Japanese classic sports duo ***FINISHED*** (picture heavy)

[mattbacon]

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.

[Clashcityrocker]

These should look nice.

Nigel

[mattbacon]

Thanks, Nigel!

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.

[JamesPerrin]

I'm keeping my eye on the 2000GT it's got curves and a bit of an E-type thing going on.

[mattbacon]

Lots of detail work going on, 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.

[ShaunW]

Bloomin excellent, great work on these and I shall try to remember to keep coming back to see how they progress. Given the choice of the full-size cars, I'll take the 240Z please

[bromo]

Fantastic work as usual Matt, the detail painting you have put into those dash boards is unbelievable I cant wait to see the finished article.

[mattbacon]

Thanks, chaps!

Slow 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.

[mattbacon]

This is the underneath of the 240Z. I decided too use the double exhaust tailpipes instead of the single as instructed, because the reference picture I have clearly shows the double pipes.



...and this is the rather simpler 2000GT. The textures is moulded in the kit -- very nicely, I think.



Compare and contrast...




Each has its own clear "style", and era... which you may recognise from Japanese hi-fis of the period!

bestest,
M.

[PaulBradley]

Very nice, Matt. Love the tyre work.

Bird's Eye maple - because it's the colour of fish fingers?

[Clashcityrocker]

You need to scratchbuild some audio cassettes for the stereos.
(ask your Dad what they were kids)

Nigel

[ShaunW]

Great work Matt and there are some excellent textures moulded in there. I know it's on the underside, but perhaps a careful dry brush of some light-ish grey will lift the detail even more (sorry, that's the armour modeller in me coming out ).

[mattbacon]

You need to scratchbuild some audio cassettes for the stereos.
(ask your Dad what they were kids)

Cassettes? I think you mean 8-track cartridges, don't you? ;-P

bestest,
M.

[mattbacon]

Here's the workbench tonight:



Both chassis are complete. The 240Z is still lacking its wheels. I'm worried about anything that might possibly get in the way of getting it into the body, since test fitting suggests that its both tricky and a "once and for all" moment. Fortunately the 2000GT is more forgiving - although of course that does result in an under nose panel that's to be added right at the end. Most of the join is under brightwork, though...




The Z is progressing, with most of the body fittings added bar the wing mirrors and wipers, which I'd almost certainly knock off.




The rest of the time has been spent BMFing and panel-lining the 2000GT. Looking at photos, I decided it really needed the lines emphasising, and I've tried various solutions. This is 50% neutral grey ink, though you wouldn't know to look at it, would you? The vents in front of the windscreen are pure black, so you can see the contrast.





...and because the body fits easily, I can do this. It IS a cool car. Time to read the article in the latest Hemmings "Sports & Exotic Car", which arrived this morning... It's also very SMALL, as you can see in comparison to the Z in the first photo.

Back to the BMF, starting on the Z tomorrow...

bestest,
M.

[JamesPerrin]

The GT is looking great.