Nick's Aoshima 1/12 Kawasaki GPz900R ......... TOP GUN

[tigersteve]

Coming on nicely , Silencers look great !

[Nicko]

Well, as usual, my good intentions on the group build front have fallen by the wayside and hats-off to you guys that can keep providing regular entertainment both with these and blogging builds in general. I don't know how you do it. Nevertheless, I have been quite busy prepping and painting. The challenge has been to try and provide some variation in the many shades and finishes of black! Also, Kawasaki along with some of the other bike makers use a kind of green passivated finish on some metal parts like small brackets and pipes and I have replicated this with a mix of dunkelgrun and gunmetal. The greeny-grey looking plastic used for the handlebar switches was attempted with a mix of schwartzgrun and dark grey but still looked too green. This was toned down with a black wash.







For the chain, I painted in gunmetal and then used several coats of a 'fresh engine oil' enamel wash to build up a greasy finish.



Lights and other misc. parts are done. I used some metallic powder to bring out some detail. I used a clear green over off-white to try and replicate the rear brake reservoir.







I filled the voids in the backs of the fork legs and swinging arm before painting. Forks were done with Vallejo metal colour.








Engine assembly is pretty much complete.








Bodywork paint. Hmmmm.... the Zero paints Kawasaki Ebony did not go on as smoothly as I would have liked, so I am currently plucking up the courage to attack it gently with some polishing cloths before going for it with the decals.




All in all, we're pretty much at the point where some meaningful assembly might be possible.




Thanks to all those who have persevered with my sporadic updates on the group build.


Nick

[Airborne01]

Looking good!

[Mark1]

Taking shape nicely :thumb2:

[Guest]

You’re getting there!

[Nicko]

I'm pleased to report that with just three weeks remaining, meaningful construction has begun!



The tweezers are holding the sprocket to the rear wheel while the glue sets. Getting the engine and airbox into the frame was quite tricky...

Nick

[Guest]

It’s starting to look like a bike now

[outrunner]

Getting the engine and airbox into the frame was quite tricky...

Nick

You should try getting the carbs off the real thing. Bike is looking good.

Andy.

[scottie3158]

looking very nice.

[Nicko]

Managed to make some more progress on the assembly. Got the footrest hangers in place and left overnight. The actual footrests themselves will be left until pretty much the end for fear of knocking them off. The brake and gear change lever had to be fitted behind the hangers and are a worry.

Then the exhausts - these lined up quite nicely straight off which was pleasing as the silencers and collector were all glued up by eye before painting. The downpipes each had three ejector pin marks to deal with along with their longditudinal seams prior to painting. They have spent a week or two on numbered croc clips so that I knew what order they went in.






Next it was onto the bracketry and plumbing for the radiator and oil cooler, so after another overnight wait, today I have added these parts.







So disappointing when you only notice an ejector pin mark after its too late..... :rolling:

Lastly, I got the front-end fitted. This had already been built up and the brakes and anti-dive units plumbed in.




Pretty much all the other parts can now be fitted, but the whole thing is pretty fragile. I have been working on the tank and panels, but we'll save those for the big reveal. Back to work for a few days now, but its looking like I might even finish on time. Fingers crossed.

Thanks as always for looking in.


Nick

[outrunner]

Looking really good.

Andy.

[Jim R]

That is really looking the part now Nick. Detail looks good.

[Nicko]

Thanks Guys. Still some tricky small parts to fit.

Nick

[Tim Marlow]

Looking really good. The chain in particular looks real.

[Nicko]

Thanks Tim.

Nick