djflyer

Excellent parts Doug - very much as I expected. These definitely prove what can be done with this technology, and as I understand it you are not a professionally trained CAD person either. Looking forward to seeing more.

My premise is built around the kit manufacturers still providing the kits. They (already) have the skilled CAD people to create the files and their use of the higher cost/more advanced printers would provide the amortization needed to keep the price down - maybe below current levels. IM tooling still costs alot of money to create and maintain. This idea allows the consumer (us) more options to select the end product we get.

I will say again this has the potential for a lot of good things for the hobby, especially if the kit manufacturers get in on it now. 3D printing already does not create solid blocks only - look at the thread on this site, and the Shapeways and TDR Models sites. Very accurate body shells and other parts printed in choice of scale. Home machines are already available to print pieces the size of 24th scale car bodies. Commercial machines can do even more. The choice of accurate kits would be unlimited. Imagine this: you go to the Monogram Pro site, select the car you want - choice of year, body style, standard or custom wheels, any driveline stock or custom. In the scale you want. Its printed, maybe some IM parts or PE details are added, packaged and shipped to your door. No more waiting for the announced release date, no more complaining about the "wrong scale", no more endless threads about when someone will finally do a good Aston Martin or (insert choice). Its still a kit you build yourself - scratchbuild, kit bash, customized and painted as you wish.

Really, really, really like this one. When does the kit come out. Is it me or does anyone else see some Saleen S7 in that profile?

Another advantage of 3D printing - no such thing as scale. The files can output in any size because no tooling is involved - you can have yours in 25th and I can have mine in 24th if I want. Check out TDRModels.com - you can get the same Ferrari 166 Barchetta in your choice of seven different scales from 1/43 to 1/8.

In many ways this could help add interest to the hobby. There are alot of potential subjects that have never and likely will never be done in kit form - for no other reason than tooling cost and limited market. But how many people buy a conversion kit or parts? Look how many users are on this site looking for old kits or re-pops that will never be done again. Now, maybe I can now go to a site and get that Jaguar XJ13 show car body (and maybe other unique parts) printed. If it costs less than the couple hundred bucks for some of the resin kits that may never exist, hey, I'm all for it. Obviously the quality of the digital file used will make a difference, but then look how many brand new kits are looked at as being "wrong". This just expands the choices of what can be available.

Doug, it appears that at least Ford agrees with you about the future. Today they announced the Ford 3D Store where you can have your (currently limited) choice of models to have 3D printed for you, OR purchase the file for 4.99 to download and print yourself. This is being done through the Turbosquid website where Ford advertises "hundreds" of other Ford-authorized files are available (but cost quite a bit more than 4.99). Hopefully the model companies are paying attention. Sometimes people want something besides another flathead deuce or '60s muscle car. (not that there's anything wrong with those).

There was an email yesterday from the 3D site Turbosquid announcing their official partnership with Ford for 3D image licensing so this may be the first to come from that. I wonder if the print files creates shells or solid bodies. They are really missing the boat by not setting them up in 24th/25th scale to start.

Fantastic work and a great example of the detail that can be created. Think of all the "plastic blobs" underhood and especially suspension pieces that can be replaced with something much more accurate.

Did a little more searching and found a website that I had forgotten: http://www.scaleproduction.de The site is in German so do a google search on the name and you can get translated pages. They have a very good selection of 13" wheels and tires that are supposed to be 24th, but look like they will fit the 25th scale VW.

The Scirocco kit does have two different sets of tires sized for 13" rims. The narrow ones are pretty bad (appears to be the one on the right) with something like two rows of tread. The wider ones can look better with the tread shaved off and mounted on the racing style rims. David

Mark, Checked a bunch of kits for better tires and found none that fit the racing style wheels from the kit (even looked at 1/24 and 1/28 scales I have just in case). The rim scales out to around 13" which is kinda tough to find. There is another stash of kits I can look through and will let you know. One option you might consider if you want to use the kit racing wheels. The larger tires are solid and appear to have enough material that you could sand all the tread off and still have something to fit the wheels.

They are pretty standard design racing wheels. I can check some of the other kits I have and see if anything comes close to a good fit.

Sad but not surprising to think of all the tracks that are gone - strips, short tracks, even long ovals. "Take it off the street" - to where? The noise complaints reminds me of the people who move next to an airport thats been there for decades before, then complain about the noise and make the city/state/govt pay for sound-proofing the houses. There was talk the Reno Air Races might fall for the same reason.

Had both the car (a '77) and still have an unbuilt kit. The rear suspension beam is almost dead-on, but the struts need to be replaced both front and rear. The rest of the kit isn't too bad as a base for detailing. The race car bits are a nice bonus but the tires are junk all the way around. One of the cars I still wish I had (kept the owners manual). That thing weighed only 1800 lbs - imagine what some modern motor horsepower would get you!

Thanks for the responses everyone - it appears we have several decent kits of the E-type available, at least some having a complete driveline. The Heller re-issues will definitely help the wallet considering I'm now thinking about builds of 2 or 3 variants. Then there's the Series III with the V12 - who's up for a scratchbuild?

Matt had mentioned the "Lightweight" version, which I believe is based on the roadster. Just found an image of the Gunze box like this one:

Thanks for those pictures Matt, the Heller coupe does look good. I was pretty sure to stay away from the Monogram - looks something like a +2 with an XK-SS nose piece. The Heller catalog currently lists the coupes, but no hardtop spider yet. I seem to recall that Gunze did one, but I may be wrong on that. Now for the big money - has there ever been a Series III with the V-12? Kit. die-cast, or other wise?

The Heller website is showing as "new" the reissues of the Cabriolet OTS, the FHC, and LeMans FHC. No additional detail or downloads of the build sheets like the have for several other kits shown.

It was mentioned in another thread that Heller is re-issuing their E-type kits; there has also been some discussion in several others about no good ones having been made to date. So, despite the can of worms this will open (like the DB-4/ DB-5 discussions) I would like to ask: What is/ what are the best E-type kits in 24th scale? What are the "errors" in the ones issued to date and can they be fixed?

Not surprising the Aston DB5 (and DB6) have already popped up on Kitstarter, so maybe there is hope to have them again. Given how often molds seem to be passed around, it would be interesting to know how many landed with Airfix despite their origins being elsewhere. You mentioned the Heller re-issues of the E-types so I decided to start a post on which are good/ which are bad.

Great build, great looking car - liked then ever since I saw one in a James Bond movie. I wonder if the Hasegawa is a re-issue of the Nichimo kit - is that a curbside?

corpus delecti. Very cool build - especially like the logos on the clear back panels. Is that painted or decal? Not sure, but it might even look better without the side hoods.

My best idea right now is a pro-touring mod with the top chopped and tire set into the trunk lid. For something really good check Gary Campesi's facebook page.

I'll give it x3 on the ScaleKraft catalog - but include some re-pops from UMi and MiniExotics. Show cars rarely get done - so how about the Mustang I prototype - the two seat mid-engine that started the name? and the Mustang Giugiaro Mustang Milano Bertone Carabo Saleen S7 Cadillac Northstar LMP