Faust

Man, Hitler as a Nazi Elvis... what an interesting idea that is for some what if cars! I mean, technically anything made in Germany from 1933-May 1945 has something to do with Hitler... he was in charge at that time. However, it's funny how some people will take that a bit literally, especially when money's involved, eh?

You mean because of the massive amount of PC that got blown away by the cover, or because I shattered the myth of "Tilt" being a company? I will admit I like seeing history as it was, not all sanitized and "Safe". There's nothing safe about repeating the mistakes of the past unnecessarily! Glad to see this old kit got some interest, that's for sure!

One facet of Nazi Germany I particularly fascinating is the way in which Hitler and his closest compatriots managed to take the concept of a “cult of personality” and weave it so totally into the fabric of the nation. In so many ways, the Nazi leader and his cronies became indistinguishable from the state itself. Let’s face it, Hitler, in so many ways, WAS the state. One very physical symbol of this was Hitler’s penchant for spectacle, all the way down to his ride. The Mercedes-Benz G4/W31 is a perfect example of the brutish spectacle that Hitler made of almost everything. I’ve always wanted a model of that car, and am glad to see that Revell Germany makes a really nice new kit of it. Of course, anyone who knows me knows that I generally eschew “nice new kits” and go for the “old and obscure” first. I didn’t even know if there WAS an older kit of the G4, but I figured I’d know it if I saw it. And, then I DID see it! Check out my out of box review on the old Marui 1/35 G4. Sure, it’s not as nice as the Revell Germany kit, but it sure is a lot harder to find! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/marui-135-mercedes-benz-g4w31-oob/

That Zeta looks awesome! Nicely done. Is it the PG kit? To be honest, I find some of the non-HG series just as good if not better than some UC ones. I find most UC stories are best as OVAS - they're tighter. Like 8th MS and Gundam 0080. My favourite Gundam series ever is Gundam 0083, though. I find Zeta to be very boring and confusing, and I HATE Camille.On the other hand, I'm the only one I know who LIKES ZZ. At least Judah has some spunk and isn't a whiny little so-and-so. For non-UC Gundam, I think X is actually very good, and I quite liked AGE. I didn't care for G too much (solid meh) and Turn A (which is kinda-UC) was also meh at best. I HATE Wing with a passion, but I have most of the kits from it; great mecha, bad anime. Reconguista in G was another I could totally do without, and OO was surprisingly good. I've loved Gundam since I first learned about it in around 1993. I will admit, this is a weird place to find fellow Gundamheads, but it's always nice to do so!

Looking at the last few Non-UC Gundam stories, I’ve felt a little let down. I totally disliked almost all aspects of Reconguista in G, and even most of the mechanical designs did nothing for me. I only bought two kits, if that tells you anything! However, I did enjoy AGE. I seem to be in the minority, but I liked the show and always found the kits to be a good ‘impulse buy’ when I was at the hobby shop. There was a lot of variety in the designs, but most of them were interesting. I particularly liked the way the Vagan suits all seemed to have weird features, like tails! That’s why I was really taken with the Legilis: It’s a Gundam, but with a tail! It’s also extremely cool-looking and very, very lithe. Usually I end up getting the heavy-armour-types, but the Legilis justlooked so fast, even standing still! I was digging through the stash the other day and it occurred to me that it’s been a while since I heard about AGE at all, and I thought I’d share a quick Out of Box review of the Legelis. If you like your Gundams with a tail and wings, you’re in! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/bandai-1144-gundam-legilis-xvm-fsc-oob/

The good news is that the Promo seems to be out there, too, so if you find it, you can just knock it down and make a kit out of it yourself and be no worse off. In fact, you'll be ahead of the game because all the black on the windshield will be painted! I'm always happy to see that there are others out there that love 'everyday' cars like I do. It's just neat to have a display with some stuff you've actually had contact with on it! I actually remember a day in 1996 that there was a "Chysler Test Track" thing up at a local mall (Masonville Place in London, Ontario). A local dealer brought one of everything, essentially, and Chrysler reps set up a little test course in the parking lot that had straightaways, tight turns, bumps, etc. You could sign up to give the cars a test drive. I drove a Neon (blech) PT Cruiser (double blech-handled and accelerated like a pig!), Sebring hard roof (solid meh) Caravan (DO NOT corner at >50km/h - I almost flipped it!) and the Sebring Convertible (nice). The Sebring Convertible was quite agile and gave a good ride, as well as being much stiffer and more spirited than the others.

Hey Luc, I had no idea that they were popular in Europe! That's cool to know! They were very popular here, so much so that I still consider the red LeBarons of that style to be the official "summer car" here in London Ontario, Canada. When you see the red LeBarons, the good weather's here for sure! They seem to be very well maintained, though; mostly old people driving them, so they don't see winter or even rain! That helps. The 1996 is a much better looking car in my opinion; it might be one of the nicest of all the late '90s cars. Very stylish without being chunky, like so many of today's cars!

Try it now. I noticed this when I previewed it, but I thought I had it fixed. If it doesn't work, try this link; the link to the article is in the appropriate square! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/

I really would rather build a model of a car that I used to see driving all over the place than a model of some supercar I’ll never have a chance of owning. That’s why I gravitate to the “loser” and “everyday” car kits. In the ‘80s there was a chance to actually get kits of everyday cars, but as time went on, it got harder and harder. By the mid-1990s, there were hardly any kits of common cars. That’s what makes the Lindberg 1996 Sebring Convertible so awesome! Not only do I remember lots of them around, but I also still see some come the summer time! I know Lindberg was also responsible for the promos for the Sebring, so it’s no surprise they’d spin it into a kit. However, I was expecting something like their Caravan kit, not something as deluxe as the Sebring turned out to be! To see what I’m talking about, and take a gander at what might be one of the last “everyday car kits” of the 1990s, check out my out of box review of this kit below! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/lindberg-125-1996-sebring-convertible-oob/

See, that's why a second pair of eyes never hurts!

Well, I said I love a challenge, and the Farpro (Aoshima) C6N1 Saiun is certainly that! This kit is a real mixed bag; some parts fit well, others are quite bad, and the sink marks make everything more interesting! The good thing is that I’ve gotten it to look something like an airplane, which is really is small feat given how this thing is designed! I’ve gotten the “cockpit” done too, although it’s only a floor and a couple headrests, I think it will do the job; after all, the transparency for the canopy isn’t great! For all those who said not to bother, I can’t blame you! However, I’m just about ready for paint, so I think it’s safe to say this one is over the hump! Check out my progress on this little chestnut here: https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/2015/10/29/farpro-saiun-update-2-get-it-together/

Wow, Nichimo lasted that long, eh? I'm actually pretty surprised by that. I do hope that there's one day going to be a Japanese company that's the equivalent to our Round 2 that will repop these awesome kits. On that note, I wonder if Round 2 would consider branching out across the pond, so to speak?

When I posted a link to my out of box review for the ancient Farpro Japan (nee Aoshima) C6N1-Saiun, a lot of people thought it was crazy to even try it! That’s what a lot of people in my model club thought too. Of course, there were others who thought it would be fun to just smash it together and see what comes out. I’m somewhere in the middle. I want to do what I can to make this very old “diamond in the rough” at least somewhat shiny. Well, okay, making it less of a block of coal than it is now will do for me! To that end, I have begun to steadfastly attack this little monster. I mean, you can’t expect me to just LEAVE it unbuilt when it looks this bad, can you? I’ve managed to make some progress, although it’s definitely a bit more of a challenge than I would have imagined even seeing how rough it is. She’s not together yet, but at least she’s got a floorpan now! Check out my progress here: https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/farpro-saiun-update-1-no-guts-no-glory/

Oh man... That's awesome! I would love that! So many cool, obscure models I've never heard of!

I agree wholeheartedly! I don't like to superdetail things at all, so you know what, I think I'll do just what you suggest. I'll probably air brush the paint, although I have been known to do it by hand in the past. I think it's going to be fun to see what tricks I can pull to bash this blob into something even halfway respectable. I have tonnes of better kits, but these oldies really call out to me! Does that mean I have a problem?

As most of you know, I do tend to favour the oddballs and obscurities of modelling, both in terms of subject matter and manufacturer. Well, this one’s definitely a win in both departments! When I was in one of my local shops in the winter, the owner had dug out a bunch of Farpro kits. These are just the “export” version of the ancient Aoshima kits from the early ‘60s. I’d never heard of them, but there were a number of interesting planes in there, like the A7M Reppu and the C6N Myrt. Since I didn’t want to pay $40+ for the Sword kit, I opted for the $8 Myrt. I got what I paid for! Check out this ancient relic here, and breathe a sigh of relief that you don’t have to build it. It’s on my bench now, so I can say with authority that it’s a rather big dog of a kit. Lots of work in there, but I do so love me a loser! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/farpro-172-c6n-saiun-myrt-oob/

Hey Ross! Yeah, now we're on the same page. It's funny how two-faced politicians are. If even a small auto-related plant opens, they'll talk about all the "spin off jobs" (the term we use here in Canada) that'll be created, and tout the opening as some big accomplishment for the area, and thus themselves (even though they have lilttle, to nothing, to do with it). However, when a plant closes, it's ONLY 10,000 jobs. What about the spin offs? What you say is exactly right. I am angry and offended by your government's decision. What they did to you by nuking the auto industry is essentially, I feel, make you beholden to the rest of the world for your independence. If there is ANYTHING that seems un-Australian, that would be it. It's like what cancelling the CF-105 Arrow did to Canada's aviation industry, but on a much larger scale. Your government is either short-sighted or plain stupid, is all I can say. I agree, the G8 is a fabulous car! My other car is a 1980 Trans Am, and I really wanted a family car that was a "4-door, everyday T/A". Well, the G8 is that and more! I love having a 'big' sedan that can completely waste all these ricer/tuner idiots who think they're hot spit. You want to see import muscle? HERE is how it's done! I'll see if I can find any good pics of it to put up. Two Nivas! Kick butt! Good luck with the L-39. That's a very pretty airplane, and very fun to watch fly. There are a couple that are owned locally around here, so I see one flying quite often!

Yeah, it was a Flintstone body! I thought that was it, but I didn't want to say it because all I could think of was Fred Flintstone! I don't remember it being a sedan delivery. That's interesting! I have a queue like that too, Tom! Glad I'm not the only one.

Yeah, we got those, but didn't Mattias say they got the four door as a fast back? Or, did I misunderstand. I have seen a resin cast body for the Cavalier Wagon once. It was like $60 just for the body, and I didn't have any kit to go under it at that time, either! I would love to see more econobeater variants, though! These things need to get Round 2'd. Seriously. There's got to be some interest out there, no?

Whoa... you guys got this body style as a Four Door? We could only get the fastback as a two door! How f'ed up is that! Man, now I wish I had a few more of these things!

Thanks guys! Yeah, for some reason, you don't see this one too often. Walter: your points about the tires are well-made. I may yet go back and correct things. I'd never thought of that, actually! I really wish they'd have made a conventional Sunbird or Skylark (that was the Buick, wasn't it?); that would have totally rocked!

I've tried to post pics of it here, I really want to, but it never seems to work. I'll try again, because I agree with you totally, Jonathan. Okay, got it! Thing is, I was trying to use the "Insert Picture from URL", but I had to paste it from my hard drive instead. Knowledge is power!

They say you can’t go back again. However, that’s not entirely true when it comes to modelling! There’s always a chance to take another run at a kit that you might have botched up in your younger years. For me, such a kit is, of course, a loser car! In this case, it’s the MPC 1982 Cavalier! Sure, you’re thinking that the Cavalier may not be worth re-doing, right? Well, as a car, you might not be wrong on that, but it’s a neat kit of a very important car. The Cavalier nameplate solidered on for a long time, and it’s one of those cars that literally seemed to be everywhere back in the day. Check out my take on this “New for ‘82” Chevy and tell me what you think. If it makes you remember how bad things got, then I’ve done my job! J https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/cars/125-mpc-1982-cavalier/

Ross: You're right about the car being a non-taxi. I'm surprised at it being yellow as well, though. I did put a correction on the article, but I decided to leave it as it was because a.) I had fun writing it thinking it was a taxi and b.) my remarks are applicable to the taxi, of which there is a toy, but this just isn't it. I'm astounded by your experiences with the Lada and how well your Niva has hung in there. I know those are cult-ish vehicles, at least in North America. They do have a following that's "an inch wide but a mile deep", so to speak. You know what, if it's working, then you're right to keep it! There are some brands that get tarred and feathered when they may not deserve it, I agree. It sounds like Lada might well be one of them! I think we're on the same page with the auto industry, though. You say you don't think it sets the tone for the country, but then say how bad it is that the Gov't down there isn't supporting it. We have the same problem in Canada. The auto industry supports a lot of jobs and its fast-paced, "lean" approach to doing things is, to me, and indication of how well a country can 'keep up'. There's a lot of high-tech in auto manufacturing. I work in a transmission parts plant - we make what amounts to metal flowerpots with teeth. The tech we use is amazing, much of it patented by our company. We're growing every day, and we're helping to keep the economy going doing it. I feel for you. Australia losing its car industry is short-sighted AND will see a massive loss, in the long term, of industrial and design capability. It's like what happend to Canada's aviation industry. Look what happened to Britain when its car industry imploded. They've never been the same since. I will miss Falcons and Commodores. For a while, I was hoping Ford would bring the Falcon to North America to fight the Commodore that was brought here first as the Pontiac G8 and now as the Chevy SS. Heck, I like Aussie cars so much I went and bought a G8. Best car I've ever had. Then GM nuked Pontiac, and how they're nuking Holden. Weak. Good point too about how market penetration of foreign cars is sometimes hard due to cultural and living arrangement differences (I don't think Commodores were designed for Japanese roads all that much) , and sometimes its due to logistics. That's why Renault failed in the US. No logistical support. VW got that, and brought a full dealer network. Haven't seen a Renault in ages, but I see VWs all over every day!

I'm not surprised to hear that these things are all over Cuba! It does make sense. I haven't watched that yet, but I will try to take a look at it!