crispy Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Watch out! I'm on a roll here! Testors Maserati Merak SS. After so many Wheels of Italy pictures I had to break down and get this Testors kit. Pretty easy curbside kit, but looks fantastic when finished. I purchased this and started in on it a day or two after receiving it. That's how excited I was to build it. Paint: Cobra Colors Grigio Silverstone Metallic Interior: Tamiya Red/Brown Wheels: Tamiya Light Gunmetal with Testors gold in the centers. Bumpers: Alclad Chrome Tamiya semi gloss black accents with BMF chrome trim. I'm a gaudy type, and added the spoiler, which looks great imo. Couple pics and hope to have better out-door ones tomorrow. Sun setting here and was just catching the last rays. A couple indoor shots too. Just a few more pictures at My Fotki. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Very nice build. A couple of weeks ago they had this on Top Gear with two other Italian cars. The three guys on the show raced and tested the cars. I think this car ended up having like 83 horse power when they tested it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vizio93 Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Very nice build. A couple of weeks ago they had this on Top Gear with two other Italian cars. The three guys on the show raced and tested the cars. I think this car ended up having like 83 horse power when they tested it. yeah i saw that too. If i had any of those 80's supercars i wouldn't have let that happen to it. BTW nice masserati. I like the added wing. It gives it more of a supercar feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ismaelg Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Very nice Chris! Well done! I always liked that kit. I still don't know why I never bought it when it was in the shelves. Darn it, now I want one Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVZ2881 Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Nice job Chris!!!! I've been trying to get one of those off the 'bay for a while now.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyBad Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Great looking Maserati. I like the wing too. Gotta keep all 83hp on the ground. Guess we should find out who's trying to get what off Ebay so we don't bid on the some ones I've tried to get one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSNJim Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 That's my third favorite Italian car, after its big brother the Bora and the Countach LP400. I've built a couple of those kits - nice kits. One I tried to convert into a Bora without much success. I have since obtained two Bora models. The 83HP car is very odd. The Merak had a 200HP V6 installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimaxion Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 That's my third favorite Italian car, after its big brother the Bora and the Countach LP400. I've built a couple of those kits - nice kits. One I tried to convert into a Bora without much success. I have since obtained two Bora models. The 83HP car is very odd. The Merak had a 200HP V6 installed. The Merak was produced for fuel exconomy . It lost 6 cylinders and overall lenght & weight from the Bora . The target was more milage for the buyers . This issue was very important at that time . It may also was built to avoid Gas Guzzler Taxes . It improved the CAFE of this Super Car Manufacturer . Maybe this particular car mentioned had 83 HP left in it's well worn powerplant . Very well done rendition of a fuel economy champ . I like what you did to this minimalist kit . Thanx.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_rad88 Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 nice job chris!!!!! and its only curbside? hum, and are they rare to get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 Thanks guys! The kit isn't that rare. I've been watching them on the bay for awhile. I'd say 3 times a month one will pop onto ebay. It's just a matter of what you feel comfortable paying for the kit. Yes, it is a curbside kit. I had a great time building it and would love to do another in red with out the spoiler and do a few different things, but for now I am pretty happy with it. I plan on adding the mirrors to it, which I think will ruin the lines, but I didn't fill the holes for them so I should put them on. One of the changes I would make on the next one. Again, thanks guys. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSNJim Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 The Merak was produced for fuel exconomy . It lost 6 cylinders and overall lenght & weight from the Bora . The target was more milage for the buyers . This issue was very important at that time . It may also was built to avoid Gas Guzzler Taxes . It improved the CAFE of this Super Car Manufacturer . Maybe this particular car mentioned had 83 HP left in it's well worn powerplant . Very well done rendition of a fuel economy champ . I like what you did to this minimalist kit . Thanx.. The Merak was introduced in 1972, well before any fuel economy concerns, gas guzzler taxes or CAFE standards. It was a 2+2 as opposed to the Bora's 2 seat configuration, and had a small backseat. It was a GT car for the family guy or "economy-minded buyer", in much the same way Mustangs were available with 6 cylinders or 8. The Bora and Merak shared the same body shell, and the Merak's lighter weight was due to the Merak's V6 vs the Bora's V8. There were no significant dimensional differences between the two. I do agree that this particular specimen was probably dogged out, and that Chris did a very nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 (edited) Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments. The Top Gear episode of Jeremy's Merak was a hoot. I can hardly believe what he paid for it but the real shocker is the cost of the engine rebuild and then it grenades itself on the road. I wonder how much hp it had before the ticking started as it was pretty nasty(bad in a bad way) sounding when they tried to dyno it, wondering if it was even going to last then! Like I said, I had a fun time building the kit. I also just recently got the Pantera kit by Testors and as usual it has all the gaudy features I love. Look for that one to be built in the coming months. Chris Edited September 17, 2009 by crispy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSNJim Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Like I said, I had a fun time building the kit. I also just recently got the Pantera kit by Testors and as usual it has all the gaudy features I love. Look for that one to be built in the coming months. Chris I'm looking forward to the Pantera. I'm a big fan of early 70s Italian supercars. I think I have a Pantera bought built stashed away. One day I need to get it rebuilt. I remember seeing a Pantera or two in Louisville when I was young - definitely the first "exotics" I'd ever seen. The rumor was the owner paid about $10,000 for the car. At the time, you could get a nicely equipped Corvette for around $5500, and a house for not much more than $10,000. Enough geezin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimaxion Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I'm looking forward to the Pantera. I'm a big fan of early 70s Italian supercars. I think I have a Pantera bought built stashed away. One day I need to get it rebuilt. I remember seeing a Pantera or two in Louisville when I was young - definitely the first "exotics" I'd ever seen. The rumor was the owner paid about $10,000 for the car. At the time, you could get a nicely equipped Corvette for around $5500, and a house for not much more than $10,000. Enough geezin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSNJim Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I stand corrected . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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