Tamiya 1/24 Mazda Savanna RX-7 - 1st Generation Rotary Rocket

So....with my first entry to the box-stock contest done, I decided to enter another one. I have a few kits in my stash that I really don't want to spend much time on (i.e. do a super-detailed build with bunch of scratchbuilt stuff)*but wouldn't mind putting them on the shelf and as such the rules of the contest to built it 100% box-stock work well for this. And this makes for a quick build. So, my next project is Tamiya 1/24 Mazda Savanna RX-7.*

This is a rather rare kit (Tamiya 2409), number 9 in the*catalog*- even before they switched to 5-digit numbering. I believe issue date 1979? But I didn't buy these to collect dust, so here comes the rotary rocket.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1910/45368814832_4f7eb45f1f_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1972/45368814752_7b94c753ff_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1956/44696200394_35297c2cb8_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1932/45368814782_f67d736fff_c.jpg

This is a beauty and indeed rare kit. Great to see something rare being build! Looking forward.

Kris.

Very cool indeed. Would love to see you put the motor in!

Small update - really just cleaned up the body, cut the panel lines, and coated with primer. Chassis and suspension bits were painted flat black.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1971/43863713820_d05f9f2484_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4871/30741097417_afa8acdfa3_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4847/43863714630_03263d9ede_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4829/30741097387_417dfb99bb_c.jpg

Looks good! I'm curious about the bodycolor.

Kris.

Looks good! I'm curious about the bodycolor.

Kris.

Weighted my options and decided to go with lime green, like on the box. Already painted, need to clear and will post some pictures.

Nice choice. Tamiya's lime green paint is a great colour.

Yep, very bright!

No clear yet, just color coat.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4869/45738084571_942f205f53_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4822/30797766697_4841db034f_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4828/30797766597_7dd26d9771_c.jpg

Nice choice of nail polish color too :thumbsup:

Will have to let you know next time I come to Dallas, we should meet up.

Nice choice of nail polish color too :thumbsup:

Will have to let you know next time I come to Dallas, we should meet up.

Sure thing Ray, I'm in Fort Worth, though. :)
You travel for business or fun?

Looking good so far!

Looks great !

What primer do you use? I noticed that the sanding is rough, doesn't it show thru the paint?

Looks great !

What primer do you use? I noticed that the sanding is rough, doesn't it show thru the paint?

Thanks!
Tamiya gray primer straight out of the can. I did sand the coarse sanding marks with fine sandpaper before putting primer on, though. The picture does not show final step.

Body was clearcoated, polished, and masked off:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4849/30915644457_a8dc385acd_c.jpg

Moldings and window frames painted black. I also painted inside of the bodyshell:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4840/30915644077_1f5e6c5912_c.jpg

Masks off:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4861/44941979665_ebd1d5d20f_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4821/31983655508_2b1e487d63_c.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1925/31983654918_66e442003d_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4833/30915642207_53381cfc7c_c.jpg

Motor in!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4810/31983656068_95851fecb6_c.jpg

Headlights wired:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4819/30915643387_1958738f85_c.jpg

Here is where I'm at this point.

Yes!! So glad you installed the motor.

The body is looking awesome too.

Yes!! So glad you installed the motor.


I really doubt I will ever run it, though! It works, but...you know. :rofl:

Headlights assembled, installed into the body:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4821/30990219747_f0ae39ea50_c.jpg

Checking clearance - looks good:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4891/45879594602_b0469ea086_c.jpg

Tops attached:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4876/30990219507_a6af7bf565_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4859/45879594112_e2000deb6f_c.jpg

And they are alive!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4859/30990219227_7a1ce73ac9_c.jpg

AWSOME ! real box stock, will the driver be behind the wheel?

Paul

AWSOME ! real box stock, will the driver be behind the wheel?

Paul

Still debating this. Likely.

The motor is so realistic, it totally looks like a real one! ;)

The motor is so realistic, it totally looks like a real one! ;)

I know you were only joking, but honestly, the real thing looks not much different!

Its been a while, huh? Finally, an update on this one…

As some of you remember, this was started as strictly box-stock project for a contest but wasn’t finished in time. Since box stock was no longer a requirement, I decided to spice it up a bit.

Originally interior was supposed to be plain tan, so the tub was carefully masked and painted base color.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709717_9119316750_c.jpg

The rest of the interior panels was cleaned up and painted as well:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485550996_1348e67273_c.jpg

Real car had some sort of plaid pattern on the seats, but replicating that would have been next to impossible with paint and I didn’t want to mess with designing and printing my own for a project that started as a simple box-stock build:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachments/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/67500d1091087598-picture-request-sa22c-w-plaid-inteior-zzztttooo-img600x450-1085891053z04-149n.jpg

So, I cheated. Looked high and low for some similar pattern decals but couldn’t find any. So, I bought this plaid pattern decals for nails, it was a nice design and a similar color-scheme:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485550956_c77dc408af_c.jpg

When they showed up, they were super glossy, self-made decals – I almost threw them in the trash as I wasn’t sure I could use them. They were also too small, and that meant I had to piece them up to cover both real and front seats. But decided to give it a try:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485550681_e40b82f714_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709437_471fb42a79_c.jpg

It turned out ok with lots of setting solution, and several coats of dull-coat to get rid of the shine. Here are couple more pictures with different lighting:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709512_97a332f0aa_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709532_705e8d5dc9_c.jpg

Dashboard was also painted, detailed, and assembled:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485550756_bb401ae0d3_c.jpg

Since original kit does not provide any gauge cluster decals, I decided to see what could be done about it. I knew that Revell did a RX7 kit, so I found a decal sheet from that kit on ebay and bought it. I figured I could also use decals for the badges, and wheel centers from it. Side not – Revell makes terrible decals.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709612_82ee776a88_c.jpg

But it worked fine for the gauges, and I also painted and detailed the rest of the interior panels:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709477_c1c3a032c6_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709577_cf12c64e97_c.jpg

Toyed around with flocking the carpet, but I could not find proper color flocking to match the paint, and after mocking the interior realized that zero of that flocking job will be seen after assembly, so passed on that.
Assembled interior looks good. Wiring for the headlights is hidden under the seat and front floor panel. Door cards actually mount inside the body shell. I really feel bad for the rear passenger’s legs!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485550596_e77189db7b_c.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485550646_7bab2cbc15_c.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709317_204c9462ea_c.jpg

The decals really make that interior pop!!

The decals really make that interior pop!!

Yup, they sure do!

Painted the wheels and exhaust parts in metallics, front suspension parts in black:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709247_4c76d5c3ba_c.jpg

Assembled the wheels, tires are narrower than the rims, and I suspect the rims are also a bit oversized – but they look fine:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48485709202_ca82bd65c6_c.jpg

Soldered the wires for the headlights to the power source, put the wheels on, and married the body to the chassis:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48505970147_20af5686e0_c.jpg

Didn’t want to spend much time with the underside, just dry brushed here and there – its mostly incorrect anyway so decided this should do just fine.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48505803071_0b5380440a_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48505803111_555f3ef8ca_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48505797771_530abed03b_c.jpg

Everything seemed to be in its place after assembly, but somehow the headlights do not sit flush with the body anymore!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48505797806_c225d758b5_c.jpg

I’ll have to figure this one out and see what needs to be adjusted. But they work just fine, so does the motor!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48505970022_4635eb0800_c.jpg

Overall, its taking shape, good stance too!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48505970117_d475f74db1_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48505970062_d9e57740d3_c.jpg

Looking good so far! It’s a shame with the head lights, but I’m sure you can still fix something.

Looking good so far! It’s a shame with the head lights, but I’m sure you can still fix something.

Oh, no worries, I have already fixed it. The problem was partially because of the wiring, which I adjusted slightly, and then wheel liners that needed a bit of trimming - it all sits nice and flush now.

All right, I think its time to wrap this project up.
Headlights and inner fenders were adjusted slightly to allow for the light to go down flush with the bonnet again:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48533792377_b9a1f08f5a_c.jpg

Works in the raised/lit up position as well!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48533637811_41ae168580_c.jpg

Badges and license plate was taken from Revell decal sheet. Taillights painted with Tamiya clears and foil backing:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48533637781_c4768d3f1d_c.jpg

One interesting part is that there is a hole under the orange part of the taillight where the latch would go. Had to stick the foil right behind that piece:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48533637586_6e052a29a2_c.jpg

Wipers, badges, wheel caps, mirrors:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48533637636_5354e735f1_c.jpg

And its all done! Full photoset in the gallery soon!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48533793042_a28b0240a9_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48533634006_21e1bbd5ae_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48533633956_8299f9c460_c.jpg

What a fantastic and enjoyable build. I also am glad you made the effort to install the motor. The interior and seat patterns make me want to spend extra time to my own details. This is a beautiful car and model.

Thank you!