Tamiya Mountain Rider Project
Page 1: Assembly
I've built the Bruiser previously and documented it in excruciating detail. This one is
identical so I've only written about the differences and a few highlight here. Please
see my Bruiser page for full build details.
The Mountain Rider box art is very similar to that of the Bruiser but
seems to be shown from a very slightly different angle. There are
no blister packs inside the box, but everything is still nicely
presented and separated. The inner box at the lower left has all
the hardware, and the steel frame can be seen at the lower right.
I couldn't resist a few beauty shots of the lovely 3-speed
transmission. Full details of the guts and operation of this
transmission can be found on my Bruiser page.
On the left you can see the completed steel frame with the leaf
sprung solid axles attached. For this build, I chose to lock both
the front and rear differentials. On the right I've added the
motor and transmission assembly.
It takes a long time to paint a model like this. Here is the front
grille and bumper. I used semi-gloss black for the grille and
mica red as the main truck color.
After painting the whole thing in mica red, I masked off the areas to be
painted black. I wanted the window gaskets to be flat black, and I
took the opportunity to paint the whole inside of the shell black as
well. I didn't want to be able to see white through the
windows. Note that I also masked the area for the Hilux emblem
just above and behind the wheel well. This will make the metal
transfer stand out. I also decided to add a little contrast to the
model by
painting the bed flat black instead of matching the body. I think
this worked out really well. I also painted the underside of the
bed black so it will be dark under the wheel wells.
Here I've removed the masking and added more details. You can see
the black around the windows and the silver rain gutter and door
handles. After applying the stickers, I put a few layers of clear
over the top. On the right I've added the wipers, the sliders, and
the metal transfer logo completing the cab. You can also see the
interior through the window.
©2021 Eric Albrecht
