Hello to all Tamiya 1/10th scale Eunos TCS Best of Show

[mikevillena]

Hello to fellow modellers,

This is a great forum with some masterful builds. I build 1/24th scale kits on occasion but I focus primarily on larger 1/10th scale and I build Tamiya R/C cars with a little more detail than most. My last project was a Mazda Eunos (Miata in the U.S.). I built it solely to compete in Tamiya Championship Series "Best of Show" category. It was built around a stock and unmodified (per TCS Regulations) Tamiya M02-M chassis (built rwd) and runs on 4 ni-cad cells and a 3-channel radio. I took the stock unpainted Lexan vacuum-formed bodyshell, cut out the hood, door and trunk panels, built them up and hinged them. I also scratchbuilt all of the details and modified an action figure to use as a driver figure. I hope it meets with your approval.

[willimo]

Let me be the first to say: "Holy crap, that rocks!" That's probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen, and not only because of the novelty of the scale and jump off point. GREAT!

[mikevillena]

Thanks Willimo,

I'm gald you like it. It runs pretty good considering it only has 4-cells but it was enough to satisfy the TCS Race Director. I've been looking through some of the threads and I love what I've seen so far. I also have among other things, a 1/25 Honda on the bench that I've cut the doors out and I'll be hinging them. What's on your workbench?

Mike V.

PS...Are those twin 40mm Bofors....I'd hate to be a low flying aircraft!!!!

[Jaymes]

wow that thing looks like a real car hope you stick around and show us some more of your work

[generationx]

That is stunning! Looks real to me...

[Bas Carwash]

That´s freakin awesome! Very high level of detail, awesome build. Welcome to AF. You made one hell of an entrance.

[bigfrit]

Really supersweet model! Can we get some more pics of the interior and more close-up, please?

OH and just another question, has this model ever driven? I would just go crazy see all that work driving around !


olivier

[sportracer02]

Hi,

great job on a body made of lexan, great details !!!!!!!!!

[mikevillena]

Hi,
Thanks for all of your gracious compliments and the warm welcome! I wasn't sure at first where to post as the stuff I do seems to stradle both static plastic and R/C. I love both disciplines and so I melded both. I've built many static 1/24th and 1/20th kits in the past but I've always wanted to do something different. With the advent of affordable and "serious" high performance R/C equipment (as oppposed to non-proportional functioned "toy" R/C, which is also cool in a different way) I decided to take the show on the "road" (so to speak). I had a little bit of experience scratchbuilding in a smaller scale, so I had a good set of challenges. Anyway, here are some more pics, some of them were taken during the build process. I hope they are informative.
















Here is the Miata in action at the TCS Race in Milwaukee (Feb. 2005). I did about twenty laps. I tapped the wall several times but I didn't break anything. I just had to polish out the scratches and dust off the tire dust. The Miata is now in the permanent collection of my friend Mark Mattei. Cheers to all. Mike Villena

[GvEman]

Awesome dude! I love the effort you have put in it. Keep it up!

[Technoman]

Wow, this is simply amazing. There could not have been anything close to this at the TCS race..

[Dr.AK]

Unbelieveable!

[tonioseven]

Very !!!

[mikevillena]

Thanks guys(gals).
I'm very honored to hang with all of you. I've managed to spend a little time checking out your rides and they are all impressive. I hope to be able to check out more of them when I get the chance. I looked for any photos of 1/24th scale stuff that I've built but I only have a single one (a fellow contestant snapped the photo for me). It is an old scratchbuild from 10 years ago. I took the bodyshell from a Tamiya Golf kit, modified it with mondo fenders and wings. I then scratchbuilt the entire chassis with a mid-mounted twin turbo V-6 with intercoolers and four wheel drive. I wanted to build a fantasy car to compete in the Pike's Peak hillclimb. Afew years later, someone fielded a twin engined VW and then Suzuki did a number of twin-engined "Unlimteds" also. Sorry about the poor photo quality. Thanks again and cheers.
Mike Villena

[R33E8]

Awsome work once again! I've decided to get back into modeling just because of the work I've seen from you.


BTW: Its Silent Night from RCCA