also Brian Callison's stuff.  I'm an Army vet; draftee in 1969-70, wasn't sent to 'Nam. Rank SP-5, equivalent of buck sergeant.  Fifty years after leaving active service, I finally got VA medical benefits!

 Thanks for the offer; I'll try to find a source in N America.

If you like adventure fiction, I wrote a trilogy about American teenagers (of my era) called A PLACE ON MARS (not sci-fi!) on Kindle/Amazon.  I'd love to start getting some reviews!  This site won't let me attach any samples!  Wick