Fujimi's Veilside CI Model (SW20)

[FujimiLover]

Thank you, what putty are you useing again? Can you give me a brand name/type et'c? I want to make sure I'm useing the correct stuff on this project.

I wasn't concerned about the bondo sticking to the resin, I was concerned about the bondo eating or hurting the resin.

[GHoneycutt]

Just something you may try, ELMER's WOOD FILLER, you can pick it up at any home improvement store. I've been using it for years, dries fast,easy clean up, sands smooth, and if you screw up when applying it just take a wet cloth and wipe it clean.

[FujimiLover]

Yea but this is plastic and resin, how is wood filler going to help? I also thought of gap-filling CA-glue for the bumper to nose seems. Maybe use bondo to blend the two halfs together.

Edited March 27, 2009 by FujimiLover

[MrObsessive]

The brand I use is Dynatron Putty-Cote. It's just a brand name I stumbled across in auto supply shop when I couldn't find Evercoat one year, and I've been hooked on it ever since. It's a two part mix------putty and hardener. Mix up the amount according to the directions, and you're good to go. The fumes are a little obnoxious though.......make sure you've got plenty of ventilation!

One thing I like about it is it's got some plastic in the putty. Makes it nice when you want to attach side trim like I had to do on the '55 Ford.

It may not be available in your area as I've had folks tell me that they can't get it where the live. Any type of two part auto body putty should work...............plain 'ol Bondo would work. Most putties/paints are compatible with resin, the key is in the prep just like anything else.

The brand that Mike mentioned above sounds like good stuff...........if that's in your area, you may want to give that a try if your finances allow.

[FujimiLover]

I may just stick with bondo as I've got experience with it. It's alot stronger than the green stuff. Right now I'm not sure where to re-start. As I dry-fit the parts together, some areas it's almost perfect, and other areas particularly around the headlight, it's not perfect. I'm not sure if I want to go ahead and re-epoxy it together again, or what. As I said earlier, I do have some bit's of plastic left over from a for-sale sign and I might build a "shelfe" for the bumper to stick onto.

[Nick F40]

I always will LOVE this generation MR2, I want to find one in 1:1 but it is hard to find one, especially cheap. I can hear the supercharger now........ if there's anyone on here that loves MR2's, it's probably me....and maybe some others.

I need to get new putty, Bill, i'm using Squadron!

[FujimiLover]

Okay, I just re-epoxied one half of the front bumper. Later today or tomarrow I'll re-epoxy the second half. Question for Brendan, was there any splicing in half required for the rear bumper as well?

Once the front peices are epoxied, I'll put the body aside till I can get some bondo. I dont' know where to get the correct putty for this, but since I've had experience with bondo before and I like it, I'll use it here.

[FujimiLover]

Back to pre-putty stage.

[Brendan]

Okay, I just re-epoxied one half of the front bumper. Later today or tomarrow I'll re-epoxy the second half. Question for Brendan, was there any splicing in half required for the rear bumper as well?

Once the front peices are epoxied, I'll put the body aside till I can get some bondo. I dont' know where to get the correct putty for this, but since I've had experience with bondo before and I like it, I'll use it here.

When you cut the rear bumper off, test fit the new bumper. If I can remember correctly, I did have to extend mine, but I don't know how much. I would figure that since you had to do it on the front, you're going to have to do it on the back as well. This is one of the reasons I'm not a big fan of the Fujimi when they do add on resin parts. Although they do make good curbside resin kits. I think they're casted by an outside source.

You also might have to extend the side skirts. I did have to do that on the Nissan, but I don't remember about the MR2.

[FujimiLover]

Thank you for your reply. I'm going to wait till Monday till I can get some bondo to finish the front with. Might just go ahead with the chassis/interior this weekend.

That and/or get the rear started and ready.

Edited March 28, 2009 by FujimiLover

[duck_tape187]

this is a cool project and i cant wait to see it finished.

[FujimiLover]

An update. Since I'm holding off on the body till I can get the proper putty, I started work on the chassis. I always paint my chassis flat black. I painted the suspension arms semi-gloss black, disk's silver, and shoes gun-metal. Engine is painted flat-aluminum.

Not sure if the gun-metal can bee seen in photo.

[FujimiLover]

Chassis is finished, I went with the stock wheels simply cause I have'em and they look better up close and personal. Next step is the interior, and then when I have the proper materials, the body! Enjoy!

Mid engine

Muffler with duel exaust.

Noticed I painted the inside of the exaust pipe this time?

[FujimiLover]

Question for all you pro's. Is this the stuff I should use for fixing the bumpers?

Check out ebay item number 320354173041. Thank you!

Edited March 31, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

I'm having second thoughts about this body. I've cut the rear bumper off and test-fitted the aftermarket rear bumper and it too requires widening. I've noticed however, that the front no longer fit's onto the chassis. The chassis peg's were designed to go into the holes of the original bumper. I am sure the aftermarket bumper was made to fit those pegs, excpet that we had to widen it, so the holes no longer line up. Plus, the way the new bumper is molded, it does not seem to fit in well. I'm tempted to trash this body and wait for that other MR2 kit I've got coming. Should be here any day now. Plus, I still dont' have the proper putty for finishing this one. Frusterated and not sure I want to touch the 300Z!

Edited April 2, 2009 by FujimiLover

[Brendan]

Had the same problem when I did the kit. You're going to end up having to glue the sides of the chassis to the body with epoxy. Just take your time and if you get frustrated, walk away for a couple of days and then come back to it. This is going to happen more and more when you deal with kits that are essentially transkits. Nothing is going to fit right. This is where you build up your skills to modify stuff. You're still learning and this is a good way to start. Keep on posting here and people will help you out.

[FujimiLover]

Thank you for your kind words. When my camera's done sleeping, "charging", I'll post updates. I continued with the rear by cutting the Veilside bumper in half and glue'd theme in place. I noticed that the side-skirts dont' really need extending the same way as the bumpers do. For theme, I'll just use the putty to finish up the corners. I glued on the mirrors, glued the center peice to the Veilside wing and right now it's just sitting in place.

It does look really cool being all peiced together even though it's looooooooooooooooooooooong way from being finished.

The chassis is great, and the interior is looking great. I plan on getting some dull-clear coat for finishing the interior and to help seal in the instrument decal. For this interior, this is the first time I've combined black's for detaling and it look's great. I hope when I dull-coat it, it'll all really stand out and look fantastic.

This kit is teaching me patients very well! LOL!

Edited April 2, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

It is a good question. I'll have to see how the 300Z's kit looks. It's POSSIBLE they made it a universal kit to fit various other bodies in order to keep cost down. If the 300Z kit looks identical, that'll give us the answer. I will be able to post pic's of the interior's completion later today.

[Brendan]

i'm curious as to why this kit includes the resin Veilside conversion pieces but apparently for a different scale kit or that don't fit at all? someone had to have mastered them first, but was it for a different kit?

Dave

It's not that uncommon with resin kits coming out of Japan. Companies like Studio 27 and such usually have mis-scaled kits. It has to do with the measurement issue between metric and inches. Also a lot of times when they cast these parts, they're pulling them out before they're completely cured and have a tendency to warp. They also have issues where they're actually getting thick and thin spots curing at different rates which also makes them shrink at different rates.

[FujimiLover]

Well, I just checked the 300Z and it is specifically designed for the 300Z and LOOK's to be more precise than the MR2, but I won't really know till I start working on it. Interesting enough, on the 300Z your not required to cut the side skirts off like on the MR2. The 300Z Veil-skirts overlap the stockers. It has a T-top option, and I'm tempted to do so, but not sure. The image on the box look's to be some sort of light grey color, certainly less silver than the MR2.

MR2's interior is finished excpet I haven't got dull-coat on there yet. Will need to get'some.

Still waiting arrivel of my two KS models, and my green wide-body MR2. Hopefully they'll show up today.

Interior done.

body work in progress.

Wing's just sitting there. Not glued yet.

[FujimiLover]

Update and a question. I went to Complete Games and Hobbies today to show Karl my MR2 project. He had no luck finding the Tamiya putty and I've been told by another sorce that it's discontinued and no longer available, except ebay of coarse.

What he did have, was this stuff which he recommended.

It's called Milliput, and it's a two part epoxy putty and one he had specifically for me was their really fine one which he sais looks like plastic when done.

I also found several set's of wheels one of which look's darn close to the box image, but in white. However, now I know how to create a nice silver aluminum finish! Unfortunetly, the putty and the four set's of wheels cost about 50 bucks of which I didn't have in my pocket, so Karl's holding the items for me till I can come back later with some green.

But is this putty recommended? What do you guy's think? If so I'll try and head back to the store as soon as I can tomarrow.

[FujimiLover]

This is the set I found at the local hobby shop. Unfortunetly, I didn't have enough cash in pocket to pay for theme, so Karl's holding theme for me plus several other wheels from Aoshima and the putty.

The question is how will the offset be for the MR2?

Edited April 8, 2009 by FujimiLover

[Foxer]

Update and a question. I went to Complete Games and Hobbies today to show Karl my MR2 project. He had no luck finding the Tamiya putty and I've been told by another sorce that it's discontinued and no longer available, except ebay of coarse.

What he did have, was this stuff which he recommended.

It's called Milliput, and it's a two part epoxy putty and one he had specifically for me was their really fine one which he sais looks like plastic when done.

But is this putty recommended? What do you guy's think? If so I'll try and head back to the store as soon as I can tomarrow.

Milliput is an excellent product but this is not a general body putty. It might have a use filling a large unsupported area but I would only suggest this as a secondary filler. 2-part 1:1 fine body putties are still the most desirable for most all body work .. if you can take the pain any 2-part material is to use. Evercoat Euro-Soft polyester Glazing Putty is typically listed as #1 of these because of it's "love for plastic", but most any 2-part fine body putty works as well. The advantage to these is they cure quickly and they have about the same hardness as plastic and therefore finish and blend with the kit plastic.

Most single part putties have shrinkage or cause chemical reactions to plastics .. Green squadron green does both. I've been surprised at the qualities of Modelmaster Red Putty. I have noticed no shrinkage with this putty over the past 10 years I've used it. I do use thinner layers when filling deep areas to help minimize shrinkage.

The body kits you've been working on have really upped your skill level IMO. I also feel any resin caster that produces something this miss matched and requiring this much work .. should be taken out back and shot. I'm sorry, but I find this extremely offensive and business like. If the kit advertised that the end clips were from a different model or scale and required this much work is one thing and acceptable.

anyway.. sorry about the words .. I've been very impressed with what you've been doing with this. Hope

[FujimiLover]

Thank you guy's. This is the only putty I've been able to find so far that is NOT that green Squadron cra!. This is a two-part epoxy putty and I've been told that the white stuff is what I want to use but was recommended to me by Karl and another to use sheets of plastic inside, and then use the putty as a filler.

Thank you for the tip on the wheels being more suited for 1/25. I've also found a similar set from Aoshima for 1/24 and I think those are 17-18 inch wheels.

At the moment, I'm enjoying working on the Koenig Competition at the moment and will get back to the MR2 later on.

As for the wide body kit, this particular MR2 is normal width. My "green" MR2 that I just got recently does have a nice wide body kit that is molded plastic, NOT resin. AND, it's an overlay that fit's much better than this resin kit. It also comes with the appropiately sized wheels for it, and they look half way descent too!