1959scudetto

Looks very good with these fat wheels and tires - aggressive, racy look !

Mike, the ESCI kits were new molds in 1983 when they were first released - some reissues were from Esci with different decals and one from amt (which owned ESCI at the time) in their own line with added chrome parts. Thanks, Eric!

Hi, Bill - I would say the Italeri SWB is rather good detailed, although not always correct because it shares most engine and chassis parts with their 250 GTO. But the greenhouse looks very good! In 2015/16 in Italy the 1/24 Ferrari "Le grandi Ferrari" diecast series was released, unfortunately mostly relatively new models, but a few classics in between, here is a link: http://diecast24.blogspot.com/2016/03/le-grandi-ferrari-2015-coleccion.html (# 25 is the mislabelled 1959 SWB - it is indeed a dark metallic blue 1961 model!) All these models were made by Burago, and some of them (the 250 SWB !) were avaliable for a short time for about € 17,00 in their regular program.

Brian, you are absolutely right - amt reissued the ESCI kit little later under its own brand and chromed the tree with wheels and bumpers. Thanks, Ray - over the course of time, the putty has shrunk so you can see the contours of the antenna and fuel cap holes on the overhead view of the silver version. Thanks, Trevor - I wanted to show that the kit has indeed issues - with the original kit wheels and side window line it looks really awful.

Thank you Rich - beware of the Esci's, if you want a SWB (back then this was the only option!)

And this is the one to look for if you want to build a good SWB – I still have 3 of these in my stash waiting to be built. (I cannot comment on the Gunze because I have never seen one in reality) Also good proportions has the Burago 1/24 diecast (this is in the works at present and needs some TLC and detailing but the proportions are pretty good:

Here is the rest:

Modelers beware: Here are 2 models built from ESCI’s infamous Ferrari GT 250 SWB. In 1985 or 86 I bought all 3 versions of the kit, built 2 with several modifications and sold off the 3rd: The only difference were the decals! While the detailing is not too bad (full engine!), the hood is molded shut, in the original ESCI versions is NO chrome tree, the glass is too thick and distorted, the wheels are totally useless – very ugly, too small diameter, heavy spokes and tires that would fit probably as mud and gravel tires on a rally car. But most of all: the body is totally misproportioned: clumsy and hunchbacked, it is truly missing the aggressive elegance of the original - the best is the artwork on the box ! Nevertheless, as this was before Italeri released its own version of this classic, I decided to build 2 in different versions - the builts are from 1986, the pictures from last week: Stock version (strada, 1961) : headlights are pirated from another kit (don’t remember which one), side window line is slightly altered, bumpers have been covered with bare metal foil, and wheels/tires are from the Italeri 250 GTO – Paint is Ferrari “Giallo Fly” from the can. Race version (corsa, 1960): should represent 2021 GT, the silver/blue car which took 6 th place in Le Mans 1960 (3rd in class): once again, wheels from the Italeri GTO, stripe is masked, # 22 is from Revell GTO (Italeri reissue). Modifications are: no bumpers front and rear, additional indicator on the right front fender, brake ducts made from drinking straws, hood cut open, scratch-built bug deflector, altered side window line without vent windows (1960!), rear fender flares, repositioned fuel cap and new rescribed trunk line and a deflector plate to prevent overflowing fuel to flow onto the left exhaust snaps. I’m not quite sure if I have made all the necessary modifications… (my only reference material have been 2 pictures in Jess Pourret's book "250 GT Competition Berlinettas") Here are the 1:1 comparison pics:

Thanks, Guido !

x 2: I don't want to see this one in my rearview mirror !

Thank you, Gareth - this kit was great to build back then (after a bunch of amt's) - the decals snug down very well without wrinkles (No setting solution here!), but they showed some yellowing directly out of the box - and the kit was brand new at the time (!) - you can see this between the seperate color stripes....

Thank you, Larry !

Thank you Patrick - I mostly use automotive lacquer rattle cans for my models. Thanks, Larry ! Thanks, Michal !

Thank you, Michal !

Hey, Kerry, just happened to come upon this : Have you ever built an SWB? I have bought myself all 3 different versions from ESCI back in 1985, built 2 of them with some modifications and sold off the 3rd. Maybe I will post pics this weekend.

Though I would prefer the 66/67 Toronado body style, you have built a superb model, Chris,d awesome paint and interior detailing

Thank you Anders ! Thanks, David - if I built one today, I would wetsand the primer and polish the laquer...

Thank you. Anders ! Thanks, David !

Excellent models, Roger - I especially like the 2 grey Fords on top - the second one kept thinking for a while until I realised that you have grafted the front of the Sedan onto the Pickup - looks perfect !

Thanks, Jim ! Thanks, Brian - this was done before I switched over to spray-cans.

Thanks, David. Thanks, Bruce -I build mostly stock. Thanks, Lee. Thank you, Larry. The clearcoat weas brush-painted, the metallic blue is automotive laquer from a rattle can.

Excellent transformation, Gary - I have been thinking about doing the same with my wix diecast - the LM 66 Whitmore-Gardner version is the logical step.

This is the very first (1982) issue of the then new Revell kit: built in 1983 - the cab was brush-painted with cream/ivory from Humbrol, the black frame is still unpainted (the truckwas molded in a medium grey like the box art). Opening doors are a kit feature of this one. I don't remember any issues, that could be different today, as the model has been reissued several times and meanwhile the molds are almost 40 years old. Here is what the box looked like (Picture from the internet):

Very nice - the best looking Batmobile ever! When I was a seven year old boy in 1966 this Batmobile together with the Monkeemobile was the diecast everybody wanted to have!

very impressive, Charles - how did you create the broken windshield of the Transit?