lonewolf Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Have any of you knowledgeable members ever heard of a company called "Lee"? I'm visiting my daughter in Ontario, Canada and in one of their LHS"s I found a couple of kits of older Caddies by Lee. The pictures on the box look like they would be good kits, very nicely detailed in the interiors but no pictures of any engine detail. There is also no indication as to what skill level they may be. I was wondering if they would be worthwhile buying, as I have never heard of this company myself. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Sikora II Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 As I understand it, the Lee Caddy kit is a copy of the Arri kit. I have a Heller boxed version of the Lee kit I picked up cheap several years ago. It has been a long time since I looked at it, but I remember it being disappointing and not to the quality level of a typical Revell or AMT kit. You might try posting this question on Hobby Heaven, I'm pretty sure somebody over there (maybe Jeff Corey) built the Lee kit as a custom surf wagon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 If these are the '58 Cadillac Eldorados, (coupe and convertible) save your money! They are nowhere near as nice as the box art represents IMO. I was very disappointed when I bought mine years ago as no one has done a proper '58 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz or Seville in plastic. The proportions are off, particularly with the coupe..................the coupe has a separate roof section, but it's shape looks as it was lifted off a '59 Rambler! There are some other issues but needless to say the models aren't worth it no matter the cost if they don't look right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonewolf Posted July 30, 2007 Author Share Posted July 30, 2007 Thanks for the info guys. Bill, you were right on the money, those were the exact two kits I was looking at. I think I'll take a pass on those ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Wilding Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I've got the Lee '58 Caddy convert. I mean, where else can you get a '58 Caddy? Now, I'm not as "obsessive" as Bill, and being an Aussie country boy I've never seen a '58 Caddy in the metal, but to my eyes the body's not too bad. Sure, the hardtop roofline's out to lunch, but that's not a factor with the convert. Note I said "the body's not too bad". That leaves an awful lot of kit.... The interior seems OK. OK but simple. Don't expect decaled instruments, chrome trim or the like. Engraving is pretty good, though I can't vouch for the accuracy of the upholstery pattern. I'll check it if you want. The chassis is abominable. Sink marks, flow lines, massive sprue attachment points, you name it. They've had a go at replicating a proper-appearing chassis, but the execution lets it down big-time. Also it seems to have been designed to take batteries and an electric motor in the trunk, which tells you all you need to know about the accuracy of the rear suspension. The front end however is tolerable, with poseable steering (pretty much a given in a motorised kit), and you do get a detailed Caddy-looking V8 under the hood. Just watch out for mistakes in the instruction, IIRC the exhaust manifolds don't fit right and require some surgery. But it's WAY better than the Trumpeter Monte Carlo "engine"... The other thing to watch out for is the colors. Be sure to have your sunglasses on when you open the kit. Mine had a gold body, bright orange interior, black chassis plus the usual clear and (excellent) chrome. (Guys, this is my first serious post here, so I hope I haven'y been unduly critical or anything to get into trouble.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Good mini review Peter! Don't worry about being "too critical" here about a kit.................there are no "kit police" on the board! I forgot about the chassis details being so bad...............I have the kit, but it's packed away. I just very plainly remember the out of proportion body (almost seems too short for 1/24 scale) and that TERRIBLE roofline! I thought about "shrinking and stretching" the body on mine and reshaping the roofline using ERTL's '58 Chevy roof...................but that's too much work for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Wilding Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Good mini review Peter! Don't worry about being "too critical" here about a kit.................there are no "kit police" on the board! I forgot about the chassis details being so bad...............I have the kit, but it's packed away. I just very plainly remember the out of proportion body (almost seems too short for 1/24 scale) and that TERRIBLE roofline! I thought about "shrinking and stretching" the body on mine and reshaping the roofline using ERTL's '58 Chevy roof...................but that's too much work for now. Thanks Bill. Good to catch up with you again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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