1/12 Tamiya Datto 240ZG with "options"

Hey guys, sorry it's been a while.....
I'm giving the smaller stuff a break for a while......eyes aint as good as they used to be..... May get back into them one day, but uncertain at this stage....

I've stepped up to one of my 1/12 builds. Actually only got this recently, but it's been on my "want" list for years.....
Finally found one on ebay UK which was at a price agreeable to my wallet.....
It will be a long build, sorry bout that, but I want to get it right...


The difference in size is huge and will be open slather for detailing.....hmmm, should be fun.


First on the agenda, I knew what wheels it needed to have. Watanabe's are an obvious choice amongst owners of 1:1 240's, so I scoured the hobby shops looking
for a suitable doner......Nothing !.....There are some really nice 1/10 items around, but they'd look like 22's on this......
So, off to the design den.
This is what I come up with...


After some mocking up and test fitting, I got the widths right, they will be 16x8.5 and 16x9.5's with 225/45VR16 and 245/45VR16's..
I'm going to have to make my own tyres as well, and that task has started.....wish me luck there....


The group pic shows the same centre with the two different outer rims. I'll cast them up along with the tyres.
Also got a start on the suspension. Going with a TEIN look....Yhey look a little light (colour) but thay'll do me.....


That's it for now....stay tuned here.....
Thanks for dropping by.
cheers
Greg

If this turns out half as good as your 1/25th builds it will be awesome...............

Thanks Paul, it's been fun so far....

Ok, now that the wheels are getting close, thought I'd better turn my attention to the tyres....

The first pic shows what options I had to work with....
Bottom left = stock wheel/tyre, bottom right = Tamiya "spare parts" wheel/kit tyre, and top, what I made....


Close up of my work...yeah, still very rough. I've made an adapter from an old rim so I could mount it in my dremmel (cheap imitation...) to true it up.
I've also lashed on some putty since this morning and it's looking heaps better....


I've also left it hollow at this stage...I'll pop a set, see if they hold the weight of the kit...if they don't, I'll make them solid.


More soon......
cheers
Greg

That's a Mammoth effort Greg, can't wait to see the end result!!

More thanks Paul..
Spent the day sorting the tyre....I made an adapter from an old rim to mount the tyre on my dremmel (cheap copy...), to make trueing the tyre easier..
It also showed me that when gluing the sidewalls to the tread, I let one of the sidewalls move........DOH !
No matter, I'll re-do that side......
Here it is, after putty and smoothing...still needs more......It IS close to the front of fender on lock (hits) but as you can see, the fender lip can be thinned...


Stock ride height....


Lower ride height.....


I'll hope to get it a tad lower...this just gives an indication of where I'm going with it.....
Progress may be tracked here.......
Thanks for dropping by..
Greg

Very impressive work Greg, there's a fair bit of commitment there

Thanks Bear.
Commitment...well, yes..I guess so.
I just know I want to do a good a job as I'm physically able to on this one....
I love adding detail...and being 1/12 will make that part easier...
The downside I guess, because it is all bigger, it will be more visible....so needs to be accurate.

That's why I don't want to rush it... :|

I'm also in negotiation with a "caster" of resin at present.....see what comes of it.

Nice work Stump. If the wheels are anything to go by, this will be a ripper model.

Thanks again Tezza..
I'm really hoping I can make a neat kit out of it....It's a great kit straight from the box..

Spent a good deal of the weekend filling, smoothing and sanding the tyre....got it looking pretty good.
Also fixed my sidewall which had moved during getting glued... ..Both rim halves fit perfect now....

I then set myself down, grabbed a steady hand and started adding the tread blocks... :|
These tyres will loosely represent a TOYO tyre, of my own design..."any similarity between them and any 1:1 tyre
is purely coincidental".....
The Toyo logo is made from .005 sheet for the T and the Y, the two O's are sliced from tube...




I hope to get this one completed through this week.....see how we go with that.
cheers guys
Greg

Making your own tyres - clearly you have waaaay too much time on your hands!

Bryce wrote:
Making your own tyres - clearly you have waaaay too much time on your hands!

Thanks Bryce....Well, not enough actually...that's why it takes me sooooooo long..

Small update.....

Well, the tread is now complete.....finished it up bout half hour ago.....I need sleep....
I took these pics earlier today, before I had all the tread in place. I also added some colour coats, just so it's easier to
see where I'm at.....hope it helps..

Tire


Checking ride height and turn ability...


And forward....It still needs some trimming to clear every where, but that's no biggie....


I'll give the new tread time to setup, and give it a sand and prime tomorrow arvo....
More soon......
cheers
Greg

Sweet, BTW are you getting these cast?

Paul wrote:Sweet, BTW are you getting these cast?

Looking into it as we speak Paul.......
I have a good bit of interest already......which is good, I guess.....I just need to get them to a castable stage before interest dies off.....

Well, things are progressing here.....
The front tyre is complete. Work has begun on the rear, but as it will be the same, only a bit larger, no need to bore you with pics of it....
Front tyre...


Also decided where I wanted to go with the zorst system...I knew I didn't want it stock.....maybe the next one I do will be stock.
Motor options have been plentiful too...from a turbo RB26, turbo L24, fuel injected L24....L24 with triple webers/solex's.....even an LS1 was in the works for a while....
Anyways, looks like injection is getting the nod....I have a bank of injection tubes (6) thanks to an old Ferrari kit...I'll make a manifold to adapt them.
The exhaust started with headers.....these were initially going to be plastic 3mm rod, but after painstakingly bending and gluing 3 pipes to a flange I had made, test fitting
into engine bay...it became obvious my bends were no where near tight enough....I had no where to run the other 3 pipes.....

So, off to the hardware store, returning with a roll of 3.2mm solder.....I was able to make tighter bends, it was easier to work with and correct, if a wrong bend is made....
And this is what I ended up with. The 3-pipe collectors are also ex-Ferrari......These will bolt to the head when all finished.
Hearders......




At the tail end of these, I made up a 2-bolt flange (2 piece) to locate the rest of the system, which incorporates a home made "hotdog" muffler, complete with
hand made "U"-bolts ( I need to make a second yet...) The rear "stock" muffler has subtle mods in new end plates, to accept larger dia. pipe.
Mufflers....






The last couple of evenings I have made a new section of pipe from hotdog to muffler. The first one was done freehand and wasn't acceptable...
I've also cut those horrible mounts off the muffler and will add a proper hanger to the chassis.
That's all for now guys, there are some extra pics at Fotki....240ZG album.
cheers
Greg

This build just keeps getting better!! Nice work on the exhaust

Cant wait to see more

Wow, that's excellent work, the tyres have turned out great, and the exhausts are just sweet.

That's fully sick bro Are you going to take any models to the Brisvegas Hotrod show Greg? If so I won't bother, not much point, don't fancy getting blown out of the water Nah, I'll be there with hopefully a couple of cars, first time I've actually got something ready.

Fantastic workmanship Stump - this is one model that's going to be worth watching as it progresses.

Thanks guys...
I'm pleased you are liking it as much as me.....I'm having a ball....actually enjoying it more than I've enjoyed building the last couple of years...
Think I may have to get another too....gonna need a "stockie" to sit next to it on the shelf......least that's how I'll justify it....

Thanks Kirk.. Mate, you'll be safe...promise......Hot Rod Show...when is that ?? May ??....I'll probably hold off and just do Expo in August.
That'll be my best chance of getting this done.....mmmmmmmmmaybe...........
I'm just heading into an 8-day break from work, don't go back till the 20th.....so I hope to get a fair bit done on this baby......all I need is fine weather
but I don't see it coming.......oh well, see what happens.

Many thanks again guys....hang in there.
Greg

stump, this is unbelievable. the effort ur putting in is nothing shy of incredible. il be watching for updates, cant wait to see more bud!!!

Thanks TJ....
Hope to get an update for ya's over the next day or two.....
Work today has seen the final configuration for the zorst..re-bent the rear pipe, made it line up with the hotdog....
Also tackled some more slight body mods. They won't be overly visual things, less you look real hard, and know
how it all goes together....
I got the idea from a mate in Bris, thanks Dan..I'm modifying the radiator support assembly and the firewall...
making them one piece each, not as they are molded, with half of each formed with the body....
The open channels of the front chassis rails have also received some flat sheet stock to box them up...
I have the G-nose all together and awaiting attachment to the body...I'll wait till I have the rad panel all fixed first..
Pics to follow........
cheers
Greg

Greg, that is some nice work on those wheel's and tyre's I love the way they have turned out,if you are thinking of casting them let me know as I have a 1/12th 69 Camaro they would look sweet on.

By the way I still have not started on the nova you sent me at xmas but it is in the pipeline.

Regards Tony.

Hey Tony, thanks mate..
No worries man....I have a 69 they may be going on too.......I'll make some 15inch rims...

Small update....
Ok, so the wheels/tyres are under control...the zorst is all sorted (including new rear pipe section..).......
Thought I'd do something about handling..............suspension time......
You may have already seen I've painted the struts in a green colour....TEIN wannabe's.......
I also want a lowered stance.......These kits have rubber grommets at the top of each strut which just press fit into the chassis....
IF.....I leave them off, I save about 3-4mm......easy.....So, how do I attach the struts then....?...Glad you asked..
..
...
....
.....


The chrome part protruding from the top is all but, covered by the grommet, so you can see...I will save a fair bit of height.....


Re-shaped rear pipe for the muffler.......it all fits and lines up now.....


And finally, just the open chassis rails, filled in......I've started on a new top section for the radiator support, make it look more 1:1
than was originally molded in kit form....it looked very generic...(and cheap....) A new top for the firewall is next....


That's it for now folks....I should get a good bit done over the next week, so stay put.
cheers
Greg

Nice work on the struts!.........