Matt Bacon Posted February 8, 2014 Posted February 8, 2014 A pair of the finest Japanese sports cars -- either one you'd love to own, but only one costs the best part of a million dollars. Both excellent-looking curbside Hasegawa kits. Tamiya spray for the bodies: Racing White and Maroon (actually chestnut brown...) They're quite hard to photograph together, since the camera likes to assume that the Toyota is white (it's actually pale cream), and exposing for both dark brown and almost white in the same image is taxing, especially in artificial light. Wheels in Zero Paints graphite grey with bright silver highlights. The tyre tread diameter is the same, but the 240Z has much smaller wheels/deeper tyres... The interiors are under way, but they are both a symphony in blacks... though the 2000GT has some rather cool rosewood veneer highlights... bestest, M.
afx Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 The Toyota 2000GT is an awesome car. I will watching to see how they both turn out.
DPNM Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 I'm partial to the Z. I've owned quite a few (and ZXs). They were nothing but FUN. I learned how to DRIVE in one I had that was set up for gymkahana/autocross. Ahhh,memories... I will be watching your build.
Erik Smith Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 Love both. My Gramps had 240, 260 and a 280. Remember riding in back. I was small, cuz that ain't no passenger compartment.
Matt Bacon Posted February 9, 2014 Author Posted February 9, 2014 Thanks, guys...yep, they'll both be "totally stock", Julen. The ZG is badass enough as it is, and for the 2000GT, frankly every pimped one I've ever seen online looks far worse than the elegant, curvy original... Even the one Mike Zumbrunn photographed for "Auto Legends" looks the worse for it's otherwise funky black wheels and oversize knockoff hubs... bestest, M.
jaymcminn Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 Excellent, Matt. Can't wait to follow along with these two. I've never thought about doing simultaneous builds before (I have enough trouble getting ONE off my workbench sometimes) but you really make it work!
JabMan Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 they are looking good. I like the chestnut brown.
Matt Bacon Posted February 10, 2014 Author Posted February 10, 2014 Thanks, gentlemen! My friend Duncan had a properly "breathed on" Samuri 240Z for a few years after university, and he was forever heading up to somewhere near Silverstone to get the cylinder head ported and polished, or hotter cams, or some other esoteric fine-tuning. Fantastic car, and my word, did it go quick... I wonder where it is now? Anyway, back in the miniature world, more stuff that's not so easy to photograph... Did I mention that there's lots of black? ;-P I'm trying to get some variety using different "shades" of black and very dark grey, and different degrees of shiny, to represent the various black leather/plastic/fabrics in the cabins. There's a lot of vinyl in the Z. In the 2000GT there's some leather and that rather nice "birds-eye maple" (so they say...). But the seat ribs are breathable fabric, hence the "NATO Black" matt finish. Getting the decal to sit over all the switches, knobs and holes was a bit of a "wing and a prayer" job, but at least it's tough and responds well to setting solutions. The instruments were applied to some plastic card, and then punched out, so that I had something controllable to try to get into the bottom of the deep recesses. On the 240Z, I just punched them out of the decal sheet, having learned that the decals don't adhere too well to bare plastic the hard way... Two wooden steering wheels -- Vallejo "Dark Flesh" overpainted with Tamiya Clear Orange for the (vaguely) natural wood effect. ...meanwhile, the Z is getting its distinctive body kit fitted while the 2000GT is drying in the paint shop after the black trim around the "greenhouse" has been applied. Slow progress, but moving forward, at least! bestest, M.
lanesteele240 Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 I hAve no idea why they painted those awesome z cars brown. Your build is flawless so far. Keep it up
crazyrichard Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 whow that toyota is awsome , love the z as wellawsome job on the wood
Davewilly Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 Very cool duo build also 2 kits I want for my stash!
Lovefordgalaxie Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 I don't want to own any of them in 1:1 form, as they don't attract me at all, but man, the models are getting so nice!!! That woodwork on the dash, is that a decal?
Matt Bacon Posted February 14, 2014 Author Posted February 14, 2014 (edited) Thanks, guys -- yep, the wood on the 2000GT dash is a decal, Tulio. I think if I had $968,000 to spend on a car, I'd get something other than a 2000GT. But a bit over £25K for a well-tuned Z -- that's a different story. There's lots of detail work going on on chassis parts, so progress is rather slow... That's the 2000GT dash complete ...and this is the Zs And finally a bit of "compare and contrast" It shouldn't be long now before the two interiors go together... bestest, M. Edited February 14, 2014 by Matt Bacon
om617 Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 Really nice cars but the 2000 is amazing. If i dont remember it wrong it was designed by an german guy.
Pete J. Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 Fond memories of the 240Z! Traded in my '69 Mustang for a '72 Z when I graduated from college in 72. Both six cylinders but oh what a difference in the performance. Two years later I traded the Z for the 74 911. Boy those were the days. Been hooked on six or less cylinders ever since.By the way, just a minor nit to pick. The Z didn't get a wooden steering wheel until they came out with the 260 in 73 at least in the USA. Before that it was a black plastic. Very nice job on the interior.
Matt Bacon Posted February 14, 2014 Author Posted February 14, 2014 (edited) By the way, just a minor nit to pick. The Z didn't get a wooden steering wheel until they came out with the 260 in 73 at least in the USA. Before that it was a black plastic. Thanks for the positive feedback! I'm not sure I agree with the above, though. Maybe it's true for the US (Are there any ZGs in the US?), but there are plenty of pictures online of "very original" '70, '71 and '73 240Z interiors online that have the wooden rim; the Hasegawa instructions call it out as wooden coloured; and the article in Octane about a completely original ZG (the only one in the UK) that I have at my side as reference clearly shows THAT 240ZG has a wooden wheel. Plus it looks more interesting in that black cabin... bestest, M. Edited February 14, 2014 by Matt Bacon
Zarana-X Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 According to Wikipedia:Fairlady ZGThe Japan-only HS30-H Nissan Fairlady ZG was released in Japan in October 1971 to homologate the 240Z for Group 4 racing. Differences between the Fairlady ZG and an export market Datsun 240Z include an extended fiberglass ‘aero-dyna’ nose, wider over-fenders riveted to the body, a rear spoiler, acrylic glass headlight covers and fender-mounted rear-view mirrors. The Fairlady ZG was available in three colours: Grande Prix Red, Grande Prix White and Grande Prix Maroon. The "G" in Fairlady ZG stands for "Grande." Although the ZG was not sold in the USA and was never sold outside Japan, in order for it to be eligible for competition in the U.S., Nissan sold the nose kit as a dealer's option which is known as the "G-nose". With the nose added, these 240Zs are often referred to as 240ZGs, outside of Japan.I don't care for that color, but it is beautifully done, and looks just like the one used in Gran Tourismo.
Pete J. Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 I went back through my old photos and you are right. The steering wheel was wood color. I think I was thinking of my 911(I still have the steering wheel from that but that is another story). However it was not wood. It was, as was typical for the era, a fake plastic wood grain. The US spec models did not have the extended noses. As I recall the only true Datsun dealer installed options were the front and rear bumper guards, rear window shade which came with a pair of sport mirrors and A/C. The nose and headlight covers were sold at a very limited number of dealers as they were only legal in a very few states. Mine was a horrible light green and I had the mirrors and rear window shade painted to match the car(they were flat black from the factory) when I picked it up from the dealer(in Sterling Colorado). I was headed to Texas and wanted to make sure the sun was not a real problem. I also had the front bumper guard and A/C installed from the factory.
dino246gt Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 Those dashboards are awesome, your detail work is stunning, very nice work indeed!
Matt Bacon Posted February 15, 2014 Author Posted February 15, 2014 I don't care for that color, but it is beautifully done, and looks just like the one used in Gran Tourismo. Thanks! I'm pretty sure that the Tamiya "Maroon" acrylic spray paint was colour matched to the ZG "Grand Prix Maroon" (actually a mistranslation of the French "Marron", chestnut brown) when they launched the 1/12 scale "big boy" 240ZG... bestest, M.
Matt Bacon Posted February 17, 2014 Author Posted February 17, 2014 Slow, but steady, progress is beginning to pay off, now... That's the 2000GT chassis completed. In this one, they have you build the running gear and then the cabin on top... ...whereas the 240Z gets the cabin built first, and the running gear after that. I couldn't resist a trial run... The slightly wobbly edges on the black are all going to be covered by BMF, have no fear... bestest, M.
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