KYOSHO MINI-Z RACER

This is my Kyosho Mini-Z Racer with Revell's Mazda Miata (NA6) body!

Scroll down to see more pics!!

I got this from my girlfriend for my 2 year anniversary present, and it's the best dang thing ever!! About two weeks ago, I got a Revell Mazda Miata (NA6/NA8) model kit. I needed the chassis and engine parts for another model, so I had a spare body left. I started to test fit the body on the Mini-Z and I found out it fits! The only two things wrong was, with the stock wheelbase settings from the Mini-Z, the chassis could hardly steer since the front wheels where catching the side of the wheelwells. I used an x-acto knife to make the front wheelwells wider. I used Tamiya 320 grit sandpaper to file off any unevenness from the shaving, then used Tamiya 1500 grit to finish off. After all that, I test fitted the body on the chassis again. This time, the wheelbase was way off! Seems I need to shorten the orginal H bar (rear suspension) a bit, so I used 1.5 mm poly styrene plastic plate to fabricate my own H bar. For the body, I used the left over plastic plate to fabricate the front and rear body (Kyosho rear body mount look-alike) and glued them on with Tamiya plastic cement. After the cement cured, I prepped the body throughout with 2000 grit sandpaper so paint would stick. I had a spare spoiler from a '92 Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) Tamiya model kit, so I glued it on the deck of the trunk. When all that's done, I sprayed the body with Tamiya's spray purple. The paint job was almost flawless! The only thing dislike was actually the RX-7 wing I just fixed on! I think it had a high slope and didn't compliment the body at all, so I ripped it off. You can see it in the early product (2 pictures) down below. I let the paint dry and sanded the entire body again. This time, I had my heart set on the '96 Honda Civic (EK9) hatchback rear wing (Fujimi). I had it filed and sanded down so it would sit closely with the contours of the Miata trunk deck. After cement was applied and my new wing is stuck tight to the body, I sprayed in the glossy purple again and this time, protected it with Tamiya spray clear. When all's dry, I detailed the body up and used chrome stickers beneath the front and rear tail lights so it would reflect.
Voila! Paint was dried and I immediately dropped the body onto the Mini-Z. I tested the new rear suspension setup on my hallway floor and to my astonishment, it hooks! I think I hit the jack pot by using 1.5 mm thick plastic plate. Well, I don't have much more to say now, i'll have a full review when my GPM and Kyosho hop-ups arrive from HK and Japan. Below are the pics of my Miata Mini-Z. The top two pictures depicts the cheap resolution quality of my Logitech webcam while the Miata is undergoing the first stage (RX-7 [FD3S] wing). The middle pics, same webcam, but are pictures of the car after completion (with Civic [EK9] wing). The bottom most pics are my latest! Just got these hot from the scanner! The fourth pic from the right shows how I fabricated the center body mount from pla-plate. The last three pics introduces my buddie's new Revell Acura Integra Type R body on the Mini-Z!! He will have it done shortly to have more pics of the product to show on my page so, check back often!!

These are the photos of my early production, with no detailing or lights and still sports the
Tamiya Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) rear wing:



Crapy Logitech webcam photos of the Miata after completetion. A Fujimi Honda Civic (EK9) wing sits on the deck of the trunk. Even with the cheap cam, the pics make the car look like the front lights are turned on!! I have no leds installed on the body btw:



These pics are my latest!! Finally I can show off my paint job!! Check out the Revell Integra Type-R (raw)!!



SPECS:

CAR:

- chassis type = Kyosho Mini-Z Racer
- body type = Revell Mazda Miata (NA6/NA8)
- battery size = 4 * AAA
- overall length = 161 mm
- overall width = 67 mm
- overall height = 47 mm
- wheelbase = 92.5 mm
- weight = not yet determined!
- speed = approx. 15 km/h
- suspension = front: spring (black), rear: plastic flex
- rear differential = gear type
- motor size = 130 type
- track = front/rear: 56.5 mm

TRANSMITTER:

- battery size = 8 * AA
- style = Kyosho Perfex (JR Python)

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