GTR Z-Tune...

Hey all. Thought I'd get this one out the way to warm up for my next project; a F430.

Wanted to use the engine from the Tamiya R32 kit and implant into this chassis....which is the first transplant I've done and a great learning experience :icon16: .

Finished off rear of chassis and just got front susp left to fit in + front brakes. Body has been sprayed with TS-19 Metallic Blue and polished and has about two coats of clear on it so far. I've added the decals and metal transfer emblems and will need to apply maybe two more coats of clear. Will prob use the Humbrol laquer thingy though because I'm too worried about the TS-13 eating away at the decals.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02824.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02826.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02825.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02827.jpg


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02828.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02830.jpg


Still need to work on the hinge system for the bonnet to show off the engine...need to find some pins and tubing. Also need to finish off engine bay; anti-sway bar and connecting engine to intercooler. I know it's a pretty stock RB26DETT compared to that used in the Z-Tune...but I wasn't sure how to connect the larger twin turbos...so I guess this is jst a mean-ass R34 with a wicked bodykit :p

Comments and help is very much appreciated. Thanks for looking.

Nice work, that colour looks good on the Z-tune. Looking forward to seeing more.

Body is now pretty much complete, as is the engine bay, minus the headlight brace thingy. Body just needs the lights installed and the number plates. Added mesh to front bumper...oh and I still need to just paint the front lip black.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02842.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02845.jpg

Bonnet seems to fit looser now fr some reason, as if the front fenders widened or something, but I think once finished it should be ok. Still working on the hinge for it but have barely any materials to make it so am scrounging around finding things that might work.

Wheels I'm keeping stock because I the black suits the metallic blue perfectly and helps make it look mean. These pics were taken at night so apologies for the darkness.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02850.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02851.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02852.jpg

Some touch-ups to do for the final finish but so far looks ok...I have no idea how to wire it so it lacks that level of detail which I would've liked :shakehead . I'm gonna try and also apply cf decal to the underside of the bonnet. I'm guessing I'll need to apply a coat of smoke over it though (from looking at other people's cf work) to help make sure it's set onto the bonnet, because I doubt using the normal method of just water, will adhere it enough.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02857.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02858.jpg

Just leaves the interior to complete now (the bit I hate doing) and it should be finished pretty soon. Thankfully in the UK we're getting some pretty decent weather now so I'll hopefully be able to take some nice outdoor pics of it. Panel lines I guess could have been darkened, but I don't have anything to do so, so will have to stay this way I'm afraid. I think I need to put on a pretty wet coat of clear too because I'm just not getting the glassy finish you pro's achieve :p .

Next update hopefully with interior shots and the final stages just before completion.

looking nice

Not many comments =/ Well, update photos of interior. Actually turned out ok...prob because it's a really basic scheme. Here's the pics...quite a few of them!

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02884.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02881.jpg


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02885.jpg

And here are the pretty much completed pics...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02859.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02872.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02868.jpg

Blur you can see on the window is when I accidentally touched the inside of the window with the tip of the glue :banghead: ....would've been my first actually decent window if it wasn't for that mis-hap :shakehead .

Some 'outdoor' pics...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02874.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02875.jpg

Bonnet usually sits lower than this...
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02888.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02889.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/M40A1/1-24th%20scale%20models/Nissan%20Skyline%20GTR%20Z-Tune/DSC02893.jpg

Will have the completed pics up in the Completed Projects section in a few days when it actually gets sunny again. Please leave feedback. Thanks for looking :)

Looks pretty sweet, I made a Z-Tune a year or so back but that got so damaged moving house I just threw it away, it was made out of the box! Shall have to do a new one after seeing this one!!

Do you have any tips or pics to actually doing the engine transplant, I'm going to be doing my first one soon putting the RB26dett into the Vspec II Nur!!

looks great, but you need to remove the piece of sprue that is under the differential holding the subframe stiffener from left to right.

Thanks for that...it's fixed now and finished pics will be up in a few days...trying to sort out a location. Thankyou very much for the comments too. I really appreciate them.

As for tips for the engine transplant; I'm assuming you're using the engine from the Tamiya R32 kit (that's what I used).
1. Just build up the engine up but I sawed off the gearbox so I was just left with the engine block.
2. Then I had to saw off the part of the chassis where the oil sump (part A15) attaches on.
3. Using a Dremel I trimmed the engine mounts (part B22 on the R32 kit) so it fit snug into the rectangular engine bay.
4. I trimmed off the plugs on part A15 then just glued onto the bottom of the engine, lining it up with the transmission line and making sure the 4wd rod was in the right position.

Oh and you need to Dremel into the sides of the rectangular engine bay at the front so that the radiator can fit in...

I can't wait to do this again, just gotta find myself a R32 kit now :frown: . For realism though, see if you can transplant the whole R32 engine bay across...saves you time, modding the R34.