Honda NSX JGTC 2003

[Steve Gibbins]

Hello all,

It's been a while since posting here but I haven't had much worth posting until now, this project has been on the go for a while now but it has only just got to the stage where I think it's worth posting some pics.
Base kit is of course Tamiya's Honda NSX (Epson version to be precise) with the lights front and rear from Fujimi's updated road going kit.



The front section of the body uses putty on the corners to fill out the recess on the original, the centre section below the bumper was completely cut away and reconstructed with styrene, styrene was also used to reshape the front lights and to 'square off' the front wings.



A small air intake was added to each side infront of the rear wheel arch, the rear corners probably took the most work. Most of the original body behind the wheel arch was cut away to get rid of the original aerodynamics, styrene sheet was then used to make a new section joined to the rear bumper and the remaining hole patched with styrene from the inside and then filled.

The other major cosmetic difference is the rear window/air scoop. I had hoped to use the Fujimi rear window as this has no hole cut in it but it didn't fit the Tamiya body very well so I had to use the original, thankfully it appears that on the full size car the rear window is black so this allowed me to patch the square hole in the Tamiya window and it can be painted black from the outside. The scoop was again made from various sized pieces of styrene all glued together and then covered with filler and sanded to the shape you see now.



As I type this the body has been primered for a week so now can be rubbed down and sprayed so possible some more piccies around the weekend.

Steve

[blubaja]

Hey,

Nice work on the conversion so far. Keep up the good work!

Frank X.

[Jay!]

Very cool project, Steve!! And great livery, too! Did you choose it because of all the reference available on the epson site?

[willimo]

Awesome! I've been waiting to see one of these materialize. I will be watching this very closely. Have you figured out what makes water cooled brakes water cooled, and how to build them in scale? Those have been one of the many things between me and making one myself.

[Spitfire7]

Excellent, good luck!

[RallyRaider]

Great to see something new from you Steve!
Big project and looking good. Will be very interested to see the primer shots.

[sportracer02]

Hi Steve,

as I am a big fan of the carsa of the JGTC and I recently got the Studio 27 Supra, so I am very interested in this NSX.

Can you show a photo of the original car you build?

Micha

[Rtuned]

I'm a big fan of JGTC too. So I sticking on your thread. Keep it coming, but how you going to get the 'Epson' decal?

[kingkai]

Looks already interresting. I have one question, how are you gonna print the decals, because there is not a update decal set available that i know off. very interrested in your answer. keep up the good work

[2.2 Straight six]

thats some amazing putty work you've done there, im amazed and in awe of the body modifications you've done to the rear scoop and the wheel arches, not to mention the rear corners. amazing work, keep it up i hope the see more.

[Steve Gibbins]

O.K. In answer to some of your questions,

Firstly I chose this livery because it was the closest one I could see to the Tamiya versions of the older car so it would be easiest the recreate the sponsors, the main 'new' sponsor being Epson, I am planning on printing my own decal sheet for these extra sponsors.



Water-cooled brakes!, steady on now, I'm not going into so much detail that you would notice the difference between those and the original kit calipers.

Now for a couple of progress pics. The body is now gloss white with the front winglets glued in place also.





Decals from the original sheet are going on now, just waiting for decal paper to arrive to print the other sponsors.

More soon.

Steve

[IZsd]

Looks great!!!
Cant wait to see it finished!!!!

[Jay!]

Oh, Steve! You do know about all the promo paper goods that you can download at http://www.i-love-epson.co.jp/nakajima, right? Like pdf files of paper models of the car and accessories, in 1/24 scale, including all the sponsor logos!

[flyonthewall]

Excellent work Steve! Nice to see you back.

[2.2 Straight six]

you'll hate me for this. but in the pic of the real car the fuel filler is located by the B-pillar on the left hand side of the car. is it different for your model ?