directorcass

I've suggested to a 3D printer buddy of mine that a conversion kit to a Turbo Esprit would be a cool idea. Since the kit is a curbside, it would just need the body mods- new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, side mirrors and rear louvers. Wheels could be sourced from many aftermarket suppliers. He's supper busy with Star Wars stuff though.

Drilled about 150 windows last night. Still need to dril about 200 more before I can start running fiber. Should have that done tonight. This was taken at the local club meeting of the Kentucky Modelers group last Saturday.

More work done. Lots of greeblies added, still more to do. Taking this to a local meet this weekend here in KY, probably spend the day drilling windows and BSing... Going to see how well this works on resin. I'll bring a few fresh batteries with me!

Iain, you have an Esprit? How about some photo reference?

Check out the completed build here- http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234998121-bond-james-bondlotus-sub/

While waiting for paint to arrive from Japan, I thought it was high time to get this beast out and finish her up. I have all the 3D printed parts and resin upgrades that were made available for her now. After watching another build on a FB group I belong to, I decided to get her finished. Lots of detail parts have been added since I last worked on her, but the major mile stone was getting the temporary stand done so I could get her up off the desk. More to come...

Looks fantastic! Love me some Y-Wing!!!

Fantastic build! Did you realize you have a scissor joint backwards on the front port side?

Great job on your R2 Eagle Kallisti. Did you ever pull your old RU23 out again? I was just researching build threads on it and came across yours again. I'm back working on my RU23. I plan on picking up the R2 release at WonderFest this summer though, just in case! LOL

Bond's carpets were red and the seats were greyish green with the tartan inserts. That pic is a bit overexposed!

Thanks. I'll be posting some progress on this in the next day or two. Converting to left hand drive. Decided not to build it as Bond's car. I don't need two white Esprit's!

After hearing that Fujimi was releasing an all new tool of James Bond's Lotus Esprit sub from the movie "The Spy Who Loved Me" I jumped on the pre-order. That was last summer. The Sub kit was released in December and I spent a month or so working on it. Around the same time Fujimi then announced they would be doing a street version of the same car! That was great news as no current kit exists of the original first generation Esprit except for some older Japanese kits that fetch upwards of $100 on eBay. I again jumped on the pre-order list. The kit was released last week, middle of February. It arrived from HLJ just 4 days after leaving Japan. Again, this is an all new tool of the Lotus Esprit S1, based on the original release of the James Bond version. It is NOT a re-pop of the old Nichimo or Entex kits. Like all others, it is a curbside kit with no engine. Unlike the others, it does have a nicely engraved chassis plate with separate front and rear suspension (steerable front wheels) and exhaust components(chromed). Like the Bond version, it is also right hand drive. However, do to the design of the dash board, converting to left hand drive would be a relatively simple affair I think. The kit includes some window masks to help with painting the front windshield and small rear window in the cockpit. That was a nice touch. The satin chrome wheels are nice. The chrome around the very thin edges of the wheel lips had rubbed off in a few spots though. An easy fix. The tires are generic no names and are hollow rubber, instead of the typical solid rubber tires typically found in kits All of the kit parts are otherwise very, very nice. Like the sub, all clear lenses have a chrome reflector behind them. This version does include tiny side maker lights for the front and rear finders. These do not have chrome reflectors though. The body is very crisp and no flash was found on the parts. There are better pictures of the sprues online, but here is what I took. for you guys. I'll be starting the build soon. Hopefully, Fujimi will entertain us with a Turbo Esprit edition in the future. If not, I have already put a bug in the ear of my favorite 3D printer artist on Shapeways... Enjoy...

Thanks again guys. I used Dulpicolor (Automotive paint) over Tamiya Fine white primer.

Thanks guys. It was a fun build. The street version is still a curbside, but has a lot more detail to the underside than the old Nichimo kit, separate suspension parts, separate chrome exhaust, etc. Tires are no names. I'll grab some photos tonight of the trees and start a separate thread. The street version was about $38 total shipped from Japan to my door. Cant beat that with a stick...

Oh, and look what just came today! It only shipped last Saturday! It made it from Japan to KY in 4 days!!!!!

As promised, here are more pics. Thanks guys. And yes, this is the base from the Bandai Falcon kit with my sand technique. This is a brand new kit from Fujimi that was released this past December, 1/24 scale. Beautiful kit. Street version just came out last week. I have one of those on the way as well.

I'll put more pics up tonight. I'm having some camera issues....

Just got a shipping notice from HLJ yesterday, street version is shipped and on its low journey to the US! On a side note, finished the sub yesterday. Need to download the pictures and put them up here tonight.

I just got a charge on my PayPal, the stock Lotus Esprit has just been released! That was followed by an email from HLJ that my order would be shipping soon!

Not yet, not sure I'm going to. My printer can't print something that tiny with enough resolution to make out what it is.

No, I would not have taken it apart if I went lighting it. And to be honest, the paintjob is not that bad on it. The only bad part is the paint chipping on the red areas is kinda "meh". If you repaint the red and add better weathering and chipping, it would look tons better. And as far as Blockade Runners go, you don't have many options. You have the Anigrand 1/2256 kit while small is super detailed, if you can find one. Here is mine. Then you have this X-Wing Games miniature. It's 13 inches and around $50. Mine Then you have the 18 inch resin kit from Starship Modeler. It runs $294 and is in and out of stock. Then last you have the Randy Cooper kit. It's 27 inches long and clocks in at $400.

And the completed bridge. Just my own design. Clear cast engine nozzles almost done.

I used a spray paint for RC car bodies from a company called Spaztix on the engine bells on my Eagle Transporter. It's applied over a gloss black base coat and yields a very nice polished aluminum, almost chrome, finish. Covered with candies you could probably get some nice colors out of it.

And as far as slowing down on releases, give them some time. In just over a years time Bandai has given us no fewer than 22 new Star Wars model kits! What other company has ever done that??? Also there are still four kits on the way (two figures and two ships) and then we have the small kits coming. And that is just what has been announced so far. And don't forget we have Rogue Squadron coming out in about 10 months. They may be gearing up for that as well.

While waiting for my LEDs and clear nozzles to arrive I figured I would start on the bridge. It's just a simple design, not based off the prop or the various artists interpritations. Just something I cobled together in a couple hours. Still need to add some more details to the walls. It's getting there.