Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Heller Citroen HY 1/24


DeTomaso

Recommended Posts

Is that a clear driver's door with molded-in glass that I see? The infamous "French solutions" of car design extend even into the model car world. WooHoo.

I wasn't going to buy any of these, but seeing the picture got me intrigued. I may end up owning one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All these oddball European cars are going to bankrupt me. It is a nice problem to have.

 

 

Is that a clear driver's door with molded-in glass that I see? The infamous "French solutions" of car design extend even into the model car world. WooHoo.

I wasn't going to buy any of these, but seeing the picture got me intrigued. I may end up owning one.

It is not unheard of to find clear fuselage halves on aircraft kits with heavy glazing, so not really something new, although not common on car kits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

It is not unheard of to find clear fuselage halves on aircraft kits with heavy glazing, so not really something new, although not common on car kits.

Which Japanese company did the Isetta with the clear body?  Same idea, mask off the glass and paint the body.    I do need one of these Citroen Vans too!  I think I'm about 5 models behind on the new French car kits

Edited by Tom Geiger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which Japanese company did the Isetta with the clear body?  Same idea, mask off the glass and paint the body.    I do need one of these Citroen Vans too!  I think I'm about 5 models behind on the new French car kits

That was Gunge Sangyo Tom, I'd love to get hold of one, as my Dad used to own an Isetta, but they just go for silly money on eBay

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That was Gunge Sangyo Tom, I'd love to get hold of one, as my Dad used to own an Isetta, but they just go for silly money on eBay

You are right Geoff.  I couldn't think of it at the time! It was a double kit with a Messerschmidt. I believe there were two versions, one with photo etch, which would be insane considering how small these bits must be!

I rode in an Isetta once when I was a kid.  We lived in Dayton, Ohio and I was in first or second grade. I was already hooked on cars and noticed everything, so I was always intrigued when a red Isetta drove by.  Once I saw the people get out at the shopping center and I was amazed that the entire front end was the door.   Then I saw it out front of my school, with a lady sitting in it.  So I marched right up there and told her I wanted a ride in that car.  She was waiting for her kid, and agreed to drive me home.  I walked to school so it was only two blocks but I remember being very pleased with myself that I rode in the bumper car!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

On their website as being available from this week.Looks similar in style to the Renualt 4 Ebbro tie up.Split screen shown on the built up.

The only negative might be the shipping cost in some areas .Size of the box is nearly two feet wide for a 1/24 van!

citroën-van-hy.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There appears to be a contest going on among non-American kit manufacturers "who can pack a few plastic parts in the biggest possible box".
Madness, when you think of the insane postage costs we have to pay since the parcel services got privatised and the eco dogma of reducing waste wherever possible.

Pretty much all of the European and Asian kits I received lately came in boxes at least twice the required size.
At the same time, they build ever bigger container vessels and new harbours to accommodate them.
Crazy.

 

Edited by Junkman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whether that is the correct box size remains to be seen,but Heller list it as 56x38x10cm.Compared to the Revell VW panel van at 35x21x8cm ,about the same sized kit with more parts.

At least the price is sensible and not Ebbro prices.

Edited by DeTomaso
accuracy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now available from Oops: http://www.oupsmodel.com/nouveaux-produits#fabricants_heller

€22.20 for a newly developed kit is pretty aggressive.
Also proves that we don't need China.

What's their shipping charges like ?? Heller took their money out of my bank this morning, £56.74 for three models + shipping, = £18.91 a kit, it makes me wonder why Ebbros DS19 is £62.00 over here, I cancelled my pre order when i found out the price

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought the Renault 4L from Domino's in Belgium for 17 euro's, I expect the HY and the Mehari won't differ much from that.

I got the Mehari's for just over 18 Euro's, sadly i have no local model shops, and the one's that are in the area don't stock Heller models

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's their shipping charges like ?? Heller took their money out of my bank this morning, £56.74 for three models + shipping, = £18.91 a kit, it makes me wonder why Ebbros DS19 is £62.00 over here, I cancelled my pre order when i found out the price

It's the usual €14 and change from France.

I ordered from Heller directly two days ago, £56.75 for two vans and a Mehari.
I paid €58 posted for the Ebbro DS from Littlebolide in Belgium a while back. Still a tad stiff in comparison.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

But my reviews suck, wheras others write such good ones.

There is not much bad to say about the kit. If you were really picky, you could lament that the various doors and lids aren't hinged.
You can attach them in either open or closed positions. Only the sliding door on the RH side is moveable.

Anyway.

Despite the newfangled clamshell box is the same size as the Renault 4 and Citroen Mehari boxes, and not nearly as big as mentioned on the Heller website,
there is lots of air:

 photo 002.jpg

During the production run of the H van, which lasted from 1947 to 1981, there were of course countless detail changes, and a few major ones.
Heller paid them tribute by providing parts for a post 1954 and then again a post 1965 version. These two years marked major
externally visible changes. Thus you get the split windshield vs. one piece windshield option, the upper tailgate with a small or a large window,
and the two different engine compartment surrounds, one with the corrugated upper surface, one with the fluted one.

These are all furnished as clear parts:

 photo 003.jpg

 

The tires appear to be newly tooled and have the correct Michelin thread.

 photo 004.jpg

Note that the underfloor has structural detail:

 photo 005.jpg

The main body parts sprue contains the options for the rear wheel arches. The older ones are radiused,
the later ones squared off:

 photo 006.jpg

The currugation is repeated on the inside of the body panels, which also have the reinforcement beams.
Also note early and late bumpers, as well as early and late grilles:

 photo 007.jpg

According to the instructions, there are also early and late heater units for the dashboard.

You also get a nice decal sheet:

 photo 008.jpg

 

Real men don't need this:

 photo 009.jpg

 photo 010.jpg

 photo 011.jpg

Note that this is in fact a hemi engine.

 

 photo 012.jpg

 photo 013.jpg

 photo 014.jpg

 photo 015.jpg

 photo 016.jpg

 photo 017.jpg

And the back of the box:

 photo 018.jpg

 

You really do get a lot of kit for your money from Heller, despite they are 100% made in France, which kind of proves my point, that we don't need China.

 

Edited by Junkman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...