Custom Aoshima C-west RX-7 (progress)

[OzZySi]

Hello everybody!

I have a few projects right now, but my favorite by far is my c-west rx-7. This is the first 1:24 scale model that I am doing somewhat major bodywork on, but I am no stranger to sandpaper, bondo/putty fuems, and needle files.

I just wanted to share this project with the good people of this forum, and humbly ask for advice, since what i'm doing might take some strategy, and it's always good to have other's imput.

Here's what i have right now.


(if the picture doesn't show, give me a minute. I'll figure something out)

Here's what i hope to have in the future. (sorry, this is the only picture of the hood I have, and VIS doesn't let you right click. If anyone has a better picture of this hood, I would GREATLY appreciate a link)
http://www.visracing.com/catalog/pro...roducts_id=177

I think I have pretty much everything figured out, but let me hear your imput and suggestions. For the scoop thingies that I haven't done yet, I was planning on cutting up a plastic spoon, and shaping it to fit in the holes that I have yet to cut.

I guess that's all I have for now. Thanks to Hiroboy for the advice I requested from him earlier. I'd like to hear your comments and questions, if you have any.

[rx7king]

sweet project, what color are you planning?

[OzZySi]

Originally Posted by rx7king

sweet project, what color are you planning?

It's looking like Tamiya's Pearl white. I bought it when i saw it in my hobby shop a while ago just because it looked cool, and never used it.

[willimo]

Why a plastic spoon, and not just styrene? I'm not sure what the spoons are made of, but I don't think it's compatible with styrene and plastic cement (though I may be wrong.) Spoons are also much more brittle than just plastic card, so it would be harder to work with, (but you cand do it with experience under your belt.) If it's on account of of the curvature, you can easily sand oversized plastic to contour, or even bend it slightly, as it holds shape rather well especially after glueing. I don't really know what advice you're after without specific questions, but the only thing I can say is try to keep it simple as far as materials you use, and use as much plastic and as little putty as you can. Remember, overbuild, you can always remove material more easily than adding.

[mike@af]

Nice job Colin. The hood looks great so far, but I dont expect anything less from you.

Im glad to see I talked you into the hood, you'll thank me later on.

[OzZySi]

Originally Posted by willimo

Why a plastic spoon, and not just styrene? I'm not sure what the spoons are made of, but I don't think it's compatible with styrene and plastic cement (though I may be wrong.) Spoons are also much more brittle than just plastic card, so it would be harder to work with, (but you cand do it with experience under your belt.) If it's on account of of the curvature, you can easily sand oversized plastic to contour, or even bend it slightly, as it holds shape rather well especially after glueing. I don't really know what advice you're after without specific questions, but the only thing I can say is try to keep it simple as far as materials you use, and use as much plastic and as little putty as you can. Remember, overbuild, you can always remove material more easily than adding.

Perfect, thanks. That's why I made this thread, to stop me from doing something stupid. I guess I'll build the... fins out of styrene instead of spoons, the curvature was my concern, but i guess i'll just do it the old-fashioned way. Think I should make it out of a ticker piece or a thin piece and bend it slightly?

Originally Posted by GTMike400

Nice job Colin. The hood looks great so far, but I dont expect anything less from you.

Im glad to see I talked you into the hood, you'll thank me later on.

Yeah, thanks mike. It's looking great so far, I'm just trying to explore every possible outcome from each meathod before I move on to the rest of the hood.

Thanks for your replies, if anyone else has a different picture of this hood i'd really like to see it, maybe from a different angle.

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by OzZySi

Thanks for your replies, if anyone else has a different picture of this hood i'd really like to see it, maybe from a different angle.

I'll find some, I know Ive seen it 10million times. Its probably in my mags, I'll scan them for you if I find something

[OzZySi]

Thanks mike. I'll be looking in my big heapin' pile of super streets too. I already tried all of my other car parts sites.

[willimo]

Originally Posted by OzZySi

Think I should make it out of a ticker piece or a thin piece and bend it slightly?

It's up to you. Get a few different thicknesses of styrene (I love getting the odds and ends packs Evergreen puts out!) and experiment with different ways. Some people find one way easier than others, and some applications lend themselves better to some ways than others. If you're worried about messing up the body, get an old one or some scrap and cut a similar hole in it and experiment. No one ever said you had to do it right the first time, or that you couldn't change your mind after the fact.

[mike@af]

.020 Styrene is good for the loovers.

[Hiroboy]

Here is the photo for you all to see

Looking good so far, keep up the good work

[ImolaEK]

Awesome, You finally posted something. Im sure this will come out as nice as the Mustle Car that you did, i already forgot what the name of it was Your Cuda i think. lol

Keep us posted Mr. Colin

[IImportSupra]

Looking good Oz. Hope the hood comes out well. Are you going to carbonfiber it? or just paint it.

[OzZySi]

Thanks guys, and thanks Hiro for posting that picture.

IS, I think i'm just going to paint the hood the body color, but I haven't fully explored the idea of doing a carbon fiber hood... we'll see.

Yeah Joeham, it was a `cuda, lol.

I'll have to go to my hobby shop and buy the single sheet packs in all different sizes and experementing with that.

I was also thinking about doing the... er, inner walls of the hood. I didn't mention it earlier because it's hard to explain. The part that the loovers connect to, that dips into the hood ever so slightly.
What I was thinking I'd do for them is cut out a couple small, pieces of styrene for each hole, glue them into the inside of the hood, and the mold them in with putty. Any other ideas or suggestions would help though.

[mike@af]

Originally Posted by OzZySi

I was also thinking about doing the... er, inner walls of the hood. I didn't mention it earlier because it's hard to explain. The part that the loovers connect to, that dips into the hood ever so slightly.
What I was thinking I'd do for them is cut out a couple small, pieces of styrene for each hole, glue them into the inside of the hood, and the mold them in with putty. Any other ideas or suggestions would help though.

Draw a picture.