Project Zexel

[acprc 1573]

Most of the group here know that I am predominantly a nitro collector. My collection bounces around the 250-260 kits at any one time and I have a fairly high turnover of kits that come through my hands. I like to restore, build and sell on a lot of Tamiya nitro kits that are down on their luck.

My nitro collection has around 34 1/8 Tamiya TGX in it. Having exhausted all the known Tamiya and aftermarket bodies I am always looking for other opportunities. I have the rare bodies from companies like ABC Hobby in my collection

and I have aftermarket bodies from companies like L&L models that fit the TGX chassis.

I also have had a go at taking a Tamiya body and replicating a different livery. In this case a Jagermeister 155 with a custom designed decal set and 3D printed wheels

So, whats next? Looking through my spare TGX parts I happened upon a clear Skyline body and decided on Project Zexel. Its based on the 1997 Zexel Skyline that competed in the JGTC and this is the car I plan to replicate and document here.

and for a slightly better idea of the livery a model one found on the internet

Not a hugely complicated decal set to create but you dont see many white base colour Skylines in 1/8 TGX form.

So my starting position is this:

A used 1/8 TGX chassis from my chassis stock that needs a full restoration, a Calsonic Skyline body that's unpainted, a used wing from the Kure Nismo TGX kit and lastly a damaged Kure Nismo decal set that will provide a lot of the basic decals like window frames etc.

Wish me luck and more to come soon. This one will be a keeper for the collection.

[WillyChang 1818]

Nice to see you back & actively modeling matey!

[acprc 1573]

1 hour ago, WillyChang said:

Nice to see you back & actively modeling matey!

Thanks. I never really left but I was travelling back and fore to the USA from the UK every two weeks for 6 months and my home time was spent with family. Collection and collecting still bubbles along in the background as it has done for many many years now. 

Actively trying to put more effort into moderating now I have the time and generally helping out here as well as the 6 or 7 facebook groups I moderate/own.

Still love the hobby and dont tell anyone but actually just got a new electric kit!

[acprc 1573]

So a very quick update on the Zexel project. Stripped the chassis down into its component parts:

Metal parts

Plastic parts

Electrics

Then I went through my parts stash to pick out the missing bits I need, metal parts

Plastic parts

Bumper coming from Japan as it was cheap and had a Urethane fitted. Its also the correct road bumper not the more common and later rally bumper for the TGX.

A new chassis plate

and the engine. It will have a restored FS-15LT, Oversize heatsink head, Lightweight flywheel, starter rope holder and a TM-3 Muffler. Nothing too bling but just nice upgrades.

Lastly, a rear urethane that was designed and made by a member of the TGX Facebook group.

Progress. Next step will be batches through the Ultrasonic and checking the parts over afterwards.

[Superluminal 3973]

Every time I see your threads I pop over to ebay to see what Tamiya nitros are available as I really fancy one as something a bit different. But parts supply seems thinner on the ground than even some of their rarest electric kits! Think youve really got to play a long game when hunting for a project, although there was a really nice nib TG10 on sale up until a couple of days ago with a red Novarossi (sp?) engine which i felt quite tempted by.

[acprc 1573]

1 hour ago, Superluminal said:

Every time I see your threads I pop over to ebay to see what Tamiya nitros are available as I really fancy one as something a bit different. But parts supply seems thinner on the ground than even some of their rarest electric kits! Think youve really got to play a long game when hunting for a project, although there was a really nice nib TG10 on sale up until a couple of days ago with a red Novarossi (sp?) engine which i felt quite tempted by.

Exactly this. I never have just one project on the go but I have been collecting nitro for quite some time now which helps. I guess when you have done as many as me now you have a fairly good stock of parts.

[acprc 1573]

So a small update.

Fitted the oversize heatsink head, lightweight flywheel and the starter rope holder to the FS-15LT. Also mounted the TM-3 muffler and the air filter. Decided to fit a 2-speed transmission so when doing the flywheel i swapped the pilot shaft and fitted the two speed clutch bell. Engine now looks like this:

 

Two speed transmission is ready. I fitted it with carbon reinforced gears that I sell on Shapeways. These gears have been tested by multiple people and work really well.

Found a set of dampers that can grace the car. These came from Japan originally and had already been cleaned up. Added some white springs as I think that will work with the body colour eventually.

Pulled an upgraded brake disc out of my stock to go on as well.

I think its going to look nice.

[ChrisRx718 4707]

Awesome. Gotta say the Kure livery doesn't do anything for me (always reminds me of the Alpecin shampoo bottle!) But the Zexel will look far better.

My absolute favourite has to be the yellow Penzoil R33 though! Infinite funds and space and I'd have one.

[acprc 1573]

12 hours ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Awesome. Gotta say the Kure livery doesn't do anything for me (always reminds me of the Alpecin shampoo bottle!) But the Zexel will look far better.

My absolute favourite has to be the yellow Penzoil R33 though! Infinite funds and space and I'd have one.

I think I would agree. The Kure and the Calsonic are a bit plain however the Clarion, Pennzoil etc make up for it. The JOMO (Non Tamiya) version is a looker though. I think after the Zexel version I may look to do the blue Clarion sister car.

[acprc 1573]

Cleaned up the radio gear. Nothing special here just a brush off then a clean with kitchen flash spray. Made sure the wires are clean as well. I may remove the Robbe labels as one is a bit tatty.

Then a test using my servo tester and reset the Neutral position.

Metal parts in the Ultrasonic.

More to come over the bank holiday here in the UK.

 

[acprc 1573]

Some more work done today.

Plastic parts through the ultrasonic and out in the sun to dry. Once dry they will be checked over for damage etc. There are a few parts here that wont be used on the Zexel (like the rally TGX enclosed transmission parts) but they will go into stock.

As I had some new parts ready I started to build up some sub assemblies. Brake and two speed hub assembled. Also stripped and rebuilt the front and rear diffs. Nice new fresh grease and bearings.

I needed a lid for the radio box and didnt have a spare so I have decided to use an upper deck. Pulled that out and started to fit the cleaned radio gear and a tank.

Lastly I added the wings to the new chassis plate

 Progress.

[acprc 1573]

Some more progress today.

With all the plastic and metal parts cleaned I got the front and rear gearbox assemblies built and fitted to the chassis plate.

Front

Rear

and the engine mounted and meshed

now looks like this

Started on the used rear wing. removed the old decals, glued a few cracks and started to repair the damaged parts. Ordered some Tamiya putty to repair some surface issues.

[Superluminal 3973]

Self lubricating gears 

[acprc 1573]

10 hours ago, Superluminal said:

Self lubricating gears 

Indeed, I usually add some teflon lubricant however no actual oil or grease for the spurs.

[matisse 1698]

Looking forward to the end result of this.

[acprc 1573]

4 hours ago, matisse said:

Looking forward to the end result of this.

Thanks, should look good

[acprc 1573]

So been a week or so and I have been cracking on with things.

The stl file for the 3D printed wheels went off to the company in Hong Kong.

and 6 days later these turned up printed and painted white

I painted the body white and started to add the decals fro the Kure Nismo sheet that will be used.

I spent a whole week designing the decal sheet. Lots of time on Affinity Designer and the web looking for logos and translating the odd bit of Japanese. Once done they were printed at scale onto paper and tried against the body for the correct size. After tweaks the sheet is finished

The rear wing has been cleaned, filled with Tamiya putty, primed and painted white.

I trialed one of the new wheels with a tyre and some decals. Looks great on the car. I also fitted the TGX chassis with a set of 53332 TA03R Rear Long Wheel Axles. This brings the rear wheels out a bit for stance purposes.

So now I await a few parts to finish the chassis and the decals have gone to be printed. Almost there.

[acprc 1573]

So an update to the project which slowed things down but also took it in a slightly different direction. For a long time I have wanted an Alps Microdry printer for doing my own decals. Long since discontinued the printers used coloured wax type ribbons to build up colour in layers. The ink is waterproof and pretty scratch proof. Crucially the printers print white and can also do other colours like gold, silver and metallics. I had pulled the trigger on one in Japan and started the purchase process and then one popped up on Ebay for £25. I purchased it and it works perfectly. These printers are notorious for printhead issues and they can't be be replaced so if the head is defective the printer is pretty much the same. The second one is now coming to the UK from Japan by sea.

The printer is also 110v and wont work with modern windows so I had to set up a virtual window on my Windows 10 machine to run Windows XP. Once done it all works perfectly.

So now I could do my own decal set at home!

and the results came out really well

 

but then I had a disaster while moving the body I forgot the spoiler wasn't attached. It fell off and hit the corner of a chopping board!

So that then had to be repaired

repainted and new decals done

So now Project Zexel looks like this. I used waterslide decal paper for the tyre decals and they have moulded nicely like real paint would have. Just the old Kure logos on the screen to do and she will be finished.

 

[Grumpy pants 5544]

This looks absolutely fantastic 👏

[Nikko85 3953]

Yes this is amazing work!

[acprc 1573]

27 minutes ago, Grumpy pants said:

This looks absolutely fantastic 👏

Thanks very much

[acprc 1573]

15 minutes ago, Nikko85 said:

Yes this is amazing work!

Thanks

[acprc 1573]

So with the addition of a few more decals I will call that done.

 

[matisse 1698]

Stunning Work!

[acprc 1573]

11 hours ago, matisse said:

Stunning Work!

Thanks very much