Tamiya 1/12 312T4 Resurrection
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 7:14 pm
Got this for pretty cheap (free!) but, as you can see, it needed a bit of work. Sub-assemblies half painted, assembly errors and parts missing.
The motor was a sad sight. Block not painted. 8 fuel lines installed for a 12 cylinder motor. Injectors installed wrong. After disassembly, the 3D printer was brought in to save the day...or at least, lighten the load a bit.
After all was said and done, it looks a little better.
The chassis wasn't too bad. Broken suspension piece was about the worst.
A little cleanup, redo the seat, installed new belts, 3D printed fire extinguisher valve and it looks ok.
The rear end needed some work. Disassembled as much as I could. Had to print a new axle. Redid the brakes. Refinished the springs/shocks and reassembled.
A test fit to see if everything lined up. So far, so good.
The body and associated parts had a pretty thick layer of paint. Not sure what kind but it was no match for oven cleaner.
Some primer and paint and we're in the home stretch!
Except for one little detail....
I wasn't too impressed with paint job on the wheels so I decided to take them apart and redo them. The rubber, however, was glued to the rims and as carefully as I could...I ripped it. Off to 3D printer land again! The downside, at least in my case, is that my 3D/CAD software knowledge is about a 1 on a scale of 1 to 100. Squares, circles, triangles, I can do. Therefore, you will notice my tires are round and black. No manufacturer data, no name, no details. I know it sucks but I think they turned out pretty good for what it is.
And finally, with the help of a couple of board members (Thanks Brian and Joe!) I can call this one done. It's not perfect but it was fun. The helmet was of course, 3D printed. The kit does not include a helmet but does include the decals. I got a new set from TB Decals and the helmet decals were on there, too, so I figured, wth, might as well give it a shot! Could probably use a pair of gloves to finish the display...ah well. Maybe later.
The motor was a sad sight. Block not painted. 8 fuel lines installed for a 12 cylinder motor. Injectors installed wrong. After disassembly, the 3D printer was brought in to save the day...or at least, lighten the load a bit.
After all was said and done, it looks a little better.
The chassis wasn't too bad. Broken suspension piece was about the worst.
A little cleanup, redo the seat, installed new belts, 3D printed fire extinguisher valve and it looks ok.
The rear end needed some work. Disassembled as much as I could. Had to print a new axle. Redid the brakes. Refinished the springs/shocks and reassembled.
A test fit to see if everything lined up. So far, so good.
The body and associated parts had a pretty thick layer of paint. Not sure what kind but it was no match for oven cleaner.
Some primer and paint and we're in the home stretch!
Except for one little detail....
I wasn't too impressed with paint job on the wheels so I decided to take them apart and redo them. The rubber, however, was glued to the rims and as carefully as I could...I ripped it. Off to 3D printer land again! The downside, at least in my case, is that my 3D/CAD software knowledge is about a 1 on a scale of 1 to 100. Squares, circles, triangles, I can do. Therefore, you will notice my tires are round and black. No manufacturer data, no name, no details. I know it sucks but I think they turned out pretty good for what it is.
And finally, with the help of a couple of board members (Thanks Brian and Joe!) I can call this one done. It's not perfect but it was fun. The helmet was of course, 3D printed. The kit does not include a helmet but does include the decals. I got a new set from TB Decals and the helmet decals were on there, too, so I figured, wth, might as well give it a shot! Could probably use a pair of gloves to finish the display...ah well. Maybe later.