W.I.P. Honda NSX

[paulyrichard]

This is my latest build I've started, and one of my all-time favourite cars! The body has had it's paint, TS-8, and has been polished, no wax yet, as I still have to paint in the window trim. This is gonna' be built with some Work Meister S1 rims, and I think i'll paint the centres black or titanium gold, don't know yet. For some reason my camera finds it hard to deal with the colour red. Look at the left headlight, that is not a paint error, it's some kind of pixelisation abnormality from my camera.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/PictureSmall.jpg

Finished paintin' in by hand the window trim, front and rear bumper trim, panel lines and indicators. I always hand paint window trim and other areas, by usin' 50/50 thinned down X-18, these areas have 4 coats of the thinned down paint, and a rock-steady hand.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture186Small.jpg

The chassis on this baby calls for Flat Aluminium, so I primered it and shot it with some Alclad II Aluminium #101. I love this paint, it's jus' callin' out for some weatherin' now! The other day I bought a 9B (ultra-soft) Graphite pencil and a medium soft charcoal pencil, these two items will work well weatherin' this chassis, along with my customary washes, as the chassis has a matt finish.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture187Small.jpg

[paulyrichard]

I'll post more pics tomorrow!

[yogi]

nice hobby,i honestly think i will start doing this as a hobby

[NSXType-R]

Wow, it looks great! It's one of my favorite cars too. ;)

[paulyrichard]

The chassis has been weathered! It's a little bit monotone, I guess that's how it is under there. The exhaust unit calls for X-11, so i'm contemplatin' a proper Alclad II Chrome treatment.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture188Small.jpg

[Dino Scuderia]

Looking great so far!

[250 GTO]

Amazing work so far!

[paulyrichard]

Here is the finished back-end of the chassis. The heat stains were painted usin' a mix of GW Chestnut ink and X-19 Smoke*, and the same for X-23 Clear Blue mixed with X-19 Smoke*. All the Tamiya colours I have in my arsenal, I have the same colours thinned for airbrush. Whenever I hand paint pieces, I always brush-paint the airbrush colours, because the paint settle's like water, I never get brush marks. Admittedly they need more coats for coverage. *These ink colours were carefully blended into the chrome paintwork.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture190Small.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture191Small.jpg

[Matra et Alpine]

Not so sure about the weathering on the suspension arms.
You sure about the colours ? "dirt" on arms tends to be more on the lower surfaces. ( I'll try and post some pics ..... )

BUT good work.

[Guibo]

That chassis looks great. Looking forward to the rest of it.

[whiteballz]

that weathering is pretty neat well done :)

[Matra et Alpine]

Take it back.
Forgot the NSX is alloy arms :D
http://www.heat-magic.co.jp/nsx/nsx1/nsx1-04.jpg
( Still not sure about the look of the weathering, but hell a DAMN site better than I get !!! )

[Esperante]

The exhaust is wonderfully done.

[paulyrichard]

I've completed the chassis! Yesterday I had a big problem with the fitment of those Workmeister S1 rims I specified. They cannot be made to fit this car, due to the Honda stock rims not havin' a boss on the inside of the rims, where the pin sits, the boss on the inside of the workmeister rims has to be sheared off to make it the same fit as the Honda rims. This cannot be done with the Workmeister's due to the inverted centre of this rim, it doesn't allow for it! So now I've settled for some Gartmaier's instead, such a shame about the Workmeister S1's though! I think, any other car, they would have fitted OK!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture192Small.jpg

[carsnut]

damn, how do you weather the uderpanel, and how are you so good at it? do you do that to every one of ur cars?

[paulyrichard]

Here's out it's lookin', now that i've fitted those Gartmaier's! The crowning glory will come when I fit the body to the chassis. At the moment i'm jus' in the process of finishin' the engine, and also, i'm havin' to paint in the black trim round the window edges by hand and some masking tape, because this kit does not supply any masks. Watch this space!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture194Small.jpg

[PerfAdv]

Here is the finished back-end of the chassis. The heat stains were painted usin' a mix of GW Chestnut ink and X-19 Smoke*, and the same for X-23 Clear Blue mixed with X-19 Smoke*. All the Tamiya colours I have in my arsenal, I have the same colours thinned for airbrush. Whenever I hand paint pieces, I always brush-paint the airbrush colours, because the paint settle's like water, I never get brush marks. Admittedly they need more coats for coverage. *These ink colours were carefully blended into the chrome paintwork.

Thanks for sharing your formula for creating the heat stain effect. It is such a nice effect, I have admired the look in many a kit. Being new to modeling, I was starting to think it was a closely guarded secret.

How did you do the undercarriage weathering?

Looks really good so far. Can't wait to see the finished product.:)

[paulyrichard]

Some people airbrush Alclad II Pale Burnt Metal #104, but I feel it doesn't give the right effect, it is too uniform, and you are limited with control. If you are goin' to use my procedure, make sure your base colour for the pipes is an Alclad II one, otherwise, if you use Tamiya acrylic paint for the colour, then these paints may absorb the ink, and destroy the effect. Whereas with the Alclad colours, they are a solid, and smooth paint, and are not tainted when painted over, in this respect. In other words your ink effect will be retained. You must be careful though, a very small amount of ink on your brush goes a very long way!

[Dino Scuderia]

The worst thing about doing a wheel swap on a NSX is the design of the car is made for smaller diameter rims on the front...which is near impossible to find in aftermarket rim sets.

One way to counter this is find a lower profile tyre to put on the front rims to give it the smaller rim effect...other wise it never looks quite right.

[PerfAdv]

I'd pick up some Alclad II paints but it seems from a quick search that the local hobby stores don't carry the brand.

Can you possibly use one of the Tamiya metallic colors, seal it with Clear (X22) and not get the absorption?

I'm sure with a little searching an Alclad dealer will surface, I just wondered if you've tried using Clear to separate paints?

[paulyrichard]

Best1 Hobby in Alhambra, California, deal in Alclad II. Is that near you? Otherwise you'll have to order over the internet with 'em, and have a credit card.

[PerfAdv]

Thanks for looking that up. :)

Actually Alhambra is about an hours drive but I did locate a small hobby shop that's closer.

[KonaGreen]

Pauly...

I used to build models waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back when I was young. I have to say that the work that you do is truly outstanding. I mean like, "Holy Fracking Heck!!!!" outstanding. Keep it up man!!!!!!!!!

[paulyrichard]

I guess any of you guys could have done this better justice, by wiring up the engine! I've never tried it, let alone have all the right stuff, to do it well. I guess the day will come when I'll try it! Anyway, the logo and script was drybrushed silver.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture195Small.jpg

[Matra et Alpine]

Continued excellent work.
Don't be afraid of the wiring, it's easy.
I mainly use fuse wire of different ratings for the wires, 0.4 drill for the dis cap and plug holes and connect them up.
Hardest is trying to get a realistic look to a large wiring loom - I fail miserably at that :(

[paulyrichard]

Thanks Matra! I'll have to try it at some stage, because then my modelling skills will be more rounded and complete. Thanks!

[kingofthering]

i wish i had that time to spend working on my model, i usually don't have time to work on it.

[paulyrichard]

I've started paintin' in the window trim by hand. Basically I mask off the trim, but for a curved window trim, I cut a very thin piece of maskin' tape, so that it is much easier to bend and make conform to the curve. After the trim has been painted, I jus' round off the corners with a brush. Easy!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture196Small2.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture197Small2.jpg

[henk4]

excess paint along those frames can best be removed with a wooden toothpick

[paulyrichard]

Yep, that's jus' what I do, if there is any rough or irregular edge, a toothpick works wonders! This is the type of masking I was talkin' about! Lucky I used to work as a signwriter, huh?

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture198Small.jpg

[henk4]

as far as I remember the kit, the inside parts that need to be painted black are slightly opaque and easy to see. I always can paint those without the use of any masking, and any excess paint can, as said be removed with a toothpick.

[paulyrichard]

Clear parts have been completed, and my finger marks have been cleaned and polished with some Beeswax Polish. Jus' gotta' install 'em now!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/paulyrichard/Picture199Small.jpg

[KonaGreen]

For the masking of curved surfaces you could meybe try that 3M tape that auto painters use (Like on Overhaulin). It's super thin and flexible.

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

For the masking of curved surfaces you could meybe try that 3M tape that auto painters use (Like on Overhaulin). It's super thin and flexible.

tamiya provides masks with their kits, never mastered getting them on properly tho

[paulyrichard]

Yeah, I'll give 3M a go, I think! Thanks for the heads-up, Kona, on that one! No masks came with this kit, because this is an older kit! Tamiya masks are super-easy to apply. Turn it over on it's back first to check the alignment, then you jus' have to make sure you line up one side, and then carefuly lay it down, rest it down is better, don't commit yourself straight away, until your sure you have it in position.

[KonaGreen]

No worries Pauly!!!