Hasegawa 1:24 Tom's Toyota AE101 - JTCC 1992

Hello everybody!

Fujitsu Ten TOM'S Toyota Corolla AE 101.
I love Japanese cars but I also like the motorsport background behind them - I chose to build this one to tribute "all in one" icons such as Tom's brand (racing/tuning company focused on Toyotas), Masanori Sekiya, All Japan Touring Cars 1992 (more famous for all GTR R32 there :D) and AE 101 - with AE 111 one of the finest FWD cars Toyota ever built.
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/1.jpg

Old Hasegawa kit was great base, but had some issues. The decals yellowed, so I left them at the sun for 2 days and clearcoated with Tamiya Acrylic clear (just a light mist so that they don't fall apart)
Some issues:
- Stock suspension setting too high for a racecar (for example check the stock version: http://www.modelismocancun.com/autos/jerry/jerry13/jerry13.htm )
- Door sidetrim molded in - real car had no side trim on the doors - the modification would be too complicated
- Missing roof antena
- Twisted rear wing - the center not alligned well
- Horrible shapes of the lights - Front lights are completely off (I tried to sand them but no success) and rear misses the shape.
- Missing tow hooks, hood pins + piston for a hydraulic hever in front of the right front headlight.
- Missing pedals

I tried to fix some of it but I underestimated the kit :D I clearcoated the car with Tamiya TS-13 clearcoat, polished to nice shine but there are some matt places under the shiny surface - but not over the decals, only on the parts of the body without the decals :D

Aftermarket parts:
Hobby Design hood pins (smaller then most of hood pins - closer to reality)
Tamiya PE parts for seat buckels
Detailmaster wire
Plusmodel 0,5m wire
Bare Metal Foil
Fujimi PE wiper

Body painted in TS-8 Italian Red (Tamiya Spray) - tried mock up with future wheel positioning
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/2.JPG

Made pedals from a can of soft drink - only the edges will be visible under the dashboard
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/3.JPG

My interior without the dashboard
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/4.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/5.JPG

Notice the seat buckles - what is the mistake I made? :D
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/6.JPG

I was really happy to make front inlets for the front brakes - 0,5mm wire covered with bare metal foil
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/7.jpg

The result!
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/8.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/9.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/10.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/11.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/12.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/13.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/14.JPG

Where is the exhaust? :D
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/15.JPG

The racing version had the short exhaust pipe!
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/16.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/18.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/19.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/20.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/21.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/22.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/23.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/24.JPG
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/25.JPG

Compare :D
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/26.jpg
http://madish.kedlubna.com/Pics/TomsAE101/27.JPG

Good result and nice attention to details.

Looks just like the reference. I like the intake tubing.