D1fuN0 Posted January 12, 2013 Posted January 12, 2013 Helloooooooooo..... Well, here we go then. I still have three Katana's, the 750, 1100 and the 'New' Katana, which looks a bit, well, quite frankly naff!. Tamiya also does a custom tuned 1100, and thats built already. Im not going to build the New Katana, so heres the other two's oblig box shot.. Firstly the 1100... and the 750 I think at this point in time, im only going to build the 1100, as the 750 is pretty rare and not that easy to come by... so, stayed tuned, clean up the desk and ashtray, get more coffee and off we go... Steve
heloman1 Posted January 12, 2013 Posted January 12, 2013 Hi Steve, Good to see you've come and joined us. The Katana has to be one of the few road bikes from this period that I like. Good luck with your build. Colin
D1fuN0 Posted January 12, 2013 Author Posted January 12, 2013 Right you lot.... A lazy summers afternoon in Johannesburg fartin about with a Katana... Ok, well,starting with paint choices. Five!, Yup, five types of Silver (ish) paint.(Arrrrrrrrg me lad.. Silver!) AS 12,Bare Metal Skin for the Frame, TS 76 Mica Silver for the bodywork etc, and Chrome Silver, Flat Aluminium and Titanium Silver for the other bits. Tamiya Fine Undercoat will be used throughout, but especially for the grey section on the seat, its almost the perfect colour. Im building straight out the box, with poss one or two refinements as we go along Right, following the instructions, the engine is first and painted with Flat Aluminium No real issues here, few mouldlines to get rid of, but with as usual with Tamiya kits, everything went together well. Engine will be weathered once all the bits are on. While the engine was drying, I started getting some paint on the rest of the bits... Frame: surprisingly for Tamiya, there was a lot of clean up. I sprayed it with AS-12 Bare Metal, which I think gives a better look than Gloss Aluminium. Once its dry, ill spray a clear coat over it. My humble opinion, it just gives a better finish than Gloss Aluminium. My ultra sophisticated paint drying area...(no cost spared... ) Tail lights and indicators, sprayed with Clear Red and Orange. These Sprays are a must, because you just cannot get the colours right with wet sticks, and for a better finish, spray both inner and outer surfaces, not just the inside as the Instructions suggest. and finally the wheels... The instructions call for Mettalic Grey for the wheels, but I feel that the colour is too dark, bit too aggresive on this scale, so instead I used IJN Grey(TS 67). The contrast between the grey and silver shouldnt be too evident, so once the grey is finished off with a clear coat, should be just spot on, but maksing off those wheels to do the silver is going to be fun.
Riggers Posted January 12, 2013 Posted January 12, 2013 Following my old dumpling!! Have fun mate....just finishing off the Chipmunk, then I'll make the final decision.................! ATB
D1fuN0 Posted January 12, 2013 Author Posted January 12, 2013 Following my old dumpling!! Have fun mate....just finishing off the Chipmunk, then I'll make the final decision.................! ATB Oooooh a chipmunk, cute. What color you painting the fur? Hehe...
Riggers Posted January 12, 2013 Posted January 12, 2013 Oooooh a chipmunk, cute. What color you painting the fur? Hehe... Good one.........Lol
D1fuN0 Posted January 13, 2013 Author Posted January 13, 2013 Howdy. Bit more of an update on the engine. Pretty simple engine, went together well and almost finished now, save for a final quick drybrush. Not really any mods on the engine, left it as is, although I did build a throttle bar on the carbs (sorry, my camera seems to have auto focus problems) but you get the general idea. So basically now, waiting for the wash to dry completely before the final drybrush to blend in the wash. Righto, more later, enjoy your Sunday. Steve
heloman1 Posted January 13, 2013 Posted January 13, 2013 Lookin' good there Steve, sounds good a hot lazy afternoon but I'll take mine at the coast thank you, you can keep Jo'burg! Colin
D1fuN0 Posted January 13, 2013 Author Posted January 13, 2013 Hey Colin... Yeah, soooo nice down by the coast, but its bloomin hot here, 28 degs again today. Shame, all the bods in the UK must be freezin there butts off. Hehe Hey, this Katana is a first, some real fit issues. After a couple dozen Tamiya bikes, this is the first one with real fit issues, gotta get out the putty for the gazoom pipes, they are a bit wonky... Already mate, cheers for now. Steve
Peter Lloyd Posted January 15, 2013 Posted January 15, 2013 Good progress Steve. Glad you did the 1100. I always laughed at the 'new' Katanas: obviously an attempt to sell an obsolete bike in the age of GSX-Rs, FZs and GPZs.... but they're probably worth serious money nowadays.
wkennerley Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Nice idea with the red and orange clear sprays, must try that with mine - Your build is coming along nicely Wayne
D1fuN0 Posted January 18, 2013 Author Posted January 18, 2013 Nice idea with the red and orange clear sprays, must try that with mine - Your build is coming along nicely Wayne Hey Wayne The Clear sprays are definately worth it, especially when you consider how long they will last just spraying indicators and tail lights. The Blue and Green are also quite cool and the Smoke is a definate for tinted windscreens, (but only applied in very very light coats) Will have some more pics this weekend, engine mounted into the frame, exhausts, and making a start on the body work. Cheers Steve
heloman1 Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Nice progress Steve, looking forward to the pics. Not tried the Clear cloured aerosolds, still plying my way through the bottles I bought when they first came out!!! Colin
D1fuN0 Posted January 18, 2013 Author Posted January 18, 2013 Nice progress Steve, looking forward to the pics. Not tried the Clear cloured aerosolds, still plying my way through the bottles I bought when they first came out!!! Colin Good god colin, they came out in like 1593... wow, thats economical usage
D1fuN0 Posted January 19, 2013 Author Posted January 19, 2013 Hey Chaps Bit of an update Engine and frame are together, no issues at all, fitted together perfectly. Thats were the perfect fitting ended. This is the 38th Tamiya bike that Ive built, and I really havent had an fit issue with any of them, but this one seems to have suffered a bit. The exhaust fit is really not very good. Ive been fiddling with it for a couple days now, and today Ive decided its going into the spares box. So, I have pulled the 4 into 1 off my 1100SE, im going to strip that and use it instead. While I was at it, i pulled of the KYB shocks, from the same model and will use them instead of the horrible kit supplied plated bits. (you can see why). Ok, well the swingarm and tank bits are on the drying rack, and the NR beckons... Later Steve
Peter Lloyd Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Fantastic metal-chrome effect on the powerplant.
D1fuN0 Posted January 20, 2013 Author Posted January 20, 2013 Riotous greetings and salutations from a wet Johannesburg. Ok, picking up from yesterday... The new 4 into 1 has been stripped and resprayed with SGB, followed by Clear. and the gazoom strap done in Bare Metal Foil. Tank and side covers sprayed decaled and cleared and fitted... And finally its aliiiiiiiiiiive...... Dry fitted the swing arm unit and exhaust. You may notice the wheels have been resprayed black, just like the look of them that way. I drilled out the disc brakes, (now theres an hour of my life ill never get back) and still have a few more touch ups to do on the swing arm. There wont be any CF on the exhaust pipe, because when the Katana came out, CF was only being used on the space shuttle I know the custom tuned SE had a CF shroud, but that was a bit later on, and I want to keep this one as close to original issue as possible. Ok then, everything needs to dry off a bit and have a rest, more later....
D1fuN0 Posted January 27, 2013 Author Posted January 27, 2013 Hoooooooowdy folks Only a wee update. My Katana commited suicide, and 'jumped' off the desk... Broke the front fairing and the exhaust, but all fixed up now. Basically just the front end to finish off now. Im busy detailing up the handlebars and front shocks at the mo... More later. Steve
D1fuN0 Posted February 9, 2013 Author Posted February 9, 2013 Howdy chaps Not much going on in the Katana front, as the forks have been stripped, repainted and BMF'd. Ive finished the handlebars... and any clue what this is going to be... huh huh? its for the tax disc a disc of clear plastic, black bmf on the back, with a ring of plastic card painted black, stuck on the other side, viola, a tax disc holder .... ok, more later. Steve
Natter Posted February 9, 2013 Posted February 9, 2013 (edited) I'm not sure if this is the coolest bike in the GB, or krow113's Jade Grenade. Edited February 13, 2013 by Natter
Will Vale Posted February 11, 2013 Posted February 11, 2013 This is pretty damn cool - the pics of the frame with engine etc. mounted look like a real one! Love all the different sheens on it. Is the metal flake in the airframe silver paint fine? Most of the Tamiya metallics I've tried, apart from the newer Titanium colours, seem to have quite a coarse flake. Will
D1fuN0 Posted February 11, 2013 Author Posted February 11, 2013 Hiya Will Thanks for the comments Yes the metal flake in the Air Frame silver is actually very fine. and with gloss clear it actually comes up nice and shiny. Steve 1
D1fuN0 Posted February 11, 2013 Author Posted February 11, 2013 ... Its Finished But you're going to have to wait till the weekend to see it. I must say, this is the first Tamiya bike that I've had fit problems with, namely the exhaust and the front forks / mudguard bits. This is the later repop of the original kit, so maybe its just age. If you like the early superbikes, then this is definately one for you. Finished pics will be posted at the weekend... Steve
D1fuN0 Posted February 16, 2013 Author Posted February 16, 2013 Finished - pics in gallery Thanks Steve
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