1999 Mazdaspeed GTC RX7 FD3

Long time not posting new builds. Winter sucks for taking pictures. There are 3 Nissans built before this one waiting for their photo session.

I´ve been working hard on Aoshima kits OOB, trying to build a good bunch of my stock pile. Many of them I want em finished OOB, because I like them stock, and because I want to get better on the basics (body prep/paint/finish, stock clean builds, minor customizing like lowering, etc).
There is a MCR Z33 and a Vertex JZX100 waiting for clear lenses to be fixed, but other than that they are completed.
Also I´m working on Tamiya JDM racers. I might be finishing a couple OOB in the next weeks. All these practice is supposed to get me ready to start my LFA (as soon as I feel confident with all the techniques I need).

BTW, this is my first non-Nissan model after about 10 Nissans!

Back to the build, here is the 1999 MAZDASPEED GT-C CONCEPT FD3 RX7, as played and loved on Gran Turismo 2.

Kit: Aoshima 42175
Body paint: Rust Oleum rattle can primer, Humbrol enamel metallic blue #222, Rust Oleum rattle can laquer clear
Other paints: Tamiya and Humbrol clear enamel, Uniball UM100 gel markers, Tamiya Acrylics
Decals: from kit
Scratch pieces: seatbelt buckles, carpets
Project date: a week of July 2012

Built OOB except for minor additions and the lowering (stock ride height sucks).
Kit builds nice and easy. Body kit is a bit too thick, and hood looks like there´s some molding issue (I also have the Vertex kit and Veilside kit with the same issue).
Wheel gold color is OOB, pretty nice.

Please note that surface is glass smooth, with no orange peel. Anyway paint looks a bit weird. Any thoughts?

Thx for looking. C&C are welcome and needed ;)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qBi01o_mmkc/UCsPtIoYnRI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/eJhCN8Q0AcY/s720/Copia%2520de%252001.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-L6G6I1kuXuk/UCsPtC3Kf6I/AAAAAAAAAKU/A_flVTp2ppc/s720/Copia%2520de%252002.JPG

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https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5NfmSSkizpY/UCsPtq4MDgI/AAAAAAAAAKo/kGkJuiIyqQk/s720/Copia%2520de%252004.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Jze-0KEsC4o/UCsPtrigvDI/AAAAAAAAAKk/Du26fjnncfc/s720/Copia%2520de%252005.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-H5n5KA3XoxU/UCsPt1UyBBI/AAAAAAAAAKs/nlWOTKM11v0/s720/Copia%2520de%252006.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-D-6hDOPGBEo/UCsPuCsYzUI/AAAAAAAAAK0/QLrx9qAoQbw/s720/Copia%2520de%252007.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N7j8wRCrMUo/UCsPuT2uVEI/AAAAAAAAAK8/yanaA2aP2F0/s720/Copia%2520de%252008.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N8a74SUF6jA/UCsPupVmBVI/AAAAAAAAALA/AWFQreO_Bgw/s720/Copia%2520de%252010.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-sisTNLmikgQ/UCsPu-vVzhI/AAAAAAAAALU/pbuoWYIbtxk/s720/Copia%2520de%252011.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aOQSCZ6eL1g/UCsPvEqdwQI/AAAAAAAAALQ/-z2daveIvL4/s720/Copia%2520de%252012.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UyQoa-T_WPo/UCsPvguS1XI/AAAAAAAAALk/7wt33IgJGHA/s720/Copia%2520de%252014.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YaeyrK2eajY/UCsPyJ30XoI/AAAAAAAAAMU/tG6IRWXOHE8/s720/Copia%2520de%252016.JPG

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https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VjQ9Lzpy2JY/UCsPwpvYiaI/AAAAAAAAAL8/_iCDSZGmB4Q/s720/Copia%2520de%252018.JPG

Great looking build. I cannot see any problems with the paint. I have one of these buried in my stash somewhere, so thanks for the tip about the ride height.

Thx! It is actually very easy to lower. Just had to trim off the horseshoe moldings between disc braake and suspension arm and superglue em.. Whrels still turn. I will edit to a link with someone elses manual on how to do the trick. Found It on google.

all that's missing are shaded panel lines. Great build

all that's missing are shaded panel lines. Great build

Yep panel lines would have looked good. But, great build overall!

Looks awesome! Loved this in GT2 also!

Believe me, I did the panel lines. But it looks like paint was so thin that even the alcohol lightened the blue paint instead of darkening it :$
Thx for your comments.

excelent job Mariano!!!
paint job looks very good for me.
Miguel

It looks great to me!! Thanks for that lowering tip. I have a few RX7s to build and will use this.