Slightly modified Muscle Machines 1:18 scale Skyline GT-R...

[djAkira36]

I recently picked up the model version becauae it was about $6 cheaper than the preassembled version. Me being hard up for detail, I did a few mods to the headlights, front grill, and front ride height....


I colored in the outer housing of the headlights black using a marker, looks much more realistic than plain chrome... Getting the headlights of and apart was a pain.


I felt that the original opaque plastic grill(what was attached to the clear headlight housing) hid too many details so I removed it and cut out the "GT-R" badge and replaced the grill with black mesh screen, then I glued the GT-R badge to the screen, much better IMO...


The front ride height was a bit higher than the rear so I lowered it by 2mm, the wheels still turn and steer afterward. This was even harder than the headlights because I had to dissassemble the suspension, then break the brake pistons and glue them back on when i was finished. The lowering process itself consisted of cutting the tops of the hubs and then lengthening to bottom parts, I did that my reusing the parts I cut as washers to extend the bottom of the hubs thus lowering the front....

And thats it for now... I plan on modifying the front bumper to look more "street" and less "JGTC", then adding ground effects to the rear bumper, and re-mounting the wing more flush with the rear bonnet similar to the Do-Luck wing for the Skyline...

A couple more pics...

[Midnight Racer]

Very nice work.

[Gafoto]

How accurate to scale is the Skyline? I looked at one in its box and it looks a little odd. something about the wheelwells and car width made me question its size. Could you add more pics too? Mebbe some of teh interior?

[diegoaccord]

The wheelwells and fenders can be explained easily. That is a JGTC Skyline. Which means it has flared fenders, and 18's with a 60 series tire. Note about JGTC Skylines, some use a RB26 stroked to 2.8 Inline 6, some have a 3.2 V-6, and they are RWD, unlike street GT-R's. So what engine is in the model? and do they have it RWD?
Look at wheelwells, fender, ect.

[Timcars8]

I've got both an Aa R34 and the Muscle Machines or whatever Skyline in green. The Green Skyline is AT LEAST 2cm wider than the AutoArt version. Its larger in every porportion, and looks a bit out of porportion. Right now mine's in a billion peices, i used it as a parts car for working on my bugatti mod.

oh also, it is RWD, but it is impossible to make out the specific motor, its no where near that detailed. Its a chrome block with some cheap red plastic over it

[StygianMax]

Originally Posted by djAkira36

I felt that the original opaque plastic grill(what was attached to the clear headlight housing) hid too many details so I removed it and cut out the "GT-R" badge and replaced the grill with black mesh screen, then I glued the GT-R badge to the screen, much better IMO...

Awesome work djAkira36! What did you use for your mesh screen? I have a couple cars I'd like to install a mesh grill onto. I was almost tempted to chop up my wifey's tea-strainer-ball thing but I probably wouldn't live too long.

[djAkira36]

Originally Posted by Gafoto

How accurate to scale is the Skyline? I looked at one in its box and it looks a little odd. something about the wheelwells and car width made me question its size. Could you add more pics too? Mebbe some of teh interior?

My guess is that the scale is slightly bigger than 1:18th scale, possibly more like 1:16th or somwhere in between. It's the same way with my Muscle Machines RSX, I have a Hotwheels version which is 1:18 but it seems a bit smaller than the muscle mchines version. As fo the width of the fenders, diegoaccord pretty much explained that. For interior pics, Domin8 post the first thread anout this car and added interior shot, his is blue and preassembled, but pretty much the same car... http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t117208.html

Originally Posted by StygianMax

Awesome work djAkira36! What did you use for your mesh screen? I have a couple cars I'd like to install a mesh grill onto. I was almost tempted to chop up my wifey's tea-strainer-ball thing but I probably wouldn't live too long.

Actually, I used a tea strainer, lol.

[Gafoto]

For grills I always use some close knit window screen. It looks good and can fit most any aperature and also be painted different colors easily.

[StygianMax]

Originally Posted by djAkira36

Actually, I used a tea strainer, lol.

Okay, that was way too funny!!! I'll have to go raid some local "Dollar Store" then.

[knoxciso]

nice work!! I would do the exact same mods when I get that car.
How are the rims attached to the car? Will I be able to put them on a Maisto car for example and vice versa?
Are the decals removable with Acetone nailpolish remover?

Thanks and great work again