Nissan R89C

So I started this build with what seems to be a prophecy, I said this in my build log:
“Hi All, here is my entry for the Le Mans group build, the Nissan R89C, not the greatest car, a bit of a dud actually but looks like an interesting build with nice details.
Maybe it should be displayed broken down on the side of the track hahah”

Little did I know how true this would come.
This kit fought me hard, I haven't ever binned a kit but if I hadn't put in so much effort into the engine when things went south this may have been my first.

Anyway, let me start at the beginning. I wanted to do a nicely detailed engine so after paining I got to work with some nice references and started to add wiring and plumbing where it needed to go.

I was extremely happy with the result and moved on to painting the car body white then starting the red and blue colours that were decals - my first mistake. Tamiya car decals suck, they didn't conform and weren't cut in the correct places so the ended up looking terrible.

So some masking tape on them and the incredibly satisfying feeling or ripping them off was enjoyed.

Plan B - mask and paint. Usually a not so difficult process but in this cars case it has very large contours so quite a tough one - although the paint looked so good after removing the tape, even with the little bit of overspray.

But happy I was so I. Progressed to the sponsor decals - this time going on nicely, what a relief…

Until…

Decals done and time to clear coat and seal them in. Nooooooo. Tamiya TS-13 Gloss clear which I'd used so many times and really like… ate up the decals. What a mess, cracked and melted them, even with the all important mist coats, they even started breaking on the mist coat.

Thats it I'd had enough, time to have my first binned kit… but so much time and effort on the engine. NO. If it was going to give me so much trouble I was going to give it back.

Decals got a good sandpapering, body and paint got a blade scratched over it, rubber paint and dust coats flew onto it - oil wash into the engine bay, I would win this fight.

And then all of a sudden it was done, I had conquered - the kit was mine and man was I happy - hope it makes you happy too.

Check out the full build log - imodeler.com/groups/..-tamiya-nissan-r89c/