This is an attmept to make a Katoki-esque version of a Char Zaku. But instead of a simply 0083 Zaku, I'd opted for some originalities. Besides, I have plenty of 0083 GK already, there's little point in making one (maybe for the ego) ;-) The concept is to make a somewhat less advance version than the F2, a cross between that one and a normal MS-06F with some unique Char's feature throw in.

Based on the Zaku F/ J kit from 08th Team serie, I modified most of the joints, quite a bit of "volume-up" thing and plenty of cosmetical changes. Here are the run downs:

 Body

The stock kit have little mobility. First thing I do is to sawed off upper and lower body apart and house a poly-cap on the upper one. This can be a bit tricky. Rather than appropriately make a plastic housing for the poly-cap, I half-assedly glue it with expoxy. The lower body is then attached with 3mm plastic rod enable the body to rotate and remove.

Next, the stock shoulder joints are redone with ball-joint socket both in the upper body and in the arms. This enable a much greater mobility. Started by making a square shape opening on the area where the arms originally pegged into. Use 2mm plastic pipe to hold the ball-joint socket.

On the proportion department, I enlarge the side of the body 1mm on each side with plastic sheet. The sharp angles are filed off afterward for a more 'elegant' feel. And then I added some scribed line and drill some holes for details. Groin area is also enlarged by 1mm in the middle after halfing it (hey, don't give me that look! it really looks better this way!). It also got extended 1mm into the front.

The skirt armors which came in one piece are appropriately broken into 2 and given a new attachment using spring on a square plastic spacer (to compensate the space left by taking off old plastic part).

Being an MG Zaku and Okawara's design hater in general, I'd gone out of my way to get rid of the features uniquely MG (and Okawara). Most of the new panel lines will absolutely have to go! I really can't stand them, so they're all taken care of with polyester putty "Sube Sube" here.

 Arms

There's plenty to do with the arms. Originaly, the shoulder and upper arm, though rotatable, are not removable. I cut opened the top of upper arm and stuffed it with polyester putty then put poly-cap in the middle.

The shoulder joint though, is replace with a double ball-joint (with 2 sided ball) that is created by putting the end peg of a small ball-joint into the plastic ball-joint cut off from the original foot (!?). Not to take the credit, I get these ideas from Hobby Japan. :-)

For the right arm, a ball-joint is also used to attach shield insted of plastic peg. The shield itself is from a garage kit.

Also for the right shoulder, where it is expose, I covered up the void on top with plastic sheet and putty. The left though, is left unmodified since its being cover by the spike armor (old lazy me).

The design decision (most likely by Okawara) to have the elbow pad 'hollow' (or extruded) is so utterly stupid that I can never stand! It's now filled. Plus I beefed up the joint area with putty around a plastic pipe that used to 'accent' the joint.

To improve mobility of the wrist, the thick plastic around the poly-cap is carved out. The white part in the pic is a trimmed vernier with a hole drilled for attaching hand.

 Shoulder Armor

One of the low point of the kit is its shoulder armor, which is even worse than the MG. I used Gouf's instead. I cut out the middle spike and place a spike left over from Ewac-Zack on the spot (basically, I'm too lazy to make new one). Polyester putty is used to form the base around the spike.

 Legs

Just by enlarging the hole around the thigh ball-joint helps increased range of movement a tons (see pic).

The knee joint is another story though! This one took major surgery in order to make upper and lower leg removable. I used the 2mm poly-cap left over that's featured in just about every box of Bandai model (you know, the gray ones). The old shaft that used to put stock poly-cap in needed to be sawed off and drilled a little hole for the new ones, on both upper and lower leg joint. I had a hard time finding rod that fits these poly but a rod cut off any Bandai's runner happens to fit nicely!

As usual, the knee pad comes hollow and need to be filled with polyester putty. The sharp angle in front of that pad is filed as well, again to give some 0083 characteristic.

Same as the shoulder joint, double joints is use for the foot. This time, a Kotobukiya part. With a little trimming and drilling, the socket can fit into the lower leg. While on the foot, the stock joint is sawed off and then filled the top part of the foot to make a platforn for new joint. Before the putty cured, I press the socket on it to envelope into desired shape.

Another of my Katoki-interpretation is to beefed up the lower leg with polyester putty to the shape that looks a cross between normal one and 0083's. Of course, I careful not to make it too much of F2 looks.

Since the S type has some 30% increase in performance, I feel the need to add some vernier to the legs. In an area where the J type originally has a lid covered, I cleared up the area and inserted a vernier and a plastic rod as propellant tank. On the front, I also carved a niche for more detailing of a minus mold and pipes.

Feets

I replaced the Zaku's foot with ones from Gouf Custom. However, both feets still share the same style of foot print, which is for ground type. To make a space type foot print, I put a burner in the middle, filled all the lines with putty and cut a 0.3mm plastic sheet to make a new pattern. Since I also planned to do more Zaku variations later, I don't feel like doing the foot again, so this is another part where I made a resin copy. That's one of the reasons why this project drag on as long as it does.

 Head

Proportion stays pretty much the same, but I replaced the internal structure of the mono-eye, so that it can rotate. Using an 8mm clear plastic pipe inserted with 3mm poly-cap and use a plastic rod for shaft. Wave's H-eye is used as a mono-eye. It is put on a rod which inserted into hole drilled on the pipe.

I always feel the opening hatch on the head is something of a Hi-Zack signature, therefore I'm totally hate that making an appearance on OYW Zaku. Again, it has got to go. :-)

That ugly antler is also replaced with a longer, more graceful one using plastic sheet. The cable are brass pipes (to be inserted with spring when finish).