Matt Bacon

I'm probably thinking about this more than it deserves, but... We know there's a fair bit of not-strictly-accurate reuse of parts between the Italeri 1/24 Ferrari 250 kits: chassis, doorcards and air-cleaner mix and matched between the 250GTO and 250 SWB, for example. I just took a close look at the 250 California Spyder and 250SWB that I have to hand next to the desk. It looks to me like the designers assumed that the front end of the Cali Spyder and the Berlinetta were basically the same, and it was just the roof and haunches that were different. The Spyder looks like this in real life: My guess is that the Italeri 250 kits were all based off the same masters, because they thought that Ferrari and Pininfarina had done the same... (or thought it would be OK from a maximising return on investment perspective) best, M.

To be fair, the Italeri designers had the best hope of having access to the real thing. We're spoilt today... not only is there the internet to provide extraordinary quantities of information and quality pictures (how many of my builds are informed by detailed high-resolution picture galleries from top-end auction houses..?), but the historic racing scene is thriving. In the late-70s or early 80s when these things were being tooled up, the chances of the designers having spent time up close and personal with what at the time was just an old, out-of-date, superseded race-car must have been pretty small. Even now, a 250SWB is not a $30m. treasure like a GTO, but they're pretty special collector cars in the $5m. range, and I was bloody lucky to be able to go to a relaxed Historics race meeting and just wander into a pit-lane garage with one in... Those Gunze designers probably only had a good handful of 10"x8" prints and their instincts to go on. A trip (via The Wayback Machine) to the UK Model Cars Magazine Plans archive is instructive: http://web.archive.org/web/20071211013214/http://vsrnonline.com/Mags/MC/MC_Plans.htm Lots of well-drawn 1/24 three-view plans. But the articles accompanying them have what's probably a good sample of the pictures available to the guys who were drawing the plans. And they were in England, with access to see the real things race, and they were (often) contemporary. And yet there are "interpretations" all over the place. And all they are trying to produce is a set of 3-view plans. These days, you could LIDAR-scan a real one, as Airfix do for a lot of their new-tool aircraft models. Or you can get 3D CAD data from the manufacturers (as Airfix does for its new series of 1/43 supercars). Now, many Historic cars _are_ scanned by the restorers or auctioneers to make it easier to recreate unique parts if they are damaged. I'm sure there's an opportunity for the right company to partner with RS Williams or Ferrari Classiche or Eagle to create new-tool kits based on comprehensive and accurate data. But let's not forget what those enthusiast designers decades ago were working with... best, M.

Yep… the Gunze kit has, if anything a slight “peak” or hump over the front wheel arch, whereas on the real car the top of the fender falls away downwards from pretty much the base of the windscreen… best, M.

The 250SWB is a sturdy, muscular car in the flesh, and for me the Italeri captures that much better than the AMT. For completeness, this is the Gunze Sangyo kit: best, M.

I think it’s like a Little Tikes Coupe. It moves by him running. You just can’t see his feet on the floor behind the front wheel… best, M.

Ah, I get it... I wasn't suggesting that you could build a stock car from this boxing without mods, but my interpretation of the fact they'd bothered to make the screen a separate piece was that it was to allow for the possibility of a non-Bond kit without having to retool a whole dash, just a 1cm square radio and speaker part. When I built the 1/16 Revell Porsche 356 coupe Easy-Kit, there were quite a few parts for the full detail kit on various trees of the snapper, plus a 3-part siren and parts of a radio setup designed for a Dutch Police-fit 356 which as far as I know has never yet seen the light of day as a separate release. I think Revell likes to give itself the option wherever it can... it's like the new 1/48 Airfix Sea King helicopter kit, which gives you all the parts for a a number of different variants and overseas operators version that are not included in the decals or instructions, and a tantalising handful of parts which can only be used for more radically different versions, if and when the more substantial bits you need appear in a later box... best, M.

Hi, all, but especially @cobraman. I built one of these a while ago, and I remember there was a real trick to getting the radiator and hoses in place around the suspension and chassis tubes, but darned if I can remember what it was other than "not following the instructions". Can anyone put me out of my misery and remind me? All the best, matt

What's your interpretation of what he's doing here, then? best, M.

I’ve never seen one on anything else. That’s not to say no one in the history of the world ever fitted Campagnolo alloys or Dunlop Competition rims, but wires (with a bit of variation in sizes) are near enough standardised and period-correct. best, M.

Step-by-step: best, M.

Late series DB4s also had the cowled headlights, as did the DB4GT, but you need to take about 10" out of the wheelbase of a DB5 kit to get a DB4GT (I did it with the Airfix re-box of the Doyusha kit, which has a bunch of other issues, but was cheap back in the day). The Airfix James Bond DB5 is 1/24, and full detail (I'm tempted to do a dual build of mine, bought from a charity shop for £7 a decade or so ago, with the new Revell one). Airfix turned it into a DB6, which I don't have. They tweaked the rear end to give the Kamm tail as @Bugatti Fan points out, but they didn't change the wheelbase or lift the roofline like the real thing did to make it a viable 2+2. If I ever manage to snag a DB6 kit, there's a fair bit of work to knock it into accurate shape. My view is this (bearing in mind my default scale is 1/24, not 1/25): If you want a regular DB4 (which is one of the best looking 60s GT cars ever) build the Aurora/Monogram kit OOB. If you want a DB4GT, cut a chunk out of the middle of the cheapest Airfix/Doyusha DB5 you can find, and sand the sides a bit. If you want a full-detail DB5, build and adapt the Airfix James Bond DB5 (or sell it and buy many other kits, or wait for Revell to release standard car follow on to the Bond Quick-build) If you want a James Bond DB5, buy the Revell Quick Build kit If you want a DB6, buy the Airfix kit and prepare to do some work. There's a build thread somewhere on here with suggestions of where you need to cut and how, but basically you need to slide the trunk backwards, and lift the rear of the roof so the C-pilllars join up where they need to... best, M.

Looking at HPI-Guy’s video above, the tracker screen panel on the dash is a separate piece, and it really doesn’t have to be… which suggests that the kit’s engineered at least with a stock one in mind… Doesn’t mean there will be one, but it looks like Revell think there _could_ be… best, M.

Doh! Of course! best, M.

Agreed… after all the whole point of most of the “gadgets” is that they’re concealed: that’s why it’s a “Secret Spy Car” ? Number plate, filling in the rear armour plate slot, replacing the interior radio tracker screen with something more prototypical… there’s not that much to do. Shaping some rectangular rod stock to the bumper cross section to replace the box housing really shouldn’t be too hard… best, M.

One for @Ace-Garageguy listen to it go towards the end of this walkaround... best, M.

No.... hung my nose over it a few times and nearly gave way, but the cheapskate Yorkshire modeller in me says "That's what you already have an unbuilt Revell XKSS and both the Lindberg and Merit D-types for...." best, M.

I don't believe so in TS spray cans -- the blues are all too bright or intense. If you can source the AS aircraft colour range, then I think AS-5 Luftwaffe Light Blue is about as close as you can get in a Tamiya spray can. best, M.

Hi, @Gramps46... your review on this site of "Porsche 356 Diecasts" from 2020 mentions the Precision Classics kit with an eBay photo. Did you ever discover if they had any others in the line-up? All the best, Matt

More curbside style, @Pierre Rivard. What you see in the pictures is pretty much what you get. There's a bit of a representation of lower suspension arms, but there's nothing in the body except the cockpit, and the engine is just the top section and some ancillaries. Nothing opens, and there are no chassis subframes, radiator or pipe-work. Don't go into it thinking it'll be like the Revell XKSS, for example, or Profil 24 D-Type... On the other hand, it is a striking looking car, and as-parked, looks very like the pictures I have of the real thing! best, M.

1lb 10oz, since the display cabinet happens to be about 10 feet from the kitchen scales! best, M.

Hi, all.... following some discussion on my XJ13 thread, I though I'd share some thoughts on the white metal kit makers I have experience of. There aren't that many in 1/24: the majority of the white metal catsers are primarily in 1/43, the popular die-cast scale. I'm also restricting myself to kits using white metal to make relatively traditional scale models, not unassembled diecasts (though some of the makers did offer built and painted versions of the models from the factory). Wills/SE Finecast The best detailed, fitting and engineered 1/24 metal car kits I've built. Very high levels of finesse on details, full engines, and comprehensive kits. Range is a mixture of a handful of 20s/30s classics (plus the Silver Ghost), a variety of MGs and Minis. MGA is still unique, B has now been done by Aoshima in various guises, and there's a GT coupe body transkit from C1 models. Minis from Revell, Tamiya and Hasegawa. So the 30s cars and MGA are currently the standouts. Now available from Squires Tools, who took on the range from the original owners. Auto-kits Wide range of subjects, pretty nice but a little cruder and less detailed than the Finecast kits. Finecast took on the Auto Kit range on years ago, and they are also now available from Squires. Range is much more focused on period racing cars from the 30s-50s, with many unusual types you won't find anywhere else. Lotus 7, MG M and TD, and Austin 7 fill out the range. A step up from the "Merit" plastic 1/24 kits (which they will look good with as part of a collection), but not up to the standards of the Heller plastic racecars in 1/24. K&R Replicas Well-shaped, accurate, and somewhere between Auto-Kits and Finecast in terms of finesse and detail. A very wide range of vehicles across scales, but in 1/24 primarily focused on Jaguars. C-Type (the only one in scale I know), D-Type in various body forms, XK120, XJ13 and Mark2 and XJ6 saloon varieties. Mercedes 300SLR, 1954 Ferrari 375 and Healey 3000Mk2 and 3 complete the set. Full detail engines in some. Still trading, but seem to be running down stock of the 1/24 kits. Western Models I don't own and haven't built any of these. From what I can see they are premium products, up to Finecast Standards, and command substantially higher prices (though that may be because they are out of production, so eBay demand sets the price, whereas the other kits are available new from the makers). Anyone who has thoughts on these, please feel free to add to this thread!) Not British: Precision Classics -- looking to my friends across the pond to add any details on these. Very high-end brass model kits, with castings using jewellery materials and methods. The only one I've seen is a Porsche 356 Speedster, but at £500 for a 1/24 kit, I think I'll pass. They do seem to set the quality bar, though, and it's _very_ high. Again... if you know more (were there any more than the Porsche, or is it a beautiful one-off dream...?) please, anyone who wants to add information, dispute my thoughts, or share other manufacturers I don't know, do pitch in! best, M.

After a discussion with @aurfalien, it occurred to me that any pictures I'd taken of this beastie back in 2011 were long lost on an ancient photo host, and predated a decent camera setup anyway. Since it's one of the rarer kits I've built and a less well-known car, while I had the camera out photographing other things I thought I'd do a re-shoot of it... best, M.

I saw that one in real life at RetroMobile in Paris a few years back in a display of Peugeot and Citroen Concept cars. It look absolutely stunning, but I hate to think how long it took every week to keep the copper looking as good as that... best, M.

No sign of my Issue 222 here in South Yorkshire yet... best, M.

PS... it also looks as though I can drop the 427 back into the Mustang, for a rare-groove but period-correct option. Win all round... best, M.