1/12 Scale Tamiya Datsun 240ZG Build Featuring Our RVH121001 Resin Wheel Set


This is our build of the 1/12 Tamiya Datsun 240ZG with our Riverview Hobbies RVH121001 Slotted Mag Wheel Kit. Our wheel kit was developed exclusively for the 1/12 Tamiya 240ZG and can be purchased in our Online Store.

The Project

Our goal was to create the look of a personalized but well cared for car. We began by replacing the factory wheel faces with our Slotted Mag Resin Wheel Set. Our wheel set was designed with an extra offset to widen the track by roughly 1.5 mm per wheel moving the tires out in the wheel wells. Another nice feature of the design is being able to see the brake components through the wheels which isn’t possible with the factory covers.

The wheel well flares were left off and the chrome was removed from the rear bumper in favor of being painted black. The front Facia was painted the body color on all surfaces except the inset areas and bumper. Certainly some dirt and grime would have been present on the engine and chassis but we kept the weathering light and used it more for definition and highlighting.

You can't help but to appreciate the engineering and attention to detail in the kit. Considering it was first produced in the 1970's makes it all the more impressive. The kit goes together well but there are some areas where great care has to be taken such as the location of the front and rear windows. This is due to the realistic but challenging application of a small flexible window molding applied around them after installation. There are also some sink marks in the surfaces of the body panels that do require some attention. Most of them are on flat planes so they're not too difficult to remove.

The hood and door gaps were tight so they were adjusted to allow for a little paint build up and improve the appearance. Engine and suspension are very well detailed and there were no outstanding challenges here beyond careful assembly. Solder was inserted into the ignition wires so they would hold their shape and not collapse. The interior goes together well although you will want to fill the seam on the seat backs. The soft parts of the interior go a long way to making the completed kit look authentic.

Paint

The body and chassis were painted with Italian Red Lacquer. Since this was a single stage/non-metallic color, the body was left to dry for a few days then wet sanded with 2000 grit wet/dry followed by a 1 week cure. Wet sanding the first application of the color flattens the surface and creates an optimum base for the final topcoat requiring little subsequent sanding and polishing. The final topcoat was applied then left to dry for a couple weeks. This was followed by a light sanding with 2000 wet/dry then polishing with Tamiya fine and finish compounds. Suspension and other chassis parts were generally painted semi-gloss black then dry brushed with silver enamel to create highlights and a gently worn appearance.

To create the chrome trim around the headlight lenses, a liquid masking solution was applied on the outside up to the edge of the band around the lens while the inside was protected with masking tape. A coat of gloss black was applied followed by Alclad Chrome. The lenses were attached to the body with small pieces of double sided Duck Brand carpet tape which is thin enough to not be seen. The body side emblems were accented with flat black then applied using the same tape technique.

With the exception of our wheel kit and a few extra wires in the engine compartment, this is an out of the box build.

We hope you enjoy our build up of this great kit.

Photo Gallery of Completed Kit
Sink marks on the Hood need to be removed.
Early on in the build we decided to replace the kit wheels. Here we are cutting a prototype wheel on the CNC. This is the beginning of the final finishing cut to the lug nuts. You can still see where the rest of the wheel surfaces have been through a roughing machining operation.
These are the prototype wheels after being cast in resin. At this point in the process we can get an idea of how the molds might perform and check the parts for fit and dimensional accuracy.
Slotted mags were a popular style for the 240Z back in the early 70's. We found images of a 6 slot version and really liked the style.
You can still see the faint remnants of sink marks in the wet primer. Once the primer was blocked out they disappeared.
Our wheel kit primed with Tamiya Fine primer and ready for a base coat of black lacquer.

No special preparation was done other than removing the sprues and washing the parts in warm soapy water. The valve stems were left on their bottom sprue for easier handling.

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