Tamiya Mugen CR-X

Another old wip of an equally old kit. I think this is the oldest unfinished project i have. I started this sometime after i saw a magazine article on the Straman conversion.
The box.
http://images53.fotki.com/v545/photos/6/11686/9696428/Box1-vi.jpg
Straight from the box.
http://images58.fotki.com/v154/photos/6/11686/9696428/Mockup1-vi.jpg
http://images39.fotki.com/v1224/photos/6/11686/9696428/Mockup2-vi.jpg
http://images108.fotki.com/v105/photos/6/11686/9696428/Mockup3-vi.jpg
Dust and all.
Onto the new progress. Without the side glass the interior tub was too narrow, so... I had the brilliant idea to cut the tub up to widen it.
Ok, that's the old part. I measured the width of the cut tub and the width of the body and the tub was 3mm narrower. I just happened to have some 1.5mm evergreen square stock, the only square Evergreen strip i have btw.
It's funny how things work out.
http://images12.fotki.com/v155/photos/6/11686/9696428/Tub1-vi.jpg
I still need to come up with a back wall for the tub. and the door panels lack detail too. I haven't checked if all the parts are around either.

Oh! Did i forget to mention it was a SPYDER. OOPS, my bad. :licka:

Very nice ....love the spyder approach def watching this build man.....

haha, i like the top less conversion. i have this kit in my pile-o-kits...looks like a cool little car.
looking forward to some more progress

Thanks guys.
After getting 350 plus views without any comments i didn't think there was any interest in this project, and after going through the whole kit my interest faded too.
Over the years my standards have gone up a bit. This was just going to be a simple lop top when i started it but now it needs a well detailed interior and i intended to add an engine to it too.
I got an IRT kit for a drive train doner but i don't have any experence with this sort of transplant. I think if i leave that out, the engine that is, it is a do able project.
So no ITR.
http://images45.fotki.com/v153/photos/6/11686/9696428/ITRBox-vi.jpg

There are still the door panels to deal with, does anyone have a good shot of a first gen CR-X door panel?
http://images107.fotki.com/v160/photos/6/11686/9696428/Doorpanel1-vi.jpg
I got almost half way done with the left hand dash, this one is a real challenge, at least to me.
http://images53.fotki.com/v138/photos/6/11686/9696428/Dash1-vi.jpghttp://images107.fotki.com/v159/photos/6/11686/9696428/Dash2-vi.jpg
I made the white piece in front for the bottom of the dash though now i don't know what i was thinking...:rolleyes:
#554

Thanks guys.
After getting 350 plus views without any comments i didn't think there was any interest in this project, and after going through the whole kit my interest faded too.
Over the years my standards have gone up a bit. This was just going to be a simple lop top when i started it but now it needs a well detailed interior and i intended to add an engine to it too.
I got an IRT kit for a drive train doner but i don't have any experence with this sort of transplant. I think if i leave that out, the engine that is, it is a do able project.
So no ITR.
http://images45.fotki.com/v153/photos/6/11686/9696428/ITRBox-vi.jpg

There are still the door panels to deal with, does anyone have a good shot of a first gen CR-X door panel?
http://images107.fotki.com/v160/photos/6/11686/9696428/Doorpanel1-vi.jpg
I got almost half way done with the left hand dash, this one is a real challenge, at least to me.
http://images53.fotki.com/v138/photos/6/11686/9696428/Dash1-vi.jpghttp://images107.fotki.com/v159/photos/6/11686/9696428/Dash2-vi.jpg
I made the white piece in front for the bottom of the dash though now i don't know what i was thinking...:rolleyes:
#554



^ I no how you feel , lots of views and lack of support...your doing a great job just keep it up.....you dont need much for engine detail , just get some reference pictures and you will get the idea ....just use firewall from itr , build walls by wheel well ,make a radiator support , and something you can glue the engine too.......look at my threads for a fujimi integra I did with engine detail , should help....if my comp doesnt act up ill try to find some door panel ref pics....

The work you have done so far is really well done. No shame in building this as a curbside. Stick with it as you had originally planned and don't get mired down in getting an engine it... especially if it takes the fun out of the build.

This is going well. Keep it up mate. I lose motivation when I run out of primer. =( I haven't had any Tamiya primer for over a year and still waiting on the back-order.

After getting 350 plus views without any comments i didn't think there was any interest in this project, and after going through the whole kit my interest faded too.
Over the years my standards have gone up a bit. This was just going to be a simple lop top when i started it but now it needs a well detailed interior and i intended to add an engine to it too.

This is probably one of the hardest hurdle to cross.
I learnt a long time ago that despite being part of a community of sorts, model building is a solitary pass time and maintaining momentum in keeping record and then posting it in a worthwhile manner is tough.

Then there is the other hurdle that is maintaining your own standards, especially when you have started kits from waaaaay back and now you are looking at it with experienced eyes, you can see all of the work it really needs to get it done how you would accept it now.

There's been a few started kits of mine that I simply binned because if I did them now, I'd go about it in a totally different manner.

Thanks for the support gang.
I guess i'm missing my local club meetings, i miss the show and tell, seeing the work of others and getting feedback on my projects.
It's really a lot like the model car boards, come to think of it. I feel like i know at least a few members and i'd like to think i add a positive contribution when i can.

Ok, back to the CR-X. After much more research than i really wanted to do, i'm wondering what Tamiya was thinking. Remember the kit box in my first post? JDM body kit, right hand dash only and USDM headlights.

Here's the next one.
http://images59.fotki.com/v112/photos/6/11686/9696428/Box2-vi.jpg

Marketed by MRC, the old distributor of Tamiya kits in the US. Again, right hand dash only with USDM headlights.

Another, sister car kit this time.
http://images12.fotki.com/v155/photos/6/11686/9696428/Civicsister-vi.jpg

This kit, the same model series as the CR-X's, has both right and left hand dashes but has JDM headlights.

Too bad the Civics' dash is a lot different than the CR-X's and the JDM headlights didn't carry over to the other kits either.

I'm already working on the dash conversion, i'd like to scratch build some JDM headlights for the 'rex' before i'll even consider getting into the B series drivetrain install.
Enough ranting for now. I think the door panels are my next project. :licka:
#972

I also keep getting urges to do some door panels, especially having seen how some of the other members here do it.
No matter how good kit door panels can be, they are never that 95+% accurate due to them not normally having proper grab handles or door pockets.


Of course, then there's Fujimi's love of lines on a flat door in their kits.
God, I still haven't gotten back to a 355 build I started on when the kit got re-released the first time.

Cute little build. Nice that you are trying to make the interior tub fit the width of the body, that makes all the difference to a convertible.
I realized that I am quite a sucker for old tamiya kits (for collecting anyways given that I haven't had a WIP of one yet) which had interesting subjects and still decent fitment. I would love to get my hands on one of these discontinued kits eventhough I would most likely build them stock at least for the mugen model, so I am quite interested in this actually. The inner door details are going to be quite some work to make it look smooth but the results will be jaw dropping.

Don't give up!

you are doing a great job...im going to follow your wip

Its like a golf cabrio! Should look good when done. Your scratch building skills should accomplish anything that needs to be done. Good luck.

I always thought if Honda's Sterling brand had stuck around a bit they could have done this as an MG. Triumph sold a version of the Civic back in the day though it was a four door c-dan, sadly their last production car.
Ok, back to the model. The door panels are more or less correct for an '84 so their staying almost intact. I've chosen an interior color scheme that i think will work with their design.
They do need some door handles though.

Some Evergreen sheet, strip and rod add up to something resembling an inside door handle.
http://images51.fotki.com/v174/photos/6/11686/9696428/Doorpanel2-vi.jpghttp://images58.fotki.com/v156/photos/6/11686/9696428/Doorpanel3-vi.jpg
http://images55.fotki.com/v608/photos/6/11686/9696428/Doorpanel5-vi.jpghttp://images17.fotki.com/v10/photos/6/11686/9696428/Doorpanel4-vi.jpg

I was going to make window cranks, but i think power windows will make a nice upgrade.
I've made a little progress on the dash, though it's slow going so far. :licka:
#1305

I'm still working on the trunk line. I think a little 'pointier' by the boot.
http://images23.fotki.com/v875/photos/6/11686/9696428/deck2-vi.jpg
Opinions are welcome.

Still screwing up the dash. if only it was this easy.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1245/photos/6/11686/9696428/Dash3-vi.jpg
http://images17.fotki.com/v10/photos/6/11686/9696428/Dash3R-vi.jpg
The other dash is in five or so pieces at the moment.
The chassis is apart and swimming in the dip. The interior tub is close to done. With a better plan it would have been much easer. Live and learn. :licka:
#1585

hey man, those door handles look good. nice progress on the dash. so let me get this straight, your doing a left hand drive conversion? but you want the JDM head lights on this?? am i on track?

oh, im sure there are plenty of people here that have the same thing going on as you. plenty of views, but no comments. dont let that get to you, just build along bro. cause atleast you know they ARE watching.