Fujimi Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R750

[Kevthemodeller]

This for me is almost going full circle. The last models I made as a 20yr old was motor bikes, having returned to the hobby last March after more than 30yrs, I started that return with what was and still is my core interest AVF's. Having now built four AFV's and got my skill level to a reasonable point, I think it's time to try something different. I had planned to wait until after Christmas and do another AFV, but my enthusiasm has got the better of me and I started this build yesterday.
The GSX-R has a very special place in my life it was a bike I raced back in the mid/late 80's mine was an 1100 version, but at the time the 750 ruled the worlds grids. I remember reading about this bike in great detail in the then RACER mag and other bike mags of those years, I'm sure many out there will have the same memories. As a biker still (ZX10R & XJR1300) I just hope I can do this kit justice, here's goes.








The first assembly

[Twokidsnosleep]

COOL!!!
Because it is a motorcycle
Even more so since you raced it!!!
Love builds with an attatchment like that to it

[Kevthemodeller]

COOL!!!
Because it is a motorcycle
Even more so since you raced it!!!

Thanks mate, but I didn't race this bike mine was a Production class 1100, there was no way on earth I could have afforded one of these they cost stupid money even back then. Plus I wasn't good enough to compete at any pro level, just did it for fun

[Twokidsnosleep]

COOL!!!
Because it is a motorcycle
Even more so since you raced it!!!

Thanks mate, but I didn't race this bike mine was a Production class 110, there was no way on earth I could have afforded one of these they cost stupid money even back then. Plus I wasn't good enough to compete at any pro level, just did it for fun

Heck of a lot closer to the real thing than me

[Kevthemodeller]

Today's work, it's very enjoyable so different form AFV's it's all about the finish.

Frame and swing arm need filling as you can see they're hollow which isn't the case for real.


The area around the swing arm pivot is hollow although heavily braced on the real bike, so I've left that area as per moulded

Swinger will need the chain adjuster spaces cleaning up a little as will the rest of the surfaces where they've been filled.

They should all clean up nicely

The area just behind the swinger pivot and forward of the cross brace I'll fill once I've joined them and can get the swinger pivot pin and rear axle in, to ensure they are properly aligned.
Tank, Rear seat cowling and hugger are assembled they will need dressing possibly filling.

[kiwigav]

Nice kit. looking forward to seeing it go together

[Kevthemodeller]

Nice kit. looking forward to seeing it go together

mate, it is a nice kit not quite Tamiya standard as I remember them and I think they've moved on to be even better.

[Kevthemodeller]

Yesterday's up date, as I said earlier it's all about the finish, so lots of work but the assembly hasn't moved on much.
The sprue joining areas are in places very large, the two yokes had four areas to clean up. If you look at the top yoke in the picture you can see what I mean it has these on both sides, the lower had the same ad took about an hour to remove and polish out.

The forks were the same down the stantion and lower lower leg, another couple hours work. The hugger and the rear cowling clean up a treat with no filler, the tank almost but there's the odd area that needs some filling, I'll hopefully finish that later today, then move on the the end can.

[kpisnuts]

Looking good so far, whats the kit like to build.

[Kevthemodeller]

It's not Tamiya standard, or what I can remember of them, that said when comparing it to other Tamiya kits I've got in my stash it's not as good moulding wise assembly looks much the same, after all how many ways can you put a bike together.

It was more expensive than most equivalent Tamiya kits by almost £10 but Tamiya don't make a version of this kit.

[Kevthemodeller]

I've been a bit busy with work last week or so it's the run up to Christmas and it gets busy, role on the 15 Dec

I've been getting sometime on the bench but not enough to post my progress, as I mentioned earlier it's all about finish and each and every part needs some form of trimming, cleaning, sanding etc

The rear shock was a bit basic so I've attempted to improve it



The drive chain is your basic item



I've had a little play with that too


Front end is now complete and ready for priming


Exhuast is almost finished just got to clean up the end can exit nozzle


This is the whole bike


The test assembly and final fitting, oh and my nice new Marco Moto Design Jig got it for future builds rather than this one.

Just a bit more here and there and the priming can begin

[Twokidsnosleep]

Oh ‘sheet’ I LOVE that jig, saw it on the Gravity Colours videos
Was thinking of making something up myself like it.....’cause I am cheap!
Couple of aluminum bars, hardwood crossbeams with bolts into them.....hmmmmm
Bike looks awesome mate

[Kevthemodeller]

Priming has started and soon the paint


Its a mix of Ultimate, Mr Surfacer and AK Extreme black base.

[Kevthemodeller]

I was very busy at work last week or so not been around much, but now on holiday Moved things on a bit over last week and the weekend, the metal paint is starting to go down.

I wasn't happy the filling and the primer finish on the frame and swing arm so they been stripped and refilled.

I've been having issues with the Xtreme, chrome being hit and miss with the finish, these were sprayed one after the other

As you can see the one on the left is dull, looks like a rough finishing, but it's not it smooth but just dull as if the it's separated or dried before hitting the surface.  

Having spent last Fri playing with my 20 Xtreme colours all of which spray on ok with just the odd tweak with air and needle setting for some finishes, accept the Chrome.  I spent all day Saturday trying all manner of air, needle, distance settings it just wouldn't work, the paint was just washing off the surface or not lay flat.  I watched every Utube video I could find, all said it didn't matter if you flooded the surface it would sort it's it's self , which is true with all the other colours but not this chrome.  By reducing the air to 13psi it got better but wasn't consistent (see photo above), I then out of almost desperation turned the air down to 10psi and with the lightest dusting it worked




The forks were even worse then the yokes, I'd stripped them 4 times but at last they worked too

I did find out they were problems with early batches of the Xtreme, so I'm wondering if my chrome is from these early batches, I've also got a problem with pale brass,  it just wont shake mix.  I've contacted AK in the hope they're from the early batches it would explain what's been happening!    
 
The exhaust worked fine with different paint first go, down tubes and link pipe 







Got the shocks assembled now got to mask the spring, remove the seam from the body, spray and tidy up.



Carbs pretty much there 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/EuaNBW]

[Twokidsnosleep]

Oh WOW, your detailing looks great and will pay off tons for realism in the end
Great job

[Kevthemodeller]

An update of post Christmas and New Year bench time and disaster!

Having got all the frame, sub frame, swinger, forks, yokes and engine painted and clear coated before the holidays, it was time to assemble them into the jig. While trying to fit the swinger into the frame pivot it party snapped into!

I had little choice but to very quickly apply some Tamiya extra thin. I'm now left with a seam running down the center. I've already stripped the paint twice and completely refilled and sanded so as to get a seamless finish, I just can't bring myself to do all that again. I've also managed to damaged the finish on the fork stanchions. As they have been pushed through the yokes.

Lessons learnt:

1. Main parts like swinging arms and frames aren't strong enough with just Tamiya extra thin, either type.
2. AK Intermediate Gauzy Agent coating isn't strong enough to protect metal finish from assembly.

I'll post some pictures later, it's not a show stopper but the finish isn't going to be at the standard I was hoping for. I'm going to chalk it up to experience after all this is my first bike kit in 30yrs.

Swing arm crack


Fork finish damage

Assembly and the start of detail painting






Still a long way to go but I'm learning shed loads

[DrSprue]

Wow!

[Twokidsnosleep]

It looks fine man
You can get weld decals that can be used to hide such seams....Archer

[kpisnuts]

Thats astonishingly good my man.

[Kevthemodeller]

Thats astonishingly good my man.

Wow!

It looks fine man
You can get weld decals that can be used to hide such seams....Archer

Thanks fellas

[Kevthemodeller]

This weeks been a bit mad work wise, here's this weeks up date.  Again more mini deserters some my doing all part of the learning cure some are down to the kit or rather the fit of it some parts a very fragile and their fitting isn't that good, the lower rear suspension mount sheared off one side for some reason, the chain/rear wheel into the swinger was a pig to fit. 

The front caliper mounting pins on one side either wasn't there or had broken off at some point, I got it all sorted though.









And my very first attempt at bluing exhaust headers, didn't come out too bad but there's loads of room for improvement.

[Kevthemodeller]

Today's up date, bikes now coming together.  Running into more fitment issues which I should have found before the assembly, something else I've learned!  I have to say in my defence the kit it's self is not Tamiya quality in that many parts don't fit either they're too small or big, wrong place/angle even the wrong shape!  This morning I literally had to fit a square peg in a round hole......again I should have discovered that before painting.......... doh!







Finally colour is going on the bodywork.......although I've had some issues there too, it's just not my day!  Again a learning curve I've found out you need to thin Mr Hobby and Tamiya at least 50/50% when going for high finish surface, my previous limited experience using Tamiyia (I mainly used Ammo Mig on armour and only recently switched to using Tamiya/Mr Hobby) I was thinning about 30% as the surface isn't so critical.  Things didn't start so well on the front fender but added more and more levelling thinner and got a really go surface finish, only to have somehow picked up dust particles, which you can see on the surfaces, it's worse on the rear hugger.  All parts were sprayed and then placed under a up turned plastic box, I guessing they must have come from either the airbrush or the work area .........oh well bit of rubbing down and re-coat should take care of it, I hope.

[DrSprue]

Looking great!

[Kevthemodeller]

Looking great!

Thanks mate, got to sort out the particles now

[kpisnuts]

Superb work going on here .

[Kevthemodeller]

Superb work going on here .

Thanks mate

[Kevthemodeller]

After finally finishing the rubbing down I repainted the bodywork today and .........................yep you guessed it more bloody dust and hair particles 

I can't believe it, I cleaned the whole area and sprayed some water, got what I think is the best finish I've ever achieved and poxy particles. I'm so peed off!!!!

Here's the pictures this is just colour coat no clear. 
Just below the reflection of the light on the next 3



Above the reflection

And to the right of the fillers


What am I doing wrong?

[Twokidsnosleep]

Wow, I need my sunglasses
Looking awesome despite the fit struggles

[kpisnuts]

Maybe it's a static problem with that plastic you have stretched over whatever you have that stick poked into that type of plastic usually creates a lot of static electric and nothing attracts dust like static. Maybe if you have to cover it you could earth it somehow the paint looks great mate.

[Kevthemodeller]

The block you see in the picture with the plastic on wasn't used during painting, the hair was already there. I do think you're right or at least on the right track with static, just not sure how to solve it.

[Twokidsnosleep]

It is probably my dog...she gets fur everywhere

Bloody frustrating indeed for you.
However it doesn’t look that bad from this end and you are doing fabulous on the rolling frame and engine.
Perhaps a faring off display???
Just don’t panic, especially if the fit is so so, all learning for the next one which should probably be a Tamiya

[Kevthemodeller]

It is probably my dog...she gets fur everywhere

Bloody frustrating indeed for you.
However it doesn’t look that bad from this end and you are doing fabulous on the rolling frame and engine.
Perhaps a faring off display???
Just don’t panic, especially if the fit is so so, all learning for the next one which should probably be a Tamiya

Thanks mate, yes the next will be a Tamiya and learning oh yes massively As for the hair like particles I'm stumped but I'll keep at it I'm sure it's me doing or rather not doing something.

[Kevthemodeller]

After another few hours of cleaning up and I've now masked up the bodywork ready for the second colour, I've never done this before found it changeling but I think I've got there.

[Kingdan]

Some excellent work kev very nice


Dan

[Kevthemodeller]

Some excellent work kev very nice


Dan

Thanks mate

[Kevthemodeller]

I airbrushed the second colour this evening using AK Extreme and it was much better but still found a few small hairs/particles, it's really starting to pee me off now! Luckily they're are so small I've pulled them off and will be able to polish out the marks.........I hope!  

I've managed to get for me, what I consider to be a good finish, so I'm happy with that.














 

[Twokidsnosleep]

What the heck, hey
There must be something in the air from your heating/ventilation system...maybe check the furnace filter???
THAT would P me off too

[Kevthemodeller]

What the heck, hey
There must be something in the air from your heating/ventilation system...maybe check the furnace filter???
THAT would P me off too

I don't have a forced air or fan air heating system just water filled radiators, it's really making no sense I must be doing or not doing something

[DrSprue]

Has anyone ever mentioned to put an Ionic Air Purifier in line with an airbrush booth. I heard the Ionic intakes actually removes pet dander. hmmm, that could be a money maker, but this would need testing. When I look around my man-cave I see more cat hairs than even all the stash that surrounds it!Is that where its coming from Ken? Do you have pets?

[Twokidsnosleep]

What the heck, hey
There must be something in the air from your heating/ventilation system...maybe check the furnace filter???
THAT would P me off too

I don't have a forced air or fan air heating system just water filled radiators, it's really making no sense I must be doing or not doing something

Ok, how about something coming from your compressor lines??
Maybe the hose is breaking down on the inside??
Any filters on the compressor that need a change out?
Is your spray booth filter shedding crap as you spray???
Is your hair falling off your head faster than rabbits multiply???...that is happening to me
Tying to cover the logical bases

[Kevthemodeller]

Ok, how about something coming from your compressor lines??
Maybe the hose is breaking down on the inside??
Any filters on the compressor that need a change out?

Checked all these out, plus it's hair like particles.

Is your spray booth filter shedding crap as you spray???

Is a brand new Benchvent BV300S-D.

Is your hair falling off your head faster than rabbits multiply???...that is happening to me

Too late mate mostly all gone already

I think it may be static, the chair I use has plastic castors and the carpet is some sort of synthetic.

[DrSprue]

Ok, how about something coming from your compressor lines??
Maybe the hose is breaking down on the inside??
Any filters on the compressor that need a change out?

Checked all these out, plus it's hair like particles.

Is your spray booth filter shedding crap as you spray???

Is a brand new Benchvent BV300S-D.

Is your hair falling off your head faster than rabbits multiply???...that is happening to me

Too late mate mostly all gone already

I think it may be static, the chair I use has plastic castors and the carpet is some sort of synthetic.

Yea I bet your right. An Ionic Air Purifier is a static like control machine. I cant help think this could be a real good addition to anyone's spray booth. I have not tried that but I am going to test that soon. I have two cats and one is a short hair.

[Kevthemodeller]

An Ionic Air Purifier is a static like control machine. I cant help think this could be a real good addition to anyone's spray booth. I have not tried that but I am going to test that soon. I have two cats and one is a short hair.

Somewhat pricey mate

[Twokidsnosleep]

How about some plastic sheeting over the carpet in your work area....like those things for chairs to roll on
Or we could pop over and do some floor renovations with hardwood or vinyl planks

[Kevthemodeller]

How about some plastic sheeting over the carpet in your work area....like those things for chairs to roll on
Or we could pop over and do some floor renovations with hardwood or vinyl planks

I was thinking along those line mate.

[Kevthemodeller]

I just don't believe it now look.......... this was all genuine Tamiya tape what the hell?






How do I get this off?

I'm beginning to think this kit/project is jinxed

[Kevthemodeller]

On closer inspection this isn't glue, this is marks in the surface of the paint, it looks like it's just too soft! It's Mr Hobby Aqueous thinned with Mr Hobby levelling thinner, I thinking I've put it on too thick perhaps!

[DrSprue]

On closer inspection this isn't glue, this is marks in the surface of the paint, it looks like it's just too soft! It's Mr Hobby Aqueous thinned with Mr Hobby levelling thinner, I thinking I've put it on too thick perhaps!

Wow Kev. It does look a bit out of wack on the surface. Maybe strip it and try again?

[Kevthemodeller]

Tried polishing, then rubbing down. There was nothing for it but to strip them. It's got to be something I've done and I'm sticking with too heavy paint, it's all a big learning curve, start again!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Oh shite man, hate to see you battling so
Keep your chin up, we all have those days