New Estima Aeras S

Hey all, been about a year since I last posted any of my model progress, most of which are STILL in progress :banghead: :screwy: I've got a couple Toyota Chasers (GX71 & JZX90) and an AE86 Levin I started last year but put off because I got a new job. As of now the Chaser's are finally getting painted, I'll post pics of them once the paint on both are done. Anyway, I've picked up several new kits over the past few months, this being one of them. It's Fujimi's recent release of the newest Toyota Estima G/X with Styling Package - basically a ground effects kit & 18" wheels.

For a Fujimi kit the quality of the kit is amazing. Solid feeling plastic, and get this - NO MOLD LINES WHATSOEVER. The bumpers, side skirts, and rear wing are all separate pieces which fit together very well. Definitely an improvement over their previous kits. When I was assembling the kit I had to check the box to make sure it wasn't an Aoshima kit!!

I'll be building this one box stock with the wheels shown in the pic, which are Aoshima 20" Trafficstar DTX. I'm planning a light metallic green paint scheme with a black roof. Ride height will be similar to how it sits in the pic. Progress will probably be slow seeing as I've been extremely busy at work.

http://members.cox.net/elkrammito/images/newestima1.jpg

Nice!!! Can't wait to see more progress, good to see you back on here bro!!

cool, love these VIP!

loving the wheels~

hey all, sorry for the lack of updates. slowly making mods to the chassis to get the wheels to sit at the height i want. i had to saw off the wheel arches for the front & rear and then drill a hole for the suspension mounts so they would sit lower. i'm trying to keep the front steering functional while still having the car ridiculously low. basically i'll have to hack up many of the pieces to get the suspension low and still maintain most of the mount points. other plans are to sand down the inner fenders of the body slightly so that the wheels can sit a little further out. also discovered that i'll probably have to sand down the rear wheel arch for the interior side pieces. the front is more or less done, just have to figure out how to chop up the rear to get it at the same height. it's a little messy right now but i figure once the body is on you won't see it :wink:

http://members.cox.net/elkrammito/images/frontsusp.jpg

nice project! just a reminder... don't forget to put the proper camber settings when you begin lowering the rear. good luck!

actually on this particular generation of estima there isn't much camber when they're lowered.

http://www.kenstyle.co.jp/img/earo/earo179_1.jpg
http://www.mzspeed.co.jp/zeus_aerodynamics/GRACE_LINE/ACR_GSR_ESTIMA/images/G-50ESTIMA-F7.jpg

oh... i guess the camber craze for vip cars is dying out?! man! that Zeus one looks hot!

Ok, obviously in America we do not have those, and I have never even seen one, lol. What company makes it, is it a branch of Toyota or something?

I hate minivans, but that Zues one is beautifully done! I would drive that bad boy!

Ok, obviously in America we do not have those, and I have never even seen one, lol. What company makes it, is it a branch of Toyota or something?

I hate minivans, but that Zues one is beautifully done! I would drive that bad boy!

the van is by toyota... it's actually the new previa aka estima. zeus on the other hand is a tuning company, that specializes in ViP mods.

I love this project!!:sunglasse

I just like Estimas. Too bad Toyota stopped production of the Previa/Estima in the US. No, we only have the US only Sienna. To tell you guys the truth, the Estima is actually quite smaller than the Siennas in the US/Canada.

ok so the suspension is more or less finished, still working on lower mounts for the front and getting the steering connection to work. since the estima is as bombed as it is now it won't be able to steer but i'll be using the steering connection to help keep the front wheels parallel with each other. also finally got around to touching the inner fenders on the body with my dremel so the wheels can sit out just a tad further. i even got around to masking off my gx71 chaser for paint. pics tomorrow, i'm tired now lol!!

ok i mocked up the body with the suspension more or less done:

http://members.cox.net/elkrammito/images/estimastance.jpg

a view of the front suspension:

http://members.cox.net/elkrammito/images/frontsusp2.jpg

and a shot of the rear, which i was able to keep pretty much intact:

http://members.cox.net/elkrammito/images/rearsuspunder.jpg

Sick stance! Any update?

not much progress at the moment save for filling in the front license plate surround and the body being primered. i've set it aside at the moment to complete my gx71 cresta build which i need to finish before may 12!! :banghead: