15 replies to this topic

[fredo84]

Hello Guys!
Does anyone has some info about this kit ?
Quality ? sink mark? fitment ?
Thanks you for your answer!

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[cobraman]

I never built one but I did hear it was a bit tricky to assemble. I am sure someone else will be along with better info.

[Chillyb1]

Skip Jordan knows a lot about this and other 300 SL kits. Send him a message and I'm sure he'll be happy to share his knowledge and opinion. I used to have the kit but sold it. I can say it looked very good with great mold quality.

[fredo84]

Ok guys !!
Thanks for your answer...!
Found some kits on Ebay for a good price .... might get one .....
Cheers !

[Bonekrosha]

I was thinking of getting two of them at some point to make a stock one and a mean one with a blown big-block something for an engine.
Fredo, if you hear something on these, shoot me a pm will you?

[fredo84]

Ok Michael i will...!
If I end up to buy one ,iI will make a review...

[sjordan2]

If I told you everything I know about this stuff, I'd have to start another website. I have masses of reference gathered over several years, to help me build this car (which I haven't yet). But here are some observations - a few pros and cons off the top of my head...

• There is no ideal Gullwing kit in any scale by any manufacturer. But at 1/16, there are the Minicraft and the Italeri (hard to find and expensive). Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and my build plan is to moosh them together. Do not even consider the sucko 1/12 by Renwal, Revell and Monogram (until I start putting mine on eBay). They make Barbie cars look like museum-quality models.

Minicraft has:
• A better body shape, while Italeri front fenders are too high and bulbous. But you'll need to deal with more flash on Minicraft, and both require proper body surfacing. With the exception of the opening parts, Minicraft has a single-piece body, while Italeri has separate front and rear lower valances.
• Minicraft has more accurate seats, but Italeri has a more accurate interior, including a chrome luggage rail and proper door upholstery missing on Minicraft.
• Italeri has far superior engine detailing.
• Either way, you'll need to devise your own method for door lifts (maybe 1/24 working shock absorbers?) or choose between down doors and up doors.
• Italeri has proper retaining lips for opening hood, doors and trunks, Minicraft has none - you may want to add some Evergreen strip (no big deal).
• Minicraft has an accurate space frame, which is the hallmark of the Gullwing, plus the underside belly pan. Italeri has neither.
• Minicraft has chrome wheels with separate beauty rings to provide for many accurate wheel variations, and the Italeri wheels are too large and clunky.
• Italeri has separate chrome trim for windows, grille and scripts/logos. Minicraft has molded-on window frames, and would require sanding off the grille mesh, and has incorrect script with only gray decals for trunk and dash trim. So it's a BMF deal with Minicraft.
• Minicraft has a more accurate stering wheel.

That's just a top-of-my-head basic overview. If you can't find the Italeri Gullwing to add detail to the Minicraft, you can get the cheaper and more available Italeri Cabrio (roadster) for the chrome badging/scripts and a better engine (and not much else). You'll still need to add detail to the Minicraft Gullwing interior, though.

For a good build analysis by the late, great Martin Swire (who had warping problems that are not typical), go here:

http://www.freewebs....55merc300sl.htm

If you're really interested in building a Gullwing, the Minicraft may be the best, but Italeri parts can add a significant improvement.

I'd go ahead and get the Minicraft kit (pay no more than $45 with free shipping) and check it out.

Until then, I remain your humble servant and stand by to answer any further questions.

[fredo84]

WOW !!! thanks a lot Sir for your knowledge !!

So i think i will follow your opinion and go for a Minicraft for start and get an Italieri kit for some interior part and other bit ( maybe i could find a part box or an already started....) will see....

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge !!!

Cheers
Fredo

[samurai7]

what about the Entex 1/16 300SL?

[sjordan2]

what about the Entex 1/16 300SL?

Entex and Minicraft are the same kit in different boxes.

Edited by sjordan2, 11 September 2012 - 08:56 AM.

[fredo84]

Kool ! thanks for the tips on the Entex !

[sjordan2]

Kool ! thanks for the tips on the Entex !

I don't have the Entex kit, but the thing to remember about different issues of the same tooling by different brands is that they can vary in terms of crispness and flash (and some have better instructions than others - Minicraft instructions in the newest form are generally the best). This is particularly the case for 1/16 kits, which have been issued by a variety of manufacturers and often end up in the hands of Minicraft. 1/16 kits that have made the rounds through many different brands include the Jaguar SS 100, Mercedes 540K Maharajah/Roadster, Mercedes SS Sonder Kabriolet (quite different between Revell, Academy and Minicraft in terms of quality and finish) Mercedes 300 Sl Gullwing and Rolls-Royce Phantom III Saloon. Since I don't have an interest in the 1/16 Fords from the 30s, I don't know about their background.

I've listed the 1/16 kits that I'm familiar with, and there are others I'd love to have and don't have any knowledge of - Cadillac, Packard, Duesenberg, etc. But I will make this statement: In my opinion, with some notable exceptions, the 1/16 kits have much better accuracy, detail and engineering quality than equivalent cars in smaller scales. Once you get into 50s and 60s cars, it's a little spotty. And they make superdetailing a whole lot easier.

Just a little addendum to the Gullwing discussion: The Italeri 1/16 roadster was also issued by Revell with electric lights.

Edited by sjordan2, 11 September 2012 - 11:26 AM.

[fredo84]

Sweet !!! thanks for sharing !!!

[peekay]

Tomy from Japan made a very fine 300SL but it's in 1:32nd scale. I also have their Jaguar SS100 in the same scale and they're probably the most refined kits I've ever seen in any scale.

[sjordan2]

Just checking to see if this Photobucket image, which shows how a Gullwing's door windows pop out, will show up here. It doesn't at SAM, and Photobucket keeps going crazy on me.

[fredo84]