Lexus Enthusiast Builds an Exact Model Of His Lexus RC F - His Story

The Lexus RC F performance coupe ignites the passions of owners worldwide. Many modify and work on their V8-powered, rear-drive beasts adding parts and improving the paint. Owner DD loves his RC F just the way it came from the factory. Still, he wanted a way to be more involved with the car. He loved it so much he made an exact model of it. Here's his story.

TN- Tell us a bit about your real RC car. What trim, when did you buy it, what did you drive in the past (no need for a huge paragraph here).

DD - I got my RCF in the winter of 2015, I was able to get every piece of trim the way I wanted. Nebula grey, black interior, sunroof, 10 spoke gunmetal wheels. It's a dream car. The car it was replacing was a fully modded out Scion FRS, I had done a ton of stuff to it. Even added a supercharger. But in the end, the FRS couldn't make the power I wanted, and it still felt cheap.

TN - How long have you built models? Does anything in your life have to do with it? Are you handy, are you a technician of some sort?

DD - I've been building models starting when I was a young kid, the usual WW2 planes and tanks. I never excelled in it, always putting the hobby down for a year or two between builds. But lately I've been trying to duplicate my two vehicles, the 2015 RCF, and a 2008 Toyota FJ. I've been a mechanic for 15 years and those vehicles are my passion. The Radio Controlled Cars hobby is like building a project car but on a much smaller scale and obviously a smaller budget.

TN - What model kit did this car originate from? Tell us a bit about this model. Does it drive (RC?) is it static? What scale? What trim is it supposed to be?

DD - The build started with a 1/10 scale: Team Associated Apex RCF ready-to-run model. It came assembled, with a pretty good transmitter/controller. Unfortunately, the car only comes in White and Blue. It's fully licensed and has the stock Lexus wheels with real rubber tires. The chassis itself is a 4 wheel driven drift car with a super fast brushless motor that makes for a fast and fun drive.

TN - How did you paint it?

DD - So I sourced a clear body on eBay, It comes with a decal sheet to duplicate body details. But I'm still waiting on a small parts kit that includes the wipers, mirrors, exhaust tips, shark fin antenna, and light buckets to allow me to run LEDs. I painted the inside of the body with "Duratrax" RC body paint.

TN - Tell us how long it took and about any challenges

DD - It's an ongoing process, am I ever gonna be done? Probably not. But to get it how it is currently it just took a few days. Of course, I've already found a better body with higher details, so now I get to start all over.

TN - What makes you passionate about the RC line from Lexus (I understand, but tell us)

DD - I've been a mechanic for years, I've worked on a lot of different manufacturers. That hands-on experience has taught me a lot of things and one of those is, hands down Toyota makes a great car. I grew up wanting a Mustang. Well the Lexus RCF is the best Mustang money can buy!

TN - Any future model plans after this one?

DD - Always, I'm a 35-year-old kid. Toys and tech keep me young at heart. And if I'm gonna keep up with my younguns I can't be a boring dad.