Honda Glasstop CRX - Fujimi - Scale importnut.net

Long before I started this project, I had it staged like this along with my other projects. It’s hard to see the break in the roof, but it’s there.

The roof was already mended in this picture. You can see the minor body work in progress

More body work and repairs.

As I mentioned in the intro, the door handle and gas door seemed unusually large…so I wiped them out.

Primer…

Then color. This is the same red paint that I used to paint the fenders on my real Honda.

It used to be my practice to paint the trim work prior to clear. The idea was to protect the paint. The downside is that black plastic trim ends up being too shiny.

Painting the bits and pieces to the kit.

Testing out the hand painted wheels.

This is the glass for the roof. Black trim painted and tinted (as it is in full scale).

The rear shows how high this kit sits prior to modifying the ride height. The front represents where I want it.

Clearcoat sprayed.

This texture is better than what I normally lay down.

WIP

Posing all of the active projects for a group photo.

The end result of the lowered suspension. The rear was accomplished by cutting a slot allowing the axle to move up. The modification to the front was done by eliminating the front spindles and passing a metal axle through the chassis. It isn’t accurate, but it worked for me back then. I would probably try to retain the front posable steering today.

The rear glass and taillights were one clear piece. I have to say that my confidence in masking and painting a piece like this are leaps and bounds ahead of where I was just a few years prior to completing this project.

From this angle, you can see the slot I cut in order to use the metal axle to lower the car.

I wanted to try a trick I read in Scale auto that involves using a sharpie to paint black trim. It works fairly well but I still prefer to mask and spray. I can do it quickly enough that the time spent struggling with the sharpie is spent quickly laying out masking and sprying.

More lens work.

Tamiya clear orange for the turn signals.

Black trim paint.

Black trim work is complete.

Headlights painted and test fitted.

Masked and ready for paint.

Clear red sprayed.

The tail lights on the 1:1 car were a brighter red than the center section. I simulated this effect by dusting black paint over the area but did not completely cover it.

At this point, the paint work is complete including the dark tint for the rear window.

Front lenses painted and installed.

The rear glass looks fantastic with the decals.

I don’t tend to go overboard on interiors and this was no exception. Decals like these are easy so I add them for detail.

The temporarily completed interior including the steering wheel from a Hasagawa EG Civic kit.

I decided that I wanted more with the interior and opted to paint them gunmetal.

I wish I hadn’t applied the decals when I did. They were the only ones small enough to fit the seat.

I did the next best thing and used larger decals and applied them where they would fit.

I also painted the vent/radio/HVAC area gunmetal.

This repair started a bit of a whirlwind of paint issues. I didn’t spray enough clear on the rear of the hatch and sanded through. I also sanded through on the bumper. To repair it, I resprayed the color. I also sanded through the roof over the front windshield.

This kit was one of the first where I used Tamiya clears for lenses and bare metal foil to back them. The difference is stunning!

Because of the repairs I had to make and the concern that I hadn’t sprayed enough clear in other areas, I opted to spray the entire model with clear. See the dimples? I have no idea why they happen with Testers Clear coat.

Dimples and fish-eyes. Grrr…

Sand and polish in progress, but not without issue. The paint hadn’t cured and I was rolling it away rather than sanding it.

Leading to round three of repairs.

I tried the dehydrator and it seemed to help a little.

This may have been the fourth round of clear on the roof. I lost count.

FINALLY! The last coat of clear cured properly and sanded out very well.

The bench.

Sand and polish complete.

Sand and polish complete.

Sand and polish complete.

Sand and polish complete.

Before I sprayed the trim, I wiped down all of the work with rubbing alcohol to make sure all of the wax was gone. I don’t need any other trouble.

Trim work complete.

Glass installed.

At this point, it’s shaping up rather well.

One last bit of trim to be painted was the front grill.

The molded exhaust tip was nasty. I opted for metal tips.

This picture was an accident. The camera was only a couple of inches away and I managed to hit the bottom. I was surprised by the clarity of the picture.

Metal tips polished and installed.

The CRX took first place at Hobbytown USA’s Spring 2013 Model Contest.

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Honda Glasstop CRX – Fujimi

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