Back with an RX-7

[ferrari87]

Evening gents. I'm coming back after my big DBS let down with a build heavy WIP, Tamiya's RX-7 R1. I've ditched the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH stock turbos that where molded onto the oil pan, cut out the stock air box, battery, and intercooler for a custom setup. For one, I'm using a Hobby Design turbo to run a single turbo setup rather than the stock sequential setup. I pilfered an intercooler from my R-34 kit and a rear spoiler from my R-32 kit for a few more custom touches, as well as Aoshima 18 inch Gram Lights 57 Xtreme's instead of the stock wheels.

Gram Lights:

A few engine shots:

a little work on the exaust. The down pipe is custom made from sprue I heated up and bent to shape. It will mate up almost exactly with the turbo in the engine bay. I also used an exhaust from an aftermarket kit. It will have a slanted appearance that seems to be common now-a-days on STI's.

It still needs work obviously...

and the rear wing:

All parts still need some serious cleaning up. Seam lines need to be gotten rid of and many of the custom parts need to be fully sanded and formed. I'm still in the mock up phase but for the actual engine, I'm getting ready to transition into the next step which will be running plug wires, oil lines, brake lines from the master cylinder and smaller details like a blow off valve and oil filter.

The body will be painted telefonica blue (TS-51). The hood will be carbon fiber along with the front and rear spoiler. The rims will be model master metalizer gunmetal.

Edited December 29, 2014 by ferrari87

[Jeremy Jon]

Looking good, always liked the gen3 RX7s ..those wheels look nice with too!

[slusher]

Good looking project...

[ferrari87]

Thanks guys. The amount of modifying makes me feel like I'm working on a tank again. They were never right. I almost forgot what tamiya white and basic putty smelled like and how to debond my fingers from each other.

I am going to incorporate many themes seen over the years in the import scene. With the exception of the wild body kit and BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH. I love the slightly modified stock look. I wont be lowering the car *I dont think* because of the RX-7's design. Relocating the front A-arms would be quite difficult. It may be possible to modify the steering knuckles but I havent got that far.

[Brizio]

Looking good.

[ferrari87]

Thanks Fabrizio!

Small update for today. I only tested out some potential shocks. Using aluminum tubing, I just made a rough estimate of the length needed. I haven't added the springs yet. This was just a "can I do this" idea. Seems legit to me.

[jaftygas]

I like that a lot .

[Intmd8r]

Real nice progress

[Ace-Garageguy]

Looks great so far. I've wanted to pirate the guts out of one of these and build a hot-rod Rotus 7. I'm sure I'll learn a thing or 3 from watching this build.

[Twokidsnosleep]

You are back with a vengeance !

[ferrari87]

Thanks guys! Initially, I pulled this off the shelf looking to build it straight out of the box. No frills, just primer, paint, then assemble. However, just paging through the directions and browsing through photos online, I just couldn't help but take the opportunity to give this RX-7 an overhaul after several ideas started floating around in my head.

As I build, I get further away from the memory of the Great DBS Letdown and more excited to see this through. I'll be honest, after the DBS basically melted in my hands I didn't even want to take the parts off their painting sticks.

So some idea's for the build:

The shocks will be painted green to model TEIN products.

Sway bars will be painted blue to model CUSCO products.

The interior needs some serious help. The doors are completely void of any detail what-so-ever, so I'll have to do some work there. Seatbelts will need to be made and flocking applied to the floor.

Lines will be run from the master cylinder and brake booster to each caliper. Speaking of which, I need help guys. Can you please help identify #2 in this picture. I know #1 is the brake booster and master cylinder but I do not know what #2 is.

[Ace-Garageguy]

ABS unit, I believe.

[ferrari87]

ABS unit, I believe.

Thank you good sir. Now I can start looking into how the lines are run

[ferrari87]

Hey gents. Pretty big update here as it's been awhile since I've posted anything. I've been working a lot lately as well as splitting my build time between this and a diorama. I've managed to complete the rear shocks and springs using black wire. I've also completed the engine. I could keep tinkering around but in my experience, the more I tinker the more I screw things up. So, i've leaving well enough alone. I also drilled holes in the ABS unit and brake booster for lines later in the build. I also used my Dremel to grind down the offending parts of the Fujimi Gram Light rims. Next up is a dunk in bleach to get rid of the chrome and then I need to build the "male" connector for them. Other than B-pillars for seat belts, the build is done. I can start priming and then painting in TS-51 "Racing Blue"

Adding a PE radiator under the intercooler...

engine:

[TFchronos]

Cool project, very nice work!

[ferrari87]

Thanks Jonathan! It's been a lot of fun building this one. It helps recover from the meltdown (literally) of my DBS kit.

[Jonathan]

Sweet! One of my very favorite cars. Excellent work!

[ferrari87]

Thanks! I appreciate the support! I've been working hard on this to create a nice RX-7.

[ferrari87]

I've primed the body, wing, hood, and rims. Tomorrow is finally a day off for me so I'll be painting the body and wing TS-51 (Racing Blue), the hood and part of the wing flat black (in anticipation for carbon fiber decals), and the rims modelmaster metalizer gunmetal. While those bits dry, the interior and engine bits will get their coating of primer.

[ferrari87]

ok guys, big update! I painted the body, wing, wheels, and underbody and applied the carbon decals!

The rims didn't turn out on camera well, but they are as planned, painted gunmetal by model master

[drive4th]

Man it's looking great, i thin trhe dark blue and gunmetal wheels are a nice combo. Reminds me of the rx7 model from Gran Turismo. Keep it up man, great work so far

Edited January 14, 2015 by drive4th

[ferrari87]

Thanks! I don't remember the RX-7 from GT, I was obsessed with the 3000GT and Skyline in that game.

[drive4th]

it was the RX-7 Type RZ, typical color was white or red but it looked BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH good in blue also. will try to find a decent pic of one

[ferrari87]

The blue can almost look purple under the right lighting. It's also metallic. I wasn't planning on a metallic paint for this build but it will do. I really like the color and the fact that it has a purple to it. The carbon decals take a little practice getting right. I still have to place carbon fiber on the front spoiler and I hope that goes smoother than the hood and wing. The hood took two tries and the wing 4 attempts. Lesson learned: for hoods, always cut the decal in half while on thr backing sheet. It will make placement a lot easier and using micro set and sol shorter, avoiding any catastrophes.

Yesterday I sprayed the window trim on the clear plastic. I attempted to get a faded look on the rear window but it didnt turn out as planned, I'll have to get better at it. I also painted the wheel wells flat black and various suspension bits flat black. Initially, I thought this might provide a used look that suspensions have but it looks a bit fake. I will have to buy some semi-gloss black and see how that turns out on future models.

Pretty much all thats left is to paint a couple parts on the underbody, paint the suspension and engine bits, then run brake lines and assemble the car.

[drive4th]

cool man, looking forward to seeing it finished!