heloman1 Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) Hi Everyone, Just to whet your apitites. I was up early this mornign to get cracking on my build. As noted in the title, it's Kork Ballington on his Kawasaki KR 500 1982 Tamiya kit number 14028 plus the leaning rider figure.Kit decals and same for the rider, paints various Tamiya metallics and Tamiya TS-22.I'm cutting out the two spokes form each wheel rim which I'll hide behind the front forks and rear swingarm. Then pose it leaning the bike over in a right hand corner. I'll have to build a base to pose it on but need to sketch some ideas first.i've taken soem pics which I'll post later.That's it for now more later with my pics.ColinEpisode two, are you sitting comfortabley, then we'll begin....The now obligatory box art Tamiya article ni, 14028The aprts as they came to me......The rider figure as it came to me painthed as Wayne gardner..... Since last time I've done a bit of work on the figure, from pics Kork didn't have a lot of padding in his helmet well not at the front at least. So I popped out the face cut away the pdding that was there and then added some plasticard to his cheeks and faired it in a little. I rolled out some Milliput to around 2mm thick and added two strip to either side of the inside faces of the opening/chin guard area and up the side to where his ears would be. The face was then popped back in and the excess Milliput carved away. Some flesh painting, eyes and a pair of speks and we will be done with the face. Until the next session, enjoy. Colin Latest update. Korky with his new specs, fine wire and lots of fiddly bending and tweaking. The bridge stil to build and then we can paitn and make soem lenses. Krystal -Kleer I think, we shall see. Wayne Garner is gradually dissapearing and Kork appearing. Added some height to the boots 3m wide maskign tape wrapped around the legs and then an overlay of thick Tamiya Primer Surfacer. I'll allow that to harden over a coupe of days and then fair it in. Extended the cuffs of the gloves and added some depth to the boot sole. The ones Kork wore were of a rubber type in orange! I also filled soem of the seams on the leathers and engraved some new Until the next episode. Enjoy Colin Edited January 17, 2013 by heloman1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotorheadtx Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I'm drooling already! Go man, go!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 Here you go Tony, just added some pics and text, more to follow soon. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadders Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Kork Ballington, now theres a name I haven't heard for a few years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pte1643 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Are you planning some thin wire to make some specs? Or am I being too pedantic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotorheadtx Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 (edited) Hi Colin, the pics are grrrrreat!! Going to do Mamola tail-standing a Cagiva next??? Edited January 6, 2013 by rotorheadtx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 Are you planning some thin wire to make some specs? Or am I being too pedantic? Yes i think so, I looked at some pics on Google and they are quite prominet inside his helmet. In fact I'm reworking the face part inside the kit helmet to reduce the amount of padding in front of the helmet area. Plus reworking the detail on his leathers Hi Colin, the pics are grrrrreat!! Going to do Mamola tail-standing a Cagiva next??? A Cagiva, now that sounds interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Great choice... what an era of racing, when tyre and frame technology were way outpaced by engine outputs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus49 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 (edited) Nice one Colin! Look forward to watching this unfold. Interesting idea to reduce the helmet padding. I'm reading the new book about the Lauda/Hunt 1976 season, and it turns out that the reason Lauda got so burnt was because he was wearing an illegal helmet with too much padding. Seems the padding compressed and caused the helmet to come off. That's why the burns were so bad. The bigger problem (than the fire) was that he then took a faceful of fire extinguisher chemicals from another driver trying to help, and that wrecked his lungs. That's what nearly did him in, more than the burns. (please excuse the OT). Graham Edited January 8, 2013 by Lotus49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Hi Graham. No apology necessary, thanks for the input, it's always good to here more about the history of motorsport, The face of the figure as given by Tamiya has a lot of padding which may not have been protoypical of the time. I've only looked a pics of Kork but I will investigate further. As with almost everything in motorsport the changes are quick and sometimes quite dramatic. If you take the airbag suits the MotoGP rides stare wearign two or three seasons ago, lots of comment was made, re them not being able to restart race even if th ebike was OK, because the suit had inflated. Now it is hardly mentioned, if at all. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Woohoo... Go Colin. I've been looking for a KR500 for a while now, so I'm really looking for to your build, as well as seeing a nice wee Korky to go with it, you got to his glasses as well mate... Hehehe. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 OK Steve, point taken re the specs I've added tghe helmet pics above. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Hi Colin, the pics are grrrrreat!!Going to do Mamola tail-standing a Cagiva next??? Now that would make a fantastic little dio! I'd love to make a little collection of the old greats, Mamola, Spencer, Sheene, Roberts, Korky, Gardner... That would be something to see. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLC1966 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Made one of these years ago along with the Kenny Roberts Yellow and Black Yamaha TZ500. they were nice models. As for Kork Ballington, fantastic rider when riding 250/350. Should have shown less loyalty to Kawasaki when it became obvious the KR was not going to work. Would have been great to see him up against the American boys on a competitive bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 I think those were the days of the real passion of racing,mate. Kork wanted to win and wanted to make his bike, and team, win. I agree the KR was not the most competitive bike, but old korky made it work and went on to win an impressive number of races. Would have been nice to see kork ride against the colonial chappies and a competitive bike... steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 Thanks for looking guys, some face paint and spectacles soon me thinks. The I can prime and srey the helmet ready for the deacls. This might just be the first part to be finished. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 OK guys, the latest update to show you where I'm up to at present. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 You got the glasses perfect man!!! Really great job. Cant wait to see the rest of him start coming alive. (Have you seen Tamiya's site btw, they have re-released the three rider figures, Starting, Straight run and Cornering...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) Carrying on with Korky's hat and specs. I wanted to replicate the specs lenses and thought I'd try Future, which worked well but Korky's lenses haev a reddish tint to them. Graham a good mate up in Jo'burg suggested Rooi Bos (Red Bush Tea) tea added to the Future. Well thanks Graham, it worked a treat but It was quite humid on Friday, 91% when I attempted this so the lenses fogged but did clear. I tried to push the Future from the back to give the lenses some shape but it shrank back after a few minutes. I think the tint has come out quite well. Then early last week I did some painting on the motoer, so more on that this week. Thanks for looking Colin Edited January 20, 2013 by heloman1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Really, really good result mate. And big kudos, funny how this sort of thing isn't really what you expect to be doing in a 'motorcycle group build', but that's our hobby. I love the big frames, totally appropriate for the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus49 Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) And the world wonders why the English are obessesed by their tea? Because it's got a million bloody uses, that's why! Nice work Colin, I'm enjoying this build. Now I'm going to put the kettle on. Edited January 20, 2013 by Lotus49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Carrying on with Korky's hat and specs. I wanted to replicate the specs lenses and thought I'd try Future, which worked well but Korky's lenses haev a reddish tint to them. Graham a good mate up in Jo'burg suggested Rooi Bos (Red Bush Tea) tea added to the Future. Well thanks Graham, it worked a treat but It was quite humid on Friday, 91% when I attempted this so the lenses fogged but did clear. I tried to push the Future from the back to give the lenses some shape but it shrank back after a few minutes. I think the tint has come out quite well. Then early last week I did some painting on the motoer, so more on that this week. Thanks for looking Colin Hey Colin You've got those glasses down to a T (get it ) Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 That was rather weak, I'll pore you another. Somethings just work. Shot a coat of primer on Mr B last eve and then a dusting of white, then this am early I paintind in the white patches on his leathers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 Mr Ballingtons new suit was delivered this morning. A coat of grey primer yesterday afternoon followed by a coat of white. This mornign I painted in the white patches using artists acrylics. This was folled by the green a mix of leaf green, flourescent yellow and white. The boots had soem yellow and ocre added the gloves similar but in different proprtions/ratios. I then slowly added the red pintriping. He's riding his new Rubberwaki Erazer..... Next I have to tackle the helmet, luckilly it's just gloss white. Thanks for looking. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham77 Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Excellent, I'm loving following this build and you haven't even started on the bike yet. Well done with the pinstriping aswell it looks really good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts