Tamiya 1/24 Nissan 240Z (street custom?)

[Radretireddad]

I’ve always admired Tamiya’s JDM version of this kit but never bought it because I preferred the N/A model which forced me to be content with the old Revell kits. I’m really happy I waited for an N/A version with Tamiya’s world class quality and attention to detail.

[Mr mopar]

Now out in Canada !

[STU111]

These have hit the hobby shops here in Australia. Got mine yesterday and it’s typically Tamiya high quality. Nice features include the two piece wheels to make painting easier and metal air induction tubes for the triple carbs.

Cheers, Stu.

[Project510]

All the LHS in my area have closed, and the ones within driving distance don't keep up so much with latest releases. Had to order online. Even with international shipping, these were cheaper than ebay prices from sellers in my own state.

[Spottedlaurel]

On 8/22/2024 at 11:22 PM, Project510 said:

All the LHS in my area have closed, and the ones within driving distance don't keep up so much with latest releases. Had to order online. Even with international shipping, these were cheaper than ebay prices from sellers in my own state.

Great to see it released, think it's still on pre-order here in the UK.

I would be interested to see the contents, wondering how it differs from the ZG and what options there are. Is there just the front end with the spoiler, or have they included a standard valance too?

[niteowl7710]

2 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Great to see it released, think it's still on pre-order here in the UK.

I would be interested to see the contents, wondering how it differs from the ZG and what options there are. Is there just the front end with the spoiler, or have they included a standard valance too?

[Project510]

 

[stavanzer]

Boy! Those "A" pillars are very delicate! Some Top Grade molding, right there.

[niteowl7710]

5 hours ago, Project510 said:

But all of that stuff was in the ZG, the single parts tree is the only difference between the two, other than decals and the subtraction of the ZG nose parts.

[Project510]

15 hours ago, niteowl7710 said:

But all of that stuff was in the ZG, the single parts tree is the only difference between the two, other than decals and the subtraction of the ZG nose parts.

I have never seen the parts tree of the ZG kit. Did it come with the option to forgo the "grand" styling, and that hideous front end? The reason I love this kit is now I have full engine detail, with Tamiya quality. The flash and sink marks in the Revell BRE kit is terrible. In my opinion. So this kit is exactly what I would like.

[Spottedlaurel]

1 hour ago, Project510 said:

I have never seen the parts tree of the ZG kit. Did it come with the option to forgo the "grand" styling, and that hideous front end?........

No, pretty much one way only to build it OOB. The Hasegawa non-ZG front end appears to fit nicely, so that is still there as an option (especially if the preference is to build it without a chin spoiler).

[Project510]

1 hour ago, Spottedlaurel said:

No, pretty much one way only to build it OOB. The Hasegawa non-ZG front end appears to fit nicely, so that is still there as an option (especially if the preference is to build it without a chin spoiler).

I have this kit, I pulled it out last year when I got back into the hobby after a 15-20 year break. I somehow lost the interior pieces. I was actually trying to replace it when I read of the Tamiya release so I waited.

[Bainford]

On 8/26/2024 at 6:27 PM, Project510 said:

Interesting method of rendering the window trims. I'm keen to see how well this works, but at first blush, I'm not a fan. I can see several problems here. 

[niteowl7710]

10 hours ago, Bainford said:

Interesting method of rendering the window trims. I'm keen to see how well this works, but at first blush, I'm not a fan. I can see several problems here. 

...such as?

The ZG came out over three years ago, if there was a problem you would have heard about it.

[Zoom Zoom]

11 hours ago, Bainford said:

Interesting method of rendering the window trims. I'm keen to see how well this works, but at first blush, I'm not a fan. I can see several problems here. 

They're a lot better than using foil and you can apply Tamiya flat black acrylic to the front/rear pieces and wipe off the excess to expose the inlayed chrome trim effect with relative ease. A panel line wash will give the right depth to the side pieces. I've seen examples built (including this kit for review) and it's a brilliant solution. I can't wait to start my build of this kit; I had already gotten the ZG kit previously and ZoomOn's short-nose street custom conversion for it. I might build them side-by-side. These Tamiya Z car kits are amazing. A good friend of mine - John Zweber - built the ZG as a mild street custom and displayed it at our ACME NNL last year, it was one of my personal favorites at the show and we had about 950 models on display.

[Bainford]

On 8/28/2024 at 9:27 AM, Zoom Zoom said:

They're a lot better than using foil and you can apply Tamiya flat black acrylic to the front/rear pieces and wipe off the excess to expose the inlayed chrome trim effect with relative ease. A panel line wash will give the right depth to the side pieces. I've seen examples built (including this kit for review) and it's a brilliant solution. I can't wait to start my build of this kit; I had already gotten the ZG kit previously and ZoomOn's short-nose street custom conversion for it. I might build them side-by-side. These Tamiya Z car kits are amazing. A good friend of mine - John Zweber - built the ZG as a mild street custom and displayed it at our ACME NNL last year, it was one of my personal favorites at the show and we had about 950 models on display.

It's good to get your take on this, Bob. As mentioned, I am quite interested to see how well this works. Your endorsement means a lot. I remain somewhat skeptical but ultimately open-minded. I have no doubt they are great on an OOB build. The fit of parts on a painted body will have to be exceptional to remain acceptably clean. Most of my personal concerns regard fine detailing in the areas of windscreen sealant, and the interface between the interior door panel and exterior door panel at the window sill area where I sometimes add all rubber seals, window whiskers, and the slightly exposed top of the retracted side glass. This new method could complicate that process. I am also of the mind that nickel or stainless window trims are best represented by the slightly muted shine of burnished foil rather than brilliant kit chrome. I am also concerned with the potential fragility of the body with those whisper thin A pillars. There is always the option of stripping the chrome and gluing the trim to the body before paint, then foiling afterward. The realism of well prepared and applied foil work on a properly engraved body is hard to beat, providing numerous options to affect a final, authentic appearance.

Nonetheless, I am very much looking forward to getting one of these kits and having a go.  Just need to source a front clip without the spoiler. I checked the Zoom On site but couldn't find one.

[Zoom Zoom]

2 hours ago, Bainford said:

It's good to get your take on this, Bob. As mentioned, I am quite interested to see how well this works. Your endorsement means a lot. I remain somewhat skeptical but ultimately open-minded. I have no doubt they are great on an OOB build. The fit of parts on a painted body will have to be exceptional to remain acceptably clean. Most of my personal concerns regard fine detailing in the areas of windscreen sealant, and the interface between the interior door panel and exterior door panel at the window sill area where I sometimes add all rubber seals, window whiskers, and the slightly exposed top of the retracted side glass. This new method could complicate that process. I am also of the mind that nickel or stainless window trims are best represented by the slightly muted shine of burnished foil rather than brilliant kit chrome. I am also concerned with the potential fragility of the body with those whisper thin A pillars. There is always the option of stripping the chrome and gluing the trim to the body before paint, then foiling afterward. The realism of well prepared and applied foil work on a properly engraved body is hard to beat, providing numerous options to affect a final, authentic appearance.

Nonetheless, I am very much looking forward to getting one of these kits and having a go.  Just need to source a front clip without the spoiler. I checked the Zoom On site but couldn't find one.

ZoomOn doesn't offer just the short nose conversion. Hasegawa has had several variants of the short nose without spoiler. I think someone said that it fits the Tamiya kit well, but I don't know for sure. I have built the Hasegawa 240Z, the US LHD variant. It's curbside only.

[martinfan5]

That is just beautiful Bob, enjoyed getting to see it again.

 

I can not wait to get started on mine , just waiting for it to cool down a bit before I resume building from the "summer its to freaking hot to be painting in the garage break" I am currently on.

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Tried it a while back based on what I've seen from others, and the Hasegawa factory shortnose fascia is just about a glove on the Tamiya shell.   Biggest problem I recall is that you'll have to trim locating tabs from one piece or the other - from the look at the parts above, maybe those two belt-level forward nubs poking proud of the Tamiya shell.

[TransAmMike]

Interesting thread here.  I have never thought to build a Z-car even tho I actually bought a new racing green 260Z back in the day. 

[mikos]

On 8/27/2024 at 6:10 PM, Bainford said:

Interesting method of rendering the window trims. I'm keen to see how well this works, but at first blush, I'm not a fan. I can see several problems here. 

The pillars look a smidge too thin compared to pics of the real car.  I understand the windshield molding and side window drip rail molding visually thicken up this area.  However, when looking at pics of the real car online, it seems the body colored area of the pillar is just slightly wider or thicker than the pillars rendered on the model.  Maybe it’s just an optical illusion. 

[fumi]

On 8/31/2024 at 5:15 AM, Chuck Kourouklis said:

Biggest problem I recall is that you'll have to trim locating tabs from one piece or the other - from the look at the parts above, maybe those two belt-level forward nubs poking proud of the Tamiya shell.

You will need to trim the inside of this edge to fit as well.  Just place the headlight cone to the body and trace the hood hinge extension piece around the edge, and cut out the excess.

Edited September 4, 2024 by fumi

[Kenmojr]

In the 1980s I built a 1/25 or 1/24 kit of Pete Brock's 240Z road racer. Can't recall if it was Monogram, AMT, MPC, or....

[Justin Porter]

32 minutes ago, Kenmojr said:

In the 1980s I built a 1/25 or 1/24 kit of Pete Brock's 240Z road racer. Can't recall if it was Monogram, AMT, MPC, or....

That would be the Revell 1/25th scale kit of Brock's BRE team 240Z which was reissued MANY times. For a time it was the best rendition available of the 240Z given its full detail and the somewhat questionable contours of the Fujimi body but it finally had to relinquish its place on the Z pile to the hugely superior Hasegawa and Tamiya kits. 

[Kenmojr]

I think there was a Paul Newman version as well as he raced in the IMSA or SCCA circuit in the 1970s and 80s.